The Impact of Website Speed on User Behavior – research

Below are the results of a study aimed at understanding how internet users approach slow-loading websites – what their expectations are regarding page load times and how they react to slow websites.

INFO: The study was conducted on a representative group of adult U.S. citizens commissioned by the Prehost.com by the research agency TGM Research using the CAWI technique on a sample of N=1087 in June 2024.

We encourage the wide use of the study results to raise awareness about the impact of website speed and performance on online business. All materials – (infographics, data, tables, etc.) can be used on websites, blogs, articles, presentations, offers, social media, or your own research, citing Prehost.com as the source along with an active link.

Press release: Digital Impatience: The Hidden Epidemic Costing Companies Millions – Latest Research

How important is it?

Question: How important is it to you that the websites you visit load quickly?

ANSWER	%
Not important	2%
Somewhat important	31%
Very important	67%

AGE

Response	Total	18-29	30-44	45-59	60-75
Not important	2%	3%	1%	1%	3%
Somewhat important	31%	31%	26%	29%	41%
Very important	67%	66%	73%	70%	56%

GENDER

Response	Total	Male	Female
Not important	2%	2%	2%
Somewhat important	31%	31%	31%
Very important	67%	67%	67%

REGION

Response	Total	West	Midwest	South	Northeast
Not important	2%	1%	1%	3%	3%
Somewhat important	31%	34%	28%	30%	31%
Very important	67%	65%	71%	67%	66%

INCOME

Response	Total	Up to USD 1,250	From USD 1,251 to USD 3,500	From USD 3,501 to USD 7,000	USD 7,001 and more
Not important	2%	3%	2%	*	3%
Somewhat important	31%	33%	33%	24%	28%
Very important	67%	64%	65%	76%	69%

EDUCATION

Response	Total	Primary education	Secondary education	Post secondary education	Tertiary education (bachelor degree)	Masters / Doctorate degree
Not important	2%	3%	3%	2%	1%	1%
Somewhat important	31%	38%	31%	32%	28%	25%
Very important	67%	59%	65%	67%	71%	74%

Impact on decisions and behaviors

Question: How does a slow-loading website of a store or company affect your behavior?

ANSWER	%
I am less likely to make a purchase or use the services	52%
I am less likely to return to this website in the future	55%
I am less likely to recommend this website to others	39%
None of the above	11%

AGE

Response	Total	18-29	30-44	45-59	60-75
I am less likely to make a purchase or use the services	52%	57%	53%	54%	42%
I am less likely to return to this website in the future	55%	58%	53%	56%	55%
I am less likely to recommend this website to others	39%	43%	42%	38%	30%
None of the above	11%	10%	10%	11%	15%

GENDER

Response	Total	Male	Female
I am less likely to make a purchase or use the services	52%	53%	50%
I am less likely to return to this website in the future	55%	58%	52%
I am less likely to recommend this website to others	39%	43%	35%
None of the above	11%	10%	12%

REGION

Response	Total	West	Midwest	South	Northeast
I am less likely to make a purchase or use the services	52%	56%	54%	49%	50%
I am less likely to return to this website in the future	55%	51%	63%	52%	57%
I am less likely to recommend this website to others	39%	34%	39%	42%	38%
None of the above	11%	13%	10%	11%	11%

INCOME

Response	Total	Up to USD 1,250	From USD 1,251 to USD 3,500	From USD 3,501 to USD 7,000	USD 7,001 and more
I am less likely to make a purchase or use the services	52%	52%	49%	53%	57%
I am less likely to return to this website in the future	55%	51%	60%	55%	54%
I am less likely to recommend this website to others	39%	37%	42%	36%	40%
None of the above	11%	12%	11%	11%	10%

EDUCATION

Response	Total	Primary education	Secondary education	Post secondary education	Tertiary education (bachelor degree)	Masters / Doctorate degree
I am less likely to make a purchase or use the services	52%	44%	43%	52%	60%	70%
I am less likely to return to this website in the future	55%	45%	53%	58%	57%	52%
I am less likely to recommend this website to others	39%	27%	35%	41%	44%	35%
None of the above	11%	13%	11%	12%	11%	6%

Declared waiting time for the webpage to load

Question: How long are you willing to wait for a website to load before abandoning it?

ANSWER	%
Less than 1 second	1%
1–5 seconds	19%
6–10 seconds	26%
11–15 seconds	17%
16–20 seconds	13%
More than 20 seconds	15%
I don’t know / hard to say	9%

AGE

Response	Total	18-29	30-44	45-59	60-75
Less than 1 second	1%	2%	1%	2%	*
1–5 seconds	19%	19%	18%	21%	16%
6–10 seconds	26%	22%	26%	27%	28%
11–15 seconds	17%	16%	18%	15%	20%
16–20 seconds	13%	19%	15%	11%	8%
More than 20 seconds	15%	17%	17%	15%	12%
I don’t know/ hard to say	9%	5%	5%	10%	16%

GENDER

Response	Total	Male	Female
Less than 1 second	1%	1%	1%
1–5 seconds	19%	19%	18%
6–10 seconds	26%	28%	24%
11–15 seconds	17%	17%	17%
16–20 seconds	13%	14%	12%
More than 20 seconds	15%	13%	18%
I don’t know/ hard to say	9%	7%	10%

REGION

Response	Total	West	Midwest	South	Northeast
Less than 1 second	1%	2%	2%	1%	1%
1–5 seconds	19%	21%	15%	19%	19%
6–10 seconds	26%	25%	25%	28%	23%
11–15 seconds	17%	14%	19%	16%	20%
16–20 seconds	13%	13%	16%	13%	12%
More than 20 seconds	15%	17%	16%	14%	14%
I don’t know/ hard to say	9%	9%	8%	7%	11%

INCOME

Response	Total	Up to USD 1,250	From USD 1,251 to USD 3,500	From USD 3,501 to USD 7,000	USD 7,001 and more
Less than 1 second	1%	4%	1%	*	1%
1–5 seconds	19%	18%	18%	20%	19%
6–10 seconds	26%	22%	29%	27%	25%
11–15 seconds	17%	15%	19%	20%	12%
16–20 seconds	13%	12%	13%	16%	15%
More than 20 seconds	15%	16%	14%	14%	17%
I don’t know/ hard to say	9%	13%	7%	3%	12%

EDUCATION

Response	Total	Primary education	Secondary education	Post secondary education	Tertiary education (bachelor degree)	Masters / Doctorate degree
Less than 1 second	1%	2%	3%	1%	1%	*
1–5 seconds	19%	13%	18%	19%	17%	25%
6–10 seconds	26%	28%	28%	25%	25%	26%
11–15 seconds	17%	11%	16%	15%	22%	17%
16–20 seconds	13%	14%	14%	13%	14%	12%
More than 20 seconds	15%	19%	13%	17%	16%	13%
I don’t know/ hard to say	9%	14%	8%	10%	6%	7%

Results of the Study – Infographic

Below is an infographic summarizing the key findings from the study:

If you have any questions or concerns regarding the study and its results, please feel free to contact us.