Poor store experiences are driving UK shoppers online, according to an Accenture survey of 1,000 UK adult consumers.

Almost one-half of respondents said the stores they visited were frequently out of stock of products they wanted. Furthermore, 56% said there were often not enough available cash registers for checkout.

These disgruntled customers are going online - and liking it. Forty-four percent of all respondents preferred shopping online and 56% of men preferred to buy over the Net.

When consumers do go to the store, they arrive armed with product information. Two-thirds of respondents researched products online before making a store purchase.

“The Internet has become an extension of the in-store shopping experience,” said Richard Wildman of Accenture. “UK consumers are making wide use of it to not only buy products, but to check availability and find the best prices. Retailers need to make sure that if their Web site says they have a product, it really is on their shelves and not out of stock.”