U.S. shoppers unhappy with store service, long lines

NEW YORK (Reuters) - U.S. shoppers were keen bargain hunters following Thanksgiving, but nearly 40 percent of them left disappointed because they did not get help or the lines were too long, according to a survey released on Wednesday.

The survey, conducted by Motorola's Enterprise Mobility division, also found that, of those consumers who walked out of stores without making a purchase, almost 90 percent did not come back.

"The survey results clearly show that customer service affects brand loyalty and dramatically impacts immediate and future sales," Mark Self, Motorola's vice president of retail solutions for the division said in a statement.

Overall, retail stores lost an average of $115 for every disgruntled shopper who left their stores, while consumer electronics shops lost $214 per shopper.

Only 37 percent of surveyed U.S. holiday shoppers were satisfied with the help they received from store associates, while 41 percent did not complain about the time it took to check out their purchases.

The survey comes when many retailers, who typically use January to clear out winter merchandise, are also counting on shoppers to head into stores and use gift cards.

Motorola conducted the online survey from December 13 to December 20 and surveyed 1,300 consumers aged 18 to over 60 years.

(Reporting by Aarthi Sivaraman; Editing by Andre Grenon)