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Zendor Advises on How to Challenge and Improve Retail Websites

Press Release

By: Zendor
13 July 2005

As part of an increased focus on multi-channel strategy, more and more retailers are now operating a transactional website. One in four consumers now shop online (Verdict on e-Retail 2005) and with increasing Internet experience, consumers are becoming more knowledgeable and confident, demanding more from their online shopping encounter. If retailers further improved the online experience for customers, conversion rates, response rates and average order values would improve and build further on the return on investment. Zendor, the distance selling expert, has the following tips for retailers looking to challenge their websites, strengthen their online proposition and improve future success:

• Assess the whole online proposition- Success does not depend solely on service experience, a good website or product range. A holistic approach needs to be taken on every aspect of an online offering from strategy to website usability. Both the offer and the website need to be attractive to customers; neither will be truly successful in isolation.
• Evaluate the customer experience- Identify areas of the website that could benefit from improvement as they may be acting as barriers and hindering purchases. Consider key website metrics, for example, design, navigation, search and terminology. Small changes may transform a website from prohibiting to encouraging valuable sales.
• Fine-tune the range selection- What sells well in-store will not necessarily enjoy the same success online. It is key for a retailer to work with its merchandising team to develop an online range which will match customer expectations without over-extending the warehouse.
• Compare pricing strategy against the marketplace- Research the market and compare offers with online competitors. This will help gauge whether the pricing strategy is in line with other successful market players, where it differs, and help identify the strengths and weaknesses of the product range on offer.
• Develop efficient offers and promotions- Capturing responsive customers will increase average order values. To maximise this potential, retailers could exploit customer responses with cross-sell and up-sell promotions, for example, to increase order values even further.
• Improve product presentation- Think about ways to improve on product presentation and customers will be more likely to purchase. Product image size and quality is important. Customers will also respond positively when presented with options, for example, if a garment is available in five colours, all colours should be illustrated to enhance purchase prospects. If a dinner set is on sale with an intricate pattern, a ‘zoom in’ option or close-up will enable the customer to make a more informed decision.
• Involve customers in development and change- Involving customers in the development process will ensure that the website is easy to use and understand. Conducting ‘real world’ testing and watching the customer’s journey through the website in a lab session can give great insight into the barriers and hurdles encountered by looking at the site ‘through their eyes’.
• Consider outsourcing to a multi-channel retail specialist- If a retailer is not confident in one or more aspects of online selling, an outsourcing specialist may be the answer. A specialist can offer expert advice, provide practical recommendations and conduct strategic analysis to drive online success.

The key to online selling is to always have the customer at the forefront of all decisions. Ensuring that all elements of the website proposition are integrated and that the target audience has been considered will elevate the position and prospects of an online store.