B2C Site Design Not Thrilling Users, According to Forrester Study [2/22/2008]

“The Best and Worst of B2C Site Design 2007,” a Forrester Research study, found that most sites don’t serve their end users well at all.

This study highlights the fact that internet marketing is not easy – even for those who should know the ins and outs of it pretty well.

The study assessed four design elements of sites as they relate to usability: trust, navigation, value and presentation. In relation to these 25 specific elements were assessed, eg, content location, page layout, etc. Taking these criteria into account, sites were graded on a scale of 50 to +50. Following are some of the findings:

Only one site was given a passing grade, so to speak; Dell;
+7 was the average score across all sites;

All four categories (trust, navigation, value and presentation) presented usability challenges;

As an industry, electronics retailers posted the highest average score at +10.8; and

Credit card processing sites trailed with a +2.3;

Usability Issues by Category

Trust: Unlisted privacy policies and inconsistent performance were two of the main reasons sites scored low in this area.

Navigation: The problem with navigation the study cited was ambiguous menu selections and a disorganized task flow system.

Value: Locating content was the main culprit in this area. The study found that content was either not on the site at all, or was miscategorized, making it difficult to find.

Presentation: Hard to decipher text was the main offender here.

Conclusions Drawn

This study suggests that most online retailers need to go back to internet marketing basics. Specifically, identify a site’s target market, figure out how and why they use the site, and offer up choices that reflect an understanding of this.

For more insight visit web design and development

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