Ralph Jacobson

Retail TouchPoints: Mystery Shopper Study Shows E-tailers Sacrifice Service For Cost Containment, Efficiencies

February 25, 2010

FROM RETAILWIRE:
Online retailers still felt the pinch of the recent recession during the most recent holiday season and many chose cost containment over improvements in customer service in Q4 2009, according to the e-tailing group's 12th Annual Mystery Shopping Study. Where do e-commerce sites need to continue to invest to improve the shopping experience?      [more...]

No surprises here: retailers of any type often cut back on service to save costs...a losing proposition. There needs to be a balance between making your website respond to what your audience is telling you, and proven design elements that make your site effective. Customers will tell you desires that may simply not only be unpractical, but they will also never actually use the features they say they want. Additionally, continue to check all of your competitor sites for updated functionality. Also, look at sites from industries way outside of retail for ideas that are completely transferable to our business.