Web Design - Internet Marketing News and Blogs

Online retailers still have much to learn about customer experience, and are missing conversion opportunities by not producing more usable websites.

This is the verdict of FutureNow's 2007 Customer Experience Study, which looked at over 300 US e-commerce sites, and grading them on 69 customer experience factors.

Major UK firms take an average of 46 hours to respond to customers' emails, according to a new study that shows pretty mixed levels of customer service online.

What's more, that's 13 hours more than the average last year.   

While there are many excellent e-commerce sites around, many online retailers are still making some schoolboy errors on their websites which can have a negative effect on sales and customer satisfaction levels.

Customers want a smooth experience when visiting a website, and if they encounter errors, or are frustrated by usability problems, then many will abandon their purchases and shop elsewhere.

What then, are the common mistakes made by e-commerce companies?

With mobile phone penetration significantly higher than PC ownership, why has mobile internet yet still to take off?

While many predict that mobile internet is set to explode, could its simplicity also be its biggest failing?

Nearly half of online shoppers in the UK have apparently purchased an item online but faced disappointment once it has been delivered.

The figure comes from a survey of over 2,000 consumers by vzaar.com, which provides video technology to sellers on eBay.

It, not surprisingly, says the research highlights the role good quality videos and images can play in boosting online sales.

Twenty five per cent of financial firms' websites present product information in an unclear or misleading way, according to a review by the Financial Services Authority (FSA).

The study found that several sites were difficult to navigate and often failed to display key information.

Thord Daniel Hedengren has written a series of posts that argue blog sidebars are being rendered useless by widget clutter.

He takes a look at things bloggers should and should not be doing with this valuable but often "wasted" inventory.

Here are Thord's tips...

Several AIM-listed companies reportedly face sanction because they haven't yet developed an adequate web presence.

According to The Business, firms listed on the junior exchange were given a deadline to set up a basic website containing information on board meetings, results etc.

The Christmas season is well underway for retailers, which means customer service departments will be facing a battle to maintain standards.

With many customers shopping online for the first time, as well as those internet shopping veterans who will turn out in great numbers, etailers must ensure that they provide a positive experience to encourage repeat business.

So how can they do it? Some tips after the jump...

Almost nine out of ten British web shoppers experience difficulties when purchasing online, while etailers compound these problems with poor customer service, according to a new survey.

The survey of 2,118 UK adults, conducted by Harris Interactive for Tealeaf, found that many (37%) customers were likely to abandon transactions if they experienced problems.