Web Site Design Affects Consumer Sales, New Survey from Genex Reveals

Business Wire, June 17, 2003

Business Editors/High-Tech Writers

ATLANTA--(BUSINESS WIRE)--June 17, 2003

65 Percent Do Not Shop from Poorly Designed Site While

30 Percent Say Inferior Site Can Keep Them Away from Offline Store

Far from just providing simple aesthetic value, web site design heavily influences consumer purchase decisions. That's the finding of a new nationwide survey of American consumers conducted for Genex, an award-winning Internet design and development firm, by Synovate eNation of Chicago.

The Genex/Synovate Customer Experience Survey of a cross-section of 1,100 Internet users found that 65 percent do not shop on a poorly designed site -- even that of a favorite brand. Nearly 30 percent even cease offline purchases from a favorite brand if their online experience is poor. And for many, a high quality product isn't enough to warrant struggling with a confusing site: 30 percent of consumers reported that web site design is more important than a great product. Only 4 percent will shop on a poorly designed web site -- and that's when the price is rock-bottom.

"Web site design is not about being pretty or slick -- it's about the customer experience online and that means, ultimately, that it's about sales," said David Glaze, Vice President of Creative, Genex. "As our survey shows, there are substantial financial consequences when a company does not pay enough attention to the usability and information design of its web site."

How can companies ensure that their web sites are not driving consumers away? Glaze recommends rigorous analysis coupled with a customer-centric design approach.

"Savvy companies rely on more than basic web usage metrics, such as traffic patterns and visitor profiles," he noted. "They begin their analysis by defining key behavioral milestones in customers' and prospects' purchase decision cycle, such as getting the list price of a car on an automotive site, or checking out a review of a new novel on a bookseller's site. Using use-case scenarios, consumer surveys and site metrics, successful companies then evaluate the effectiveness of the site design in satisfying customers' needs at those sensitive purchase decision points. This revenue-centric design approach allows companies to pinpoint business-critical site design improvements."

To companies that still employ only basic web analytic techniques, Glaze suggests starting out with an overall assessment of customers' experience on their websites. "There's often a lot of information even to be found internally if one knows where to look. A look at the ten most common questions or complaints to customer service, a quick analysis of site usage logs for spots where users consistently 'bail out' and a few conversations with individual brand managers or distributors can be enlightening. Beyond this, creating realistic user profiles and then 'role-playing' them can identify all kinds of missed opportunities and simple usability problems."

Among the other survey findings:

-- Web site design matters most to the affluent. More than 70

percent of those earning more than $75,000 per year say that

they will not shop on a poorly designed site and may even

discontinue offline purchases from a company with such a web

site, compared to 60 percent of those earning less than

$50,000.

-- The most active consumer group is most attuned to usability.

In excess of 75 percent of those between the ages of 25 and 34

say that usability is a very or extremely important factor in

their online and offline purchase decisions, compared to 64

percent of those ages 45-54.

About Genex

Founded in 1995, Genex (www.genex.com) delivers Internet consulting and development services to Fortune 1000 companies seeking low-risk, high-value strategy, creative, and engineering. The company's focused solutions enable everyday efficiencies and long-term effectiveness, and thereby increase client ROI and overall competitive advantage. Winner of numerous web site design awards, including the prestigious Communications Arts and Clio awards, Genex is a Microsoft Gold Certified Partner. The company serves industry leaders such as American Honda Motor Co., Brown & Williamson, CitiStreet, Fox, Herman Miller, Warner Bros. Ranked eighth on the 2001 Deloitte & Touche Fast 50 for the Los Angeles area and a member of the Inc. 500, the company has offices in Atlanta and Los Angeles.