42244 9 3 econsultancy_xml <p> <strong>Improve the homepage - lose the drop down menus</strong> </p> <p>From the Tesco.com homepage, there are a lot of options for visitors, so I can see why the web designers have chosen to save space by using dropdown menus. However, this is not the best idea for the user experience. </p> <p> <img alt="Tesco homepage" src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2403/2332219985_4a22804fa0_o.jpg" /> </p> <p>Using dropdowns prevents users from seeing all of the navigation options at a glance, and it can be very frustrating when the cursor moves away from the menu, forcing customers to start all over again.<br /></p> <p> <strong>Provide more filtering/sorting options</strong> </p> <p>When websites have large product ranges, some means of <strong>sorting and narrowing down choices is essential</strong> to prevent customers from having to trawl through pages and pages of results. </p> <p>Tesco does this well to a point, allowing you to sort by price and brand, but a few more options would be useful. </p> <p>For example, if I search for washing machines I still have four pages to go through after choosing a price range: </p> <p> <img alt="Tesco washing machine search" src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2370/2333030428_ba3d99f598_o.jpg" /> </p> <p>In the case of this product, I'd like to be able to search according to spin speed, load size, and other relevant features, all of which would help me find the one I want more quickly. At the very least, Tesco should look allow users to narrow the search results by keyword (something it doesn't currently cater for).<br /></p> <p> <strong>Non-descriptive URLs</strong> </p> <p>Tesco, like other online retailers with large product ranges, uses dynamic databases, which can produce some ugly, lengthy URLs that have no connection to the product page. </p> <p>Adding related keywords to product page URLs will help not only help in terms of SEO, but they will be more understandable to users. We're big on 'guessable URLs' here at E-consultancy, and websites normally benefit in search engines if URLs are meaningful (for example, by using an article's headline, rather than the a Reuters-style 25-digit number string punctuated by ampersands and the like).<br /></p> <p> <strong>Better <a href="/blog/1901-how-to-use-images-to-increase-conversion">product images</a></strong> </p> <p>For some products a basic image is all that's needed, but others need to be seen from a range of angles to enable customers to decide on a purchase. </p> <p>This is especially true with products like this sofa. If you are going to spend £800 on an item like this,  then you really need to be able to see it from a variety of angles and contexts. From the pages we looked at, Tesco seems to be limiting its range of product images, as can be seen below:</p> <p> <img alt="Tesco product images" src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3269/2332320629_9ee95d7c90_o.jpg" /> </p> <p> <strong> <br />Show delivery charges on product pages</strong> </p> <p>Customers hate finding out about delivery charges at the last minute, especially as this is a crucial part of the purchase decision for many web shoppers. </p> <p>This is the extent of the delivery information on the product pages:</p> <p> <img alt="Tesco delivery options" src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3170/2333106270_73e9381215_m.jpg" /> </p> <p>This is not good enough, and would be the first thing we'd change. Customers want to know delivery <em>charges </em>at the very least. They will also like to know <em>when </em>an item will be delivered. This vague message doesn't provide either. </p> <p>The rule of thumb for e-commerce companies is to <strong>never hide delivery information and pricing within the checkout process</strong>. Don't force these people to visit the checkout unless they're ready to buy. If you do, then your checkout abandonment rate will be disproportionately high.<br /></p> <p> <strong>Don't make customers register before shopping</strong> </p> <p>This is not the case for the rest of the site, but if you want to look through the groceries section of the site you need to register and enter your email, home address, phone number, and so on. </p> <p>This is placing unnecessary obstacles in front of the customer, and may cause many to abandon the idea. Why not let customers browse, fill up their baskets, and register just before checkout? </p> <p>Tesco must have some reason for doing this but we don't know what it is. It is possibly a persuasion thing, to make prospective shoppers mentally commit to the process. Otherwise it may just be some legacy issue, and is 'just the way we've always done it'. Traditions are not always there to be upheld.<br /></p> <p> <strong>Offer free shipping</strong> <strong>- it's what works best</strong> </p> <p>Delivery charges are a major factor in a customer's purchase decision, so why not make it easier by offering <a href="/blog/2163-free-shipping-lots-of-sales">free shipping</a> for purchases over a certain amount. This will not only encourage sales, but can also have the effect of increasing order values. We know that free shipping is about as powerful an incentive as you can offer online. It works wonders.<br /></p> <p> <strong>Never change the price after the</strong> <strong>order has been placed</strong> </p> <p>I've ordered some groceries and set a delivery date, only to be told that the prices may change between now and when the items are delivered! Why can't they guarantee the price? The current messaging is confusing and needs updating so it is more transparent:</p> <p> <img alt="Tesco order page" src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3177/2333025834_c4bf4b2bd2_o.jpg" /> </p> <p> <strong>Provide a contact email address</strong> </p> <p>Tesco.com provides contact phone numbers for each department, as well as a range of postal addresses for customers to write to, but no email contact details. </p> <p>Why not give customers the option of contacting Tesco by email? Many people would prefer not to hang around on the phone, while writing and waiting for a reply can be a slow process. </p> <p>Emails can allow a quick response, and can also take pressure of call centres, as long as queries are answered in a timely fashion. </p> <p>Tesco won't want to encourage email, but there are a range of <a href="http://econsultancy.com/reports/online-customer-service-solutions-buyer-s-guide-2007">online customer services tools</a> out there that can help massively, in terms of email management.<br /></p> <p> <strong>Add user reviews</strong> </p> <p>With such a wide range of products, customers could sometimes use some help in deciding which is best for them. Moreover, <a href="/blog/2185-user-reviews-a-must-for-etailers">web users have begun to expect websites</a> to have this feature.</p> <p>User reviews can have a positive effect on credibility, as well as improving conversion rates. According to Bazaarvoice's Brett Hurt, <a href="/blog/2038-bazaarvoice-ceo-brett-hurt-on-customer-reviews">reviews can increase conversions by up to 20%.</a> Tesco may well take the leap into user generated content before the year is up.</p> <p>And that's it. So what did we miss?</p> <p> <strong>Related research:</strong> <br /> <a href="http://econsultancy.com/reports/online-retail-2007-checkout-special">Online Retail 2007: Checkout Special</a> <br /> </p> <p> <strong>Related stories:</strong> <br /> <a href="/blog/2245-ten-things-amazon-can-do-better-online">Ten things Amazon can do better online</a> <br /> <a href="/blog/1746-tescocompare-com-is-it-any-good">TescoCompare.com - is it any good?</a> <br /> <a href="/blog/2191-northern-rock-10-things-it-can-do-better-online">Northern Rock: 10 things it can do better online</a> </p> <FormattedContent xmlns="http://www.e-consultancy.com/schema/formattedContent/"> <Paragraph> <Emphasis>Improve the homepage - lose the drop down menus</Emphasis> </Paragraph> <Paragraph>From the Tesco.com homepage, there are a lot of options for visitors, so I can see why the web designers have chosen to save space by using dropdown menus. However, this is not the best idea for the user experience. </Paragraph> <Paragraph Align="Center"> <Image AlternateText="Tesco homepage" Source="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2403/2332219985_4a22804fa0_o.jpg"> </Image> </Paragraph> <Paragraph>Using dropdowns prevents users from seeing all of the navigation options at a glance, and it can be very frustrating when the cursor moves away from the menu, forcing customers to start all over again.<LineBreak /></Paragraph> <Paragraph> <Emphasis>Provide more filtering/sorting options</Emphasis> </Paragraph> <Paragraph>When websites have large product ranges, some means of <Emphasis>sorting and narrowing down choices is essential</Emphasis> to prevent customers from having to trawl through pages and pages of results. </Paragraph> <Paragraph>Tesco does this well to a point, allowing you to sort by price and brand, but a few more options would be useful. </Paragraph> <Paragraph>For example, if I search for washing machines I still have four pages to go through after choosing a price range: </Paragraph> <Paragraph Align="Center"> <Image AlternateText="Tesco washing machine search" Source="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2370/2333030428_ba3d99f598_o.jpg"> </Image> </Paragraph> <Paragraph>In the case of this product, I'd like to be able to search according to spin speed, load size, and other relevant features, all of which would help me find the one I want more quickly. At the very least, Tesco should look allow users to narrow the search results by keyword (something it doesn't currently cater for).<LineBreak /></Paragraph> <Paragraph> <Emphasis>Non-descriptive URLs</Emphasis> </Paragraph> <Paragraph>Tesco, like other online retailers with large product ranges, uses dynamic databases, which can produce some ugly, lengthy URLs that have no connection to the product page. </Paragraph> <Paragraph>Adding related keywords to product page URLs will help not only help in terms of SEO, but they will be more understandable to users. We're big on 'guessable URLs' here at E-consultancy, and websites normally benefit in search engines if URLs are meaningful (for example, by using an article's headline, rather than the a Reuters-style 25-digit number string punctuated by ampersands and the like).<LineBreak /></Paragraph> <Paragraph> <Emphasis>Better <Link URL="/blog/1901-how-to-use-images-to-increase-conversion" Window="Self">product images</Link></Emphasis> </Paragraph> <Paragraph>For some products a basic image is all that's needed, but others need to be seen from a range of angles to enable customers to decide on a purchase. </Paragraph> <Paragraph>This is especially true with products like this sofa. If you are going to spend £800 on an item like this,  then you really need to be able to see it from a variety of angles and contexts. From the pages we looked at, Tesco seems to be limiting its range of product images, as can be seen below:</Paragraph> <Paragraph Align="Center"> <Image AlternateText="Tesco product images" Source="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3269/2332320629_9ee95d7c90_o.jpg"> </Image> </Paragraph> <Paragraph> <Emphasis> <LineBreak />Show delivery charges on product pages</Emphasis> </Paragraph> <Paragraph>Customers hate finding out about delivery charges at the last minute, especially as this is a crucial part of the purchase decision for many web shoppers. </Paragraph> <Paragraph>This is the extent of the delivery information on the product pages:</Paragraph> <Paragraph Align="Center"> <Image AlternateText="Tesco delivery options" Source="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3170/2333106270_73e9381215_m.jpg"> </Image> </Paragraph> <Paragraph Align="Left">This is not good enough, and would be the first thing we'd change. Customers want to know delivery <Quote>charges </Quote>at the very least. They will also like to know <Quote>when </Quote>an item will be delivered. This vague message doesn't provide either. </Paragraph> <Paragraph Align="Left">The rule of thumb for e-commerce companies is to <Emphasis>never hide delivery information and pricing within the checkout process</Emphasis>. Don't force these people to visit the checkout unless they're ready to buy. If you do, then your checkout abandonment rate will be disproportionately high.<LineBreak /></Paragraph> <Paragraph> <Emphasis>Don't make customers register before shopping</Emphasis> </Paragraph> <Paragraph>This is not the case for the rest of the site, but if you want to look through the groceries section of the site you need to register and enter your email, home address, phone number, and so on. </Paragraph> <Paragraph>This is placing unnecessary obstacles in front of the customer, and may cause many to abandon the idea. Why not let customers browse, fill up their baskets, and register just before checkout? </Paragraph> <Paragraph>Tesco must have some reason for doing this but we don't know what it is. It is possibly a persuasion thing, to make prospective shoppers mentally commit to the process. Otherwise it may just be some legacy issue, and is 'just the way we've always done it'. Traditions are not always there to be upheld.<LineBreak /></Paragraph> <Paragraph> <Emphasis>Offer free shipping</Emphasis> <Emphasis>- it's what works best</Emphasis> </Paragraph> <Paragraph>Delivery charges are a major factor in a customer's purchase decision, so why not make it easier by offering <Link URL="/blog/2163-free-shipping-lots-of-sales" Window="Self">free shipping</Link> for purchases over a certain amount. This will not only encourage sales, but can also have the effect of increasing order values. We know that free shipping is about as powerful an incentive as you can offer online. It works wonders.<LineBreak /></Paragraph> <Paragraph> <Emphasis>Never change the price after the</Emphasis> <Emphasis>order has been placed</Emphasis> </Paragraph> <Paragraph>I've ordered some groceries and set a delivery date, only to be told that the prices may change between now and when the items are delivered! Why can't they guarantee the price? The current messaging is confusing and needs updating so it is more transparent:</Paragraph> <Paragraph Align="Center"> <Image AlternateText="Tesco order page" Source="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3177/2333025834_c4bf4b2bd2_o.jpg"> </Image> </Paragraph> <Paragraph> <Emphasis>Provide a contact email address</Emphasis> </Paragraph> <Paragraph>Tesco.com provides contact phone numbers for each department, as well as a range of postal addresses for customers to write to, but no email contact details. </Paragraph> <Paragraph>Why not give customers the option of contacting Tesco by email? Many people would prefer not to hang around on the phone, while writing and waiting for a reply can be a slow process. </Paragraph> <Paragraph>Emails can allow a quick response, and can also take pressure of call centres, as long as queries are answered in a timely fashion. </Paragraph> <Paragraph>Tesco won't want to encourage email, but there are a range of <Link URL="http://econsultancy.com/reports/online-customer-service-solutions-buyer-s-guide-2007" Window="Self">online customer services tools</Link> out there that can help massively, in terms of email management.<LineBreak /></Paragraph> <Paragraph> <Emphasis>Add user reviews</Emphasis> </Paragraph> <Paragraph>With such a wide range of products, customers could sometimes use some help in deciding which is best for them. Moreover, <Link URL="/blog/2185-user-reviews-a-must-for-etailers" Window="Self">web users have begun to expect websites</Link> to have this feature.</Paragraph> <Paragraph>User reviews can have a positive effect on credibility, as well as improving conversion rates. According to Bazaarvoice's Brett Hurt, <Link URL="/blog/2038-bazaarvoice-ceo-brett-hurt-on-customer-reviews" Window="Self">reviews can increase conversions by up to 20%.</Link> Tesco may well take the leap into user generated content before the year is up.</Paragraph> <Paragraph>And that's it. So what did we miss?</Paragraph> <Paragraph> <Emphasis>Related research:</Emphasis> <LineBreak /> <Link URL="http://econsultancy.com/reports/online-retail-2007-checkout-special" Window="Self">Online Retail 2007: Checkout Special</Link> <LineBreak /> </Paragraph> <Paragraph> <Emphasis>Related stories:</Emphasis> <LineBreak /> <Link URL="/blog/2245-ten-things-amazon-can-do-better-online" Window="Self">Ten things Amazon can do better online</Link> <LineBreak /> <Link URL="/blog/1746-tescocompare-com-is-it-any-good" Window="Self">TescoCompare.com - is it any good?</Link> <LineBreak /> <Link URL="/blog/2191-northern-rock-10-things-it-can-do-better-online" Window="Self">Northern Rock: 10 things it can do better online</Link> </Paragraph> </FormattedContent> 2008-03-14T11:05:00+00:00 7 1 econsultancy_xml <p> <strong>Tesco.com receives more than 300,000 orders a week and its online sales for the first half of 2007 reached £748m, so it is hard to pick any flaws with it's business. But could it be doing even better? We think so. </strong> </p> <p> <a href="http://www.tesco.com/">Tesco </a>is in a similar situation to Amazon (<a href="/blog/2245-ten-things-amazon-can-do-better-online">which we looked at last week</a>) and may not want to mess around with a site that is clearly working in terms of revenue. </p> <p>Nevertheless, we've identified 10 areas that could be tweaked to generate even more of the green stuff for the retailer...</p> <FormattedContent xmlns="http://www.e-consultancy.com/schema/formattedContent/"> <Paragraph> <Emphasis>Tesco.com receives more than 300,000 orders a week and its online sales for the first half of 2007 reached £748m, so it is hard to pick any flaws with it's business. But could it be doing even better? We think so. </Emphasis> </Paragraph> <Paragraph> <Link URL="http://www.tesco.com/" Window="Self">Tesco </Link>is in a similar situation to Amazon (<Link URL="/blog/2245-ten-things-amazon-can-do-better-online" Window="Self">which we looked at last week</Link>) and may not want to mess around with a site that is clearly working in terms of revenue. </Paragraph> <Paragraph>Nevertheless, we've identified 10 areas that could be tweaked to generate even more of the green stuff for the retailer...</Paragraph> </FormattedContent> false 2270 <p>Refer also to Econsultancy's <strong><a href="http://econsultancy.com/reports/user-experience-buyers-guide">User Experience Buyer's Guide</a></strong> and <strong><a href="http://econsultancy.com/reports/effective-web-design-best-practice-guide">Effective Web Design Guide</a></strong> for more information about best practice in these areas.</p> <p>Refer also to Econsultancy's <strong><a href="http://econsultancy.com/reports/user-experience-buyers-guide">User Experience Buyer's Guide</a></strong> and <strong><a href="http://econsultancy.com/reports/effective-web-design-best-practice-guide">Effective Web Design Guide</a></strong> for more information about best practice in these areas.</p> 365252 10 things Tesco can do better online false 2008-03-14T15:22:00+00:00 10-things-tesco-can-do-better-online 2009-04-30T02:55:20+01:00 2009-10-13T09:33:57+01:00 1810