42244 0 3 econsultancy_xml <p>The homepage message is a little clearer now, and assures customers that the website <em>'still has a limited range of DVDs, music and games on sale', </em>which is  better than the vague message about<em> 'unable to guarantee availability' </em>placed on the site on Monday<em>. </em></p> <p>One big problem was that, though customers accessing the site via the homepage would see this message, visitors arriving via search engines may well bypass it.</p> <p>This meant that users were able to place an item in the basket, register and start the checkout process before finding out that it was unavailable, a source of frustration for potential customers.</p> <p>The message in now on display throughout the site and, better still, out of stock items, such as this Will Young CD, have no <a href="http://www.zavvi.co.uk/Will-Young-Let-It-Go/872686/p.jsf">'add to basket' button</a> on the product page.</p> <p>Also, products that <strong>are</strong> in stock are given prominent promotion throughout the site, so users can browse through them:</p> <p> <img alt="" src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3056/3081544569_c5c5223a5e_o.jpg" /> </p> <p>The loss of such a key supplier at this time of year is a massive blow for Zavvi, but at least it looks like it may salvage something from the situation thanks to these improvements.</p> <p> <strong>Related articles:</strong> <br /> <a href="/blog/3029-online-christmas-retail-is-far-from-freezing-this-year">Online Christmas retail is far from freezing this year</a> <br /> <a href="/blog/3009-has-retailer-woolworths-closed-its-website">Has retailer Woolworths closed its website?</a> </p> <FormattedContent xmlns="http://www.e-consultancy.com/schema/formattedContent/"> <Paragraph>The homepage message is a little clearer now, and assures customers that the website <Quote>'still has a limited range of DVDs, music and games on sale', </Quote>which is  better than the vague message about<Quote> 'unable to guarantee availability' </Quote>placed on the site on Monday<Quote>. </Quote></Paragraph> <Paragraph>One big problem was that, though customers accessing the site via the homepage would see this message, visitors arriving via search engines may well bypass it.</Paragraph> <Paragraph>This meant that users were able to place an item in the basket, register and start the checkout process before finding out that it was unavailable, a source of frustration for potential customers.</Paragraph> <Paragraph>The message in now on display throughout the site and, better still, out of stock items, such as this Will Young CD, have no <Link URL="http://www.zavvi.co.uk/Will-Young-Let-It-Go/872686/p.jsf" Window="Self">'add to basket' button</Link> on the product page.</Paragraph> <Paragraph>Also, products that <Emphasis>are</Emphasis> in stock are given prominent promotion throughout the site, so users can browse through them:</Paragraph> <Paragraph> <Image Source="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3056/3081544569_c5c5223a5e_o.jpg"> </Image> </Paragraph> <Paragraph>The loss of such a key supplier at this time of year is a massive blow for Zavvi, but at least it looks like it may salvage something from the situation thanks to these improvements.</Paragraph> <Paragraph> <Emphasis>Related articles:</Emphasis> <LineBreak /> <Link URL="/blog/3029-online-christmas-retail-is-far-from-freezing-this-year" Window="Self">Online Christmas retail is far from freezing this year</Link> <LineBreak /> <Link URL="/blog/3009-has-retailer-woolworths-closed-its-website" Window="Self">Has retailer Woolworths closed its website?</Link> </Paragraph> </FormattedContent> 2008-12-04T11:57:00+00:00 0 1 econsultancy_xml <p> <strong>Thanks to the collapse of Woolworth's wholesale arm EUK, retailer Zavvi was forced to suspend much of its web sales earlier this week. </strong> </p> <p>Chris Lake <a href="/blog/3030-retailer-zavvi-suspends-web-sales">criticised Zavvi on this blog </a>for the way in which it handled this news online, just putting a message on the homepage and leaving the rest of the site as it was.</p> <p>Having just had a look at the <a href="http://www.zavvi.co.uk/index.jsf">Zavvi website</a>, it seems someone at the company has taken note, as there has been a big improvement..</p> <FormattedContent xmlns="http://www.e-consultancy.com/schema/formattedContent/"> <Paragraph> <Emphasis>Thanks to the collapse of Woolworth's wholesale arm EUK, retailer Zavvi was forced to suspend much of its web sales earlier this week. </Emphasis> </Paragraph> <Paragraph>Chris Lake <Link URL="/blog/3030-retailer-zavvi-suspends-web-sales" Window="Self">criticised Zavvi on this blog </Link>for the way in which it handled this news online, just putting a message on the homepage and leaving the rest of the site as it was.</Paragraph> <Paragraph>Having just had a look at the <Link URL="http://www.zavvi.co.uk/index.jsf" Window="Self">Zavvi website</Link>, it seems someone at the company has taken note, as there has been a big improvement..</Paragraph> </FormattedContent> false 3035 <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> 366856 Zavvi makes things clearer for customers false 2008-12-04T13:30:00+00:00 zavvi-makes-things-clearer-for-customers 2009-04-29T20:54:26+01:00 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