I don’t know whether it’s because everyone’s focus has switched to mobile and iPad apps, or if in a rush to enter the ecommerce arena companies are failing to do their research, but I have been consistently disappointed this year when long-awaited websites from retailers such as Selfridges, Whistles, H&M and Zara have launched with problems such as broken links, poor usability and a complete lack of site search. Surely the time has come for retailers to learn from the mistakes of others and launch innovative, engaging websites first (or even second!) time around?

What are retailers (still) doing wrong?

Unclear Navigation

Culprits: Selfridges, H&M

The heart of a website is its navigation. This is the one area that consumers come back to throughout the shopping process, for everything from initial search to tracking back through breadcrumbs and defining their thought process. Navigation no-no’s have come from Selfridges and H&M, the latter who use ‘Divided’ and ‘L.O.G.G’ in their navigation, both sub-brands which would mean nothing to the uninitiated consumer.

Poor / Non-existent Site Search

Culprits: Gap, BooHoo.com, Uniqlo, H&M

Onsite search is increasingly being used by consumers to find exactly what they want quickly and efficiently. Consumers who enter a site looking for something specific are already a step ahead in the purchase process so have a high potential for conversion if their needs are met well. The likes of Gap, Whistles and Uniqlo have all omitted a search box from their sites, immediately alienating many purchase ready consumers. Whistles is particularly frustrating as it offers no refine functionality either, meaning a search for a red top could last hours (or until you get bored) scrolling through pages of irrelevant products.

Lack of Consumer Engagement

Culprits: H&M, Zara

In a socially dominated web customer engagement is key. There are a multitude of ways to connect with consumers, through blogging, reviews, games, competitions and linking into social media. Consumers demand information at every step of the purchase process. Although Zara promotes its presence on social media channels such as Facebook and Twitter the site lacks the final bit of integration that brings consumer opinions together through ratings and reviews of their products.

Poor Product Showcasing

Culprits: Jaeger, H&M, Zara

Not every garment or accessory needs to be displayed on a model with a catwalk video to boot. But consumers need to be able to see the whole product, including the back to make a proper judgement about it. Jaeger for example, shows consumers the product from a front view, with no ability to spin or rotate. This is particularly unhelpful when looking at a skirt or shirts without knowing whether there are darts or a slit in the back.

Ignoring SEO

Culprits: H&M, Whistles

Flash-heavy, copy scant sites are destined to perform badly in natural search rankings. On launch day H&M’s transactional site didn’t even appear on the first page of Google’s rankings for the brand name. While flash may look enticing in theory, in practice it breaks nearly every search engine optimisation rule in the book; and that’s before I even mention the iPhone for mobile browsing…

What are the ‘website essentials’?

Before beginning to think about new and innovative features that will enhance the customer experience and differentiate a website from competitors it’s crucial that retailers get the basics right. By disregarding SEO and Usability best practice it’s unlikely that any website will attract large amounts of new customers; and by failing to engage consumers and showcase products it’s even less likely that customers will come back. It is important to remember that consumers shopping online want to combine all the positive aspects of an offline purchase with the ease and efficiency of shopping on the web. Best practice needs to be integrated into a websites design from the very start of the process; and the customer experience should always be at the forefront of an e-tailer’s mind.

Find and browse products easily

New customers won’t be aware of ‘brand language’ such as specific collections or unusual terms for product categories. They will expect to be able to find the product they are looking for through a clear navigation and refine feature. Conversely, current customers who know exactly what they’re looking for may want to search straight from the homepage by product name, type or even code. Both types of consumer need to feel valued and be able to find the products they need easily to facilitate an efficient purchase and encourage them to return to the site in the future.

Examine products

A major disadvantage of shopping online is the lack of sensory cues available to consumers. This needs to be counter-balanced with as much information as possible about the product so consumers can virtually ‘try it on’. Product details pages should display the product from different angles, in relation to a body and in combination with other clothes and accessories. New technology now allows retailers to display video, rich media zoom and 360 degree views so there really is no excuse to not match, or improve the offline shopping experience.

Share the shopping experience

Shopping offline is predominantly a social activity. Consumers are influenced by the opinions of others, whether they are friends, family or other shoppers that have already bought the items in question. If consumers can find and share these opinions it’ll increase the likelihood of purchase, and decrease the risk of return.

Securely make a purchase

One of the top reasons cited by consumers for not purchasing online is a fear for data security. The checkout process is where consumers are most likely to terminate a purchase, so it needs to be clearly marked as safe and secure and should encourage users through each step with a minimum amount of problems.

Poor Web Design is Still an Issue is a post from WMpS, your one stop digital agency.

Following Facebook’s integration with Spotify earlier this year this week has seen the announcements of another two new partnerships for the social network; one with the search engine Bing and the other with VoIP and messaging service Skype. These new partnerships are based on ‘improving the user experience’, and making Bing and Skype’s services more attractive to consumers; but undoubtedly it will also mean more focus and reliance on Facebook for promotion and interaction.

How is Facebook integrated with Bing and Skype?

Bing- In an attempt to take market share away form Google, Bing are positioning themselves as the ‘decision engine’. In line with this proposition the partnership between Bing and Facebook appears to be promising. When a user searches on Bing they will be presented with a set of results that incorporates data such as ‘Likes’ and posted links from their Facebook friends. This is obviously more likely to come in handy when searching for information to help with a decision (such as which mobile to buy or which film to see) than when you’re looking for something specific, but nevertheless it offers consumers another temptation to visit Bing rather than Google.

Skype- Similar to Spotify, in order to add another dimension to Skype’s already popular video messaging service they too have incorporated a Facebook news feed and added functionality to initiate calls with Facebook contacts using the phone number they’ve added to their profile. The Facebook integration comes automatically installed on the new 5.0 version of Skype which is downloadable free online, with the option to subscribe if you want to gain more features such as group video calling and cheaper calls to non Skype users.

What about privacy?

After the torrent of privacy failings by Facebook lately this is a question that many consumers need addressing before letting the network into new areas of their internet life. Facebook has emphasized the fact that data will only appear on Bing if it’s been made publically available by the user through their privacy settings. In addition to this, users will have the option to disable Bing through their Facebook account and also ‘opt-out’ of connecting with Facebook when they enter the Bing domain.

In terms of Skype the privacy issue has not been addressed as thoroughly. Acting as a third-party application, Skype asks users to select which information it can access from their Facebook account. The options range from ‘Basic Information’ to ‘Friends Information’ and ‘Access my data anytime’. At least the application is giving you the option to limit which data to share and these liberal privacy options may enhance the user experience on Skype, but at what risk?

What does this mean for advertisers?

The biggest effect on advertisers will come from Bing’s ‘social search’ results. The algorithm used by Bing will render search results that are related to a users Facebook friends likes and link activity. This places even more importance on companies’ social media campaigns, whether these are a full Facebook page, group and promotional activity or simply a ‘Like’ button on the company website and blog. The need for ‘good publicity’ is also important as Facebook only currently offers a ‘Like’ button, not a ‘Dislike’ or ‘Distinctly average’ button; this means a users experience needs to be positive enough to compel them to share their pleasure with the whole world of Facebook.

Facebook integration continues… is a post from WMpS, your one stop digital agency.

Sky have embarked on a national advertising campaign promoting the new channel, including TV ads, press, online and digital outdoor media. But the main question I’m interested in is:

How will 3D TV affect advertisers?

3D advertising is nothing new. Brands have had the ability to showcase their products in 3D pre-screening of blockbusters such as Avatar, Alice in Wonderland and Toy Story 3 (all shown in 3D at the cinema). There are obviously a number of differences in advertising for cinema and advertising for TV; budget, target audience and interaction to name a few. But 3D TV also offers brands the potential of product placement, sponsorship and multi-advert slots that will enhance 3D campaigns even more. Couple this with the fact that Sky has said they will only show 3D ads on their 3D channel and it is starting to look like a promising new medium for brands wanting to differentiate themselves from the competition.

It is yet unknown how popular 3D TV will be, and with current costs averaging at around £2,000 for a 3D ready TV, plus the £60 monthly subscription fee it is likely that uptake will be slow as consumers wait until prices come down. However, filming in 3D is also a costly process to set up, and brands that take a gamble now may be able to take advantage in the future by being ahead of the crowd. Diageo brand Guinness and electronics supplier Panasonic have both signed up to launch 3D ads on the Sky channel, but it remains to be seen how many others will follow them.

But even if brands don’t take an active interest in launching 3D advertising campaigns they still need to be aware of how their promotions will translate on 3D programming. Sponsors of high profile sporting events for example will have their garments and advertising boards broadcast as 2D, HD (high definition) and 3D images simultaneously. It’s therefore important that advertisers consider how their message will appear to members of their target audience viewing the coverage in a number of different media.

3D TV is here is a post from WMpS, your one stop digital agency.

The benefits to both consumers and advertisers that Solve Media are basing their sales pitch on have been the subject of much debate recently, and the real test will be seeing regular consumers reactions to the change and analysing its effect, if any, on brand awareness and sales. With CAPTCHA codes being notoriously confusing recently I’m inclined to welcome this new idea, but I’m unsure of the real advantages (or problems) it will bring for brands.

What is a CAPTCHA?

To quote Wikipedia ‘The term “CAPTCHA” (based upon the word capture) was coined in 2000 …. It is a contrived acronym for “Completely Automated Public Turing test to tell Computers and Humans Apart.”’ It is essentially the distorted letter / number combination that you encounter when you submit information or try to view any area of a website that the owners don’t want automated machines to access.

What are the benefits of an advert replacing a standard CAPTCHA?

The main benefit to brands is that consumers are forced to look at, and examine the advert in order to glean the information they need to solve the CAPTCHA and proceed to their destination. The web environment is becoming one where consumer attention spans are approaching milliseconds and display advertising is easy to ignore. This technology presents brands with an opportunity to present consumers with their message in an area that people regularly devote a lot of time and concentration to. Furthermore, users are not only reading and engaging with the information but also writing it down, which increases the depth of processing and makes consumers more likely to remember the message.

In terms of benefits to consumers the top selling point here is that the text is legible and the ‘answer’ is easy to decipher. I’m sure many people will agree that one of the most frustrating things about interaction on the web is not being able to access the information you want because you can’t tell the difference between an ‘l o’ and a ‘b’ when they’re compressed together, italicised and blurred a little. But similarly, will consumers find it just as frustrating to have advertising and slogans forced upon them instead? At least CAPTCHA codes don’t have a sneaky ulterior motive.

What problems could brands face?

New technologies are always a risk for brands that want to get ahead; sometimes it pays to be the first one using it, sometimes it’s better to learn from others mistakes. But by analysing the risks involved it’s easier to make an educated decision. Consumer attitudes towards CAPTCHA codes and their sensitivity to advertising will play a big part in whether branded content will have a positive or negative effect on users. If consumers are frustrated by the illegibility of CAPTCHA codes then they may welcome a change, but if consumers are just annoyed are being unable to access content quickly then it’s more likely they will simply transfer this annoyance with a CAPTCHA to an annoyance with the brand. Conversely, if brands solely want consumer attention and engagement (whether positive or negative) then this may be a successful platform to achieve it.

at WMpS we’re undecided on whether adverts as CAPTCHAs will be Fantastic or Frustrating, but we’d be interested to hear your thoughts too so feel free to leave a comment below…

Matt – “I’m not sure I’ve made my mind up yet – I can see advantages and disadvantages of both sides. I think it’s an ad which is engaging as you need to view it to get the captcha code, but it can be annoying… increasing bounce rates too I presume. But if the product is developed and the advertising can be more tailored to a website it could be successful.”

Meghan – “I think using adverts as captchas is a clever idea, presuming that they’ll only be used when validation is actually necessary.  Companies would then be able to reinforce their marketing message while simultaneously improving customer experience levels, as captchas are sometimes notoriously difficult.”

Kayleigh – “For me they’ll be frustrating as I’m conscious of their ulterior motive, but for the average unbiased user I would say that they may be fascinating”

Adverts as CAPTCHAs – Fantastic or Frustrating? is a post from WMpS, your one stop digital agency.

Where’s the mystery come from?

The rumours started earlier in the week when the day’s Google Doodle was somewhat unfamiliar. Unlike the usual sketches, to commemorate weird and wonderful occasions, the Google logo was transformed into a legion of interactive balls that bobbled about the screen when users swept their cursor over them. Unable to fathom the event or occasion that the doodle was representing journalists asked a Google representative to explain. The simple answer of “Today’s doodle is fast, fun and interactive, just the way we think search should be” followed by no further comments fuelled speculation among users.

What’s it all about?

There has been a lot of speculation over what will be announced in the press event this evening. Google have done a great job in both keeping it a secret and building the suspense around the ‘big reveal’. There is a lot of conjecture flying around the web today; here is summary of the most popular ideas:

• As Kayleigh mentioned yesterday the interactive balls doodle was linked to a number of updates. Some assumed it signalled Google’s HTML5 capabilities, others thought it was associated with the Chrome browser and, due to the interactivity not working on some older versions of IE, encouraging people to update their browsers.

• Today’s logo, which changes colour as you type, has lead many people to believe that Google will soon be introducing a new type of search. We know that developments have been ongoing on for a new form of search, where results refresh automatically as you enter your query. This would reduce the effort of users when searching, and would extend the sites current ‘search suggestions’ into entire results pages.

• A further theory is that Google’s visual search is on the horizon. After the acquisition of visual search engine Like.com earlier in the year it has been noted that Google will likely incorporate the technology into its own search. This will allow users to search by image as well as text, similar to the technology that rival Bing launched last September as a beta version.

For now, all we can do is speculate, maybe Google is hinting at one big announcement, or maybe they will launch a number of new developments simultaneously. We’re going to keep a close eye on this one and will report with all the gossip tomorrow!

The mystery of the Google Doodles is a post from WMpS, your one stop digital agency.

.

Wednesday 29^th September

The Malmaison is the chosen location for our London event this time around. We will be showering retailers with an eclectic mix of topics including Fashion Photography, Social media, the Future of Ecommerce and Conversion and Usability. Confirmed speakers include Meltwater, IMRG and WMpS.

Friday 1^st October

Retailers in attendance at Malmaison Manchester will be able to discuss their needs over an informal (but tasty) lunch with experts in overseas payment, translation, logistics and legal services. Confirmed speakers include SecureTrading, Applied Language Solutions and DHL. Plus, our very own Mike Anderson will be speaking, this time joined by Andy Walters also from WMpS, to impart some valuable facts, figures and knowledge on improving website usability and conversion.

Following the success of our previous VIP retail events this year we have high hopes for another two valuable and informative afternoons. Invites will be in the post next week but if you’re interested in attending then feel free to contact us.

We look forward to seeing you there!

VIP Retail Luncheon – Round 2 is a post from WMpS, your one stop digital agency.

The new gift cards are initially being launched in the U.S and will be sold exclusively in retail chain ‘Target’ (who sell everything from clothes to homeware to electrics). The cards will be available in $15, $25 and $50 denominations and will join the whole host of other popular gift cards from retailers such as iTunes, Pizza Express and Nintendo. If it proves successful I imagine it’s only a matter of time before Facebook migrate this initiative to the UK as well.

Gift card popularity has boomed in recent years, reducing the anguish felt by present buyers who just don’t know where to start. You can now purchase gift cards from supermarkets and high street retailers such as WH Smith for almost anything and anywhere.  With Facebook gaming still growing, and a large amount of players too young or unable to access credit cards I imagine the scheme will prove profitable.

Dear Santa, this year please can I have… is a post from WMpS, your one stop digital agency.

What were the rules before?

Up until recently the trademark policy of Google protected brands from competitors, affiliates and any other advertiser bidding to list their ad when consumers searched for a trademarked brand term. For example, a search for ‘Louis Vuitton shoes’ returns a full page of natural search results, ranging from the official website to shopping comparison sites and affiliates. However, the right hand side of the page is noticeably bare; only two sponsored listings appear and neither of them mentions Louis Vuitton in the copy of their ad. It is likely that these ads only got shown because they have high bids on the keyword ‘shoes’ or used black hat techniques such as a misspelt ‘Louis Vouitton’ or similar in their keyword list.

Google’s current policy restricts advertisers from using terms that are trademarked by a brand in their ad copy unless they have the agreement of said brand prior to bidding. This stops anyone that the brand doesn’t want from using their trademark and gaining traffic from it.

What’s changed and why?

As of 14^th September this year Google will relax their policy, allowing anyone to place trademarked brand terms in their paid search adverts. This means that anyone reselling the product, selling items related to the product or providing reviews or other information on specific brands will be able to advertise, and use relevant keywords in their PPC campaigns.

Google has stated that their change of heart is for the benefit of consumers. Searchers that are typing in specific brand keywords will now have the choice of plentiful listings both from natural and paid for rankings. This means lesser known review sites and aggregate shopping sites may have lore of a presence.

However, another reason why Google may be making this change is to increase their revenue from paid search advertising. By allowing more advertisers to bid on brand terms they will benefit from both increased volume of bids and higher bids as competition for places increases.

What impact will it have?

The news has however caused an outcry from advertisers and agencies who believe the relaxed rules will cause PPC prices to rise considerably as everyone tries to get their ad on the first page of listings for popular brand terms. High bids will be necessary, especially for those companies that aren’t 100% relevant to the keyword, as they attempt to overcome their lower quality score.

The change will also mean that brands who partner with affiliates to sell their products may now face competition from these same affiliates in the paid search listings. Where previously the two could work together, pulling traffic from different search terms, they may now appear in the same places, competing for traffic. This begs the question as to whether brand advertisers will start to stipulate that affiliates don’t bid on brand terms and whether black hat affiliates or indeed competitors’ affiliates will swoop in and take advantage of this new advertising space.

Bidding on Brand Terms – Google’s PPC U-Turn is a post from WMpS, your one stop digital agency.

But for a select few the dream of owning a Nexus One has been kept alive. Google has announced that the phone will remain in production and be available, unlocked, to registered Android developers. The uptake has proven that the Nexus One is still an attractive choice, with an announcement yesterday on the Android Developers Blog that stock is currently on re-order due to popular demand.

Developers will have to part with $529 (£340) to get their hands on one, but judging by the current response they obviously think the hardware is worth it. The phone will also continue to receive full support from Google; it currently downloads Android 2.2 once shipped and will be the first to receive the update to 3.0 in October.

With such an advanced phone at the disposal of so many Android developers it will be exciting to see what Android apps will hit the market in the near future.

Nexus One – Gone but not buried is a post from WMpS, your one stop digital agency.

It’s important not to forget that ecommerce is still a relatively new concept, and it’s taken many months to persuade consumers that shopping online can be as easy (if not easier!) and as engaging as shopping in store. By making visually appealing, flash focused websites some brands are forgetting the usability aspect of online shopping, and making the online customer experience a lot harder and frustrating than shopping in store.

What makes a good ecommerce website?

There needs to be a compromise between attractive, eye catching design and simple, easy to use functionality. It’s important that while retailers are implementing new technologies and merchandising innovations they don’t lose sight of the overall goal of an ecommerce website; to convert customers.

In addition, the advancement of mobile browsing and m-commerce has put an even greater emphasis on usability. Smaller display areas and touch screen technology is forcing retailers to think more about how to enable consumers to purchase in the least amount of clicks possible. Mobile websites will be covered in another post at a later date but for now the focus is on fashion vs. usability.

Eye-Catching Design

Whistles

This very unique new website from Whistles was launched earlier this year, and sparked controversy among critics. Yes it is different, yes it is innovative and eye catching, but have the designers got a bit too carried away? The style of the site means that users are engaged right though the browsing process, with model imagery used from the homepage, through the category listings right to product details. They also integrate well with social media, offering links to share via email, facebook and twitter. The imagery on the site is good, and there are plenty of alternate images and zoom utilised on everything.

However, it’s the small things that Whistles have forgotten, such as a search box, or refine feature, making it very difficult to find something specific, or within a certain budget for example. Also, there are no sub-categories in the top navigation bar; rather they are displayed on the main page, mixed in with the model imagery. This makes it very easy to get lost in the middle of the screen and not be able to find the category that you want.

Fashionable but Usable

River Island

I thought it was fitting to use River Island as my example in this category as this site used to be another culprit of ‘Flash overkill’. However River Island has recently revamped their site to make it more usable. And in my opinion they’ve done a pretty good job! They’ve managed to retain some individuality by allowing refinements according to swatches of colour, pattern descriptions and even ‘occasion’. They’ve also spruced up their product listings by inserting a top product into a larger box at the top left of each page, similar to a profile picture layout. Not only does this act as a merchandising tool but serves to differentiate River Island product listings from those on their competitor’s websites.

They’ve also added a quick look or closer look feature, which allows you to either view the product in a pop up box while still on the category listing page, or to go right into the product details page for a closer look. Although this is a nice feature, there isn’t much difference between the information given in the two options, aside from a few ‘get the look’ items on the product details page. By adding more in depth product information to the details page River Island could have added value to the feature and given consumers a more compelling reason to visit the product details page if they were interested in the product, thus increasing the chance of up and cross-selling more items.

Finding a Compromise

For many companies, both new to ecommerce and old hats that are looking to revamp their offering, it is important that the basics of usability and good customer experience don’t get lost in a web of flash and unnecessary gadgets. There are some new technologies that will genuinely enhance your customers experience online, but there are some that will detract from it. In all elements of ecommerce, especially web design, usability should be a key consideration, because if your customers can’t use it they won’t buy from it.

Fashion vs. Usability is a post from WMpS, your one stop digital agency.