Deloitte: Retail websites nail basic performance, lack advanced functions
The internet has become an increasingly important platform for retailers, not only for informing consumer purchase decisions and marketing, but also for direct sales. The majority of major retailers have at least some sort of ecommerce website in play, and for many, it is quickly becoming the centerpiece of the retail experience.
As a result of this focus, a number of retailers have at least some idea of what consumers expect when they log onto a website. A new study from Deloitte suggests retailers have site search, transaction histories and other core functions down pat. However, more complex features, such as mobile commerce, are still a proverbial thorn in the side of many retail merchants.
According to the research, 80 percent of retailers have fast website loading speeds, comprehensive search features and otherwise adequate home page performance. The consulting firm, however, was quick to note that many retailers could improve in the areas of personalized browsing experience. Additionally, mobile shopping has still not been fully embraced, although the number of merchants supporting smartphones has grown significantly over the past year.
"The maturity of retailers in mobile commerce is split among those with advanced capabilities and those with almost no mobile or tablet commerce capabilities," the report notes. In particular, general merchandise, specialty apparel, hardware and jewelry retailers had robust mobile features, as opposed to mainstream apparel merchants, which had the least advanced mobile capabilities.
Personalized experiences were also minimal. Although three-quarters of respondents (73 percent) had features such as welcome messages for return customers, few had in-depth functionality, such as history monitoring and behavioral targeting.
Key takeaways for smaller
merchants
The Deloitte research assessed some of the top retailers, although the same could likely be said of smaller operations. It's important to have a retail website, regardless of how big or small a retailer is. The fact of the matter is that well over 200 million Americans have access to the web, according to data from comScore, and many turn to the internet to buy goods and services.
Don't just simply have a website available, seek to make the online shopping experience an enjoyable one with personalized features and mobile support. This will ensure merchants aren't losing sales due to functionality and website performance.
