M&S and Tesco slide in top 30 online ranking

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Results of a second annual survey of online customer satisfaction levels have revealed the top 30 UK e-retailers.

The ForeSee Results Index measured four factors affecting overall customer satisfaction: functionality, price, merchandise and content. And 7,000 survey responses were collected from shoppers who had visited the top 30 e-retail websites in the UK.

Overall, the survey found a slight increase in overall satisfaction levels from Christmas 2007 to Christmas 2008, up one point from 66 to 67 on the study’s 100-point scale. And the winners were Amazon UK (up three points from 2007), which tied Play.com (up two points) for the top spot this year, each with a score of 78.

But the biggest losers included Marks & Spencer, which came sixth in 2007 but dropped to 14th with a score of 68 points this year, and Tesco Direct, which slid four points from eighth in 2007 to 18th with a score of 65 this Christmas.

In fact, a third of the top 30 online retailers saw their scores drop. Of all the specific website elements measured, results indicated a focus on availability, selection and variety of merchandise delivered the best return on investment for retailers. By contrast, the website content had the lowest impact on shoppers’ likelihood to purchase.

Rounding out the list of top retailers were eBay UK (with no change at 72), Apple iTunes UK (entering the Index at 71), Screwfix Direct (up two points to 71), QVC UK (down a point to 70), Ebuyer (with no change at 70), ASOS and Argos (both up three points to 70).

Internet-only ‘pureplay’ retailers again outperformed those retailers with stores, catalogues or other non-web channels by a score of 71 versus 65 – both up one point on last year.

Even B&Q scored 60 and, while still tied for the last spot, saw a big improvement of seven points over last year, and PC World (coming in joint last with 60) was up one point. In addition, the Orange Shop (60) fell one point and Currys (60) remained the same year over year.

Larry Freed, ForeSee Results chief executive, said. “As offline sales slow, the online channel has proven to be a bright spot of the retail economy, meaning that retail websites are even more important than ever.”

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