Why ecommerce fails
By Davey Winder in Editorial
Posted in Blog, e-commerce on
Reading that headline you are probably thinking something along the lines of what is he talking about, integrating back office services with front end functionality and wrapping it all up with an attractive public facing design is pretty straightforward these days. True. However, I was thinking about ecommerce from the sharp end of the usability stick, the part that has been poking me in my frustrated consumer eye this past week.
Despite my saying otherwise recently, I have been doing some online xmas shopping after all. I simple have not had the time during the week to escape into the high streets and shopping malls, nor the inclination to fight for a car parking space at the weekend. I am starting to think that the fight might be more pleasurable than some of the problems I have encountered with retailers that just do not get this new fangled Web thing.
Take, for example, the shop that was so desperate to impress new customers that along with the email confirmation of my purchase was news of an exciting discount offer because my business is important to them and I am an important customer. 10 percent off my next order, as long as I make it before the end of June 2007.
Or how about the shop which allows you to buy items that are showing as out of stock, but then leaves you in the dark about order progress. After a few days I noticed one of the items I had ordered was showing as in stock, however my customer account showed no outstanding orders. I used the web based contact system, and after 3 days got an email saying the order would be with me in mid-December for some odd reason. I replied to ask that they cancel the item as I had managed to source it elsewhere. That email bounced because, despite there being no ‘do not reply to this address’ warning the customer service department do not accept emails only web based contact or telephone. I overcame my phone phobia to ask them to cancel, and discovered that the reason I was being told mid-December was because that was when my other out of stock item was expected to arrive and they would send them together. A little information can go a long way, but only if you telephone them it seems.
Then there was the company whose ‘real time stock check’ apparently runs around 24 hours behind itself. I ordered an in-stock item, paid for it, got the confirmation within a few minutes only to get another the next day informing me the item is not in stock and will arrive as soon as possible, sometime in the next 14 days. Ding, no sale, refund please.
Not everyone gets it wrong though, and I do feel I should ‘big up’ the chaps at Japan Centre who despite my ticking the option of ‘if not available please cancel entire order’ had the good sense to email me instead. I had ordered a selection of cooking saki, because I am something of a food ponce, and one particular variety was not available in the size I had asked for. Instead of cancelling the entire order, Japan Centre asked if they could substitute this for the next size up (a third bigger) at the same price and with the same postage charge. Now that is what I call customer service, it’s just a shame not everyone understands that for ecommerce to be a truly enjoyable user experience it is not just the payment processes and shopping baskets that have to be transferred from real life retail - but the personal service as well…
Rated: 100% (4 votes)
Loading ...Comment by Dan Jones - November 29, 2007 on 12:21 pm
I have to agree - when ecommerce does go wrong it is not a good thing.. I have had faulty parts delivered from one online retailer who took ages to sort the RMA/refund. Kind of defeated the speed I hoped I would have got.
I find the traditional retailers are worst at online customer care - and these are the ones that have poked me in the virtual eye as you say. I will use their real shops again, but online, forget it.
I have had some excellent experiences recently - from Amazon, with one of the 2 large xmas orders I placed. Free Supersaver delivery (ie normal 3-5 day wait) ordered Thurs night past 5pm, delivered Saturday am at 8am. Couldn’t believe getting a Saturday delivery at no cost to myself (couldn’t pick this thuogh!). May be luck, but certainally has helped!.
Comment by jhone marcus - June 24, 2008 on 9:03 am
As an electrical goods retailer I offer variety of consumer items. The consumer electronics market is revolutionized by techstore.co.uk
It is beneficial to both consumers and suppliers. Over the years suppliers had their own matters in getting through with electronic gadgets to the market. This will never be the same with electronic store like techstore.co.uk
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