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Amazon comes first in Christmas 2011 retail index, while Apple enters the top five and London2012Shop comes in at last place

Amazon comes first in Christmas 2011 retail index, while Apple enters the top five and London2012Shop comes in at last place

 

Customer satisfaction measurement company ForeSee Results has announced the findings of its annual Christmas customer satisfaction Index across the UK’s top 40 online retail websites during December 2011.

 

The findings indicate a slight increase in satisfaction levels from Christmas 2010 to Christmas 2011: from 72 to 73 on the study’s 100-point scale (an increase of seven points since 2007, when ForeSee conducted its initial study). However, the company said that a one-point change can still mean a great deal in terms of revenue when it represents a change for a large group of retailers.

 

Experience leaves lasting impression

 

Larry Freed, ForeSee chief executive, commented: “The Christmas shopping season is the most important time of the year in e-retail – especially this year during such a tumultuous economic period. The last few months of 2011 and early 2012 will most certainly may make or break many retailers.

 

“However, because such a large percentage of annual sales occur during this critical season, e-retailers have a unique opportunity to acquire new customers for years to come, strengthen relationships with existing ones and make a significant difference to their bottom line.”

 

Amazon.co.uk achieved the highest score of 85 this year, edging out last year’s top performer, Amazon.com, (82) to claim the top spot. Play.com (80) dropped one point to tie for second place with JohnLewis.com, which was up two points on last year and an impressive 11 points from 2007. Apple.com also performed well (up three points to 78), which saw it the top five this year.

 

At the other end of the Index, the largest three-point drop came from CineworldCinemas.com and Lovefilm.com (a four-point decrease). Both sites scored 72, placing them just below the overall e-retail average satisfaction score of 73.

 

Measuring the affect of online experience

 

The Index data, taken during the prime Christmas shopping season, is the result of nearly 10,000 surveys responses collected from shoppers who had visited the top 40 online retail websites by traffic volume in the UK during November and December. The Index measures four high-level factors that affect overall customer satisfaction: functionality, price, merchandise, and content.

 

Freed added: “Our research shows just how important the impact of the online shopping channel is on overall business. One of the best ways to increase that impact is by improving customer satisfaction, which results in increased sales, loyalty, and positive word-of-mouth recommendations.

 

"We hope to show that understanding customer needs and expectations is critical for retailers to continue to survive and thrive in an increasingly competitive and winner-takes-all business environment.