Javari sets industry best-practice for the online customer journey, according to latest eRetail Benchmark study

Javari sets industry best-practice for the online customer journey, according to latest eRetail Benchmark study

Javari, the standalone footwear, shoes and handbags company from Amazon and relative newcomer in the retail sector, has claimed the top spot in the latest eRetail Benchmark study from eDigitalResearch.

This, said the digital researcher, is a clear testament that new sites can learn from the experiences of the early e-commerce adopters, combining clear and easily navigable web pages with a seamless purchasing process across multiple touchpoints.

The study used online mystery shoppers to benchmark website performance across 51 leading retailers from the homepage to the checkout. Javari emerged with an overall satisfaction score of 90%. The secret of its is success down to its detailed product images, best in-class search tools and an Amazon-style checkout, which made purchasing simple.

Importance of information grows

The Benchmark study also reflected an increased industry-wide focus on product detail and search and navigation, with 360-degree images and improved filtering tools contributing to a peak in overall consumer satisfaction. However, more focus still needed to be given to customer service, with consumer satisfaction scores dipping at telephone and email support, it urged.

While Javari and Amazon claimed the top positions, Next, Woolworths and John Lewis also featured in the top five, highlighting the levelling of the playing field between bricks-and-mortar organisations and pureplay providers. It pointed out that multichannel retailers continued to excel at customer service, bringing their High Street experience into the online environment, where ASOS.com is now the exception to the rule. Scoring 100% for its one-hour email response service, the online fashion retailer had set itself apart from other pureplay providers that don’t even have an email function.

Customer focus urged

Derek Eccleston, research director for eDigitalResearch, explained: “While improved product detail and advanced search will continue to be a core area of development across the retail sector, more resource and investment needs to be given to customer service support. Customers will continue to contact retailers through their preferred medium of choice and the failure to adequately respond to customer enquiries across telephone and email channels will hugely detract business.”

While customer service contact continues to be the main bone of contention for retail customers, the sector as a whole continues to set the standard for other industries. Javari, and M&S [Marks & Spencers] are examples of those that have scored within the top ecommerce bracket overall (90% or higher) across the benchmark reports, while even the poorest performer in the retail sector scored 73%, which is well above the worst performers in the other sectors.

Eccleston concluded: “This highlights the continued investment that retailers are putting into their online marketing strategies. Other sectors are increasingly looking to mirror the retail sector, introducing video and interactive photography onto their product pages, as well as improving their search and navigation functions. However, customer service contact is still the biggest pressure point that affects every industry sector and this is where online marketers can really differentiate their offering.”