Changing Demographics

Web Marketing

Harry Washburn

Summary by Jamie Nedwick 

On March 8, Harry Washburn's presentation was titled "Why people don't buy things on the Web," based on his book Why People Don't Buy Things. In this presentation, Washburn focused on the fact that people will not buy things on the web if they encounter a poorly designed website. He also discussed what makes a great website and what makes a poor one.

A great website consists of many basic features. They were presented from A to G, then Z. "A" stands for attitude, which meant that the user should feel in control. "B" stands for branding, which consisted of positioning research, brand name testing, and URL and home page tag line. Basically it means to advertise. "C" stands for choice. The impression one gets in the first six seconds on the website is crucial. The site should have many informational features and should be unique. It should be captivating so the web surfer will choose the site and not another. "D" represented decisions. The idea is not to try to make a sale, but to help the potential consumer make a decision. This is effective through search engines and icons. "E" represents entertaining and exploring. If the site is not fun, it is a failure. "F" stands for fast and easy. It should be simple for anyone and have no slow loads. "G" means go for the dough. It should be easy to order merchandise and the customer should feel secure in doing so. "Z" represents the snooze factor. Old is out and new is in. It is important to keep the website moving and changing.

Amazon.com has been rated by Gomez, a web rating service, as the best in the business. This was attributed to the personal recommendation for books, music, and DVD, profile matching, customer reviews and the ability to add one's own comments. Their relationship services option is what keeps customers coming back. It satisfies what is uniquely important to the customer and sets Amazon.com apart from everyone else. They also have a feature called purchase circles that lets one find out what others are reading in different geographic areas, college institutions, government and other organizations. Amazon keeps inventing new ways to keep their customers happy and this is a prime example of a successful website.

An example of a poor website is Banana Republic. They have a slow loading, flash introduction that was an extreme time waster. There is no variety of pictures and their choice of colors was poor and not captivating. They also use poor judgment of now showing the clothing items on a body form, therefore resulting in a high return rate.

Land's End, on the other hand, is an example of a good web site. It is fast loading, easy to navigate, and includes a feature called personal model that allows the consumer to see what an item of clothing would look like on their own body. To check it out, visit Landsend.com. Other websites that pass the mark are Delia's, Gap, and Chanel.

Major mistakes made by large companies concerning their websites can hurt their businesses. In constructing a website, it is important to remember that fast is a key factor and that too much attitude isn't good because it seems egocentric. Branding must be clear and one must be able to captivate one's potential customer in the first six seconds. If these guidelines are followed, success is a given.