6. Tandy.com.au: Handy site to have around
Category
Electronics
Overall impression and usability
It is hard to fault the Tandy site, as it incorporates many of the better features of the other sites, and manages to avoid many of the pitfalls. The site is personal, chatty, and at times humorous, which can only add to the customer experience. The site offers departments within the store, or the customer can use the quite sophisticated search system. The site also offers a gift centre, online auctions, and detailed information for customers using the site for the first time.
Hits
- The site offers a fairly advanced search feature. Using the drop down menus, you can elect to specify a search to a specific department of the Tandy store, to search by keyword, brand, catalogue number or manufacturer number.
- A gift centre is available, which offers customers gift ideas for a range of occasions and age groups, gift vouchers and gift wrapping.
- A what's hot section listing the current top selling items and new stock is useful.
- For those customers just browsing, they are able to use the site to search for their nearest offline Tandy store.
- A unique feature of this site is their online auction facility. You can bid for a range of electronic items on offer--the reserve price must be met before an item will be sold--but it adds some fun to the site and also may result in some customers picking up a bargain.
- The site offers the alternative of placing a phone or fax order if uncomfortable with making an online purchase.
- Detailed information is provided to the customer about how to shop online, and how to most effectively use the site.
- The navigation on each page of the site is consistent, making it easy for the customer to learn how to move their way around the site.
- Another unique and very useful feature of this site is the freight calculator. By simply entering their postcode, the customer is able to determine exactly how much the delivery costs will be for the items they have selected.
Misses
- The home page is far too long. The customer is required to scroll down a long way in order to get an overview of all the information contained in the site. It is far better to limit the home page to a single page that does not require too much scrolling.
- Whilst images of the products are available, the images cannot be enlarged for closer inspection.
Purchasing procedure
- The purchase process is obvious and straightforward. Unfortunately the shopping trolley visible on each page does not give any indication of the purchases made unless it is clicked on.
Security
- Security information is provided and explained thoroughly to the customer. In doing so however, the customer is left feeling unsure about the security of making an online purchase--even though SSL encryption technology is used. This is because Tandy suggest they will not take any responsibility for the customer's credit card details being used fraudulently. The security information in fact almost seems to encourage phone or fax purchases.
ePharmacy currently has 3 staff members. It proves that you do not have to have a massive business structure to have a successful e-commerce business.