Yardstick Report: Comparing Clothing Retailers’ Web Sites You work for the Marketing Department of Urban Jungle Apparel, an ascendant specialty retailer offering clothing, accessories, and personal care products for trendy men and women. Although Urban Jungle has a Web presence, it wants to update its site based on what online competitors are doing and what customers think is important about Web sites in general. Currently, Urban Jungle’s Web site contains little more than online advertisements about its products and a store locator. You decide to analyze and evaluate SnazzyDuds. com and Zoom2.com, two companies with Web sites in direct competition with Urban Jungle. Your analysis is based on the following criteria:
(a) Speed,
(b) Convenience,
(c) Privacy/security,
(d) Customer service,
(e) Design, and
(f) Sales promotions.
You also conduct a survey of 150 shoppers to discover their online shopping habits and preferences. Following are the results of your research.
SnazzyDuds.com
Speed: The pages, including the enlarged pop-up images of clothing items, load fast, and the order process is smooth and uncomplicated.
Convenience:. The site is convenient for finding the right size, fit, and care instructions. Nearly any size is available. Additionally, if customers are not satisfied with an item, they may return it free of charge by mail or to any SnazzyDuds store in the United States. One drawback is that SnazzyDuds.com customers may find a product only by looking at images or lists; in other words, the site has no search function for locating a product by item or number.
Privacy/Security: The site is secure, using Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) technology. Purchases up to $50 are covered.
Customer Service. Overall, the service is very good to excellent. Customers may contact customer service via e-mail or use a toll-free service line any time of the day. In an experiment, two calls were made and one e-mail was sent to evaluate customer service. In general, service reps were friendly and helpful, responding politely and quickly to questions about locating products. Additional services include gift wrapping, delivery, and shopping by phone.
Design. The site is very well designed and is user friendly. The home page is uncluttered and without distractions. Customers simply click either the Men or Women link to access subsequent pages. Once they have chosen a category, customers are linked to a well-organized collection of merchandise.
Promotions. SnazzyDuds.com’s “All-Year-Long Sale” section is available to anyone. Although returns cost nothing, free shipping is offered only periodically. Customers who sign up receive e-mail specials twice a month.
Zoom2.com
Speed. The ordering process is slow. Because the site is set up in an illogical fashion with both men’s and women’s clothing displayed on the same pages, finding an item is time consuming.
Convenience. Zoom2.com has a search-by-item number feature. It also offers care instructions as well as a wide-ranging size chart. If customers are unhappy with an item, they must return it by mail. Zoom2 stores will not accept returns of Web items.
Privacy/Security. The site is secure, using Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) technology. It also promotes itself as a “VeriSign” secure site. Purchases up to $50 are covered.
Customer Service. Service is fair. Customers may contact customer service via e-mail or use a toll-free service line any time of the day for questions. In an experiment, three calls were made and one e-mail was sent to evaluate customer service. Two of the calls required an average of 45 seconds for a rep to reach the phone. Additional services include gift wrapping, delivery, and shopping by phone.
Design. For a first-time customer, the home page is somewhat confusing. It has too many options from which to choose. Beyond the home page, the design improves, with clearly defined categories.
Promotions. Zoom2.com offers a new promotion every week. Repeat customers also receive an e-mail promotion twice a month, which can include free shipping and a percentage off the total purchase.
Consumer Survey
1. Have you ever purchased anything online? Yes: 39 No: 111
2. If you answered yes to the preceding question, which of the following have you ordered? Please check all that apply.
Cosmetics: 32 Clothing and accessories: 41
Flowers: 30 CDs, recorded music: 90
3. How many purchases have you made on the Internet in the past year?
3–4: 35 5–9: 49 10–24: 42 25 or more: 24
4. What elements of online shopping are most important to you? Please check all that apply.
Speed: 135 Promotions: 120
Web design: 60 Security: 105
Convenience: 105 Customer service: 83
5. What kinds of services do you expect when you shop online? Please check all that apply.
Free shipping: 140 Sales: 120
Free return: 90 Promotions: 65

Your Task.
Analyze the data you have available. What data could be presented in graphs or charts? What graphic forms should be used to best illustrate the most important data? In a memo report to your supervisor, Terry O’Donnell, director of marketing, include objective conclusions based on your analysis. Also submit recommendations regarding the steps Urban Jungle should take when upgrading its Web site. If your instructor directs, prepare visual aids to accompany your yardstick report.