Archive for the ‘user experience’ Category

  • Walmart Launches Marketplace. Market-who?

    By: Chris Goward
    Date: September 1st, 2009
    Walmart Marketplace
    Walmart Marketplace

    Yesterday, Walmart launched Walmart Marketplace, which will, apparently, give you “more of what you’re looking for – for less”. It’s an exciting development that some think positions the company to compete with Amazon. Unfortunately, no one knows what a “Marketplace” is, or how it’s different from a “Store”.

    What is it?

    The press release makes it pretty clear that “Walmart Marketplace enables a select group of retailers to offer additional products at Walmart.com.” Specifically, Walmart is now allowing Continue Reading

    Posted in: user experience

  • How to improve the customer experience

    By: Chris Goward
    Date: November 24th, 2008

    Seth Godin wrote this morning about a terrible user experience calling the KitchenAid IVR service line.

    The automated phone system is an easy target and one that many (arguably most) companies do a poor job of. It may be the most blatant customer experiences flaw your company is inflicting, but probably not the only one.
    Continue Reading

    Posted in: user experience

  • Usability Tip: Try Being Your Own Customer

    By: Chris Goward
    Date: June 2nd, 2008

    Some of the best usability advice you’ll ever get is to try being your own customer.

    If you haven’t bought a product or called a sales person in your company in the past three months, do it. Today.

    Seth Godin uses the example of Interactive Voice Response (IVR) frustration (which is often immediately followed by ‘Interactive Voice Rage’) that’s so common, but your website is just as likely a culprit. Continue Reading

    Posted in: user experience

  • Website Usability is Overrated

    By: Chris Goward
    Date: December 14th, 2007

    Conversion Rate HamsterUsability is often where web marketers mistakenly turn when they need to improve the lead generation or e-commerce results from their web site.

    The problem is that Usability “experts” will often recommend a plethora of time-consuming and expensive projects that will beguile the marketer into believing that they’re increasing their site’s effectiveness. The sheer magnitude of activity involved can divert attention from the important areas that the marketer should be focusing to increase the site’s persuasiveness. Continue Reading

    Posted in: user experience

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