Which Online Retailers Have the Most Satisfied Customers and What You Can Do to Improve Your E-Commerce Efforts
ForeSee Result's annual survey of customer satisfaction finds that Netflix.com, QVC.com and Amazon.com sit atop the list (again) of the leading 100 e-retailers.
CIO — Wondering how to improve your company's e-commerce operations and increase customer loyalty, sales and word of mouth? Just follow the customer satisfaction strategies of Netflix.com, QVC.com and Amazon.com.
For the fourth year in a row, the online operations from Netflix, QVC and Amazon claimed the top three spots in ForeSee Results' "Top 100 Online Retail Satisfaction Index" survey report. Netflix scored an 86, QVC an 84 and Amazon an 83; the average for the top 100 was 75. (Scores are determined by measuring Internet shoppers' overall satisfaction when they visit a retailer's website, whether they purchase something or not.)
Don't think online customer satisfaction matters?
"Online satisfaction, when measured scientifically with a proven methodology, is both a key performance metric of current success and a predictive indicator of future sales, loyalty and word of mouth recommendation," writes Larry Freed, the CEO of ForeSee Results, in the survey report. "Especially in a tough economy, retailers that satisfy online shoppers have a competitive advantage." (For more, see "Retailers Are Winning by Focusing on Customer-Centric Systems -- Not Whining About the Economy.")
The Best of the Best Online Retailers
ForeSee Results' 2008 survey data finds that these seven online businesses satisfy online shoppers the best.
| Website | Score | Change from |
|---|---|---|
| '07 | ||
| Netflix.com | 86 | 1% |
| QVC.com | 84 | -1% |
| Amazon.com | 83 | 0% |
| DrsFosterSmith.com | 81 | 0% |
| Shutterfly.com | 80 | 4% |
| Newegg.com | 80 | 3% |
| Apple.com | 80 | 1% |
According to ForeSee Results data, highly satisfied online shoppers are 69 percent more likely to purchase from the same retailer the next time they're looking to buy similar merchandise, 75 percent more likely to purchase online, 42 percent more likely to purchase offline, and 75 percent more likely to recommend the retailer than shoppers who have a low level of satisfaction with the retailer.
In addition, ForeSee Results' data shows that a single point increase in customer satisfaction would lead to an average online sales increase of $112 million for the top 100 online retailers that have been measured during the past two years. (To read why companies aren't meeting shoppers' customer service expectations, see "Your Customer Service Stinks.")
What Online Retailers Can Do
At a high level, Freed writes, e-retailers should focus on "online branding and site experience in order to increase customer satisfaction, loyalty and purchase intent." (See "How Wal-Mart Lost Its Technology Edge" for an inside look at how Walmart.com is faring.)
