WHSmith has replaced HMV as the top high street website,
according to a study released today.
The retailer has the website with the best "usability",
according to the 2008 Online High Street Usability Report,
replacing
HMV, which was top last year.
The report found retailers in general are focussing on improving
the
usability of their websites, with a 10% increase from 57% to
67% in the average score. The score measures how good an experience
the website offers consumers.
Retailers have improved on issues such as hidden delivery costs,
confusing check out procedures and repeated error pages, the
report's authors said.
Ismail Ismail, director at Webcredible, which analysed 20 of the
UK's leading high street retailers, said, "The increasing trend of
consumers shopping online to find the best deals, particularly in
the current financial climate, has caused retailers to really focus
on the user experience of their websites."