	E-Business Essentials	Vol. 1, No. 1 Winter 2000
	Critical Information You Need to Boost Your Bottom Line

Holiday E-Commerce:

Customer Service and Better Return Policies Are Keys to Success

Online holiday spending reached record levels this past season, but not without some major problems based on performance and shipping. A study by Anderson Consulting revealed that during this past holiday season, pure online merchants (“e-tailers”) generally provided better service than traditional stores with web sites. Ordering merchandise from traditional retailers took 30% longer than ordering from e-tailers. E-tailers were more efficient at telling customers whether selected items were in stock (44%) as opposed to 40% of traditional retailers and 37% of catalog stores. Customers also revealed some frustration at the inability to speak to a representative when there were questions.

Return Policies Critical. A survey of 9800 consumers by BizRate.com revealed that 89% said their purchasing decisions were influenced by return policies. In fact, certain aspects of a return policy could actually turn customers away, such as inability to accept a credit card for payment, or a limited time to return products. In this study, 62% of respondents said they would prefer to return merchandise by mail instead of visiting a traditional store. Yet convenience is not necessarily enough. Consumers said the most important factor would be a 100% money back guarantee.

Take a look at other features from this issue, Vol. 1, Winter 2000:
      Infogrinder Cuts through the Hype with E-Business Sense
     E-Commerce Explained
     Brave New Future of E-Business – an essay
     Customer Satisfaction Key to E-Commerce Success
     E-Commerce Success Stories – AOL
     Alphabet Soup - A Glossary

View other Newsletter Articles:
Volume 2: September 2000
    Wireless LAN's Provide Speed and Simplicity
    Which Internet Access Speed is Right for You?
    Windows ME - a Smooth Program (Review)
    Alphabet Soup - A Glossary

Volume 3: October 2000
    Customer Relationship Management Key to Success
    Wireless LAN's for the Small Office
    Logitech Cordless Keyboard and Mouse Review
    Application Service Providers Make Powerful Software Affordable
    Alphabet Soup - A Glossary

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E-Business Essentials

Vol. 1, No. 1 Winter 2000

Holiday E-Commerce:

Customer Service and Better Return Policies Are Keys to Success