Over the past number of years, consumers have become accustomed to certain standards in web design. In order to make a lasting impression on website visitors, an experience needs to be built that goes beyond that of a plain, usable website. Usability is crucial online as it has direct impact on the potential revenue a website can produce. Similarly social media can also impact on an organisations bottom line. Social media allows retailers to increase awareness of a product or service, allowing businesses to simultaneously advertise products and engage in direct customer service by interacting with customers. This essay will therefore investigate “The Impact of Web Usability and Social Media on E-commerce/Sales in the Retail Grocery Industry”
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Website usability is a concept that encompasses whether a website helps users achieve their goals quickly and easily, is easy to learn and use, helps prevent user errors, and leads to user satisfaction (Usability.gov,2008). Barker,M (2012) defines social media as “a term that describes the use of social networks, online communities, blogs, wikis or any other online collaborative media for marketing, sales, PR and customer service.” Approximately 18 percent of managers believe that social media is important for their business today, however more than 63 percent assert it will be important for business within three years (Kiron et al. 2012). McKinsey estimates that the economic impact of social media on business could exceed $1 trillion, most of which is gained from more efficient communication and collaboration within and across organizations (Chui et al. 2012). The impact of social media on and for organizations, therefore, represents an important area for information systems …show more content…
Unlike other retailers Tesco predominately tends to post one update each day, and is largely related to products, services or the Tesco brand itself. Tesco incentivises user interaction by offering Clubcard points in return for sharing stories on various topics. This is an effective way of driving engagement, similarly are the regular conversations they host with various health and food experts. In terms of web usability, Tesco have strived to create a user friendly website (See Appendix 2) which is easy to navigate. Pastore (2001) highlights that, "convenience-related issues (including speed of use and ease of access) are the dominant motivating factors among respondents who purchase online." In an attempt to improve ease of use for the consumer, Tesco have implemented a system into their website which allows customers to create an electronic shopping basket that can be saved and used again. Customers are therefore spared the inconvenience of selecting the same items week on week. Over Christmas 2013 Tesco noticed the benefits of having a user friendly website. Cunnliffe (2014) highlights that Tesco, the largest retailer in the UK, accumulated £450 million in sales online in the six weeks prior to January 4th 2014. This result seen a rise of 14% compared to the previous year. The sales were equivalent to more than 3
Website usability is a concept that encompasses whether a website helps users achieve their goals quickly and easily, is easy to learn and use, helps prevent user errors, and leads to user satisfaction (Usability.gov,2008). Barker,M (2012) defines social media as “a term that describes the use of social networks, online communities, blogs, wikis or any other online collaborative media for marketing, sales, PR and customer service.” Approximately 18 percent of managers believe that social media is important for their business today, however more than 63 percent assert it will be important for business within three years (Kiron et al. 2012). McKinsey estimates that the economic impact of social media on business could exceed $1 trillion, most of which is gained from more efficient communication and collaboration within and across organizations (Chui et al. 2012). The impact of social media on and for organizations, therefore, represents an important area for information systems …show more content…
Unlike other retailers Tesco predominately tends to post one update each day, and is largely related to products, services or the Tesco brand itself. Tesco incentivises user interaction by offering Clubcard points in return for sharing stories on various topics. This is an effective way of driving engagement, similarly are the regular conversations they host with various health and food experts. In terms of web usability, Tesco have strived to create a user friendly website (See Appendix 2) which is easy to navigate. Pastore (2001) highlights that, "convenience-related issues (including speed of use and ease of access) are the dominant motivating factors among respondents who purchase online." In an attempt to improve ease of use for the consumer, Tesco have implemented a system into their website which allows customers to create an electronic shopping basket that can be saved and used again. Customers are therefore spared the inconvenience of selecting the same items week on week. Over Christmas 2013 Tesco noticed the benefits of having a user friendly website. Cunnliffe (2014) highlights that Tesco, the largest retailer in the UK, accumulated £450 million in sales online in the six weeks prior to January 4th 2014. This result seen a rise of 14% compared to the previous year. The sales were equivalent to more than 3