Compusa.com - A site review

Overview:

CompUSA has quickly become many computer connoisseurs favorite place to shop for the latest in gear and gadgetry. They have carefully carved out a niche for themselves in this cut throat market and have become the envy of many computer retailers. Their website features a great deal of computer related devices, accessories and much more.

Type of Store:

CompUSA’s website has about everything a tech oriented shopper could hope for. Its downfall is the lack of an easy navigation system, and a good graphical interface. The site has a cheesy look that reminds me of websites popular five years ago. The website’s good side lies in its content. CompUSA has a nearly unmatchable array of inventory that at first has a dizzying effect.

Strengths and Weaknesses:

CompUSA has a large site with a great deal of products to choose from. Unfortunately, navigation through the site to find a specific good can be a chore unless you are certain of its product category or can find it successfully through the sites search system. This coupled with a somewhat generic appearance in the sites layout is a turnoff for many buyers. The upside lies in the sites features and customer relations. You can search for items by keyword, sign up for product discount and feature notifications and much more. There true strength is found in their product depth. CompUSA’s large inventory scope can swallow many of its competitors. Expanding to areas like online auctions and partnering with goodguys.com will also bolster sales.

Potential for Success:

Having such a large selection and a (more often than not) knowledgeable sales force has proven to be a winning combination for CompUSA. One factor that may a future issue is product pricing. Many companies have online stores with deep discounts given to the online consumer. CompUSA for the most part exhibits the same pricing scheme they use in store as they do online. If they can overcome this hurdle and deal with a slow economy, then they surely will stay at the top of their industry.

Possible Improvements:

Investing in some better graphics and navigational structure would be a positive improvement. Better delegation of information would help consumers not to feel overwhelmed when visiting the site.

Effective Merchandising:

What makes CompUSA an effective online merchant is the vast number of features available to the consumer. Easy to manage accounts, a relatively seamless ordering system, effective customer service and order tracking all spell success for this online merchant. Detailed policies (if you read them all) make CompUSA a straight shooter in an industry that seems to have its share of less than honorable merchants.

Bestbuy.com - A site review

Overview:

Bestbuy is an electronics, appliance and media purveyor based in Richfield, Minnesota. Their website sells most if not all items available in their bricks and mortar retail store fronts. Bestbuy is the tour de force of the consumer electronics and appliance industry.

Type of Store:

Bestbuy has had an iron clad grasp on the consumer electronics market for the past couple of years and shows little sign of letting lose. Their website reflects their control to an extent. Although many sites have comparable amounts of goods available, few have the span of information and functionality that is available to the end consumer and investor.

Strengths and Weaknesses:

The website has a simple layout that somewhat offsets the barrage of options and links available on the home page. Simple colors and graphics are the norm in Bestbuy land, as are generic looking ads and symbols. This may turn off some consumers seeking a more upbeat user experience. Even though there are many discounter websites offering substantial savings, people still flock to the big blue and yellow shop they know so well, and often end up paying much more for the same goods.

Potential for Success:

Due to Bestbuy’s enormous market saturation, their market dominance and success is nearly assured. Bestbuy’s vast buying power enables them to effectively compete with anyone in the industry at nearly any level they choose. This supremacy easily spills over into the Bestbuy.com website which in part is due to brand recognition and loyalty.

Possible Improvements:

Several notable things Bestbuy could do to improve its site ranges from small issues such as color schemes, to large overhauls having to do with the way they conduct business. First is to develop a better graphical user interface that is more appealing to their target audience. Second is to stop associating with and using doubleclick (a company who has been sued for privacy violations) which is a cookies and tracking software. Bestbuy could also create a less cluttered home page and add a chat room with a representative page.

Effective Merchandising:

The site is an effective sales tool for e-commerce because of its easy to use shopping cart, its intuitive reviews and descriptions of its merchandise and its overall ease of use once you have selected your item(s) to purchase.

The Westin - Chicago

Situated near the House of Blues and McCormick center in downtown Chicago, The Westin hotel offers outstanding rooms for a reasonable Chicago price if you know where to book. You simply won't find better service without spending much more. The eastern design influence is apparent the moment you enter the lobby. The rooms are well appointed and the "heavenly bed" is just that. I have never slept on a better bed in any hotel. Bravo Westin on a job well done. I look forward to patronizing your establishment again.