As NZ retailers start to gear up for online e-commerce, they need to beware of an easy trap to fall into.
Lands End
Big Retail sites can take up to two years to build. As a result, what we see now in many big US sites is the product of thinking and approach of several years ago. Big is beautiful. Build and they will come, etc etc.
We will fall into a trap if we build what overseas retailer sites look like now, rather than what they will look like in the future.
Most big retailer sites in the US for instance have been a product of the mid 1990′s, with some add ons and upgrades over time. Just like the stars in the sky that show us light that may have actually been extinguished long ago, many websites today represent thinking and structures of years past. Times have changed. One example is the massive rise of social media, to the point where 3 of the top 5 sites in the US are all now social media. Sites that didn’t exist when these big monolith US retail sites were conceived.
As we are behind overseas markets, copying what some big retailers are doing might seem like a good idea. But it’s not. The rules have changed, and will continue to change. Big is not that good, speed are flexibility are. Being unique isn’t good, being connected to high traffic sites is. Having strict boring templates and consistent navigation is OK, creativity and flash are better.
One good site that we can learn from is this new development for Lands End. Not a catalogue or masthead navigation (or rule book) in sight.
http://aka.landsend.com/lp/swimwear-getaway/#/island/
Author: Darryn Melrose, AIM Proximity
