For e-tailers, creating a good and lasting impression end-to-end of the buying process is key. This post is personal but very much inspired by my consulting work. I have been shopping online for the past ten years, with more or less loyalty to a chosen few. With time, I’ve become a demanding customer showing near-zero tolerance to e-tailers who don’t hold their promises, or rather who don’t believe they have promises to hold. This is perhaps no longer the case in North America but here in France, it is.

Traditional relailers going online or pureplayers across Europe have yet to grasp the idea that this channel must be part of an integrated marketing strategy and that online shoppers are as fussy (if not more) than in-store customers. I have been through the worst client experiences with moments of truth that killed the relationship. Lets list a few : late delivery, slight product defect, erroneous display (color is a popular one), poor (discourteuous) customer service, no integration to back office apps, no product delivery follow-up, product return lost in transit, packaging in poor condition.

So when i decided to test a new pure player, Continue reading →