Australia needs an online department store with quality

Australia needs an online department store with quality

Alex Wilson | 10/08/2009

E-Commerce is increasingly becoming more and more saturated in Australia, but one thing is certain; we are lacking an online department store with high quality goods and service that is reflected in the actual stores we see in the real world.

It is hard to replicate the customer service we see within a store, the assistant asking to help you, the store layout, the ability to actually hold the product before purchasing – these are things that we take for granted but really help us in making purchase decisions.

Although the internet doesn’t let you physically touch the product, there are ways to really break down those emotional barriers for people wanting to purchase online. The layout of a store online, the reassurance of assistance if required combined with the real world brand equity of the store – these are things that can really help solidify an online customers purchase decisions.

David Jones is a perfect example of a quality retailer in the physical world. Their products, service and customer experience is second to none. At David Jones, you know that if there is anything wrong with your purchase – you can return it at once for a full refund and there will be no questions asked. Products stocked in David Jones are of a high quality and for years they have been acknowledged as the industry leader in retailing. My question is, why don’t they offer online retailing?

The CEO of David Jones, Mark McInnes has stated that he believes in the use of the internet for retailing – especially that of social media and email databases. As a result, Mark has decided that online retailing is a very realistic proposition for David Jones in the next 3-5 years and has hired Georgia Chewing to head up Digital Marketing for the established company.

I am very excited at the prospect of David Jones entering into the online department store space. They have years of brand equity over any other online retailer and with the correct website and online strategy, could easily revolutionise how Australians buy products online.

What I would like to see for an online retailer such as David Jones;

1. Strong usability and Information Architecture - Often E-Commerce sites dont plan how there users will interact with their store.

2. A well lit path to my desired products - When you want to find a product, you want to find it quickly.

3. Strong brand tie in to the actual David Jones stores - David Jones has such high brand equity in the market, this must be carried over to their online store.

4. A sense of quality, safety and assurance that I feel when in David Jones - I feel secure and safe in a David Jones store, this needs to be replicated online. Especially for the older demographics that religously use David Jones.

So my question is;

O DJs, DJs, wherefore art thou David Jones?

tags: Online Marketing ,  Business