Evaluate Two Existing Ebusiness Websites

Published Date: 02 Nov 2017

For professional website designers there are various rules that need to be followed in order to achieve a good and productive website.

Rule 1 Eliminate annoying features

The easiest way of aggravating visitors to a site is to "pop" up a new window each time that they enter or leave the site. If the message that your client is trying to convey is that important, incorporate it instead into the site's home page in an attractive and less annoying fashion. in some cases there are certain sites that contain music when the home page is displayed. The designer might like the music but a large percentage of visitors might not

Rule 2 Ban poor navigation

It should be easy for visitors to find their way around a Web site. Before you launch any new site on an unsuspecting public, conduct some usability tests to determine just how long, and what effort it takes, for people to browse the contents of the site.

Once a site starts to grow in complexity, consider adding a site map, which lists the major features of the site, along with a Frequently Answered Questions section where visitors can turn to for immediate help.

Rule 3 Choose the right colours

Colours are very important to a website. It’s the first thing that catches the visitor’s eye. Picking bright colours for both the background of a Web page and for the text to be displayed on it simply won't work. Neither will the overuse of colours on pages. Remember too that a not-insignificant proportion of the general public suffer from a variety of sight-related problems.

If you don't know how to select the right colour combinations for a Web site, get professional help, or read Web site design books that explain colour selection

Rule 4 Avoid the cluttered look

A Messy look on a website is not a good look for visitors. Don't overpower visitors to a site by cramming too much information onto Web pages. Instead, use progressive disclosure to reveal information as visitors either need it or request it. But don't bury vital information so deep into a Web site that they have to follow half a dozen or more links before they can access it.

Rule 5 Be consistent

Don't make the common mistake of having one part of the site's interface behave differently to another part

Rule 6 Make contact a click away

Visitors to many sites can now only provide feedback or ask questions by filling in an online form. A lot of people don't like forms. It could be that a form doesn't answer the specific need that they have. More often though, forms are usually time-consuming and sometimes ask for information that visitors don't want to reveal. Provide an e-mail address link that people can simply click to provide a quick, unstructured message.

Rule 7 Give visitors a reason to return

Web designers get so caught up in designing the most striking Web site, using the latest technology, that they forget one of the most important rules. That is, unless a site can be easily maintained, and have new, fresh content regularly appear there, visitors won't return to it. While appearance is obviously important, nothing guarantees a site's success more than high quality, up-to-date content.

Rule 8 It should be obvious

Websites need to have a purpose. Some designers design websites that don’t have a purpose. This in turn can cause confusion to the visitor. It should only take a matter of seconds for visitors to understand what a particular site does, and whether or not it can be of use to them.

Rule 9 Short download times

Pictures and graphics included on a Web page will result in excessive download times. Users who browse the Web are not renowned for their patience, and they will just not tolerate sites that take too long to appear on their computer's monitor.

Rule 10 Don't use technology just because it's there

 If the technology being deployed doesn't enhance the appearance or functionality of the site, don't use it - self explanation rule

Rule 11 Test

Testing takes a long time, it's boring and it takes a lot of effort and thought to get it right. But if a site doesn't work as it's expected to, it won't make matter if it looks great or it's got the latest and hottest information. Visitors will lose confidence in it and go elsewhere on the Web.

Evaluate two existing E-business websites

eBay

"Our mission today is to make things simpler through streamlining and consolidation." eBay's senior manager of seller advocacy, Jim Griffith

eBay is an American multinational internet consumer-to-consumer corporation that manages eBay.com, an online auction and shopping website in which people and businesses buy and sell a broad variety of goods and services worldwide. 

Credibility

The URL (universal response locator) of this website is www.ebay.co.uk. The URL is simple and also uses the same name which is good practice to familiarise users to the business name. The URL contains the work UK which signifies United Kingdom as a host site

Ebay.co.uk is a long running website and is used by millions of customers nationwide and internationally, which itself is a great proof that website is very popular with its target audiences. Information on the website is clear and has a clear purpose.

Accuracy

In order to establish the accuracy of a website it is necessary to be confident that the information supplied on the site is up to date, factual and comprehensive. The EBay website is accurate mainly due the fact information is checked and updated regularly

Objectivity

The main objective for eBay is to buy and sell items or products online. There is a huge variety and range of products available with various prices. The unique thing about eBay in comparison to other similar websites is that users can bid for the items online.

Coverage

As eBay visitors use the website for buying and selling different products, so all the information about different products described clearly and accurately. Information of the products is easily accessed for both the buyers and sellers.

Amazon

Amazon is the world's largest online retailer. Visitors to this website use it mainly to buy and sell various different products ranging from electronic products to books and toys. The website provides users the opportunity to buy and sell products nationally or internationally at a low cost.

Credibility

The URL is this website www.amazon.com implies that this website is a business website that attracts users from everywhere in the world. Amazon attracts millions of visitors and is ranked the largest online retailer.

Accuracy

All information available on this website is accurate and has no errors. The website is accurate mainly due the fact information is checked and updated regularly

Easy to read

All the contents of the Amazon website are easily read. White background of the page provides a good look and easy to see the contents of the pages.

Links

All the links which are provided on the website work properly and the internal link work well. This in turn will give visitors a reason to return

Navigation

www.amazon .com provides easy navigation throughout the site. There is no clutter of the links and pages which attracts customers to use it for business

TASK 2

Use website design evaluation techniques to evaluate any one commercial website e.g., EBay, Amazon, dell etc

EBay

There are different techniques by which we use to evaluate the eBay website. EBay is a website for buying and selling goods online for reasonable pieces. There are many products available in this website and visitors have majority of options to choose from. The following are techniques used to evaluate eBay are

Credibility – credibility is a very important aspect of any website. EBay has dedicated and trustworthy sellers and offers a rating system for each seller once the visitor buys goods from them. EBay can use this rating to improve the website by providing user feedback options. Positive feedback will increase visitor’s reason to return. Millions of users use this site daily and the URL of www.ebay.co.uk represents the country host site

Accuracy – to find out the accuracy of a website it is necessary to check the information given to be up to date, factual and comprehensive. EBay offers this to the visitors and updated are performed regularly

Objectivity - The main objective for eBay is to buy and sell items or products online. There is a huge variety and range of products available with various prices. The unique thing about eBay in comparison to other similar websites is that users can bid for the items online.

Currency – currency refers to the information that when the website is been created. Was it created a month or a year ago? Is the website updated regularly? On eBay there are no outdated links. All links are working and up to date.

Coverage – if a page requires certain software to view the information, it should only miss a few details. Software should be free to obtain missing information. There should be a balance of text and images on the page. In order to view the eBay website there is no need of a particular website. Information on eBay is available in detail and the outlook of the pages complements the theme.