Online Experience: A Global Comparison

Forrester's 2007 reviews of Web sites in Japan, Europe, and the US show a vast majority of sites in all regions to be deeply flawed. On average, US sites offer better customer experience than their European and Japanese counterparts, but their good performance in some areas is restricted by widespread problems with basic issues such as the need to make content legible. On average, Japanese sites were reliable but hard to navigate, while European sites showed the most room for improvement. To raise standards in all regions, firms should incorporate Forrester's 25 Web Site Review criteria into the specifications for their design teams. Firms should rely on personas to guide them to the site improvements that will matter most to their customers — and avoid merely duplicating the mediocre experiences offered by competitors.