OverstockArt.com to Undergo a Customer Focused Redesign

(PRWEB) June 22, 2005

Overstock Art LLC, the leading online retailer for hand made oil paintings, was ready for a change; the company has been displaying organic growth for the past three years and it was time for a push. Company CEO, David Sasson, was faced with the difficult decision of where to invest the company’s resources.

“We were excited about our inventory position and felt that our order process was well refined. The two areas that needed our attention were marketing and our technology,” Sasson said.

Sasson opted to invest in OverstockArt’s research and development, but he wanted to base design and technology changes on his customers.

In March, OverstockArt received research assistance from the Center for Media Design at Ball State University in Muncie, Indiana. Jackie Martinsen and Suzanne Plesha, Project Managers at the Center for Media Design, guided the construction of a customer-focused usability study for OverstockArt.

“We created a study that focused specifically on OverstockArt’s client needs and preferences as a way of enhancing the online shop’s search-ability and usability,” according to Jackie Martinsen, Testing Project Supervisor. “This adds another dimension to the traditional third party research conducted and gives OverstockArt new insights as to what matters to their customers when they are shopping online”.

The team built an out-of-the-box design plan that included an online survey and a usability study.

The survey was distributed to OverstockArt’s current customer base. According to Sasson, the response was outstanding. One clear reaction was that OverstockArt customers were happy with the way the online store looks and with the customer service. OverstockArt’s customers were also impressed with the broad selection, low prices and superior product quality. In addition, some very interesting usability issues popped up.

Customers didn’t notice certain services OverstockArt offered:

-40% of customers didn’t know that OverstockArt allows you to “try on” a variety of custom frame options for your painting selections

-51% of customers didn’t know that OverstockArt Offers free canvas stretching with each framed purchase

-45% of customers didn’t know that OverstockArt provides free shipping

-81% of customers didn’t know that OverstockArt has a “Turn your photos into Art” service where customers can submit a special order of a painting just by supplying a photo (it can be a family portrait or just a favorite painting that the customer’s having a hard time locating)

-60% of customers didn’t know that OverstockArt offers a 30 day money back guarantee

Customers also had a hard time gauging the quality of product:

-34% of customers didn’t know that all of OverstockArt’s oil paintings are hand painted

-80% of customers were positively surprised by the quality of the art works they received in the mail compared to the display online.

“We were very surprised with some of the answers,” Sasson said.

In response to feedback Sasson decided to extend the company satisfaction guarantee from 30 to 45 days:

“Since we have already taken care of customer who had exceeded that 30 day period we decided to extend our return policy to 45 days,” he said. “We saw an immediate improvement in sales. Clients started noticing our return policy and I think it allowed them to shop with confidence.”

Based on a content analysis of the research conducted, OverstockArt is in the midst of performing the usability study. The Center for Media Design gathered over 20 participants that fit the profile of an OverstockArt customer according to the demographic information on the survey. When the results will be aggregated and analyzed, OverstockArt will complete the redesign and upgrading of many additional features that the customers were interested in.

“We are very excited about this research,” Sasson says. “We have already learned a lot about our customers and their opinions about our company and our website.”

Sasson hopes that the design modifications will be in place for the upcoming Christmas season.

“We will work hard so our customers will enjoy shopping on an online store that’s designed based on their wants and needs,” he said.

To learn more about OverstockArt

Visit: http://www.OverstockArt.com or call 1-866-686-1888

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