According to a survey from ForeSee Results, even with sales figures up, online retailers should not become complacent. Online shoppers aren't happy—at least not as happy as they used to be.
Customer satisfaction with online retail during the 2007 holiday season was down slightly from the previous year.
The "ForeSee Results Top 40 Online Retail Satisfaction Index" showed that aggregate satisfaction with the leading online retailers scored 74 on a 100-point scale, 1.3% less than in 2006.
"Online shopping is still the bright spot for holiday retailers, but lower satisfaction coupled with slower than expected spending growth put a little cloud over the season," said Larry Freed, ForeSee Results CEO. "In an economy where consumers are feeling pinched economically, it's even more important for e-retailers to meet their customers' needs online."
The top-rated online retailers for the 2007 holiday season were Netflix (86), Amazon.com (82), L.L. Bean (80) and QVC (80).
The most improved sites were Costco (up 4.3% to 72), Zappos (up 4% to 78) and Avon (up 3.9% to 79).
Overall, 10 sites in the top 40 increased customer satisfaction over last year, and 18 saw their scores decline.