Tue, February 06, 2007
41% of consumers in a recent study said a frustrating online experience would make them less likely to shop at that retailer's physical store. In addition, 82% of consumers surveyed reveal a frustrating shopping experience will make them less likely to return to a retailers' site. 59 % say this experience negatively impacts their overall opinion of the retailer/brand.
I don’t think this research applies directly to the theatrical model but it’s something we need to take a closer look at. The big statistic and what I think is clearly relevant is that the customer experience, whether it is online, on the phone or the box office, has a significant impact on your sales and on word-of-mouth. From a web perspective, it’s also a very telling sign. If someone tries to order tickets to your event online and has a bad experience (i.e., long load time, confusing interface, etc.), I wouldn’t assume that they will just head to the box office instead. To be on the safe side, I’d make the assumption that you just lost a customer.
There was a line from a Forrester research report in 2001 that has stuck with me ever since I read it – “as users interact with websites in real time, these experiences – not advertising induced perceptions – will drive brand attitudes.” To me, this is the core component that we all must follow as we expand into an even further digital age. Because online advertising and websites are inherently interactive, that experience with the brand is equally important to the look and feel, messaging and functionality.
In short, make it easy to buy tickets online. We’ve seen small design changes on websites literally double sales.
Happy reading.
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