Sales Risk for Small Business Websites

37 per cent of consumers have walked away from a small business because of its poor website

“Research shows that keeping an ugly or badly functioning website online can comprise a risk to sales revenue. Consumers have ever higher expectations, and it is essential that every company website inspires confidence. Businesses that invest carefully in their web experience will see higher levels of customer spend, retention and referral”.

| Oliver Mauss, CEO 1&1 Internet Ltd.

Bad websites cost SME's Business

A total of 46 per cent of British consumers have cancelled plans to spend with a small business after finding a poor quality website, according to research released today by 1&1 Internet Ltd, www.1and1.co.uk, a global leader amongst web hosts. From a study of more than 1800 UK adults, 37 per cent have walked away completely whilst a further 9 per cent have opted to spend less as a direct result. Many consumers feel that small business websites today are mostly unattractive and often contain errors. Whilst 1 in 3 consumers are willing to provide valuable feedback to business owners, a further study of small firms finds that half have never asked clients about their experiences of using their website.
The majority of UK businesses have now taken steps to launch a website and battle for valuable online visibility. However, 1&1’s ’2011 Digital High Street Audit’(1) finds worryingly low levels of consumer satisfaction with the small business websites available to them. The risk to firms from providing a bad online experience is clear – 49 per cent of consumers believe that a bad website makes a worse impact than a business having no website at all.

Read full article on the 1&1 Press Room

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