While many e-tailers beef up their sites with a host of technological bells and whistles to lure online customers, a study released Tuesday by PricewaterhouseCoopers found that most of the new features do little to turn site visitors into buyers.
"The features that are most likely to increase the likelihood that an online shopper will make an online purchase at that site tend to be features that make the online shopping experience more like on-land shopping," said PricewaterhouseCoopers e-retail intelligence director Mary Brett Whitfield.
"E-tailers need to avoid the technology trap -- just because something is technologically possible does not mean that online shoppers need or want it," added Whitfield.
The report said that Internet marketers should focus their energies on developing full-bodied search engines and offering detailed product information and availability status -- factors which are more likely to increase visitor-to-buyer conversion rates.
In addition, in order
to boost sales, PricewaterhouseCoopers advised Web sites to provide
flexible customer service 
capabilities, such as catalog quick order, and a toll-free phone number for
shoppers to speak directly with a company representative.
Still Searching
Among the online consumers surveyed by PricewaterhouseCoopers, 77 percent reported that they have used a search function while shopping and most were satisfied enough with the results to use them on a regular basis.
Moreover, 43 percent ranked effective search functionality as the most important online shopping feature.
Nearly a third of the respondents said that useful search functions would increase their likelihood of buying something from an e-tail site.
Ready for Close-up
The study found that the next most popular set of features involved product information, including zoom-in images, merchandise reviews, and in-stock status, with 40 percent of e-shoppers saying that those features were important factors when selecting an e-tail site.
In fact, 44 percent of the respondents said that close-up product images would increase their likelihood of buying, while more than a third said that item availability and product comparison guides would do so.
Wishful Thinking
With many e-tailers launching second- and third-generation Web sites, there have been increases in customer-loyalty features such as wish lists, gift ideas and site personalization. However, PricewaterhouseCoopers said that those functions are often less important to the consumer purchasing experience than search functions and detailed product information.
The survey found that only 19 percent of respondents ever used e-tail wish lists, and among those only 13 percent actually forwarded the completed details to friends and family.
"E-retailers must monitor how consumers use current site features closely and not be afraid to remove those that do not expedite or add value to the shopping process," said Whitfield.
To compile data for its study, PricewaterhouseCoopers conducted a one-week
survey of over 540 Internet users about their online purchasing habits and
attitudes.
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