Checklist for Evaluating Internet Retailer Sites

The following checklist was developed to guide an online review aimed at assessing the performance of Internet retailer sites against a series of elements defined for each of the ICET attributes: (1) I - Information Gathering; (2) C - Communication; (3) E - Entertainment; and (4) T - Transactions.

Retail Company / Store Name
Internet Site Address
Retail Category

Multimedia (E)	YES	NO
Animation Pictures Sound Video Virtual Reality Interactive Technology
Company Related Information (I)	YES	NO
History/Company Information Press Releases Location of Headquarters Employment Opportunities Community Events/Relations Financial/Shareholder Information
Store Traffic Drivers (I, C)	YES	NO
E-coupons Special Events/Promotions/Giveaways Store Locations Store Hours Store Floor Plans/Layouts Advertising - their own
Customer Service & Feedback Mechanisms (C)	YES	NO
Return Policy Privacy Policy Guarantee E-mail Ask/e-mail the President Customer Comments Online Survey Able to Join Electronic Mailing List Able to Join Conventional Mailing List FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions) What's new! (e.g., new products)
Online Shopping (T)	YES	NO
Does Internet site offer product purchases:  Online Print & fax 1-800 number Appropriate product information (e.g., size, colour) Product Photos Search Capabilities:  By Keyword By Price Point Personalization options (e.g., virtual mannequin) Online Shopping Assistant Online store only specials/feature products Does Internet site allow for "safe transactions"(i.e., secure server)? How many products are available online? Limited/edited selection from physical stores Exclusive products offered only online Full line of products or entire catalogue Uniqueness of product offering:  Commodity-like products Some unique products Mostly/all unique products Custom made products (e.g., Levi's made to order jeans) Method of payment Cash on delivery Cheque on delivery Mail-in cheque Debit or ATM card Credit card:  VISA MasterCard AMEX Other Electronic cash Other What product distribution is available? 24-48 hour delivery option (e.g., rush delivery, with or without additional charge) One or two week delivery option Regular Mail Pick up from physical store location only Other Order Confirmation Immediate Via e-mail Shipping Status Online 1-800# 1-XXX# Via e-mail Confirm number of days to receive Number of days to receive __________
Site Information (I, C)	YES	NO
Bilingual Site Map General speed of page downloads Slow Okay Fast Site Instructions Belongs to Online Mall Hypertext links to other sites Number of incoming links __________
General Look and Feel of Site (C, E)	RATING
Easy to navigate through Poor Good Excellent Graphic Design Over Done Poor Good Excellent Simplicity Overly Complex Confusing Straightforward Excellent
Brand Consistency (C)	RATING
Does the site meet the expectations based on the retailer's store brand image? Inconsistent Good Excellent Not applicable
Other Comments About the Site	RATING
For each of the following (Internet) consumer benefit categories, rate the site on a scale of 1 to 5, one being poor, and five being excellent. Information Communication Entertainment Transactions Overall rating