DealsDirect.com.au score a winning hand for online department stores in 2014
More than a quarter of the respondents to our recent survey no longer feel the need to visit brick and mortar department stores – such is the appeal of shopping online. The desire to shop online seems to be rising, as three in five admit they spent more money online this year than they have in previous ones. In keeping with this sentiment, the Australian Bureau of Statistics recently noted,
“…Over (sic) three quarters of Australia’s 15.4 million internet users made a purchase or order over the internet (in 2012-2013).” This is an increase from 2010-2011, where only 68% could say the same.
ABS MEDIA RELEASE, February 2014
Also in these latest results, we determined which online retailers resonated the most with Australian consumers. This year, we found that shoppers were most satisfied with DealsDirect.com.au, earning this brand our Most Satisfied Customers Award – Online Department Stores for the third year in a row. They even made a clean sweep of five star ratings in all but one of our criteria!
Also rated were oo.com.au, Grays Online, and the online storefronts of Big W, Kmart, Myer, David Jones, and Target. Notably, oo.com.au secured five stars for its price compared to other online retailers, price compare to brick and mortar retailers, its range of products, and the speed of its delivery.
How does your online retailer stack up? Read through our results breakdown to find out.
Overall customer satisfaction
DealsDirect.com.au secured the five star spot for overall customer satisfaction in this category, ahead of four star achievers oo.com.au and Target. David Jones, Kmart, Big W, Myer, and Grays Online all finished with three stars.
Value for money
Customers who shopped at DealsDirect.com.au were most satisfied with the price they paid for their online purchase. Following this brand were four star recipients oo.com.au and Target; then three star recipients David Jones, Kmart, Big W, Myer, and Grays Online.
Price compared to other online retailers
The online experience usually means shopping around at various retailers to find the best price possible. oo.com.au excelled for its prices compared to other online retailers, earning the brand five stars. Not far behind were DealsDirect.com.au, Target, and Big W with four stars each; then three star recipients Grays Online, David Jones, Myer, and Kmart.
Price compared to bricks and mortar retailers
Customers of two particular online retailers were most satisfied with how competitive their store was on price, compared to brick and mortar retailers: DealsDirect.com.au and oo.com.au. Each brand received five stars, and was followed by Target and Big W with four. Hot on their trails were three star recipients Grays Online, Myer, Kmart, and David Jones.
Ease of site navigation
DealsDirect.com.au customers were most satisfied with how easy it was to find the products and services they wanted from the online store. Next in line following the five star achiever was Target and oo.com.au, both of whom received four stars in this area. David Jones, Kmart, Big W, Myer, and Grays Online all received three stars for ease of website navigation.
Range of products on offer
Both oo.com.au and DealsDirect.com.au excelled for the range of products they made available on their website. Each site received a five star rating; Target finished with four, and David Jones, Kmart, Big W, Myer, and Grays Online all achieved three.
Range of brands on offer
A robust variety of brands is just as important as a wide array of products. DealsDirect.com.au earned our top rating once again, followed by four star recipients David Jones, Target, Myer, oo.com.au, and Grays Online. Kmart and Big W came next with three.
Speed of delivery
How quick does your online purchase arrive after ordering? DealsDirect.com.au and oo.com.au customers were most satisfied with the promptness of their deliveries. Each brand secured a final five star rating in this category; David Jones, Target, and Big W all received four, and Myer, Kmart, and Grays Online achieved three each.
About the author of this page
This report was written by Canstar Blue’s home & lifestyle journalist, Tahnee-Jae Lopez-Vito. She’s an expert on household appliances, grooming products and all things grocery and shopping. In addition to translating our expert research into consumer-friendly ratings reports, Tahnee spends her time helping consumers make better-informed purchase decisions on all manner of consumer goods and services, while highlighting the best deals and anything you need to be aware of.