Subscribe via RSS FeedCustomer Feedback Inspires Eddie Bauer Redesign
Eddie Bauer recently revamped its online store design using customer feedback. At first glance, it’s hard to see much difference other than the doesn’t look like much has really changed. But when you look under the hood, you find Eddie Bauer’s packed its new site with plenty of Web 2.0 to improve usability and customer satisfaction.
The Changes
Larger Product Images
Eddie Bauer now shows images 25% larger in category pages, so customers can see more detail without clicking on the product to get a better view. Rolling your mouse over some images will show alternate views.
Old Image Size
New Image Size
Some products show available colors when you mouse over, this feature is carried over from the previous design.
Expanded Navigation Menu
Categorization didn’t change, but expanded menus appear clearly at the top of the screen, and stay “open” as you jump from link to link.
The only thing I find strange is how it doubles up on navigation in some areas - for example, in the clearance section, the navigation is repeated across the top, and the side.
AJAX Product View
From the category page, you can click on any product to view the details in a mini-screen, and view more product info by mousing over the orange squares on the right (garment care, materials and fit). Eddie Bauer calls this “virtually picking up” an item, and “putting it down” to continue browsing that category.
Inventory Display
See an item’s size and color availability before adding it to your shopping bag. If the item is a pre-order, it shoes clearly when it is expected to ship.
This is fantastic. Unfortunately the clearance section (where this would be most useful) doesn’t have this feature.
Adding Products To Shopping Bag
Eddie Bauer’s “Add to Shopping Bag” confirmation gives full details of which item, size and color was added, the price, availability (in stock), cross-sells and links to check out, “>continue shopping or add a gift box. Trust me, I’ve looked at hundreds of “add to cart” confirmation methods, and I really dig this one.
Shopping Bag Layout
The revamped cart page has larger product thumbnails, tax and shipping calculations and holds items in your cart for weeks, so if you abandon your cart, you don’t have to start over (a.k.a. “persistent shopping cart”.)
What do you think of the new design?
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Nice post, Linda. We’re thinking about doing a redesign and this is helpful information.
’sodo
Hmmm, I can’t seem to see these changes..Maybe they have reverted back as there were some problems with the new design?
Hi Martin,
I’m sorry, here is the link to the new design:
http://new.eddiebauer.com/home.jsp
For now, I expect it to change over later. I should have included these links in the post, I will make an edit now.
While I found every enhancement to be bang-on, I love the shopping bag layout and the in-browser product viewing, both really add to the whole experience.
Great post! I’m currently studying public relations at Southern Methodist University and Eddie Bauer’s Web site makeover definitely serves as a nice case study for what we’re seeing as an overall trend- retailers trying to bridge the gap between in-store and online sales.
What are your thoughts on retailers adding blogs to their sites? I just posted on this topic - http://www.caitlinmyers.blogspot.com - in relation to Nordstrom’s new blog.
With companies like Eddie Bauer obviously interested in updating their online presence, I’m curious as to what’s holding them back from adding a blog. Thoughts?
The Eddie Bauer website has been one of the best I’ve ever seen and ease of use. Until recently, when it was announced they were re-designing the site, I was so looking forward to it as given their past record, I thought it sure will be something amazing! Unfortunately, now that it’s launched, I rather have the old site back anyday! This new site - bar great photos - you have to scroll through the screen or click multiple times vs all on one screen to make a decision to complete a selection for order. As well, there is something wrong with the print feature as I cannot even get to print the order receipt - it’s all overlaid and prints out disjointed over several pages! The intent may have been good, but this new site is simply awful from ‘usage’ perspective! I have writtent to Eddie Bauer a couple of times, yet to get a reply!
Hi Lena,
It would be nice for retailers, when asking for feedback on the site, to acknowledge they received your suggestion - even if they don’t take action on it. Even an autoresponder would be better than nothing!
My experiences with the new site??
The first time I tried to place an order and tried to check out, the properly billing address was listed but it was shipping to someone in Idaho.
I reviewed my shipping and charges records, then contacted the company about it. The company responded and made me feel it wasn’t a great deal about which to be concerned.
On Sunday I tried to place the order again, but the web site will not recongize my log in. All I get is a two page long error message regarding the problems with my log in.
I contacted the company about this and was given a complete run around. A few apologetic e-mails, then nothing.
The interesting thing to this was a clerk in the local store, when I mentioned the problems with the web site, who mysteriously said “Oh never shop the website” then refused to explain what she meant.
Well, my only advise to anyone in Eddie Bauer - if there’s anyone who cares / listening! - dont fix something that aint broken! They had - the key word here is ‘had’ - a great website, now with this supposedly new launch, it’s the worst in terms of functionality ie. ‘buyer experience’! Sure it looks good et al - but when you cannot even print your order receipt (it prints bits and pieces all over multiple pages), cannot track your order (error message that says ‘Sorry, we are working on this page’), this new site serves no purpose and should never have been launched! Whoever designed, tested and approved for this site to be launched should all be fired! After several attempts to contact the company to advise them of these errors, I finally got a reply that simply said “Unfortunately, we
have been having some technical difficulties with our website for a few of our customers. We are working on a fix for this, however, at this time we do not have an estimated time as to when our site will be running properly. As with all new websites, there are certain to be some minor technical glitches that will need to be adjusted before the site is perfected. We hope to have it up and running as soon as possible”. Whoever their programmers are, they ought to be shot for failing to properly test these so called ‘minor technical glitches’ that prevents the ability to print an order receipt!!! And to say they ‘do not have an estimated time as to when our site will be running properly’ is simply shameful! For what it’s worth, to be fair, Eddie Bauer do have good products and do provide good customer service - from my previous experience. But this latest fiasco with their new web site is simply ‘unforgiveable’ in this day and age - this is too simple to be so dysfunctional! I’m sure even a uni graduate without any work experience can design a more efficient and effective web site that would have been tested for the ability to print before launching! Eddie Bauer management does not seem to be ‘listening’ and will probably wonder later why they are losing customers - all I have to say on this is that ‘Learn from this - This is not what to do when revamping to a new web site (that performs worst than the old site which worked fine)’!
Hi- Very long time Eddie Bauer customer here. I am glad that the site is being redesigned. But I’ve recently heard something about the retail stores that has upset me greatly. I cannot find a proper place to write this, so please forgive me if it disturbs anyone here.
I have heard that E.B. has a Loyalty Program and an in-house Eddie Bauer Credit Card Program who’s sign-up percentages can get a manager fired.
For instance; every customer who walks through the door is ‘counted’ electronically. A group of 8 people walk in, eight are counted…even if only 1 intends to buy.
A percentage of all people who walk through the door is then derived. In some cases it’s 20% of all people - in others it’s as high as 45%.
Now if, at the end of the month, Loyalty Program membership, or Credit Card sign ups do NOT match the walk-in percentage expected by E.B., the manager can get ‘written up’. A second occurence results in the manager getting fired.
I have heard that a manager about 90 miles from Los Angeles was fired because he/she was caught filling out 400 fake Loyalty membership forms for one month - in order to save his/her job.
Why? Was it because the store was dirty? Employees stealing? The Manager mismanaged the payroll? Was nasty to customers?
No.
He/She was fired because they couldn’t get enough people to sign up Loyalty forms and Credit Cards to match the demanded percentage - even though the store is the single largest performer in the whole southern part of the state.
This policy is simply unAmerican!
Does this sound fair to anyone? Does it make you want to buy at Eddie Bauer anymore? Knowing that they would treat their managers so poorly personally makes me sick!
It makes me want to start a class-action suit in favor of any managers who were fired from E.B for this horendous practice.
Or Worse…shop somewhere else.
Anyone else heard of this?