Website of the Week American Airlines On Board Duty Free Shopping www.retailtravel.com/aa | |
 | Content (0-4): 3 |
 | Pricing (0-2): 2 |
 | Navigation (0-4): 4 |
 | Style/Design (0-4): 3 |
 | Supplementary information (0-2): 1 |
 | Overall incentive to shop (0-4): 1 |
 | Total (0-20): 14 |
Scoring system explained – click here | |
Website of the week – American Airlines On Board Duty Free Shopping
American Airlines On Board Duty Free Shopping (www.retailtravel.com/aa) is the online duty free catalogue for American Airlines, the second largest airline company in the world in terms of total operating revenues.
“As a pre-flight courtesy we have made available for your review the product selections that will be offered on board your flight.” This message on the home page sums up what the website does for passengers, allowing them to browse and plan their purchases pre-flight.
STYLE
American Airlines On Board Duty Free Shopping is a neat and simple site incorporating the classic American colours of red and blue against a white backdrop.
The home page has a straightforward appeal, comprising of a square grid with the cover of the inflight duty free brochure as its centrepiece. This centrepiece is framed on all sides by the navigation panels leading to the different sections of the site.
“˜American Airlines’ is written in red and blue against a background of boarding passes on the header of the homepage. That immediately evokes a Sense of Place, with the national colours on an airline-related background.
The left panel features a menu for the product selection and the right panel holds a message to passengers regarding duty free shopping onboard. An aircraft icon in American colours appears beside each category when the cursor is run over the menu, a quirky touch that adds life to the page.
The bottom panel provides links to useful duty free-related information – What is duty free?; How to Buy Duty Free; and Duty Free Allowances. The bottom panel also features a statement regarding American Airlines’ guarantee of quality products onboard its international flights and a contact link via e-mail.
The home page acts as an effective site map, summarising all that can be found on the website. We like the no-frills delivery style, which gives the visitor an easy overview, as well as the classic design and layout.
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American Classic: the home page, which incorporates the national colours, has a straightforward appeal |
CONTENT AND USABILITY
The Duty Free Collection
The left panel menu consists of a total of ten product categories, namely Women’s Fragrances, His & Her Fragrances, Men’s Fragrances, Cosmetics & Skincare, Timepieces & Jewellery, Games, Gadgets & Gifts, Gourmet Foods, Spirits, Tobacco and Latin American Exclusives.
Under each category, products are neatly displayed one to each row with a line divider between items. All products are displayed on one page and customers need only scroll down; there is no requirement to continue to other pages. Already scoring well for neatness, the site is also commendable for the way it refines the product listing by displaying items in alphabetical order or by price points.
The site is impressively consistent in the presentation of its product offer. For every item, the product picture is on the left and the product details on the right. It’s neat, tidy and user-friendly.
The product details are also worth mention. Both product and brand names are clearly stated. Domestic retail prices (in black) are stated alongside the duty free prices (in red) for comparison purposes. Some items are labelled in red as “˜Duty Free Exclusive’ or “˜New!’ as applicable. Rounding it up are good product descriptions for all items.
The consistency and clarity of the website makes browsing through the online catalogue easy and relaxing. To up the ante, links to enlarged product pictures or a zoom-in function could perhaps be included too.
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Consistent presentation: well-labelled products are accompanied by good descriptions |
As promised in the message on the home page, the catalogue offers a wide range and variety of items.
Renowned brands such as Chanel, Burberry, Christian Dior, Yves Saint Laurent, Ralph Lauren and Bvlgari can be found under fragrances for men and women as well as a third unisex category.
Products from the Cosmetics & Skincare section include the Cellular Eye Contour Cream by La Prairie (retail price US$120, duty free price $102), the travel-ready Shimmer Brick Eye Palette by Bobbi Brown (duty free exclusive price US$45) and travel value packs such as Glosswear for Lips Sheer Shimmers Five Pack by Clinique (US$28).
Price points for Timepieces & Jewellery range from US$35 for the Angel Pendant necklace by Carlo Orsini to US$199 for the Men’s Stainless Steel Watch by Hugo Boss.
Games, Gadgets & Gifts comprises a variety of items such as the American Airlines Teddy Bear, handheld electronic games, pens, headphones and travel floodlights.
The Gourmet Foods section offers six types of chocolates and sweets including travel packs suitable for gifting. Eight products are found under Spirits, ranging from scotch whiskey and vodka to wine and Cognac.
Tobacco is limited to Marlboro Regular or Light Cigarettes in a 10-pack carton (retail price US$40, duty free price US$28).
The last category consists of five “˜Latin American Exclusives’, fragrances only available on Latin American routes.
Duty Free Information
“˜What is Duty Free?’ gives a brief definition of duty free shopping. As American Airlines puts it, “Just think of it, shopping from the comfort of your seat and being able to purchase luxury items at a discount.” This is aligned with the site’s design which aims to make duty free shopping an easy and convenient experience for the passenger.
“˜How to Buy Duty Free’ is a succinct explanation about inflight shopping and payment procedures, straightforward and easy to understand.
Liquor and tobacco purchasing limits for 12 destinations serviced by American Airlines are listed under “˜Duty Free Allowances’.
Once again, we like the simple and fuss-free content. Basic information is provided in a clear-cut format. The customer need not distil or sieve from a sea of information. However, it would be a plus to have a FAQ section as well, to cater to questions commonly raised by passengers.
Navigation
Ease of navigation naturally follows a fuss-free and straightforward layout. To return to the home page, visitors can click on “˜Home’ found on the header section rooted to the top at all times.
The left panel menu to access the product categories and the “˜Contact Us’ tab are present throughout the website as well.
Nothing is hidden or repeated on the site and there are no complicated manoeuvres required.
General Overview
Consistency, in both design and content, is one of the strong points of American Airlines’ duty free website which makes browsing a breeze for passengers. The classic and easy-to-use layout is pleasing as well. However, the website could further maximise its potential by introducing pre-order services for passengers.
What we like:
• Classic, fuss-free design
• Consistency in presentation
• Good product descriptions
• Easy navigation
What needs adding/improving:
• Ability to pre-order
• Incentives to shop with promotions and special offers
• Currency converter
Website of the week scoring system explained:
Content: How wide is the range of items on offer? Are there good quality photos and product descriptions?
Pricing: Are product prices listed? For all products?
Navigation: How easy is the site to use?
Style/Design: How does the site look?
Supplementary information: On allowances, currencies, after-sales service, useful tips and so on.
Overall incentive to shop: This includes tone, promotions, offers, competitions and, importantly, pre-order.
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