 | Content (0-4): 2 |
 | Pricing (0-2): 2 |
 | Navigation (0-4): 3 |
 | Style/Design (0-4): 3 |
 | Supplementary information (0-2): 2 |
 | Overall incentive to shop (0-4): 3 |
 | Total (0-20): 15 |
Scoring system explained – click here | |
Website of the week – ATÜ Duty Free
ATU (Akfen-Tepe-Unifree), Istanbul Atatürk International Airport’s duty free retailer, is a 50/50 partnership between the airport operator Tepe Akfen Ventures (TAV) and Gebr Heinemann-controlled Unifree.
ATU also operates duty free stores in Ankara Esenboğa, İzmir Adnan Menderes and Georgia Tbilisi International Airports.
Winner of the 2000 Frontier Awards “˜Airport Retailer of the Year’, ATU is proud of the services it provides for its customers. Let’s take a look at how its online duty free service fares.
STYLE
The colour scheme of ATU’s duty free website is a nice contrast of warm shades of red and orange against neutral white and shades of grey, which is in line with the retailer’s logo colours.
Information on the front page is sorted into neat panels. The homepage is kept easy on the eye by not overloading it with information.
A constant feature throughout the site is the banner across the top of the page. On the homepage, it features the words “˜Duty Free’ in big bold capitalised font against a red and orange background – welcoming the visitor to the world of duty free.
On other pages, the banner features images representative of that particular section or page. The good usage of product and shop pictures adds a dash of colour and imagery to the site.
The layout and design of the site is consistent throughout, lending an organised feel.
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A nice contrast of warm shades of red and orange against neutral white and grey, in line with the retailer’s logo colours |
CONTENT AND USABILITY
The Homepage
The navigational links at the top of the homepage features five sections namely Homepage, Stores, Catalogue, Pre-Order and Corporate.
A panel in the middle of the page advertises the site’s pre-order service and promotes the benefits of using pre-order:
“Don’t spend your limited time at the terminal completing your shopping list; Don’t carry heavy shopping bags around with you while travelling; Don’t stress about buying the wrong item for friends or family; Do yourself a favour and use our pre-order system!!; Let us help you make your duty free shopping easier!”
Sounds logical, why not?
To its right is another panel saying: “Everybody loves Duty Free”.
We’re convinced and would like to start pre-ordering right now. The retailer does a good job at enticing and appealing to customers to shop duty free and to make use of the convenient and time-saving pre-order service.
Panels further down the page features special offers, recommended items and special collections. Here the retailer advertises its current promotions and recommends items for consumers to try. Tasting opportunities are also offered for certain products during certain periods.
Product Offering
Product listings can be found under the Catalogue link and products are sorted into four broad categories of Liquor & Spirits, Confectionery & Food Items, Perfume & Cosmetics and Tobacco Products.
Liquor & Spirits are further sorted into different sectors such as brandy, vodka, rum and the different types of whisky and wines. Confectionery & Food Items are sorted into Chocolates, Coffee, Confectionery, Delights and Tea. Perfume & Cosmetics are further categorised into Hygienic Product, Makeup, Perfumes and Skincare, and Tobacco Products into Cigarette, Cigars and Tobacco.
The retailer offers a wide variety and number of products from numerous brands; customers are spoilt for choice.
There are 19 types of Liquor & Spirits on offer. Just under the chocolate section of Confectionery & Food, there are 32 brands available. 80 brands are offered under Perfumes, from big names such as Prada, YSL and Estée Lauder to celebrity fragrances by Jennifer Lopez and Britney Spears as well as sporty and/or lifestyle brands including Puma and Lacoste. 39 brands are offered under Cigarettes, a sizeable number compared to other websites we have seen.
Under each product type, the items are sorted by brands in alphabetical order. The site’s categorisation system is rigorous, which makes it easier to look for items.
Clicking on a brand will lead to a product page featuring one product, with image, name, price and the option to “˜Add to Cart’. Below the featured product is a table listing other products from the same brand which customers can click on to display the details. Customers have the convenient option to add the item to cart directly from the table listing as well. This is time-saving and good for customers who know what they want.
The downside of the product display is that images are not available for many items. The quality of available images is not consistent as well and the images cannot be enlarged to provide close-up views. It is a pity as product images will create a positive difference. The site could also do well with more detailed product descriptions.
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A wide variety of brands are offered; Good usage of pictures adds a dash of colour and imagery to the site | |
Noteworthy Features
Besides the pre-order service, the site also has a useful search tool which locates items by brand or keyword. An option to refine the search by price range is available.
We like the personalised feature the site offers for customers to register as a member for free. Customers can still purchase duty free goods without being a member but being one saves the hassle of filling out a detailed pre-order form each time. Members will also be informed of all promotions.
We also like how attentive the company is to customers’ needs by providing avenues for feedback and complaints. The first is a Customer Relations link at the bottom of the webpage where users can leave a feedback or lodge a complaint regarding products or services by submitting a convenient online form. Information on refunds, exchanges and contact details for feedback or complaints are provided as well.
The second feature is a Questionnaire for customers regarding the duty free store and its services. Customers are encouraged to fill out the questionnaire in order for the retailer to gain insight to provide a better service.
Information
The retailer provides ample and comprehensive information on the website.
Information regarding duty free purchases and pre-order procedures are covered under the “˜Pre-Order’ link at the top of the webpage.
The website also has one of the most comprehensive and organised FAQ section we have seen. The questions cover a range of topics and are sorted into four sections: Membership, Pre-Order, Pre-Order Follow Up and Payment. Once again, a fifth section under FAQ titled Comments and Recommendations provides a form for customers to leave their comments, recommendations or complaints.
The “˜Stores’ link at the top provides information on the ATU duty free stores at the different airports, complete with description, floor plans and store image previews. Comprehensive information about the company is provided under the “˜Corporate’ link.
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The product page: the site could be further improved by providing images and description for all products |
NAVIGATION
The site’s linking system is good and we had no difficulties browsing through it.
The navigational links to the various sections are always at the top of the webpage. Contact, FAQ and Customer Relations are similar fixed to the bottom of the page. The search tool is rooted throughout the product pages for easy access as well.
Information is neatly tucked away into well-categorised sub-sections such that pages are not cluttered, making browsing easy on the eyes. Sub-categories under each section are displayed neatly on a left panel on each page.
GENERAL OVERVIEW
ATU Duty Free’s website is well-designed and provides comprehensive information in an organised manner. We particularly liked the emphasis the retailer places on the pre-order service and the good feedback system in place. The site carries an impressive range of products but the area can be improved with consistent provision of product images. Nonetheless, it is apparent that the retailer takes pride in its services and places importance on understanding its customers’ needs.
What we like:
o Well-designed and organised layout
o Pre-order facility
o Comprehensive information provided
o Avenues for feedback, comments, recommendations and complaints
o Search function
What needs adding/improving:
o Currency converter
o Consistent image provision
o Enlarged product images
o More detailed product description
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.
PREVIOUS WEBSITES OF THE WEEK
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Website of the week: Skyservice Duty Free – 07/08/08
Website of the week: Dublin Airport Authority’s Travel Value Airport Shopping – 31/07/08
