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Laid out on a crisp, white background, JAL’s colour scheme is a simple one: silver-grey and brown with splashes of red. The layout is simple yet elegant and orderly with miniature thumbnail pictures arranged neatly in the centre |
Website of the week: Japan Airlines
The inflight shopping offer of Japan Airlines (JAL), Japan’s largest carrier, is available online and onboard.
Style
An optimist might describe the online platform of JAL‘s inflight duty free offer as light, straightforward and smart. A pessimist might describe it as static and lacking in character. The truth lies somewhere in between the two.
Laid out on a crisp, white background, JAL’s colour scheme is a simple one: silver-grey and brown with splashes of red. The layout is simple yet elegant and orderly with miniature thumbnail pictures arranged neatly in the centre. Each page is identical to the next in terms of format and there is little variation. Pictures are plentiful but small and barely noticeable.
While being clear-cut and smart, the website could do with an injection of pizzazz and personality.
Content and usability
Thanks to a few tell-tale clues, the site looks as if it is regularly monitored and updated. Some products have a bright red “˜New!’ icon stamped next to them, while each page has the heading Inflight Shopping February/March. This is encouraging as it demonstrates that JAL is making a concerted effort to bring to the fore the latest travel retail offerings and keep the consumer interested. This is no token site.
Below this up-to-date header sits a left-hand side menu bearing a list of ten product categories which stays put throughout every page. Categories include Wrist Watches (11 items), Leather Goods (16 items), Skin care (13 items), Make up (18 items), Fragrance (9 items), Neckies & Scarves (7 items), Accessories (28 items), Cultured pearls (5 items), Special Selections (13 items) and Liquor & Cigarettes (11 items).
Product display takes centre stage on each webpage, furnished with enlargeable thumbnail pictures and price in yen. Items are listed in alphabetical order. It’s an organised and methodical cataloguing of products where navigation is kept simple and easy.
Most categories feature an introduction (above the array of thumbnails) explaining how one may benefit from purchasing an item from the list. Also included above the products are asterisked disclaimers such as “Inquiries regarding inflight duty free items” and “Please note that the design of ties is subject to change”.
JAL’s product display is excellent and the site’s navigation simple. However, there are no other services available, and this gives the site a slightly one-dimensional quality.
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There is no pre-order facility. This would be the ideal (and logical) partner for a solid online product catalogue.
The website would benefit from running promotions, special offers or selling Japanese destination merchandise – there is nothing particularly Japanese about JAL’s online platform. Information on what currency/cards goods can be used onboard, duty free allowances and inflight shopping contact details for user queries would also be useful.
A disclaimer about the availability of some items on different routes may need qualifying: “The range of inflight sales items available also varies, depending on the route. Please note that the items and their prices are subject to change without notice, and that this service is not conducted on some routes.”
Minor technicalities include typographical errors.
Our verdict
JAL’s website exhibits an impressive product display, with a smart and elegant, user-friendly style. With a little more substance and content, this site would be even better.
Visit Japan Airlines.
COMING SOON: The Moodie Report Travel Retail Worldwide Web Awards.
Sponsored by P&G Prestige Products
Which websites offer the best service to consumers? Which are most user-friendly? Which are the most stylish? And which, crucially, offer the greatest incentive to shop?
Every year we will judge, through a combination of industry polling, consumer opinion and specialist judges, who is doing most to wow travellers on the web. International and regional awards.
Results announced in May 2006. More details coming soon.
MORE WEBSITES OF THE WEEK
Website of the week: Downtown Duty Free – 01/03/06
Website of the week: LanChile Airlines – 21/02/06
