 | Content (0-4): 1.5 |
 | Pricing (0-2): 2 |
 | Navigation (0-4): 3 |
 | Style/Design (0-4): 2 |
 | Supplementary information (0-2): 2 |
 | Overall incentive to shop (0-4): 1.5 |
 | Total (0-20): 12 |
Scoring system explained – click here | |
Website of the week – Northwest Airlines
Northwest Airlines is one of the world’s largest airlines in terms of domestic and international scheduled passenger miles flown. The airline has three major hubs in the US: Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport, Minneapolis-Saint Paul International Airport, and Memphis International Airport. It also operates flights from its Asian hub at Narita International Airport near Tokyo and transatlantic flights in cooperation with partner KLM from Amsterdam Airport Schiphol.
Northwest Airlines became a wholly-owned subsidiary of Delta Air Lines in October 2008 and is operating as an independent carrier before being fully integrated into Delta Air Lines over the next 12 to 24 months.
STYLE
Northwest Airlines’ website has a simple and professional design, featuring darker shades of blue and grey contrasted against a backdrop of graduated shades of pale blue and white. The layout is neat with boxed sections and a row of navigational tabs at the top of the page. Running the cursor over each tab will display a dropdown menu linking to the various sections of the website.
The airline’s duty free page is located under the “˜In-Flight’ section on the dropdown menu from the “˜Travel Tools’ navigational tab.
CONTENT AND USABILITY
The duty free page features a message encouraging passengers to shop duty free onboard by listing out the attractive incentives which includes the following: absence of duties or taxes on purchases, savings of up to -50% off local retail prices, being the first to buy newly released products and exclusive items and the convenience of shopping for and receiving items from their seats.
There are a total of four main product categories – Fragrances & Cosmetics, Jewellery and Watches, Gifts and Accessories and Liquor, Tobacco & Confectionery – that are further organised into sub-categories.
The links to the product sub-categories are featured on the duty free page. Clicking on each link will lead to a page with the product listing for that particular category.
 |
Northwest Airlines’ website features a professional-looking design and colour theme of blue, grey and white |
Products are neatly listed in a table format, with product name and size, price and the markets where the product is available. Items are listed in alphabetical order and by brand.
There are no accompanying product images or descriptions. A pre-order service is not available. What is offered is a no-frills and simple list which provides travellers with a pre-flight review of the items offered onboard. However, it takes a longer time to browse through and is harder to recognise products without accompanying product images.
 |
The product listing is neat but lacks images and descriptions |
Product offer
The Fragrances & Cosmetics category is organised into three sub-categories – Women’s Fragrances, Men’s Fragrances and Cosmetics.
The Women’s and Men’s Fragrances sub-categories features popular and classic scents from well-known brands such as Chanel, Lancôme, Vera Wang, Calvin Klein, Christian Dior, Ralph Lauren and Armani. Newer perfumes such as Daisy by Marc Jacobs, Burberry The Beat and Diesel Fuel for Life for Men and miniature perfume collections are also offered.
A good range and variety of beauty and cosmetic products are offered under the Cosmetics sub-category. Skincare products from Biotherm, Clinique, L’Occitane and Yves Saint Laurent are offered. Cosmetic products and makeup palettes from Bobbi Brown, Christian Dior and Lancôme are featured.
The Jewellery and Watches category is sorted into two sub-categories. The Jewellery sub-category features 32 items in total. Brands featured include Baccarat, Crislu, Equss, Jakk, Joia De Majorca, Misaki, Swarovski and Toscow. Prices range from US$34 for a Caprice Paris 6-piece earring set to US$460 for a Baccarat Eclipse Clear Iridescent Crystal Pendant.
The Watches sub-category features 11 items from brands such as Aigner, Folli Follie, Philippe Starck and Kenneth Cole. Prices range from US$59 for a Maduro Dual Time Watch/Pen Set to US$383 for a Folli Follie Multi-colour Chronograph Watch.
Gifts and Accessories are organised into two sub-categories. The Gifts sub-category offers Hello Kitty children’s watches, WWF Panda plush and Northwest Airlines aircraft model and key rings.
Accessories features products such as card holders, pens, luggage tags and Northwest Airlines aeroplane-shaped paper clips.
 |
The convenient navigational tabs with dropdown menus |
Liquor, Tobacco & Confectionery is divided into three sub-categories. A good variety of 18 products are available under the Liquor sub-category. Items range from Absolut Vodka 1-litre (US$18) and Bailey’s Irish Cream Liqueur 1-litre (US$22) to Inniskillin Gold Oak Aged Ice Wine 200ml (US$50) and Johnnie Walker Blue Label Scotch Whisky 750ml (US$155).
The Tobacco sub-category offers five items from four brands. The Confectionery sub-category offers products suitable for gifting such as a Teddy Bear Candy Tin from Fauchon (US$23), Goldkenn Club Classico No.1 Giftpack (US$22) and Patons Macadamia Royals (US$18).
Information
Ample and comprehensive duty free and travel-related information is provided for travellers on NWA’s website.
A link is provided on the duty free page which leads to a separate page titled “Duty Free: General Information”.
Information pertaining to customs, payment options, duty free allowances for 16 countries and customer service contact details are provided here.
Detailed information on baggage policies, packing guidelines, restricted and hazardous items and LAGs are covered under the “˜Baggage’ section from the “˜Travel Tools’ navigational tab.
Passengers will also find other useful information on travel tips, travel insurance, required travel documents, airport maps and directions, city weather and destination maps as well as a currency converter tool under the “˜Travel Tools’ navigational tab.
NAVIGATION
We had no problems navigating the site via the neat navigational tabs with dropdown menus that are always present at the top of the page.
 |  |
The website provides comprehensive and useful information for passengers (left) and a currency converter tool (right) | |
GENERAL OVERVIEW
Northwest Airlines has a professional and well-designed website with a convenient navigation panel featuring tabs and dropdown menus. The site is packed with comprehensive and useful information for the traveller that is neatly presented and easy on the eye. The airline has a good duty free selection offering a variety of categories and a range of new and popular products. However, there is room for improvement in terms of product presentation due to the lack of product images and description. A pre-order facility could also enhance the service to potential shoppers.
What we like:
o Professional design and neat layout
o Convenient navigational tabs with dropdown menus
o Comprehensive information provision
What needs adding/improving:
o Pre-order service
o Lack of product images and 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
Website of the week: Philippine Airlines – 26/02/09
Website of the week: Turkish Airlines – 12/02/09
