 | Content (0-4): 3 |
 | Pricing (0-2): 2 |
 | Navigation (0-4): 3 |
 | Style/Design (0-4): 3 |
 | Supplementary information (0-2): 1 |
 | Overall incentive to shop (0-4): 2 |
 | Total (0-20): 14 |
Scoring system explained – click here | |
Website of the week – Philippine Airlines
Philippine Airlines (PAL) is the national airline of the Philippines and one of the oldest commercial airlines in Asia with a history of over 60 years. The airline operates out of its hubs at Ninoy Aquino International Airport in Manila and Mactan-Cebu International Airport in Cebu City, serving destinations in Philippines, Southeast Asia, East Asia, Australia, Canada and the US.
STYLE
Philippine Airlines’ website features a soothing colour palette of graduated shades of blue. Pale shades of blue fading into white make up the backdrop while darker and brighter shades serve as dividers and distinguish one section from the other. The website has a modern-looking design with a neat, uncluttered layout.
The homepage features a navigation panel at the top left, which displays a dropdown menu to the different sections of the website. The Duty Free Sales section is a part of the airline’s main website and can be found under the During Your Flight section, under Products and Services.
CONTENT AND USABILITY
Besides the navigation panel, the airline’s duty free sales service, Fiesta Boutique Inflight Duty Free Shop, is featured prominently on the main site’s homepage via a banner link for easy access as well as to generate interest.
The duty free section comprises an introductory message about the airline’s duty free offer, Fiesta Boutique. On the right are links to download PDF versions of the inflight duty free catalogue. The inflight duty free catalogue is broken down into six PDF files (six product categories) for easy downloading and viewing online.
The six product categories are PAL Exclusives, Fragrances, Gifts, Cigarettes, Liquor and Fiesta Sale.
A pre-order service is not offered by the airline; the PDF product catalogues serve as a reference and preview of the inflight duty free offer.
The duty free catalogue features a no-frills but effective presentation of products which are neatly laid out on a clean white background. Product images are generously-sized and clear enough to see the product details. Images are also of consistent and good quality.
Products are grouped by brands, but in no particular order. Perhaps the brands could be organised in alphabetical order for easier viewing and location of items.
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Easy on the eye: Philippine Airlines has a modern-looking website with a neat layout and clear sign-posting |
Product offer
Travel retail exclusive sets, value packs and coffrets are dominant features in the product offer.
We like the extensive feature of gift-with-purchases which helps to attract customers and entice them with incentives to purchase. Items are also labelled as “˜NEW’ or “˜Exclusive for PAL’ accordingly, creating additional interest for customers.
The PAL Exclusives category features Philippine Airlines toys and souvenirs such as aircraft models, aircraft-shaped thumbdrive, mouse and clock as well as an airline-branded watch and aircraft construction toy set.
Passengers will be spoilt for choice with ten pages of perfumes to choose from under the Fragrances category. Well-known perfume brands such as Bvlgari, Calvin Klein, Hugo Boss, Dolce & Gabbana, Ralph Lauren, Giorgio Armani, Davidoff, Kenzo and Burberry are offered. Various miniature sets, twin packs and coffrets are available as well.
The Gifts category comprises of skincare and cosmetic products and jewellery, making the category an inappropriately named one. The PDF file could perhaps be more appropriately separated into two categories – one for beauty and one for jewellery.
Beauty kits, value sets and palettes feature heavily in the skincare and cosmetics section, making the product offer an attractive one. Some of the products featured include the L’Oréal Men Expert Hydra Energetic Kit (US$34), L’Occitane Happier Hands hand creams kit (US$51) and the Lancôme Color Fever Dewy Shine trio pack (US$59).
Four pages of jewellery items are available, featuring jewellery sets, bracelets, necklaces and earrings from Swarovski, Misaki, Carlo Gioielliere, Toscow and Pierre Cardin.
The Cigarettes category comprises of two pages and features three brands – West, Davidoff and Hope.
The Liquor category offers gift-with-purchases for almost all items. Products from Ballantine’s, Camus, Rémy Martin, Chivas Regal, Martell, Johnnie Walker and Filipino rhum brand Tanduay are among those offered.
The Fiesta Sale category features a range of products at discounted prices, ranging from perfumes, toys, food items to cigars. However, the two-page category was not divided properly – the Fiesta sale category only displays one of the pages; the other page is found under the PAL Exclusives category.
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The product catalogue is simple but effectively executed with consistent product images and incentives to purchase | |
Information
Comprehensive information on baggage, packing guidelines and LAGs can be found under the All about baggage section under Products and Services on the airline’s main website.
The Contact Us link displays a comprehensive list of contact information for various services and departments. The specific email contact for inflight sales related enquiries is listed under the duty free section, as well as in the PDF format inflight duty free catalogue.
Information on payment and replacement/exchange policies is detailed in the duty free catalogue.
It would be helpful if information pertaining to duty free allowances is available as well.
NAVIGATION
Navigating the website is easy with the neat, uncluttered layout. The duty free section is easily located with clear sign-posting. Information and links are clearly displayed. Accessing the duty free product catalogues is straightforward and simple as visitors need only download and browse.
GENERAL OVERVIEW
Philippine Airlines’ website has a well-designed, modern look with clear sign-posting. As the duty free sales section is a part of the main website and involves no pre-order procedures, navigating and browsing the duty free selection is straightforward and easy. The duty free catalogue is simple but effectively executed, with consistent product images of good quality, as well as gift-with-purchases and promotions that generate interest and provide incentives to purchase.
What we like:
o Modern-looking design and neat layout
o Consistent and good quality product images
o Easy navigation and clear sign-posting
o Gift-with-purchases and incentives to shop
What needs adding/improving:
o Pre-order service
o Currency converter
o Information on duty free allowances
o Better organisation and labeling of categories
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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