Agent009
Agent009
"If everything seems under control, you're just not going fast enough."
View My AgentSpace

Print this Page | Digg It | del.icio.us

J.D. Power and Associates Reports: HUMMER.com Ranks Highest in Usefulness to New-Vehicle Shoppers
HUMMER.com earns the highest ranking among automotive manufacturer Web sites for usefulness in new-vehicle shopping, according to the J.D. Power and Associates 2007 Manufacturer Web Site Evaluation StudySM (MWES)—Wave 2 released today.

The semi-annual study measures the usefulness of manufacturer Web sites during the new-vehicle shopping process. New-vehicle shoppers evaluate Web sites in four key areas: appearance, speed, navigation, and information/content.

HUMMER ranks highest with an index score of 870 on a 1,000-point scale—a 5-point improvement from Wave 1 of the study, which was released in January 2007.

“A continuing focus on clear, simple navigation and crisp images and videos that demonstrate both the appearance of HUMMER’s models, as well as the features included in them, allow HUMMER to regain the highest ranking for usefulness among automotive manufacturer Web sites,” said Steve Witten, executive director of marketing/media research at J.D. Power and Associates. “This is the third time that HUMMER has achieved the difficult feat of outpacing the industry since the brand was first included in the study five years ago.”

Following HUMMER in the rankings are Toyota, Jeep, Suzuki, Land Rover, Lexus and Kia, respectively. A broad range of manufacturers score above the industry average, including premium, non-premium, entry, niche and full line-up brands.

“The wide variety of manufacturers scoring significantly above the industry average demonstrates that these companies truly understand the needs and the limitations of their specific shoppers and have designed sites that showcase their models within those parameters,” said Witten. “As manufacturers feel more empowered to take risks, there will be a further explosion in creativity on these Web sites. New and unique forms of interactive media, tools, and page design will emerge. But manufacturers must always balance that creativity with site usefulness and usability to help site visitors find the information they need easily at the same time that they are ‘wowed’ with the experience.”

In the previous MWES wave, eight of nine Web sites that had undergone major redesigns declined in overall index scores. In the current study, all nine of these previously redesigned sites improve in overall index score, with four showing considerable improvement. In particular, Mitsubishi’s Web site improves by 38 points after experiencing the largest index score decline of these redesigned sites in the last wave of the study.

“Newly redesigned Web sites often stumble because of the sheer size of the undertaking,” said Witten. “In the process of trying to incorporate innovative tools and designs across an entire Web site, seemingly minor usability issues may be overlooked. However, continuous minor modifications to the original ‘big’ idea can pay off in huge strides. For example, Mitsubishi made small changes in navigation, usage of colors and shifting label positioning that made it much easier for shoppers to get to their desired information quickly.”

The 2007 Manufacturer Web Site Evaluation Study – Wave 2 is based on evaluations gathered between April and May 2007 from 10,865 new-vehicle shoppers who indicated they would be in the market for a new vehicle within the next 24 months.

Read Article
J.D. Power and Associates Reports: HUMMER.com Ranks Highest in Usefulness to New-Vehicle Shoppers



Comments:

Images hosted in your AgentSpace can now be posted in the comments section using the following syntax (case matters):
[img]IMAGE URL[/img]
Example: [img]http://agent004.myautospies.com/users/150/Sample-Gallery/sample1.JPG[/img]
chewychewy - 7/10/2007 3:34:22 PMView My AgentSpace
0 BoostDrop the Boost Up the Boost
The Hummer website is a popup. You can't make it full screen. And it's the winner.

reply to this comment
BillBill - 7/10/2007 3:39:15 PM
-2 BoostDrop the Boost Up the Boost
New-vehicle shoppers evaluate Web sites in four key areas: appearance, speed, navigation, and information/content....


Appearance is a subjective element that depends upon the taste of the individual. And this is one factor which ensures the final placement of a website? Oh please...

reply to this comment
BMW4me4everBMW4me4ever - 7/10/2007 5:37:44 PMView My AgentSpace
+1 BoostDrop the Boost Up the Boost
could be worse, like audi in last place

reply to this comment
hkaudihkaudi - 7/11/2007 5:53:28 AM
-2 BoostDrop the Boost Up the Boost
I strongly disagreed with this report


reply to this comment
Will_Will_ - 7/11/2007 7:25:00 AM
+3 BoostDrop the Boost Up the Boost
mbusa.com isn't as useful as lexus.com or even bmwusa.com that much I know.

In truth, bmwusa.com has been very helpful in many arguments/debates/catfights I've had here over the years... and tabbed internet browsing has also been extremely helpful too!

reply to this comment
To post a comment for this story, you must first Login.

If you do not have an account, you will need to Register (It's Free!).

Most Recent Stories
Toyota Sales Spiral In November Down 33.9%: Lexus Basement Bound Down 34.7%FOMOCO Sales Continue To Flatline: Down 30.6% In NovemberVolkswagen Finally Fumbles In 2008: November Sales Drop 19.2%Japanese and South Korean Car Sales Plummet in NovemberComparison Test: 2008 BMW M5 vs. 2009 Cadillac CTS-V vs. 2009 Mercedes-Benz C63The Big Three Bailout According to SNLNissan 370Z goes from 0 to 60 in the same time as the BMW M3Mulally chooses Escape Hybrid for D.C. road tripFisker to unveil production Karma Hybrid in DetroitToyota Halts Production And Cuts Management Bonuses To Maintain Positive CashflowChrysler says 2011 Charger and 300 will pass fuel-economy standards2009 GMC Yukon XL DenaliFORD CEO Alan Mulally Will Drive to Washington D.C. To BEG For Money - But What Car Will He Drive To D.C.? His Lexus, OR Perhaps Maybe a Ford Product?Industry Sales Likely To Be Down 28% In November GM May Fare WorseLotus Evora order list includes 007 and Top Gear hostsEveryone Is On A Budget, But Are These 5 Your Choice To Keep Living Large?Could The Detroit Recovery Plan Really As Simple As Merging In To One?Fiat Abarth 500 receives Top Gear’s “Best Hot Hatch” awardDetroit Tells UAW They Can No Longer Pay For Idled Workers To Play Checkers2010 Porsche Panamera auto show debut delayedSwedish Government Confirms Discussions With Volvo and SAABBMW not putting MINI E into mass-productionTop Gear Car of the Year 2008 award goes to VW SciroccoNew Mitsubishi Lancer EVO X FQ-400: Limited Edition with 405HP2009 Nissan 370Z Driven in Japan2010 Jaguar XF-R spotted nearly finishedUAW wants limits on carmakers' executive payDoes It Hurt The BMW Brand Image When They Are Being Sold At Costco?2008 Essen Motor Show: Vw unveils Touareg North Sails EditionCarlsson releases limited edition automatic watchVideo: 2009 Mini Cooper Cabrio in actionPorsche Museum to open its gates on 31 January 2009Vw Eos White Night Edition unveiled at EssenUPDATE 1-German carmakers make fresh move to cut outputAudi R8 GT3 LMS Hits the Track (Video)GM UK takes two Top Gear awardsBMW Konfigurator Using Microsoft Surface for Product NavigatorHow About A Piece Of Kim Kardashian's Booty For The Holidays?Cars They Wish You'd Forget About - "Hey, they can't all be winners!"Acura V8 won't Arrive Until 2015: ReportBrabham M3 revealed at the Essen Show2008 Essen Motor Show: Dodge Challenger SRT8 by EibachNissan 370 Z Japanese Promotional VideElite Carbon Maserati Gran TurismoMarangoni M430 based on Alfa Romeo Mi.To2008 VW Scirocco Collectors’ Edition debuts at EssenFord at the top of the list for safety in accidentsBamford releases custom Rolex Daytona Ferrari red watchRolls-Royce RR4 to reveice Bmw’s iDrive technology2009 Vw Golf VI by ABT shows up at Essen