John Lewis Direct Appoints Optimost to Web Optimisation Task
November 1, 2007 – John Lewis Direct has appointed Optimost to conduct multiple variable testing across its website to increase conversion and reduce abandon rates.
Optimost will carry out multivariable testing on key pages, including sign-in and shopping basket pages as well as focussing on changes in graphics and text to key product pages that optimise conversion. Optimost will also test landing pages and function buttons such as ‘add to cart’ to boost conversion.
David Walmsley, Head of Web Selling from John Lewis Direct, said: “Our ability to target different preferences with our Optimost testing and persona targeting initiatives will be invaluable in helping us service our customer needs for more relevant shopping experiences.”
“We’re looking forward to seeing what sort of returns in conversion we can achieve for John Lewis Direct”, added Greg Kelton, MD EMEA of Optimost. “We’re expecting our new geographical web targeting tool and core testing suite to deliver impressive conversion gains for John Lewis.”
About Optimost
Optimost helps companies improve their conversion rates at every stage of customer interaction online include the key landing, shopping cart pages and credit card pages.
Described by one commentator as ‘A/B testing on steroids,’ Optimost’s technology lets you dynamically create and test limitless permutations of copy, offers, layouts, etc. and then optimise based on actual customer behaviour.
Optimost’s testing methodology takes into account “relationships” among different variables on a page, and can test anything including the structure of the page itself and can account for any form of dynamic content serving.
Results from Optimost’s ‘Website Optimisation Best Practices’ research, conducted across more than 150 websites, show that whilst testing components on each website is a unique process, certain results remain constant. Navigation tools should be unambiguous and instructional copy as well as requests for information should be kept to a minimum.
Optimost Ltd. is a subsidiary of Optimost LLC, a privately-held company headquartered in New York. Optimost revolutionised online testing in 2001 when they launched the first on-demand multivariable testing platform.
A sample of Optimost clients in the UK include John Lewis Direct, The Game Group, Lenovo Technology, Safestyle, IPC Media, and Rackspace. Worldwide clients include InterActiveCorp, Lillian Vernon, Delta Air Lines, Time Warner, QVC, and EarthLink.
Optimost’s white papers on multivariable testing and success stories are available to download at http://www.optimost.co.uk.
About the John Lewis Partnership
The John Lewis Partnership - The John Lewis Partnership operates 26 department stores across the UK, John Lewis Direct - a website and catalogue business, 185 Waitrose supermarkets and Greenbee, a new direct services company. The business has an annual turnover of over £6bn.
John Lewis - John Lewis, ‘Britain's favourite retailer 2007’* typically stocks more than 350,000 separate lines. The website stocks more than 26,000 lines focused on the best of home and giftware and is consistently ranked one of the top online shopping destinations in the UK. (www.johnlewis.com)
Waitrose - Waitrose, named ‘Britain's favourite supermarket’* combines the convenience of a supermarket with the expertise and service of a specialist shop. It offers fresh and frozen foods, wines and groceries as well as delicatessen, cheese, fresh fish, meat, patisserie and hot-food counters. Waitrose is dedicated to offering quality food that has been responsibly sourced combined with high standards of customer service. (www.waitrose.com)
Greenbee - In October 2006, the Partnership launched Greenbee, a new direct services company which offers a carefully edited range of financial, travel and leisure services with the same levels of integrity, quality, value and service that customers have come to expect from Waitrose and John Lewis. (www.greenbee.com)
*Which? customer satisfaction survey, February 2007
Media Contact:
Ross Furlong
Furlong PR
+44 (0) 7803 900961
ross@furlongpr.co.uk
