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Busse Design Desconstructs Outpost.com
By Joy Busse, CEO & President - Busse Design USA
Reprinted from Internet World, November 1, 2000
The "Cyberian" source for electronics scores high points for selection and service, but the user interface needs a bit of work.
The realization that the key to success for any B2C dot-com is to build a loyal customer base and actually turn a profit hit the industry like a big rock on the side of the head last spring. Many of those who missed that point have faded into obscurity. However, a few, like Outpost.com, have taken the emphasis off flashy brand-building campaigns and focused their efforts on building a relationship with their customers by providing an excellent line of products for a rich shopping experience.
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The Right Moves.
At first I had no clue what Outpost meant. What do they do? Who are they? What do they sell? From their launch ads, in which they attempted to shoot gerbils through a logo, all I learned was that they had a wicked sense of humor and a brilliant ad agency. But instead of growing their ad-driven buzz, Outpost grew up. They increased their hold on the computer hardware and software markets, agreed not to sell personal information, ensuring the trust of their customers, and did their best to create a simple, quick, and rewarding online shopping experience. They've even got the nerve to ship to you on time and-are you sitting down?-for free! No wonder they're now in a position to challenge Amazon.com in customer loyalty and retention.
Halfway to Maturity.
I am impressed by Outpost's product offerings and solid functionality. After spending a significant amount of time on the site, I found myself with no error messages, dead links, or bombing browsersãand a flawless checkout process that actually gave me some purchasing options. However, the site needs serious help with its interface. The pages need to be laid out so the user has a focal point and a clear hierarchy of information. There are so many items on these pages, and all of them scream, "Look at me first!" The clutter of type styles, icons, and images doesn't help this confusion either. It almost seems like a designer's sketchpad: trying out different icon styles for a design that's still in the process of being created. Unfortunately, this also affects the brand, which is completely lost in all the clutter.
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