- About postgraduate study
- Part-time study
- Courses
- Order a Prospectus
- Faculties & Departments
- UK students
- EU students
- International Students
- How to apply for your course
- Handy Hints
- Open Events
- Student Recruitment
- Money Matters
- About Us
By telephone
During office hours
(Monday-Friday 08:30-17:00)
+44 (0)1234 400 400
Outside office hours
(Campus Watch)
+44 (0)1582 74 39 89
By email
admission@beds.ac.uk (admissions)
international@beds.ac.uk (international)
sid@beds.ac.uk (student support)
help@beds.ac.uk (registration)
By post
University of Bedfordshire
Park Square
Luton
Bedfordshire
UK, LU1 3JU
Hert based online retailer Fitness Footwear has the web’s widest choice of sports and outdoor shoes with products ranging from running shoes to hiking boots. Though only a young business the online company has begun to establish a brand image for itself through its association with the outdoors, which encompasses a number of fashion brands such as Merrell footwear and Emu boots.
Despite rising numbers of visitors to the company website (2000 plus daily), sales were not increasing in equal measure. Though the site was thought to be fresh and inviting, a visit to the University of Bedfordshire identified that the level of customer trust building factors were lacking and the presentation of products had the potential to confuse. A full usability study would measure and highlight the principles of efficiency, elegancy and usefulness with regards to the website as well as the use of persuasion, emotion and trust (pet) objectives, which are critical factors for creating a successful online interaction.
Fitness Footwear commissioned Dr Tim French and Animesh Chowdhury at the University of Bedfordshire to provide comprehensive assessment of the business’s website in areas of site usability and trust. The Computer Science and Technology department’s Academic into Business Computing centre undertook a complete audit utilising a number of user based techniques including, questionnaires, card sorting and walk-through sessions to build a picture of user perception of the client’s site verses its competitors.
The audit’s findings were summarised into a report that highlighted the websites successes and weaknesses enabling the business to enhance the design and functionality to engender trust, ensuring user acceptance and further success of the site.
The list of recommendations from the website evaluation included:
Fitness Footwear was very responsive to recommendations regarding their website. Since the conclusion of the usability study, the company has undertaken a site wide overhaul utilising many new features, like their themed Skechers Shape Ups page, while enhancing the presentation of their products, checkout and information pages.
The Fitness Footwear website now:
“After implementing advice from the usability study we saw an immediate increase in the number converting visits. The assessment not only confirmed many of our own ideas, but illuminated other areas which we had never considered.”
Luke Barlow, Managing Director, Fitness Footwear
