Study Ranks Canadian E-Tailers

[Toronto, CANADA] A new study from Deloitte & Touche for the Retail
Council of Canada ranks Canadians’ top picks for online purchases and
their Web site satisfaction.

It’s the first study in Canada to measure more than just Web site
hits or ‘stickiness’ and delve into the purchasing behavior of online
shoppers.

Deloitte & Touche surveyed more than 2500 consumers, interviewed
eight of Canada’s top e-tailers and scrutinized more than 60 Web
sites for the study.

The result is an indepth look at how, what, and why Canadians buy
online. It’s also a strong reminder to e-tailers of what their
success and profitability hinge on.

Among the top 10 Canadian sites are familiar Internet destinations
such as Chapters.ca, Sears.ca, eBay.com and tsc.ca, run by The
Shopping Channel.

But there are also some lesser known names near the top of the list,
including Tucows.com for software and Onvia.com, a marketplace for
small business owners.

“These sites are all ‘e-tail Blazers’ — e-businesses that aren’t just
successful online stores, but a hit with online shoppers who keep
coming back for more,” said Adel Melek, a Deloitte & Touche partner.

“The one thing they all have in common is they’re people-friendly,
not just user-friendly.”

Nevertheless, Melek said that 49 percent of respondents reported
trouble with navigating sites, and 57 percent had concerns about a
Web site’s security and the privacy of their personal information.

Canadians also want to buy Canadian. In fact, 80 percent of those
asked said they’d prefer to buy products online from Canadian sites
if possible. That certainly bodes well for the state of Canada’s
burgeoning e-tail industry.

Deloitte & Touche is one of Canada’s leading assurance and advisory,
tax, and management consulting firms, with over 5,500 people in more
than 50 cities across the country.

More on Deloitte & Touche can be found at:

Deloitte Consulting Pairs with
Personify, March 17, 2000.

Deloitte Breaks into Local E-
Commerce in Australia, February 7, 2000.

Deloitte Sees Changes in Business-
Consumer Relationships, December 16, 1999.

Study: E-Commerce Set for 300% Growth
Over Two Years, May 19, 1998.