ANN ARBOR – Ho, Ho, No. Seems that customer satisfaction with online etailers this Holiday season isn’t as high as it was a year ago. But a survey by Ann Arbor’s ForeSee Results also shows last year’s top etail sites continue to dominate the index.

Netflix (86), Amazon (82), L.L. Bean (80) and QVC (80) lead the Top 40. The most improved websites from last year include Costco (up 4.3% to 72), Zappos (up 4% to 78), and Avon (up 3.9% to 79). Overall, 10 sites have increased customer satisfaction from last year, while 18 websites saw their scores slip.

?Online shopping is still the bright spot for holiday retailers, but lower satisfaction coupled with slower than expected spending growth puts a little cloud over the season,? said Larry Freed, president and CEO of ForeSee Results. ?In an economy where consumers are feeling the pinch, there?s increased competition for the customers? dollar. So, it?s even more important for e-retailers to meet their customers? needs online.?

The third annual holiday edition of the Top 40 Online Retail Satisfaction Index also found:

Desirable future behaviors that are affected by customer satisfaction, like Likelihood to Recommend and Likelihood to Purchase Online, are down. Most significantly, Likelihood to Purchase Offline plunged 7.5%, slipping to 62 from 67 last year.

Internet Pure Plays still hold the edge over multi-channel retailers when it comes to online customer satisfaction.

?Consumers? likelihood to purchase offline took a big dip from last year, which we attribute to several factors,? said Freed. ?Gas prices may encourage some people to buy online, rather than drive to the mall. Also, the tough economy and the flurry of discounting throughout the season lead to more price comparison shopping and higher expectations for deals.?

The survey of over 11,000 consumers employed the methodology of the University of Michigan?s American Customer Satisfaction Index and was conducted in partnership with FGI Research. The Top 40 Online Retail Satisfaction Index is composed of the top revenue-grossing online retailers as determined by Internet Retailer.

Other key findings regarding the role of free shipping (both with and without restrictions), leading acquisition sources that drive the most satisfied shoppers, the impact of customer reviews and the availability of alternative payment sources will be addressed in subsequent reports to come over the next couple of weeks.

For more information, click on ForeSeeResults.Com

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