I love to surf the web almost exclusively to learn about different feels and flavors. But web site design is, in and of itself, a powerful marketing process. So, if the design is poor, unprofessional, or unclear, people will unconsciously assume that the product or company is just the same. A large airline company recently conducted a survey among its passengers in order to perform some marketing research.
Marketing is all about perception.
A web site design can often project greater perceived value. Let's say you've just met a salesperson. He is dressed absolutely impeccably, gave a compelling spiel, is knowledgeable about his product, was thoroughly interested in your needs, and conducted a perfect meeting with you. But all throughout the encounter, you couldn't stop but notice that he had a little ketchup stain on his tie. This applies even to the simplest of things.