In the 1999 study, most Net retailers significantly outperformed traditional retailers in areas such as order processing time and in-stock notifications. Last year, it took up to three minutes longer to complete a transaction on a retailer's site than on a Web-only retail site. This year, that gap is down to one and a half minutes, he says. Two of the three sites the named as most improved are traditional retailers, Mann says. The study also shows that online retailers as a whole are improving service.
Sites also offer more information about item sale and shipment.
About 82 percent of sites now give e-mail order confirmation, up from 67 percent last year. What's more, online retailers are scoring with buyers this holiday season by moderating delivery promises, Mann says. Last year, on average, sites promised products within five days but didn't deliver for nine days. This year, sites are warning customers about long delivery times, he says. The average promise is a ten-day delivery, but actual shipments are averaging six days.