Award-winning e-commerce site stresses ease of use and clean design.
Simplicity was the idea behind PC
Connections, when founders Patricia Gallup and David Hall launched the direct
computer supply firm back in 1982.
The two perceived a growing need for
business users and consumers to find a simpler way to purchase IT products and
software. And they were right. The business grew quickly into a Fortune 1,000
company, with revenues consistently topping $1 billion since 1999.
This drive toward success and
simplicity is also a hallmark of the firm’s e-commerce Web site. In fact, the
site recently won awards for Best Corporate Site and Best Overall Use of
Technology at the 6th Annual New Hampshire Internet
Awards.
PC Connection&singlequot;s main
Web site acts as a portal to
several company sites that market IT products and solutions to specific customer
segments. Business and consumer buyers are served by www.pcconnection.com;
www.govconnection.com is designed for government and education customers; and
Apple users are served by www.macconnection.com.
The sites offer complete and up-to-date
information on more than 60,000 IT products, provide advanced search and product
comparison capabilities, and are fully equipped for secure e-commerce.
According to the Internet Award judges,
however, the key features that make PC Connections’ site stand out are its
speed, ease of use, clear navigation, potent search and its well-organized and
intuitive shopping cart. For example, one hit to the homepage provides a clear
view to PC Connections’ four market segment-specific sites. One more click, and
users quickly access the specific site they need.
Each market-specific site provides a
listing of top sellers and sales items, but the best part is the simple,
easy-to-use left navigation bar. From one screen, users can perform a product
search, view their shopping cart, view their purchase history, track their
orders and perform a wealth of purchase-driven tasks.
The shopping cart is another
differentiator for the firm. When users click on a product’s "purchase" link,
they are instantly transported to a wealth of purchase and shipping information
all presented in a clear, easy-to-understand invoice-like view. For example,
users don’t simply see the item and its price. At PC Connections, they can view
the item, the part number, the quantity, the availability, the price, plus the
exact shipping cost, all in one screen.
The whole site is designed to make the
user’s primary task – finding and purchasing computer supplies – as fast, simple
and easy as possible.
"No matter what you think your Web site
should do -- splashy graphics, streaming video, whatever -- it&singlequot;s not about you,"
said Gallup, explaining her site’s – and her company’s -- philosophy. "It&singlequot;s
about the customer."
For more information, visit the site
here.
Web Design 
