Bad websites cost retailers £500m

Poorly designed websites cost retailers hundreds of millions of pounds per year in missed sales, according to research published today. The study suggests that they have lost a combined total of £500m over a three-year period as frustrated consumers log off.

Websites which are too complicated or not well-enough integrated with stores' stock levels and catalogues are a major source of frustration for consumers. "Companies need to realise that it is not like the high street, people who are not sure do not have to walk 100 yards down the road to go to someone else's store; they just have to click 'back'," said online retail expert Joshua March.

Researchers at digital agency Head London used analysis from Oxford Economics to find the worst hit were Morrisons, said to have missed out on £314m in sales between 2007 and 2010. The supermarket was followed by Dixons at £32.6m and Phones 4U at £17.5m. Yet, Tesco was found to have added around £255m in sales thanks to its website.