eMachines
3 clicks to start the buying process.
Selection / Customization process
Product Clarity: Moderate. Even though there were only four desktop PCs, no page gave an overview of their features or even prices. “T2260” and the like just isn’t that informative. The description tags – “Exceptional Value,” “Everyday Computing,” “High Performance,” and the like – aren’t much better. On the product information pages for each model, on the other hand, the parts of the machine you were buying was fully listed, though the description of the model itself was pure fluff. More detailed information could have been included on the some of the computers’ components, such as the brand of hard drive.
Price Clarity: Moderate. E-Machines pictures a monitor with all their systems, and then notes in smallish print that the monitor is not included in the price. On the other hand, in the ordering process it is quite clear that the monitor is not included, and all the accessories are priced up-front.
Speed: Fast. Not that there is much to process without any customization, but all pages loaded pretty quickly.
Range / Power: Very poor. Four fairly similar desktop models and no customization at all.
Notes
The site design is pretty clean. Even the ordering pages loaded fairly quickly. One problem is the “look at this computer with the nice monitor! And there’s the price! (Monitor not included)” phenomena. But unlike Dell e-Machines’ first option is “add a monitor” so it is highly unlikely anyone could actually buy a computer thinking a monitor is included.
The number and scope options under the obligitory “Accessorize Your System” section is not excessive, as it is at most other sites.
Problems
- Like Apple, if you use your back button during the final stages of the ordering process, instead of editing your choices you will be adding a whole new computer. Unlike Apple, multiple computers are delineated on the order form so it is easy to see what happened.
- Pages don’t realign to fit smaller browser window widths.
- The order form asked for a “Redemption Code” and it isn’t quite clear if one is supposed to have that or if one needs it or if it’s the norm not to have one.
- A few information windows that are supposed to use javascript to pop up: I have to turn off my ad-blocking software and reload the page to see these.
Good Features
- The use of pictures of the systems. The pictures loaded quickly. One picture, for instance, was only 12kb but good quality and good-sized.
- A good “Remove Item” button on the shopping cart.
- A very nice compare features feature (a side by side matched-up list of two to three models’ specifications).