We here at GO1 undeniably love our regular expeditions to JB HI-FI to ogle the latest technology but one thing that has really irked us when we hop online is the store’s web presence.

A website is an extension of a brand, and the design can say a lot about your business: communicating who you are, your business type, direction and philosophies. A website becomes even more powerful when used as a tool for directing a user to the specific deals and information they need and you want them to see. The JB HI-FI website succeeds in some of these areas, particularly in promoting its brand; however the using the site can be a negative experience and could lead to confusion and lost customers.

As you enter the homepage you are bombarded with deals, flashing images and clashing styles, all mixed with the company’s loud brand and their competitive “cheapest prices” strategy. This busy, dated design is actually a calculated approach and complementary to the company’s market position; it succeeds in communicating to the user that JB HI-FI is cheaper than its competitors. Whilst these design decisions and the brand approach is contiguous with the company’s visual toolkit, it has made the site unpleasant and difficult to use. This is particularly an issue for stores like JB HI-FI which deal in specialty purchases, customers will have often conducted thorough research on brands, features and prices and are looking for assistance and clear information. Customer service should be a major feature of a website and this is where JB HI-FI is missing an opportunity.

When visiting JB’s site, users are pulled in many different directions not unlike a trip down a loud and busy arcade amongst customer starved market stalls. No clear visual hierarchy has been created; each product and feature competing for attention. Rather than sifting through this mess of links and flashing boxes, a clearer search and product selector needs to be introduced as the main starting point of the homepage for users with a destination and product in mind. A large website like this requires multiple effective access points to its content, as every user is unique and is looking for something different. For those keen on simply browsing, a cleaner arrangement of promotions could be listed beneath the search/start section, for others a more organised navigation menu may suit. The JB website attempts to implement some of these access points but has not successfully created a clear hierarchy or visual path that will guide a user quickly to where they want to be.

Guidance beyond the homepage is also an issue. Whilst some product sections use a price and feature breakdown to refine browsing, many pages simply end with a buy now option. If a user is not interested or undecided on purchasing the item they are left to figure out what to do next. An effective design for a store like JB HI-FI should guide a user to the information they are looking for, suggesting directions they may be interested in and ways to learn more, leaving the user to concentrate solely on what to purchase, not what they have to do next.

A website is an extension of your brand and should be viewed as a customer service tool. A clear, branded and efficient design will result in happier users, more sales and will affect how potential and existing customers see your company. It is as important as your identity, promotions and staff simply because it acts as all of these rolled into one. If JB HI FI can implement some of these suggestions while maintaining their strong brand identity, they will be able to create a stronger relationship with their customers.