Online sales are expected to increase 7-9% this holiday season as compared to other retail sales, which are expected to jump 2%.  Just as measuring customer experience in stores and over the phone is eye-opening; measuring the online experience enables companies to gain feedback that can lead to improved offerings.  In the retail environment, managers can overhear and observe customer interactions.  Managers can't make concrete observations during an online experience, so some type of measurement mechanism for online experiences is even more imperative.

Some areas to consider when evaluating the online shopping experience include ease of use, ability to find items quickly, ease of payment process, ability to view items and their descriptions clearly, and satisfaction with online pricing offers.  Retailers also use the surveys to ask customers how their online purchasing experience stacks up against competitor websites.