For my final blog post, I am tasked with evaluating an online retailer’s web analysis tools and techniques. Since I do not have any contacts with online retailers, I located a case study highlighting how Discount Tire used Google Analytics to increase website performance and increase online sales. In my very first post, I said:
Many companies don't know where to start when it comes to web metrics; they don't even know what questions to ask. Others know what to ask, but they are afraid because they fear the answers might be beyond their reach. So, they "pay no attention to the man behind the curtain" so-to-speak and maintain the status quo, never really moving forward or achieving their business goals (at least, not that they can track anyway). It's true that there are a lot of metrics and even more ways to apply them, but a basic understanding of key metrics can help a company evaluate their online presence and compare it to business goals and objectives (Nauman, 2012).
Before launching into the case study, I thought it was important to first determine the goals that Discount Tire was trying to accomplish when gathering and analyzing their web data since goals and objectives drive KPI’s and determine what data to collect. If Dorothy did not have a goal of going home, her visit to Oz would have been much different. Because she had a specific goal in mind, she was able to take the necessary steps to accomplish them, i.e. killing the Wicked Witch (obstacle) who was preventing her from reaching her goal.
Case Study Overview
According to the case study (Google, n.d.), Discount Tire had clear goals of driving traffic to their website for both direct sales and for browsing before making an in-store purchase.
Online shoppers can try wheels virtually, seeing how wheels will look on specific vehicles with an Interactive Wheel System. They can also save time and money by ordering tires or wheels without paying for shipping, or by purchasing tires and making appointments for installation at their local store-all online (Google, n.d.).
It was important to track more than just visits; they needed to determine how customers were arriving there, and what they were doing once they got there. By collecting this data, Discount Tire could create a positive web experience that would increase sales both online and in-store.
Online advertising included a variety of search-based campaigns, including AdWords. These types of campaigns are critical for Discount Tire as it allows them to target specific customers with local, regional and seasonal messaging. They had tried a variety of web analytics tools to track and measure the effectiveness of Internet marketing efforts, with a full-time web metrics analyst and online marketing agency. Travis Unwin, Managing Director of Discount Tire's online marketing agency said “We've used everything from log file analysis to cookie tracking and pixel tagging to measure the effectiveness of our website and of Internet advertising. Unfortunately, they all had major shortcomings" (Google, n.d.).
Working with the online marketing agency, Discount Tire implemented Google Analytics. The seamless integration with AdWords campaigns offered immediate, accurate results measurement. They were able to tag URLs easily, and set up conversion funnels and goals without having to add additional tags, which helps page load times. Unwin was able to track the progress of marketing campaigns, run keyword reports and demonstrate the value of online search advertising to Discount Tire’s bottom line.
After implementing GA, Discount Tire could see ROI on specific products, gauge customer purchasing patterns and view traffic patterns on the website so they were able to streamline customer interaction from landing page to purchase page. They also used GA when conducting A/B testing on site language to drive sales. For example, they discovered the most successful language for the checkout button. 'Purchase and make a reservation' resulted in a huge drop in sales, but changing the text to ‘check out and make a reservation’ produced a 14 percent increase in online sales in a single week (Google, n.d.).
Viewing metrics related to cart abandonment, they determined that cart abandonment rates went up when items were not in stock at a local store. By adding language to the page informing customers that out of stock items would be located and stocked at their local store, cart abandonment rates dropped and sales increased 36 percent (Google, n.d.).
My Recommendations
While the case study is not dated, language within it suggests it was written in 2005. A lot has changed since then and there are new tools that could provide additional value. Discount Tire is known for “fair dealing, reasonable prices, top-notch customer service and guaranteed satisfaction” (Jarman, 2011). With the employment of Social Media, including Facebook and Twitter handles, implementing a tool to provide a dashboard for the marketing team to quickly see the impact tweets and posts have on website traffic as well as monitor what customers are saying and be able to respond quickly would provide additional value.
Eye tracking tools could offer insights into customer interaction with the website. While funnels provide an overview of pages users visit in sequence, eye and click tracking would offer a more detailed view of actual user experience. Data collected by this type of tool would pinpoint areas on the website that are potential stumbling blocks to actual sales, and could assist with page layout to ensure key information is accessible and visible to users.
Data related to visitor locations can help when determining new locations to open. If a lot of visitors from St. Louis, MO are searching the site only to discover there are no store locations nearby, a feasibility study might need to be completed to determine if it would be a good location for growth. Similarly, large percentages of users accessing the site via mobile device could indicate a need for a mobile site.
Finally, discounttire.com does not have a search feature. Adding a search feature and then tracking commonly searched keywords could offer invaluable insights into what customers are searching for. This data would indicate pages or information that may be best featured on the home page or perhaps even used in marketing. By comparing on-site search data with referring traffic, it could provide interesting data on how the homepage should be laid out for the optimal user experience.
Conclusion
Why was Dorothy going to see the Wizard of Oz in the first place? She wanted to get home. The Scarecrow wanted a brain, the Tin man a heart, and the Lion some courage. After allowing the Lion to accompany them on their journey, the group sings the line “If the Wizard is a Wizard who will serve, then I'm sure to get a brain, a heart, a home, the nerve!” (LeRoy & Fleming, 1939). In the case of Discount Tire, once they were able to get web metrics to work for them, they were able to accomplish, and I might say surpass, their goals.
References
Google. (n.d.). Discount Tire increased online sales by 14% in the first week using Google Analytics. Retrieved from http://www.google.com/analytics/customers/case_study_discount_tire.html
Jarman, M. (2011, January 2). After 50 years, service still drives Discount Tires. AZcentral.com. Retrieved from http://www.azcentral.com/business/articles/20110102good-service-still-drives-Discount-Tires-0102.html
Nauman, M. (2012, November 1). Start at the beginning [Blog post]. Behind the Emerald Curtain. Retrieved from http://emeraldcurtain.blogspot.com/2012/11/start-at-beginning.html
LeRoy, M. (Producer) & Fleming, V. (Director). (1939, August 25). The Wizard of Oz [Motion Picture]. United Sates of America: Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM)
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