A very positive Internet shopping experience

Saturday, December 23, 2006

I had a very positive experience recently buying some games for my kids for Christmas. Here's how it went:

1. Read about Cogno games on some blog (can't remember which).
2. Go to Cogno games site and try to order. Discover their order form doesn't work for non-US customers
3. Send them an email saying I want to buy X, please help
4. Got an email in return from a real person saying they would look into the order form problem but in the meantime here's the contact details of a real person from a distributor in New Zealand (none available in Australia), Logical Toys, which would be better for me because delivery would be cheaper and faster.
5. I email the New Zealand guy with my order.
6. He replies with a quote and a phone number to call to place the order.
7. I call, speak to him in person and place the order.
8. A week later it arrives by post.

This experience could have very easily gone the other way. I was actually expecting an impersonal, automated response to my first email asking for help. From that point the line could have easily just gone dead.

The Internet enables real easy person to person communication and makes it simple to add a dash of personalised service. Companies who see the Internet as just another mass market - an even broader broadcast medium - take note! It's the one to one experiences Internet users really want.

Random outings from a chaotic mind