Canadian Small Business Directory: Weaknesses

Canadian Small Business Directory: Weaknesses and Threats

Weaknesses

The website Canadian Small Business Directory has a laudable goal -- to promote small, Canadian businesses to the general public. However, the weaknesses of the website are so noticeable, the intention of the website is not realized. The first image the website surfer is greeted with on the homepage is an advertisement for a psychic reader and an advertisement for aloe skincare products. Although almost all for-profit websites need to take advertisements to support their maintenance and upkeep, sponsors should be chosen judiciously, so as not to interfere with the quality of the message or the perceived credibility of the website. One of the stated aims of the website is to create a positive image of small Canadian businesses, and advertising a psychic on the homepage does not support this notion.

The website is supposed to provide a host or portal to the public of different businesses. However, because of the clutter of advertisements, it is very difficult to find the actual directory on the front page. A user has to click on a link to access a list of the different business addresses available. A user can search for a business by name, city, or keyword but there are no links to MapQuest or other popular GPS features to make finding the businesses easier.

Additionally, some of the information provided is not up-to-date and there is no specific space in the directory for website information for various vendors. While not every business will have a website, it is not clear if most of the businesses do not, or if the directory has simply not included a space in the contact information, and just chosen to offer phone numbers.

Threats

For an Internet portal such as this directory, many 'threats' are evident, given that consumers have such a wide array of other potential choices use to find information. Perhaps the most obvious threat is Google itself -- consumers can simply Google businesses directly and cut out the 'middleperson.' Or they can look for portals specifically designed to direct users to movers, restaurants, etcetera. Many portals like 'Yelp' also include user reviews, which this website lacks.