Website usability comparison of DHL, FedEx, and UPS

Supply Chain

Businesses these days consider web sites as a large factor in packaging their products for their clients and customers. Due to the common use of the Internet by many users whenever they need a service, Web Sites are now becoming the most accessible medium in doing business. The succeeding part of this paper aims to analyse how the Web Sites of DHL, FedEx, and UPS are helping their goal to provide satisfactory service.

http://www.dhl.comis the Web Site of DHL. As a first time user and viewer of DHL's Web Site, I find the site to be user-friendly. The aspect of ease of navigation is definitely provided by DHL's site. This finding, however, applies to the company's site for USA. After trying to view the site in other locations, such as in Australia, I found the Web Site to be very confusing as there are a lot of links that can be found, which if I am just an ordinary customer who just wishes to acquire a shipping service, I will be definitely confused as to which link to choose in order to get what I need. In comparison to the company's USA site, however, the U.S.A. site is very straightforward and indeed caters to the needs of the customers. Simple and easy to understand links can be found on the top of the first page while a form for creating a shipment is immediately provided to the user - a good common sense that it is mostly what the customers will need. On the left portion of the page, on the other hand, are quick links of other common things users may need such as information on the service rates, schedules, drop-off locations, and many others. In general, referring to the U.S.A. Web Site of DHL, the company provides an easy to navigate and user-friendly, and effective Web Site to the business.

FedEx

http://www.FedEx.com/is the site of FedEx. Compared to the DHL site, I find FedEx to be less user-friendly. This is because the Web Site does not present all the simple things that an ordinary customer may need from the company's services. Links were provided on the top of the home page but there are further links and options that an ordinary user may not need and may only cause him confusion as to which to select. In general, the Web Site of FedEx is not well organized. The links meant to provide business information about the company are mixed with the links meant to provide services to the customers. Thus, as a user, I have to scan the whole page just to find what I need. http://www.ups.com/is the site of UPS. Among the 3 Web Sites, I find UPS as the best in terms of being presentable, organized, and user-friendly. The company's Web Site has a good "look and feel" combined with straightforward links and quick links that a common customer will normally need.