There are $3.2 billion of aftermarket automotive parts sold online in the US each year. Speaking at the Internet Retailer’s Web Design and Usability conference in Orlando this week Scott Bauhofer, the SVP & GM of ecommerce for Advance Auto Parts, the US’s leading retailer in the sector, warned retailers not to delay in participating and gaining expertise in multichannel retailing. It was an important statement to help set the scene of the conference.

Focussing on critical elements of usability and design, the conference is bringing together a great range of presentations featuring real case studies by the people involved. This year, in particular, brings a great show of “look what we have done” and presents actual results for the past year, highlighting the power of the online channel. With key success stories about traffic, conversion and sales revenue, we are soberly reminded that it is a difficult process to get right.

Taking a site to market, or redesigning a site, is an exhausting process. It’s a process which must have specific business goals and not generic ones, according to Tellus, a design firm in the US. The process from envision through to completion involves the juggling of the (often opposing) demands of marketing, technical, financial, design and usability.

The show is offering live public critique of websites, for the brave sites owners in the audience, as well as free 30 minute private critiques by leading design and usability specialists from across the US.

The conference has close to 1000 attendees, including a good smattering of Australians, noted as last to leave the end-of-day function on the first day. Stay tuned for a further update on the show tomorrow.

Paul Marshall