Title: Web Design: A Three Second Impression Word Count: 412 Summary: "We find that Web sites have three seconds to make an impression." - Jeff Rosenblum, Questus According to a 2005 report on holiday shopping conducted by Questus, it was web design and function that held the most meaning to online visitors. Roger Park in a report based on those findings said, “70 percent of online shoppers consider web design as a key role in 2005 online holiday spending.” The report went on to say, “Over 30 percent of online shoppers cited navigation, t... Keywords: web design,website development,website design,ecommerce,selling online Article Body: "We find that Web sites have three seconds to make an impression." - Jeff Rosenblum, Questus According to a 2005 report on holiday shopping conducted by Questus, it was web design and function that held the most meaning to online visitors. Roger Park in a report based on those findings said, “70 percent of online shoppers consider web design as a key role in 2005 online holiday spending.” The report went on to say, “Over 30 percent of online shoppers cited navigation, the checkout process, and product descriptions as critical site aspects that impacted their completion of online purchases.” Users cite lengthy registration requests as a primary reason they avoided certain online retailers. However, to explain how motivated online shoppers have become you need to understand that 77% of online users during the 2005 holiday season actually conducted an online purchase. "Information overload is a critical and consistent problem, and in this study we found that Web users were more likely to say that a site had too many links as opposed to too few links." – Jeff Rosenblum, Questus More than 3/4th of the respondents indicated the professionalism of the site was a primary factor in moving forward with a purchase. If a site did not appear professional, the respondent typically moved on to another site. As web users become more sophisticated so too should web designers. If you have difficulty in developing your own site an online site builder may provide the professionalism and consistency you need in site design. “Consumers who made an online purchase in the past three months are more than 80% likely to make another purchase in the coming three months.” – Consumer Internet Barometer The demand for online shopping spurs a phenomenal growth pattern. Online shoppers are discovering the value of being able to shop from the comfort of home without commute time, line waiting and stores that don’t have the item they are seeking. The web user remains in the driver’s seat with the ability to click easily to, or away from, your site. The design function of your website is incredibly important in the midst of a growing throng of motivated shoppers. “The top reason online consumers prefer to shop on the web is to avoid crowds, a reason cited by 38% of respondents.” Neilson/NetRatings Do not assume that simply because consumers are migrating toward cyber-shopping that you simply need to set up shop and hope for the best. Web design is becoming a primary source for decision-making among online consumers.