Business-to-Business

Marketing and the

World Wide Web:
Planning, Managing, and
Assessing Web Sites
Joel R. Evans
Vanessa E. King
Despite the enormous growth of the World Wide Web and
the media attention to it, little has appeared in the literature
with regard to the role of marketing in developing and administering business-to-business Web sites. This article examines
the opportunities and obstacles inherent with business-to-business Web sites and discusses the process for devising, overseeing, and evaluating such sites. A detailed original Web Site AsAddress correspondence to Joel R. Evans, Hofstra University, Department
of Marketing and International Business, 222 Weller Hall, Hempstead, NY
11549. E-mail: mktjre@hofstra.edu

Industrial Marketing Management 28, 343358 (1999)

1999 Elsevier Science Inc. All rights reserved.
655 Avenue of the Americas, New York, NY 10010

sessment Tool is introduced, which focuses on five categories:

the home page, overall site design and performance, text content, audio-visual elements, and interaction and involvement.
The scoring mechanism is explained, as is the percentile score
per category. Two case studies are used to apply this tool to
the PC industryone to show how various audiences would
weight Web site elements differently based on their particular
characteristics and needs and the other to show how the Web
sites of 10 leading PC makers could be comparatively evaluated. The article ends with a series of managerial implications.
1999 Elsevier Science Inc. All rights reserved.

0019-8501/99/$see front matter

PII S0019-8501(98)00013-3

INTRODUCTION
Based on the extensive media coverage of the final
consumer segment of the World Wide Web, a strong impression has been fostered that this is where most electronic commerce occurs. Yet, in 1996, according to Forester Research, final consumer revenues from the Web
were $530 million compared with $600 million from
business-to-business Web marketing. Forester projects
that by the year 2000, final consumer Web revenues will
be $7.2 billion annually, whereas business-to-business
Web revenues will reach $66.5 billion [24, p. 41].
This means the Webs potential for business-to-business marketers is vastas long as it is properly used.
Yet, many experts feel business-to-business Web marketing is not used effectively enough. Spar and Bussgang
[38, p. 125] offer this blunt comment: By bringing companies and customers together, the Internet thus promises
to widen markets, increase efficiencies, and lower costs.
Those are radical promises, and on their strength, thousands of companies have already joined a massive scramble to cyberspace. For many of those companies, however, the Internet has yet to deliver on its promises.
Although doing business in cyberspace may be novel and
exhilarating, it can also be frustrating, confusing, and
even unprofitable. Honeycutt, Flaherty, and Benassi
[19, p. 65] state that downsides include dull Web sites,
unreliable technology, and, one of the biggest concerns,
security issues. The Gartner Group [12, p. 1] even says
that 75% of business Web sites do not meet customers
requirements and will need to be redesigned. What these
sites lack is good information designthe organization
and presentation of information so customers can easily
locate what they want to find.
With the preceding in mind, in this paper, these business-to-business topics are discussed: the opportunities
and obstacles associated with planning, managing, and

JOEL R. EVANS, Ph.D. is the RMI Distinguished Professor of

Business at Hofstra University. He is widely published, serves
on three editorial boards (including Industrial Marketing
Management), and was co-chair of the American Marketing
Associations 1995 Faculty Consortium.
VANESSA E. KING, M.B.A., is Access Product Manager for
AppliedTheory Communications, a business-to-business
Internet Service Provider. She is responsible for overall product
development, marketing, and management for the access
product line.

344

assessing a Web site; the steps in planning and managing

a marketing-oriented Web site, and a Web site assessment tool. Managerial implications are also provided.

BUSINESS-TO-BUSINESS WEB SITES:

OPPORTUNITIES AND OBSTACLES
The World Wide Web offers an array of opportunities
and obstacles for business-to-business marketers and
their customers [10, 17]. In planning, managing, and assessing Web sites, both must be considered for the potential of the Web to be better realized.
Opportunities
MULTIPLE MARKETING USES. The Web provides business-to-business marketers with numerous tools that aid
in planning, organization, and control; research and intelligence; and marketing mix management. For example,
more firms are building intranets, whereby employees
access information quickly and in real-time [9]. The
Business Research Group estimates that 80% of Web
sites will soon be intranets; and Zona Research says intranet server revenue surpasses Internet revenue, with
1998 intranet revenues expected to hit $8 billion [30].
ACCESS TO COMMERCIAL RESEARCH. Many firms realize the Web is an excellent way to obtain marketing
data. With online search engines, they retrieve primary
and secondary data on a host of subjects including consumers, industries, products, and technology. One of the
most aggressive efforts is from Lexis-Nexis, which has a
huge information archive. The firm is making its entire
library of more than one billion documents (10 times
larger than all of the data on the Internet combined, according to a company press release) available on the Web
to paying subscribers. The firm has 500 computer servers
that manage data from 18,300 sources [5].
COMPETITIVE INTELLIGENCE. By visiting other sites,
firms keep tabs on competitors, thereby gaining extensive product and service information, as well as public
news on competitors current and future strategies [43].
CUSTOMER SERVICE. Firms find the Web quite helpful for customer support. Sites often have a technical area
so users get answers to questions; access documents;
download software, drivers, and patches; e-mail to the
proper party; and communicate with online discussion
groups. As a result, companies such as Sun Microsystems report that customer phone calls to the technical service area have dropped by 20% [28].

B-to-B Web revenues far exceed final

consumer revenues.
JUST-IN-TIME INVENTORY PLANNING. The use of the
Web often enables firms to lower inventory investments
and generate faster turnover. Intel and SAP recently created Pandesic to aid firms in fully integrated Web fulfillment (http://www.pandesic.com/info/inventory) [21].
THE WEB AS A SALES CHANNEL. The Web is an alternate selling channel for a growing number of firms.
According to Business Marketings NetMarketing, among
the publications top 50-rated business-to-business Web
sites, 46% take orders and payments on online, 52% take
orders without payments, and 96% generate databases,
leads, and partners [35].
SUPPORT FOR CHANNEL PARTNERS. For firms with indirect channels, the Web is an information source, a hotline, and a promotional outlet aimed at channel members. Sites can use a secure area for channel partners
entered by password. In that area, programs and incentives may be posted. This strengthens the relationship
with channel members by providing two-way, current information. Sites with advanced capabilities let distributors search databases to check order status and conduct
other inquiries. Some sites also let distributors place orders; and some incorporate hot inks to key distributors
Web sites as an additional cooperative marketing tool.
IMAGE ENHANCEMENT. Many business-to-business
firms use sites to enhance branding, image, and loyalty.
RAPID GROWTH. PC use is increasing worldwide;
and network computers will facilitate Internet access. By
the year 2000, registered host computers will exceed 120
million [4]. Thus, the potential is enormous.
GLOBAL REACH. Marketers can reach users around
the world and access information globally [34, 36]. The
Web has virtually no spatial limits.
HARDWARE AND SOFTWARE NEUTRALITY. The Web
crosses all platforms and is non-software specific. Anyone can access and offer data from anywhere using any
type of computer equipment.
AROUND-THE-CLOCK PRESENCE. The Web operates
24 hours a day, 365 days a year. Information is available
to marketers at a moments notice.

ABILITY TO NARROWLY TARGET MARKETING EFFORTS.

Firms can target audiences with tailored strategies. AMP,
the electronics components supplier, allows large customers to use a password to get customized product and
pricing data. Small customers can access AMPs catalog,
browse articles on the firm, obtain customer support, and
learn about the firms preferred customer program [3].
COST-EFFECTIVENESS: A site can be built and kept
fairly inexpensively, and its cost-saving abilities are many.
Postage and printing costs are saved if users download/
print data. Questions can be answered, cutting back on
personnel and phone charges. Advertising can be presented quickly and at low cost.
UP-TO-THE-MINUTE INFORMATION. The Web is a dynamic medium. Information can be changed instantly, easily, and cheaply; so users can obtain the latest data available.
LINKAGE. The hyperlinks connecting Web site to Web
site maximize the reach and frequency of the marketing
communications between sites.
INTERACTIVE, MULTIMEDIA VEHICLE. The user can
be engaged with a mix of text, graphics, audio, video,
and interactivity. Thus, sales can be made directly, results and feedback reviewed immediately, and repeat site
visits encouragedwhich enhances customer loyalty.
The Pall Corporation, a maker of fluid filtrations and purifications systems, has won high marks for the userfriendly, interactive nature of its site [23].
Obstacles
TRANSMISSION SPEED. For a business user with a
typical modem connection, waiting several seconds for a
single page to appear is common. Downloading a picture
can take up to a minute or more, and a short video clip
even longer. This may limit creativity and try users patience. Telecommunications firms are researching and
enacting bandwidth-boosting options like ISDN and cable modems to improve Web speed and performance.
SITE CONGESTION. The Webs hyperactive growth
has caused the most popular sites to be so full of visitors
345

that entry may be denied or access cut off right in the

middle of browsing a page.
LACK OF ORGANIZATION. The Webs lack of organization can mean wasted time for userswho may be so
entangled in hyperlinks that departure and destination
points are unclear [38].
WEB CULTURE. Because the Web culture is somewhat advertising/marketing averse, there is a challenge to
marketers, who must cleverly convey messages without
being too promotional.
LACK OF SECURITY. The Web is not policed adequately. Messages and credit card numbers can sometimes be intercepted. Though firewalls may protect internal data from theft, Web users have less recourse. Visa,
MasterCard, and others are working to devise a better
way to secure payments based on encryption technology.
SUB-OPTIMAL CONTROL BY INFORMATION PROVIDERS. Although firms control their sites contents, users
control their look (by adjusting color, contrast, and so
forth), as well as whether to enter and explore the site.
UNWIELDY URLS. Site URLs can be long and unmemorable, impeding Web visits.
HTML PROGRAMMING LIMITATIONS. HTML is not
hard to master, but it is tedious, especially for designers
who like the ease and flexibility of Macintosh publishing
software. Java is reducing this problem.
GLOBAL DIFFERENCES. Although a Web site can reach
business-to-business customers around the world, there
can be complexities in completing transactions. Millipore, a U.S. manufacturer of filtration products for purifying water and detecting contaminated gases, has different prices outside the United States. Thus, it has opted
not to include price information at its Web site [11].
SKEPTICAL BUYERS. Web sales are a fraction of
business-to-business revenues, as many users are not yet
inclined to buy. Security issues, a desire for personal attention, and the Webs newness are behind the hesitation.
RESISTANCE TO PAYMENT FOR WEB SERVICES. The
Web was devised as a way to communicate for free.
Firms charging fees for site entry or for other services are
often met with a poor response by Web users.
MEASUREMENT CHALLENGES. Unlike other media with
regular, outside audits, the Web has not faced such reviews. It is hard to determine the audience reached and
what effect given Web sites have on the audience. For
example, although a 1997 study of the Internets cost effectiveness by Penton Research Services, the publisher of
specialty business magazines, found that the cost per
business-to-business contact was $0.98 on the Internet
346

(compared with $277 for an industrial sales call, $162 for

a trade show, $1.68 for direct mail, and $0.32 for a specialized business publication) [33], these figures are not
widely accepted.

PLANNING AND MANAGING A

MARKETING-ORIENTED WEB SITE
The Internet boom has caused firms worldwide to race
to set up shop on the Web. In their haste to do so, Web
site planning has often suffered, although site development tends to be uncharted water. Inadequate time may
be given to learning about this mediumits unique
traits, current audience, strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats; its future potential; and its swift
changesand to marry the site to specific goals [8]. By
1996, two million firms had Web sites, with one-half of
the total signing on in 19951996 [25]. According to the
Yankee Group, by 1998, nearly 90% of Fortune 100
firms would be using the Web in some form [2].
Successful site implementation comprises four major
steps, each with major marketing implications. The first
is Web planning, which includes determining whether
and to what degree a Web site makes sense for a given
firm, and setting proper goals. This step drives everything that follows. Second, the firm decides how it wants
to gain Web entry. Third, site components are designed
and placed on the Web. Fourth, the site is managedincluding ongoing site promotion, site maintenance and updates, and evaluating performance.

Step 1: Web Planning

This begins with recognition that the Web complements traditional strategic marketing tools and is another
weapon in a firms arsenal [32]. The degree to which the
Web succeeds, as well as the format it takes, depends on
the firms industry, goals, marketing strategy, and target
market. Each firm needs to answer these questions:
To what degree do other companies in the industry use
Web marketing? What do their sites look like?
How can the unique characteristics of the Web help the
firm achieve its established marketing goals?
In what ways can the Web complement the firms current marketing strategy?
Who are the companys target markets and to what extent can they be reached via the Web?

Web sites need to be carefully planned,

managed, and monitored.
Once these questions are addressed, Web goals can be
setrelating to customer service, new customer acquisition, niche marketing, dissemination of information, online sales, channel support, promotion, and so forth. Executive commitment (from both funding and human
resource perspectives) is critical. Firms housing Web
ownership and accountability in the marketing department generally report better results, as long as a crossdiscipline committee from all major functions has a voice
in developing and managing a site [27]. Companies with
proper staffing for site maintenance, including a Webmaster to spearhead the effort, enjoy the most success. A
Web site integrated with marketing, sales, and service activities usually works best [13].
Excellent online sources with information on Web
planning are Business Marketings NetMarketing site
(http://www.netb2b.com) and Nanyang Technical Universitys site (http://www.ntu.edu.sg/library/advrtise.htm).
Step 2: Web Access
A firm has various options for Web entry, from a lowlevel information service to a cybermall to its own site.
The first option is the least costly and means offering information via a service such as the World Wide Yellow
Pages. It lists business names, addresses, phone and fax
numbers, e-mail addresses, business headings, and brief
descriptions of firms for a yearly fee of $100 or so. Popular cybermalls include the Internet Shopping Network,
Downtown Anywhere, and AOLs Marketplace. Such
malls are generally geared to final consumers.
The most ambitious, and potentially most profitable,
option is for a firm to have its own Web site. An outside
party can create and maintain the site; or the firm can set
up its own Web server and maintain the site. First-year
costs for an internally-developed site are $60,000 to
$120,0001; for an externally-created one, first-year costs
are $5,000 to $10,000 for a simple site up to $100,0001
for a site with 80 to 100 pages [7, 15, 29]. Costs cover
hardware, software, communications links, site design
and implementation, and site management.

Firms with individual sites must register them with

unique URLs (uniform resource locators). The basic system requirements for a Web site, which may already be
on-hand, are a hardware server with enough storage,
memory, and processing power, and a software server to
handle Web interaction. It is typical for a site to be entered thousands of times a month, therefore the system
must support requests with rapid response time. Many
firms have multiple servers; an internal one may update
Web pages, and an external one is used for public access.
Besides hardware and connections, a site needs server
software and, if design is done internally, HTML authoring tools. Commercial packages are available, but the job
can also be done via a text editor. For security, firewall
software may prevent external access to proprietary documents and fend off computer viruses.
Step 3: Site Design and Implementation
Design is critical. In most cases, a user makes a proactive decision to go to a given site [16]. Thus, if it is not
compelling, there may be a quick exit with little hope of
return. Not only does the user control where to go, he/she
also controls what is seen. This is driven by how the
users browser is configured. Some use text-only browsers to speed up surfing. Those with graphical browsers
often configure fonts, colors, and other features to their
tastes; and different browsers interpret formatting differently. Because the Web is a dynamic, real-time, interactive multimedia mechanism, it has attributes unlike other
mass medianotably, direct interaction and involvement. Thus, a core design element is for the user to easily
and effectively interact with the firm.
When a user enters via a home page, there should be
an overview of the site, where the firm is located, the
contact name, and what activities can be done through
the Web site (such as whether there is online ordering).
These data should be in the first several lines. Complex
graphics, video, and audio enhance a sites look, but
may take time to download, trying users patience [1].
Standard netiquette requires that site operators reveal
347

file size, so users (especially business-to-business ones)

can make an informed decision about downloading.
Text should be kept at a reasonable level, with exceptions depending on the good/service. Users may want detailed data in certain cases. Due to the Webs nonlinear
nature, the order of information received is in the users
hands. This lets the writer do summaries at the top of a
document to brief the user, who can then choose to go
further into the site. Hot links enhance a users visit and
maximize a site providers business efforts. Yet, poor
links lead to dead-ends, reflecting poorly on the firm.
Links need planning and testingand regular check-ups.
Internal links are controllable by the firm and easily updated. External links are more apt to be out of date.
Good design is necessary through the entire site [18].
General recommendations include: (1) Keep popular information close to the home page; (2) create organized,
easy-to-navigate pages; (3) given the Webs real-time nature, update material regularly; (4) consider the tradeoffs
between graphics and speed; and (4) test the site with as
many browsers and platforms as possible to assure that
commands work well and hot links are correct.
Step 4: Site Promotion, Management,
and Evaluation
A user may stumble onto a firms site, but the odds are
against it. Site promotion is critical. One way is to register the URL with search engines such as Yahoo and directory services like the World Wide Yellow Pages. A
firm can also announce its site via an electronic release to
news sites like PR Newswire, to specialized directories
keyed to its business, and to relevant Usenet newsgroups.
Some Web servers list home pages for a small fee. Others list URLs if theirs are listed in return. Hot links to one
site from another are also a way to bring users to a site.
Many firms cite their URLs on everything from ads to
stationery. One excellent site for business-to-business
marketers is the Product News Network (http://www.
productnews.com) by Thomas Publishing. Data on 5,000
firms and 50,000 products are listedwith URLs and
e-mail addresses [41].
Once a site goes live, Web management begins. Firms
must respond quickly to users who send e-mail, complete
forms, and participate in other interactive ways. Site content (and hardware and software) must be reviewed and
updated regularly. In addition, if users complain that they
cannot access the site or are being logged out during a
visit, a more powerful server may be in order [22].
348

Site usage must be tracked to measure success, get

feedback, improve the site, and justify its existence. The
most common way providers measure Web performance
is by the number of hits a site generates. However,
there are accuracy problems with this. When a user accesses a page from a Web server, that counts as one hit. If
the user reads a page with ten graphics, each graphic is
counted as a separate item; thus one HTML page may
record dozens of hits from a user accessing it. Likewise,
the Webs disorganized nature may cause users to inadvertently check out before they are done, requiring them
to re-enter the site (which counts as another hit). The total hits, therefore, do not reflect the number of visits, but
grossly inflates them [26]. On the plus side, each time a
user clicks an icon or a highlighted word, the server
records which files are sent. Software packages can provide data on the number of visits, where users log on
from, the popularity of certain pages over others, and a
visits path and length. By learning which pages are popular, a firm can modify a site to reflect usage patterns.
Web operators with an interactive mechanism at their site
can evaluate user characteristics and areas of interest
first-hand. For firms with online ordering at the site, sales
can also be used to indicate performance.

A BUSINESS-TO-BUSINESS WEB SITE

ASSESSMENT TOOL
Because the Web is becoming such a key tool for business-to-business marketers, both internally to develop
strategy and communicate with employees and externally
to interact with customers, mechanisms to assess site effectiveness are vital. Yet, as Buchanan and Lukaszewski
(6, p. xiii) note, companies now find themselves trying
to manage Web sites without proper yardsticks.
Besides counting hits and trying to monitor Web-generated revenues; companies can evaluate their sites by
conducting consumer surveys, reviewing e-mail correspondence, and compiling expert ratings. In 1997, for example, the editors of Business Marketing compiled a list
of the 200 best business-to-business Web sites, including
top ten and top fifty groupings. These experts reviewed
the size of each firms Web staff, how the site was advertised, and site functionality (e.g., customer support, ability to order, and so forth) [31]. Sun Microsystems has a
feedback button on many of its Web pages so visitors can
critique specific pages via professionally constructed surveys [20]. 3Com uses software from Time Direct to re-

A structured B-to-B Web Site Assessment

Tool offers great promise.
view the performance of online ads and change banners,
e-mail, and Web sites [39].
Nonetheless, a comprehensive mechanism for systematically assessing the various components of a Web site
(the home page, overall site design and performance, text
content, audio-visual elements, and interaction and involvement) has not yet been introduced. That is why we
devised an original Web Site Assessment Tool that lets a
firm objectively and quantitatively measure the cumulative effect of the features of its Web site.

assigned to the factor for a factor score, and factor scores

are summed to get category scores and a total score. To
measure the site in percentage terms, the actual score is
divided by the maximum score. (In this instance, the
maximum score is 100%; the lowest score is 0%, and an
average score is 50%). The measurement methodology is
derived from the Fishbein attitude model [14]:
n

Total score =

Rating of factor i Weight of factor i

i=1

BACKGROUND AND RATIONALE FOR THE

WEB SITE ASSESSMENT TOOL
To develop an assessment tool with broad businessto-business Web site validity, it is necessary to get down
to the basics of Web usage. Business-to-business users
generally turn to the Web for information, education
(training), channel support/customer service, and/or online ordering [40, 42]. A Web site fulfills these needs by
using a mixture of text, graphics, video, and audio in an
interactive environment. The site must be designed to
perform wellstarting with the home page and continuing throughout.
Any assessment tool has five components: categories
(broad areas to be investigated); factors (specific elements comprising each category); weights (importance
placed on each category and factor); ratings (scores assigned to each category and factor); and total score (an
overall compilation based on both weights and ratings).
The first step is to identify the broad categories, and
the factors within them, that are critical to a Web sites
effectiveness. The categories and factors are then weighted
(in this instance, based on a total of 100 points); the
greater the number of points, the more important the
category/factor. Weighting depends on certain conditions,
which are discussed shortly. After weighting is completed, assessors review a site and rate the factors. (In
this instance, factors are rated from 0 to 10, with 10 being
excellent). Ratings are multiplied by the points (weights)

Based on a detailed literature review, the tool devised

for this paper used five broad categories as the basis for a
successful Web site: home page, overall site design and
performance, text content, audio-visual elements, and interaction and involvement. Also based on the literature
review, the key factors within each category were then
enumerated to measure each category. The result is the
Web Site Assessment Tool shown in Table 1.
Because assessment is situational in nature, weighting
each category and factor should be keyed to four main elements: Web site goals, the target market, the Web-related
hardware and telecommunications available to the target,
and the goods/services involved. These are some questions to address to correctly weight the tool:
Web site goals: Which of these goals are set for the
site: awareness of the company and its products, customer service, online sales, channel support, repeat visits,
compelling format, feedback, and so forth?
Target market: Is the business-to-business target market a large corporate user or a small business user? Is it
customers or channel partners? What are the major demographic and behavioral/usage factors for the target?
Web-related hardware/telecommunications available to
the target: What equipment is available to the target?
Does it limit speed, visuals, and response time? Is Web
access at the users fingertips or does he or she have to
actively seek it (i.e., use a colleagues PC, etc.)?
Good/service: What product is involved? This drives
content, especially whether it is information-, education-,
349

TABLE 1
A Business-to-Business Web Site Assessment Tool*

Categories/Factors

Weighting
Points

Rating

Actual
Score

Maximum
Score

Percentile
Score

Home Page
Clear, quick snapshot of the company, points of contact
Clear indication of sites contents
Attractive, compelling audio-visual elements
Total points (score) for the category
Overall Site Design and Performance
Clean, organized, easy-to-navigate pages
Speed and response time, low congestion
Easy access to customer inquiry mechanism/home page throughout site
Security and protection measures
Total points (score) for the category
Text Content
Up-to-date information
Clearly written, easy to understand, and well-organized content
Informational value
Educational/training value
Material presented in a compelling manner
Total points (score) for the category
Audio-Visual Elements
Graphical elements
Video elements
Audio elements
Response time/speed of audio-visual elements
Level to which audio-visual elements enhance the site
Total points (score) for the category
Interaction and Involvement
Ability to e-mail firm from the site and responsiveness of reply
Customer inquiry mechanism/customer service
Channel support
Real-time online interactive elements (i.e., chat rooms)
Interactive survey or program resulting in customized end user info
Online product demonstration
Online product delivery
Online ordering
Total points (score) for the category
TOTAL SCORE
*For every Web site, rate each factor on a scale from 0 to 10, with 10 being excellent.
Weighting Points 5 The share of 100 points assigned to each factor and category; Rating 5 The number from 0 to 10 assigned to each factor; Actual
Score 5 Weighting Points 3 Rating for each factor, then summed for the category; Maximum Score 5 Weighting Points 3 10 for each factor; then summed for
the category; Percentile Score 5 Actual Score/Maximum Score for each factor and category.

support-/service-, and/or online ordering-based and whether

it has a lot of text or visuals.
These examples further clarify how the preceding elements affect the category weighting:
A marketing communications manager for a networking manufacturer seeks Web-based data on potential
ad agency candidates. The focus of the content to this
user is information. Audio-visual elements play a critical role, as the manager will want to view a creative
350

portfolio. From an interaction perspective, a customer

inquiry mechanism, customized surveys, and e-mail
are essential. Home page and design/performance are
also important. This user probably has outstanding access to the Web.
A purchasing agent at a financial services company
wants to buy new PCs for the sales department. For
this user, the information value of content is critical.
Educational value is important if the agent is not savvy
about PCs as they relate to selling. The buyer probably

wants to see what products look like, but it is unlikely

audio and video are major factors. E-mail, customer inquiries, and surveys are helpful. Site design/performance and the home page play a key role. Equipment
can run the gamutfrom a PC with limited RAM and
POTS access to a T1 connection with a RAM-heavy PC.
From the above, it is clear that hardware/telecommunications varies greatly, reinforcing the need to do all possible to maximize speed. The home page, overall site design and performance, text content, audio-visual elements,
and interaction and involvement are all target marketand goods/services-dependent. Thus, their features could
fluctuate considerably by firm and situation.
The Assessment Tool has a mechanism for converting
each categorys raw score to a percentile score, as with
the total scoring system. It is the Actual Category Score/
Maximum Category Score. This provides category scores
that can be compared with a sites overall score; and categories requiring improvement are indicated.

able or confidential information is exchanged. In that instance, a firewall is a must.

Text Content
A site must have content that satisfies user needs and it
should be updated at least monthly. Content should be
easy to understand for a user to get its full benefits. Even
though a Web site can combine text, graphics, video, and
audio in an attractive way, for many users, text content is
still king since current telecommunications and computer
hardware limit speed. Compared to graphics, video, and
audio Web files, text files download quicker. In addition,
the Internet was initially developed to exchange information using the written word. That mindset is still pervasive. Thus, the weight for text content tends to be higher
than audio-visuals.

Audio-Visual Elements
DISCUSSION OF ASSESSMENT TOOL
CATEGORIES AND FACTORS
Home Page
Web surfing often begins with the home page. To
maximize effectiveness, this page should offer a snapshot
of the firm, along with points of contact. It should also
note the sites major componentsusing icons with text
captions. The page should compel users to check out the
rest of the site. Attractive audio-visual elements help.
Site Design and Performance
Access speed and response time are very significant.
Although some Web users have the best equipment available, time is always critical. The more quickly a user gets
to the features sought, the more satisfied he/she will be.
Clean, organized, easy-to-navigate pages enhance this
time element. So does a low level of congestion.
Entree to the home page and a customer inquiry mechanism should be easy to locate throughout a site because
users may find themselves at a place that does not give
them the information sought. Quick access to the home
page, and to a customer inquiry mechanism is critical,
and will heighten user satisfaction.
Finally, data security is a significant design element. A
site must secure user privacy if online ordering is avail-

Although text content remains key, graphics, audio,

and video are ways to enhance such content. The value of
audio-visuals depends on the target market, the goods/
services, and the targets equipment. Graphics tend to be
assigned greater weight as photos, diagrams, and illustrations are sought by more users. However, video and audio hardware may not be resident in a users PC, further
minimizing their weights. Software that compresses audio-visual files decreases downloading time.

Interaction/Involvement
This category is greatly influenced by the target market and type of good/service. The ability to send e-mail
to the firm and get a quick response is expected. Weightings for these factors tend to be more consistent than for
others. Chat rooms and interactive surveys are more important to certain markets than to others.
Depending on the firm, higher levels of interaction
may exist. Online ordering is an example. Although the
Web is not generally used much for this purpose today,
more users are buying online. As security improves, so
will ordering. Another form of higher level of interaction
is demonstrations. Some items lend themselves to this;
software, CDs, and publications are ideal. The ultimate
Web interaction is online product delivery. To date, this
option is limited to a few goods/services (such as computer software and ticketless airline reservations).
351

Web sites must be assessed by each

target audience.
APPLYING THE WEB SITE ASSESSMENT TOOL
What follows is a case study format to demonstrate
how the Web Site Assessment Tool can be applied. Two
business-to-business marketing scenarios were constructed. The first one recognizes that a typical businessto-business Web site is geared toward multiple audiences. The second one looks at how competitive sites
may be compared with one another.
Scenario 1: Assessing a Web Site from the
Perspective of Multiple Audiences
XYZ Associates is a hypothetical consultant specializing in Web assessment for the computer industry. It has
been hired to evaluate the site of the ABC company (a PC
manufacturer) from the perspective of four key target markets: (1) MIS managers who buy desktop PCs and systems
equipment. The target is not industry-specific; buyers represent both service- and goods-oriented firms. Although
current computer capabilities within the purchasing firms
vary greatly, members of this segment do tend to have the
latest equipment for their own personal use. (2) Buyers who
purchase PCs for computer resellers (channel partners of
ABC). They are expert in PCs and Web site navigation.
Channel support and customer service are most important.
(3) Sales managers who buy notebook PCs for field salespeople. This segment is not industry-specific; buyers represent both service- and goods-oriented firms. The managers are most interested in the audio-visual capabilities of
the PCs, as well as modem speed, for use in presentations
to customers. (4) Small business owners who buy desktop
PCs for use in running their businesses. This segment is
not industry-specific; buyers represent both service- and
goods-oriented firms. Users have limited PC experience
and are looking to upgrade from 486 PCs to newer Pentium models. Usually, one to three PCs are bought at a
time. User-friendliness at the Web site is imperative.
Although the Web site categories/factors shown in Table 1 are appropriate for measuring the quality of ABCs
site from the perspective of each of these target markets,
352

the weighting points differbased upon the characteristics and needs of the target markets. This is shown in
Table 2.
MIS MANAGERS. Due to their experience and goals,
MIS managers are likely to place the least emphasis on
ABCs home page and audio-visual elements, and the
greatest emphasis on overall site design, text content, and
interaction and involvement. Online delivery of software
has some value to this group.
BUYERS FOR RESELLERS. Such buyers are also apt
to place the least emphasis on ABCs home page and audio-visual elements. Interaction and involvement are critical. Given their role in the distribution process, these
buyers consider security measures, up-to-date information, and the quality of information to be important.
Among the four groups, this segment places the greatest
value on channel support and online ordering.
SALES MANAGERS. Based on their background and
goals, these sales managers are likely to place the most
emphasis on the audio-visual, site design, and online
product demonstration elements of the Web site.
SMALL BUSINESS OWNERS. Due to their relative inexperience, they are apt to place the greatest value on site
elements that are easy-to-ease, attractive, and informative. Online ordering is desirable for its convenience.
The way to handle the multiple audience issue through
a single company Web site is addressed in the managerial
implications section at the end of the paper.
Scenario 2: Assessing Competitive Web Sites
XYZ Associates is a hypothetical consultant specializing in Web assessment for the computer industry. It has
been hired by the ABC company (a PC maker) to evaluate
the Web sites of competing PC makers from the perspective of the key target market of MIS managers who buy
PCs and information systems equipment. A weighted version of the Web Site Assessment Tool was used to rate
the sites of 10 real PC makers that sell to the indicated
target market. Due to the rapid changes in Web sites, the
firms were disguised and designated as Company A

TABLE 2
Weighting Assessment Categories/Factors by Target User: A Hypothetical Example of a PC Makers Web Site
Weighting Points

Categories/Factors
Home Page
Clear, quick snapshot of the company, points of contact
Clear indication of sites contents
Attractive, compelling audio-visual elements
Total points for the category
Overall Site Design and Performance
Clean, organized, easy-to-navigate pages
Speed and response time, low congestion
Easy access to customer inquiry mechanism/home page throughout site
Security and protection measures
Total points for the category
Text Content
Up-to-date information
Clearly written, easy to understand, and well-organized content
Informational value
Educational/training value
Material presented in a compelling manner
Total points for the category
Audio-Visual Elements
Graphical elements
Video elements
Audio elements
Response time/speed of audio-visual elements
Level to which audio-visual elements enhance the site
Total points for the category
Interaction and Involvement
Ability to e-mail firm from the site and responsiveness of reply
Customer inquiry mechanism/customer service
Channel support
Real-time online interactive elements (i.e., chat rooms)
Interactive survey or program resulting in customized end user info
Online product demonstration
Online product delivery
Online ordering
Total points (score) for the category
TOTAL WEIGHTING

through Company J. A form was completed by the authors (serving as the consultant) for each PC firm,
along with a synopsis of the pros and cons about its Web
site. Total scores and category scores were summarized.
In weighting the Web Site Assessment Tool for this
application (using the same weights shown in Table 2 for
MIS managers), overall site design and performance, text
content, and interaction and involvement are assigned 25
points each, followed by audio-visuals with 13 points and
home page with 12 points. First and foremost in the mind
of this target is the desire to gather data quickly and efficiently. Specifications, costs, and dealer descriptions
must be available. Text content is critical, as is the ability

MIS
Managers

Buyers for
Resellers

Sales
Managers

Small Business
Owners

5
5
2
12

4
4
2
10

5
4
6
15

8
7
5
20

7
9
4
5
25

3
5
4
8
20

6
6
6
2
20

7
6
6
1
20

5
7
7
4
2
25

7
5
7
3
3
25

4
4
4
4
4
20

2
5
5
4
4
20

4
2
2
4
1
13

5
2
2
5
1
15

7
7
3
3
5
25

5
5
5
5
5
25

6
6
0
2
3
4
1
3
25
100

6
6
6
2
2
2
0
6
30
100

4
4
0
3
2
5
0
2
20
100

3
3
0
1
1
3
0
4
15
100

of the site to access and deliver information. Interaction

and involvement is vital because customer service, e-mail,
and demonstrations can aid MIS managers in decision
making, and interactive options are helpful for post-sale
support. From an audio-visual perspective, the user will
want to see what a product looks like and perhaps view
set-up diagrams. Because of the background and interests
of this group, the home page has value but is ranked last
in importance.
Speed/response time/low congestion receives the highest weight in site design and performance since this maximizes user productivity. Navigation rates high for the
same reason. Access to and responsiveness from a cus353

B-to-B web sites are often lacking in audio,

video, and online ordering.
tomer inquiry/home page is also key for MIS managers,
who often need instant communication. Security/protection measures are meaningful since confidential information may be exchanged.
Regarding the factors in the text content category, the
need for clarity and information are most important. Education/training rates higher than compelling presentation,
as the manager may need to learn about new technical
features in more detail to make a better decision. Timeliness of information also rates high.
In the interaction and involvement category, the e-mail,
customer inquiry mechanism, and online product demonstration factors are given a high amount of points: MIS
managers often need in-depth information about products, and these factors are often used for technical support after purchase. With e-mail, customers send specific
messages to the firm with regard to product requirements
or technical issues. A customer inquiry mechanism lets
the user do the same, but is limited to the questions
posed. Responsiveness to e-mail and customer inquiries
is a major indicator of how well a site is performing in
this category. Chat rooms may be useful for technical
and product data, but are weighted lower because the
open forum format is not geared toward the needs of this
business-to-business customer. Online demonstrations
that allow potential buyers to see product features make
decisions easier. Online ordering is critical to some large
customers and is assigned three points for that reason.
Online delivery is not an option for this type of good (except for software).
Within the audio-visual category, the graphical elements and response time factors are assigned the greatest
amount of points. Photos and diagrams are more useful
to this customer than audio and video. As always, response time plays a critical role, and the main goal of visuals should be to enhance and clarify text content.
Because the home page is often the front door to the
site, it must provide a synopsis of the firm along with
points of contact; some users may want to call the company and must be given the phone numbers to do so. It
354

should also be no mystery as to where the user goes to

get the information desired.
Using the Assessment Tool, the Web sites of Companies A through J were evaluated, based on an 11-point
scale. A number from 0 to 10 was assigned to each factor
in Table 1 (10 5 excellent performance, 5 5 average
performance, and 0 5 total nonperformance) and summary scores were computed. Total percentile scores for the
sites ranged from 52.0 for Company A to 85.5 for Company H. The average total score was 70.8. See Table 3.
The mean category scores shed even more light than
total scores. Average percentile scores were: (1) Home
Page, 79.5; (2) Text Content, 77.5; (3) Overall Site Design and Performance, 76.0; (4) Interaction and Involvement, 61.5; and (5) Audio-Visual Elements, 57.7. Most
of the firms did a very good job with the first three categories. Their home pages set the stage in a comprehensive, user-friendly way; text content was detailed and
clear; and the sites were easy to navigate and relatively
fast. However, few of the sites separated their intra-Web
links into business-to-business and final consumer segments. The focus was too final consumer-oriented.
Most sites were average to just-above-average with
audio-visuals, and interaction and involvement. This was
surprising given the firms reputations for innovativeness
and their presence in the PC industry. In fact,
Only one firm had an audio feature at its site (and that
was quite limited).
Although a few firms used a small amount of moving
graphics as video, none of them offered an online
video feature at their Web sites.
Although six firms offered some online ordering, only
four let a customer buy a broad assortment of current
items. Most ordering also better served final consumers than business-to-business consumers.
Please note: (a) Every one of the 10 sites reviewed
here improved significantly from the time this article was
initially prepared until submission of the final draft. This
indicates the dynamic and rapidly evolving nature of the

TABLE 3
Using the Web Site Assessment Tool for a Case Study of Competitive PC MakersFrom the Perspective of MIS Managers
Web Site Scoring (in Percentiles)

Company
A
B
C
D
E
F
G
H
I
J
Average

Home
Page

Overall Site
Design and
Performance

Text
Content

Audio-Visual
Elements

Interaction
and
Involvement

Weighted
Total
Score

50.0
81.7
77.5
88.3
96.7
70.0
95.0
78.3
77.5
80.0
79.5

69.6
74.0
78.4
83.6
83.6
65.2
67.6
91.6
79.2
66.8
76.0

56.4
88.8
80.4
89.6
85.6
68.0
76.4
90.4
68.8
70.8
77.5

40.0
50.8
46.9
62.3
65.4
61.5
58.8
74.6
60.8
56.2
57.7

37.2
49.2
53.6
67.6
83.6
69.2
65.2
83.6
58.8
47.2
61.5

52.0
69.4
68.5
78.9
83.3
67.0
71.3
85.5
68.9
63.1
70.8

Web. (b) The top two sites in our analysis were also
ranked among the top 10 business-to-business sites in
1997 by Business Marketings NetMarketing [37], indicating the applicability of the Assessment Tool.
MANAGERIAL IMPLICATIONS
Considerations in Planning a Web Site
When planning a Web site, a business-to-business
marketer needs to keep these points in mind:
Specific goals must be set and the site designed on the
basis of these objectives. The goals need to reflect both
the firms and the Web site users perspectives.
The site must be worthwhile and apropos for each target audience attracted to it. The best way to do this is
to plan different entry links for each party from the
home page. Thus, the needs of each audience are properly addressed. This is an application of differentiated
marketing (whereby distinct marketing offerings are
tailored to different target markets).
The site must be easy to navigate and make it simple to
return to the home page. Links to the components
within the site should be available from throughout the
site. Security must also be appropriate for the interactions conducted at the site.
The special needs of the business-to-business audience
must be incorporated into the site. This means there
should be less emphasis on entertainment and more
emphasis on product specifications, customer support,
business applications (e.g., case studies), and so on.
Firms need to research business customers to learn

what Web site features and how much online ordering

they desire, and the format for them.
The site needs to be as flexible as possible to accommodate different browsers, different PC configurations, and different connections. By allowing the user
to click onto various formats (for example, Windows
3.1, NT, 95, and 98) at the site, a firm can better customize the site to its audience.
Feedback mechanisms must be planned, whether they
be surveys, e-mail, or comment forms.
Tradeoffs need to be planned: speed vs. graphics and
audio-visuals, a clean look vs. the amount of text on a
page, the availability of online ordering vs. strong reseller relationships, and so on. One way to handle this
is to plan intra-site links so certain features are selfcontained. Thus, a user interested in a video demonstration of a PC could click onto a specific link, learn
how long the download will take when he/she enters
the link, and not be slowed down if he/she is disinterested in a video demonstration. Business-to-business
marketers should use more glitz; they just need to be
creative in doing so.

Considerations in Managing a Web Site

When managing a Web site, a business-to-business
marketer needs to keep these points in mind:
Everything possible must be done to maintain the
speed of downloading Web pages. This may mean
adding servers and links, upgrading Java, using the latest releases of Real Player and Shockwave, etc.
355

The four Cs of assessment are consistency,

company, competition, constituency.
Information must be as current as possible with regard
to product specifications, prices, links, etc. This entails
updating the site regularly. This is also a way to keep
users coming back to visit the site.
New Web site features should be added as soon as feasible. Given the huge strides being made with audio
and video, these elements are utilized by too few business-to-business firms. Consider how effective it
would be to answer FAQs (frequently asked questions)
in an audio or video manner.
Rapid response time is necessary for all e-mail, orders,
and other customer queries. If a response will take
more than a day, the user should at the very least receive
an e-mail advising him/her as to when a full reply will
be forthcoming.
On a day-to-bay basis, business-to-business customers
must be treated separately from final consumers. This is
why intra-site links by target audience are so important.
Dedicated company personnel should be assigned to key
accounts and communicate with the accounts regularly.
Web site activities must be integrated with the rest of
the companys marketing program, especially inventory management, follow-up sales calls, price quotes,
and special promotions.
The site must be continually promoted, not just when it
is first launched.
Users must be reassured as to site security in placing
orders and in providing confidential data.
Considerations in Assessing a Web Site
When assessing a Web site, a business-to-business
marketer needs to keep these points in mind:
Measures must be closely related to the goals and criteria for success set by the firm. Not only should companies look at the sales and hits generated by the Web site,
they must also get feedback about the many elements
of the Web site through consumer surveys and expert
ratings. One way to get such feedback is by using the
Web Site Assessment Tool described in this article.
356

Membership in a group such as the Institute for Business Studies Business Marketing Web Consortium
(http://www.smeal.psu.edu/isbm/web) that exchanges
information on Web sites would be helpful.
Business-to-business Web site assessment should incorporate the 4 Cs:
Consistency: A consistent tool should be used to
track a sites performance longitudinally.
Company: Firms should have their sites regularly
rated in absolute terms against an overall standard of
excellence.
Competition: Firms should regularly benchmark
their sites against those of competitors.
Constituency: Firms should have their sites rated by
each different constituency that is attracted.
Outside parties should evaluate the site in an objective,
systematic, and thorough manner.
A process must be in place to react to the feedback
gathered through site assessment.
Considerations in Applying the Web Site
Assessment Tool
The Web Site Assessment Tool presented in this article is a valuable way to rate site effectiveness. It is a
comprehensive, systematic evaluation technique that incorporates the major categories of Web sites, the factors
within them, and a method for weighting, rating, and
scoring these elements. The basic tool is easy to customize (as shown with the case examples noted); and due to
its flexible design, the Assessment Tool has great potential for use by a variety of firms, regardless of size, industry, consumer type, good/service, or other characteristics.
Category and factor weights can be adjusted to accommodate the varying goals and attributes of firms.
The tool yields a total score and category scores (six
scores per firm), and can accommodate many nuances. It
has a built-in mechanism that assigns scores to each category and converts them to percentiles. This is particularly
useful, as it instantly notes areas of excellence and areas
for improvement. The broad categories identified in the

Web Site Assessment ToolHome Page, Site Design

and Performance, Text Content, Audio-Visual Elements
and Interaction/Involvementcover the key areas for
Web site success. Factors in each category capture the
critical data needed to evaluate that category. Subjectivity challenges do exist for such factors as graphics. What
is attractive to one user may not be to another.
Here are specific recommendations for further research on Web site assessment:
The Web Site Assessment Tool offers a way to do
evaluations among firms in a multitude of industries,
as well as to assess Web sites within industries and between industries. A step towards this end would be to
implement case studies similar to the ones in this paper
by adjusting the weights accordingly.
To enhance the quantitative nature of appraisals of
Web sites using this tool, a large group of evaluators is
needed. Furthermore, feedback must come from multiple audiences.
An understanding of the type of equipment and Internet connection in force by the user group is critical in
conducting assessments. Differences must be noted
(such as different color and font settings).
Before a formal evaluation is undertaken, the validity
of the categories and factors in the Web Site Assessment Tool for the particular company, market, and industry should be tested, along with the weights assigned, perhaps with focus groups comprised of the
particular markets whose usage will be the basis of the
site evaluation. Fine-tuning should then be done.
To minimize subjectivity, site evaluators should be
given precise guidelines to rate each factor. For example, a guideline for the home page factor of clear, quick
snapshot of the company and points of contact would
be that the visitor can obtain a topline overview of the
firms business and contact information such as phone
numbers, addresses, and fax numbers either from the
home page or not more than one click away from it. The
clean, organized, easy-to-navigate pages factor for
Overall Site Design and Performance could be further
defined as the availability of help and search tools
at the site. Text Content would be considered up-todate based on when the site was last updated. For the
graphical elements under the Audio-Visual category,
evaluators would be asked to rate the degree to which
these elements enhance or detract from the content. Under Interaction and Involvement, the difference between
e-mail and customer inquiry tools would be explained.

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