Press Release - June 15, 2005
eVŌC Insights and RelevantView form a syndicated research partnership and announce first competitive study
Syndicated Research Includes Unique Head-to-Head Competitive Industry Reports that Focus on Key Topics, Industry Benchmarks, and Best Practices
SAN FRANCISCO, CA and WESTPORT, CT —June 15, 2005— eVŌC Insights, a customer experience consulting firm and, RelevantView, a leading technology provider of Web-based research solutions, announce the formation of a syndicated research partnership to address the need for industry-specific, head-to head competitive research. This new partnership combines RelevantView's online technology, ActiveSandbox®, with eVŌC's strategic consulting and analytical expertise to help companies maximize the effectiveness of the online channel by providing a complete view of the customer decision process relative to the competition.
Unlike other methodologies, this research will combine behavioral and attitudinal metrics to understand the thoughts, actions and preferences of consumers as they interact directly with competitive Web sites.
"RelevantView is the ideal technology partner for this research," said Liz Edison, Co-founder and Managing Partner of eVŌC. "With RelevantView, we can combine the best of market research, Web analytics and online usability to bridge the gap between online behavior and actual consumer preferences across the competition."
"We're excited about the opportunities this new partnership affords. You can't get a closer view or understanding of how customers make decisions anywhere," said Marshall Harrison, CEO of RelevantView. "Not only do we have the ability to see how customers weigh the strengths and weaknesses of any one site, but now we'll have the ability to gain insight into what drives competitive preferences."
eVŌC and RelevantView plan to roll out studies in the following industries: Travel, Retail, Automotive, and Telecom. Each industry report will include in-depth analysis of the customer experience across the top sites, identifying what drives brand preference, loyalty and industry best practices.
The inaugural report Branding & Loyalty for Online Travel Agencies: Expedia vs. Travelocity vs. Orbitz takes a an in-depth look at how consumers interact with the three leading online travel agencies and provides insights into what drives overall purchase preference.
As the online travel market becomes more and more competitive, travel companies want to understand the importance and impact of brand and loyalty on conversion. The competitive travel report for online travel agencies addresses this need and answers the following questions:
- What are consumers looking for in an online travel experience?
- Do consumers recognize and remember a unique brand identity?
- Does loyalty exist among online travel agencies, or are consumers simply shopping on price?
- Where and how shall online travel companies invest in building a brand vs. new features vs. competitive pricing strategies?
Online travel agencies and travel search engines dominate the online travel market, securing 10 out of the top 15 travel sites visited on the Web. In March 2005, more than 18.7M consumers visited Expedia.com, followed by 17.7M to Orbitz and 12.6M to Travelocity. Only a few select travel suppliers made the top 15 ranking, including Southwest, Delta, American Airlines, United, and NWA.
When it comes to price, Expedia and Travelocity outperform Orbitz on perception of low prices guaranteed. Travelocity differentiates itself by touting its email notification when prices drop for specified cities and last minute discounts for travel within two weeks. Expedia emphasizes ease of use through convenient access to previously booked and current itineraries.
Among Expedia and Travelocity "loyalists", 40% are likely to switch to another site to make a purchase. Conversely, 60% remain loyal to both Travelocity and Expedia after experiencing competitive tasks on each of the sites. Expedia is able to maintain consistency among its loyal following, however, Travelocity is vulnerable.
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"Over the last three years, we have worked extensively with eVŌC Insights to help us with a broad range of research needs. The consultants at eVŌC are very effective at both strategic and tactical levels, and have strong knowledge of our industry and of Web best practices in general. The insights gained have impacted our business strategy and have resulted in clear improvements on key performance measures such as online conversion. We highly recommend the team at eVŌC."
— Barrie Seidenberg, President / CEO, Viator.com