Impatience will Lead to Lean Mean Websites

A research survey done by Akamai has shown that the average person who makes purchases online has very little patience for slow loading websites. According to this BBC news article, 75% of users will not consider returning to a site that takes longer than a few seconds to load. According to the survey the number one priority for online shoppers is the display speed of a site. One of the interesting findings of the survey was that when it came to slower loading sites users found them more difficult to navigate and the checkout process was also very slow.

As a web developer it has become apparent to me over my years in this industry that the separation of content, design, and functionality and the development of a site adhering to web standards significantly increases the speed and efficiency of a site. So if speed is the primary concern of online shoppers, it behooves the online merchant to make the online shopping experience both simple and quick. Having graphics and media heavy merchant sites, while pretty to look at, do not serve the consumer’s best interest, which in turn means fewer sales for the merchant.

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