The Great Wellbeing v's Superdrug Race. (Online Fashion & Beauty Shops in general)

Member Name: samantha

Product:	Online Fashion & Beauty Shops in general
Date:	17/04/01 (93 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Both good sites that could learn from one another

Disadvantages: tempting to spend too much.

UPDATE Superdrug's site has shut down - whether it's perminant it doesn't not say

And their off……… The great race between the two main pharmaceutical and beauty retailer’s superdrug and wellbeing (Boots)

Boots has its customary attire of blue and white imagery and Superdrug is ermm also in blue with its blue and white logo.

Currently Boots is edging ahead with a limited free delivery offer, but Superdrug is catching up with a recent (now expired) £5 off when you spend over £25.

So we turn to examine the form. Boots, a retailer for many years with a national reputation and a market leader in the health and beauty industry. Owning handbag.com, Halfords and retail properties its looking strong but coming up at its tail is Superdrug part of Kingfisher and with a newly improved reputation bringing in a wide range of goods and catering to a younger market.

Ethically Superdrug inches ahead with its past support for FRAME (fund for the replacement of animals in medical experiments) and its non animal testing policy whilst Boots trainer has stated that ‘No animal testing of any kind is undertaken or commissioned by The Boots Company or its subsidiary businesses’.

On to the web site launch, both occurring at about the same time and offering a wide variety of products from health and beauty to pharmaceuticals. Superdrug opens with a strapping page, bright and well designed with free offers and easy navigation whilst the Boots site settles on more muted tones and a big push for its digital TV service. Expert views and news along with product updates could be putting the Wellbeing site into the led but Superdrug comes along strong with its health advice service and free gift wrapping for fragrance purchases.

The sites are neck and neck for speed and Superdrug is edging slightly ahead as we approach the last furlong. The Wellbeing site is not looking as clear as
to where the sections of the internet shop actually are with its troublesome, if flash, navigation whilst Superdrug have clear and easy to use sections for all products. But is this all for show? Locating a specific product can be difficult at the Superdrug site with brands being broken up into very specific sections, click on the wrong one and you could fall at the first fence!

The range of products available could make this race, and the Wellbeing site is well stocked with Boots and brand labels that may exceed what you will find at your local store whilst the Superdrug site offers its own goods as well as a large selection of what is currently stocked in your local branch.

The last test will be the purchasing, this has often been a tricky area for health and beauty contenders with a lot of time wasted filling in box after box, will they let us down? No, both sites are simple to fill out with options for faster or standard delivery and gift-wrapping optional. Delivery is looking good with Wellbeing offering free delivery before may the 2nd and Superdrug’s standard two-day delivery at £2.50, both sites are offering a faster delivery service for next day or evening delivery at a higher price.

Security is looking high with both sites offering safe and secure online shopping, but wait Superdrug has fallen throwing the shopper high into the air with no information on whether their order has been received and no way to track you order whilst Wellbeing quickly offers an email to confirm your order and advise you how to keep track.

But wait, Boots is looking more expensive for day to day items such as shower gel and body lotion whilst Superdrug with its budget own brands is streaking to the finish.

So how did the betting go. By putting £29 into the Superdrug site punters have received a number of goodies that would have cost significantly more on the Wellbeing site. The service could be improved but the site wins out w
ith its bright design and easy navigation but could learn from Wellbeing’s after care service, giving you a good rub down and some kind words in your ear ensuring you that your goods will arrive.


UPDATE: Superdrug has surpassed itself by delivering first thing this morning when the order was placed one day after the wellbeing order. Including free samples that easily surpassed the postage costs, its going to recieve a rosset and a pat on the nose.

UPDATE: Wellbeing has delivered a day later than superdrug and I'm still not convinced there service is as good. Free gift was included (bath pearls - strawberry, the one fruit I'm allergic to!) but they loose points as the delivery man was not as jolly.

Summary: