mined it was checked to make sure it met the criteria to be considered a computer seller.Each Web site was individually evaluated objectively by the use of a yes/no analysis form. The use of this form is to ensure that there is no partiality towards any of the Web sites evaluated in this report.Web Sites Divided into 2 CategoriesThe web sites were divided into two categories: (1) large company, and (2) small business. The large company category is comprised of the six previously mentioned well-known companies. The small business category is comprised of the remainder of sites that were randomly selected from Yahoos directory listing. Criteria for Evaluating Computer Sellers Web SitesThe criterion used for evaluating Web sites was broken down into six categories. These categories asked the following questions: (1) Is the layout of the page easy to read and attractive to the eye? (2) Does the page reflect the business? Does it include an identifying logo? (3) Is the Web page easy to navigate and find what you are looking for? (4) Is it easy to contact the company for more information? (5) Does the Web page give useful information about products and services? (6) Can a customer order products on the Web site? Can a customer use a credit card as a method of payment? Figure 1 displays how these sites ranked in these categories.Figure 1. WEB SITE CATEGORY RANKINGS Other criterion that was also considered was: (1) Does the page look cluttered or dull? (2) Is the page visually appealing to the eye? (3) What is the best feature? (4) What is the worst feature? (5) An overall rating among the twenty listed sites.These criteria can be referred to in Appendix C: Web Site Criteria Forms. FINDINGSAll of the large companies received the same scores in the different categories as the other large companies, while the small business scored the same way among themselves. Best and Worst SitesThe best Web sites were owned by the large companies w...
