The latest lessons for e-tailers

There's a nice story about the e-shopper who called a supermarket help line after six failed attempts to log on for a spot of spending, just to be told her week's grocery list could be delivered in 10 days.

In all fairness, the telephone operator did explain that the website was being revamped which meant there was a backlog of orders, which meant the lengthy waiting time. So much for the instantaneous, all-areas-accessible internet.

Or how about the rival supermarket that excelled itself with an outstanding 18-minute online order time and a next day delivery promise.

True to its word, a driver arrived the next day with a full order, just not the right order and with a receipt five times more than the cost of the original order.

Or the supermarkets that substituted requested own brand items with more expensive brands, even though the goods ordered online were available on the supermarket shelf that day.

The findings above come from a survey by trade magazine The Grocer. They conducted the fourth and final part of a year long online shopping trial over the busy Easter period.

While website navigation, speed of access and ease of use have all improved over the past year back end systems are still not up to scratch.

It seems the seasonal online shopping spree last Christmas - and the one before that, and the one before that - did nothing to stop shoppers going hopping mad this Easter.

Analysts dubbed last Christmas the 'third e-Christmas'. It was an achievement of sorts simply because all round performance was slightly better than the previous year.

But has performance really improved? Websites may be glossier, shopping routines may be snappier, access time may be quicker but that's not much use if Waitrose still puts bananas in your shopping basket instead of apples, or Amazon delivers your Christmas presents in January.

E-tail requires more effort than providing friendly floor staff or express checkouts - and they can be hard enough to get right. A nice website may be the online equivalent of service with a smile but most people log on so they don't have to deal with shop staff in the first place.

Precise, high powered technology that links orders with deliveries and gets it all right, all on time is what really counts The service with a smile motto doesn't work when you're being told tomorrow's dinner doesn't arrive until next Tuesday.