We conducted a survey asking 1,000 Canadians if they would purchase from a company with a poorly designed website. We used Google Surveys and targeted males and females between the ages of 18 to 65+ from coast to coast. We asked the following question with three possible responses:

Would you buy from a company that has a poorly designed, hard to navigate and outdated website?

• No. It makes me feel like I can’t trust them.
• Perhaps. But I’ll have to do more research.
• Yes. I don’t mind bad-quality websites.

A Poorly Designed, Difficult To Navigate Website Makes Consumers Feel Like They Can’t Trust A Company, Especially Females 65+

When asked if they would purchase from a company that had a poorly designed, hard to navigate, and outdated website, 63.3% of respondents indicated they would not, because it made them feel like the company was untrustworthy.

When demographic filters were applied to the results, specifically targeting females, the percentage increased to 66.5%. Moreover, with females 65+, the percentage skyrocketed to 75.3%. That is a full 12 percent increase from the general survey results.

Considering that in our digital age, there are literally millions of companies with websites, a strong, positive web presence is imperative. Web design has a profound effect on consumers and their purchasing choices. In essence, based upon these survey results, trust is everything. Good website design is essential in fostering this trust with customers. A company that owns a well-designed website offers the best possible user experience, which in turn, positively influences a consumer’s opinion of trustworthiness in the company – thus increasing sales.

Middle-Aged Males Might Buy From A Company With A Poorly Designed, Hard To Navigate, And Outdated Website

 The next most popular response to the survey question with 29.8% of respondents, indicated that they perhaps would buy from a company with a poorly designed website, but more research would have to be done. Yet curiously, when demographic filters were applied factoring middle-aged males between 45 and 54 years old, 40.4% of this cohort made this selection.

The majority of first-time visitors to a company’s website are researching their options and comparing said company with similar businesses. Web design is a vital component for a company to stand out and convey both trust and legitimacy.

By having a user and mobile-friendly website that is search engine optimized with professional graphic design, companies will attract and engage potential consumers, helping increase digital sales.

Some Consumers Are Inclined To Buy A Company With Bad-Quality Websites, Especially Males Between 55 and 64

The final response to the survey question was “Yes. I don’t mind bad-quality websites” – 7.1% of respondents indicated this answer.

When demographic filters were applied specifically targeting males between 55 and 64 years old, interestingly, the percentage nearly doubled to 13.6%. Conversely, 6.2% of females from the same age bracket indicated this response. In general, 4.9% of all females who participated in the survey, indicated that they would buy from a company with a poorly designed website, while 9.2% of all males surveyed selected the same response.

Conclusion

 Given the near-infinite number of company websites available to consumers online, it is imperative for a business to own a well-designed website in order to stand out. The old adage rings true, that first impressions are crucial with all things in life. A company’s website must be well designed and easily navigable, making users feel safe and comfortable, which will foster trust. Thus, the majority of users are far more inclined to follow through with a purchase, not to mention, become a repeat customer. This, in turn, will accelerate a company’s growth.

Details About The Study And RMS Score

Sampling

Audience: Users on websites in the Google Surveys Publisher Network

Method: Representative

Age: All Ages

Gender: All Genders

Location: Canada

Language: English

Frequency: Once

Root mean square error (RMSE) is a weighted average of the difference between the predicted population sample (CPS) and the actual sample (Google). The lower the number, the smaller the overall sample bias.

Sarah Bauder

Sarah Bauder is a senior content specialist at Little Dragon Media. Sarah has a degree in journalism and has a decade of experience writing content at numerous renowned publications. She enjoys writing about digital marketing, business, entrepreneurship and more.