Several of the UK’s largest retail brands have been rated in a study that scrutinises their website’s performance on tablet devices.

Digital marketing agency Quisma determined that Topshop had the best tablet experience overall, followed closely by Adidas, Nike and New Look. H&M was left to pick up the wooden spoon after its tablet support was left wanting.

User experience was judged based on four specific areas and each carried a different weighting depending on its importance to the consumer. The homepage contributed 40%, product detail page 30%, shopping basket 15% and checkout 15%

Each area was then rated based on its structure, display, usability and specific content. However these were given different weighting depending on the area of the website they fell under.

Hooked on the homepage

Topshop and Adidas both excelled in the design of their homepage and were the only two retailers to accomplish a score of 90% or more. However when it came to the product detail page, Topshop was left around the average mark with 85%.

Adidas (90%) again proved it had invested time and thought into the consumer’s tablet experience with its design of the shopping basket. The sports clothing manufacturer and ASOS (91%) scored full marks in almost all the ratings categories.

For the checkout process, Hugo Boss (91%), Topshop (87%) and Nike (87%) were rated highest. Quisma said this was because the retailers assisted the customer through the buying stage with simple and easy to follow procedures.

Focus on tablets

More sales occur on tablets than mobile, according to Quisma UK managing director, Ellie Edwards-Scott, who used quoted a retail sales index company as evidence that brands should be doing more to cater for tablet users in the festive period.

“No other technology has had as much influence on e-commerce in recent times as tablet devices and research from the IMRG found that tablet devices now account for 85% of mobile sales year-to-date,” Edwards-Scott said.

“Tablet visitors to e-commerce sites also spend 20% more than desktop shoppers, and twice as much as those using smartphones, so focussing on the look and feel of your tablet experience for consumers is vital in the run up to Christmas.”