Website of the Week Air Transat Duty Free Boutique https://www.retailtravelair.com/index.php | |
 | Content (0-4): 2 |
 | Pricing (0-2): 2 |
 | Navigation (0-4): 3 |
 | Style/Design (0-4): 2 |
 | Supplementary information (0-2): 1 |
 | Overall incentive to shop (0-4): 1 |
 | Total (0-20): 11 |
Scoring system explained – click here | |
Website of the Week: Air Transat Duty Free Boutique
Air Transat is an airline based in Montreal, Quebec in Canada, operating scheduled and charter flights and serving 90 destinations in 25 countries. Owned and operated by Transat AT, its main destinations during the summer season are Europe and domestic flights within Canada. In the winter season, it serves the Caribbean, Mexico, US and South America.
The Air Transat dedicated shopping page (https://www.retailtravelair.com/index.php) can be accessed from Air Transat’s official website (www.airtransat.com). Users simply click the “˜Duty free Boutique’ link under the “˜In the air’ section on the home page.
Air Transat assures users that by shopping duty free, they save 15% to 40% on the suggested retail price of various items. The airline offers a pre-order service which allows passengers to select and order duty free products from three to 21 days before departure. The service is supported by concessionaire DFASS Canada.
Style
The site underlines Air Transat’s tagline – “˜the vacation airline’ – with a soothing image of a red and white striped sail alongside a family frolicking on a beach across the top of the page.
The clear blue water and vacation imagery is replicated on the cover of the airline’s inflight shopping magazine, also displayed on the home page.
The simple colour theme of blue and maroon is punctuated throughout the site by the orange coloured pre-order buttons. Links are minimal so navigation is straightforward and fuss-free.
Product thumbnails are small but can be enlarged to display relatively clear images. Viewing the information presented is more of a problem, as the font tends to be very small.
Content and usability
The website only displays two links at the top of the site: Home and Contact Us. There is also a link to view your pre-order shopping cart.
The main navigation panel contains links to nine product categories: Fragrances, Cosmetics, Liquor, Tobacco, Watches, Jewelry, Accessories, Treats and Children’s. The children’s section is a nice touch as the category is one often neglected by retailers.
Products in each category are neatly displayed in rows of two. Item information is comprehensive thanks to the detailed descriptions of the product, which include the volume and price. Users can even get information regarding the notes that make up the fragrances. Pricing is available only in Canadian dollars.
The Fragrances section is divided into Men’s and Women’s fragrances, with the latter outnumbering the former by more than ten products. The five men’s fragrances include Acqua Di Gio, Armani Code and Attitude by Giorgio Armani, as well as Polo Black by Ralph Lauren and Elegance by Lacoste. Prices range from C$62 to C$68.
Women’s fragrances number 18 skus, including classics such as Chanel No 5 (C$82) and Pure White Linen from Estée Lauder (C$54) and fresh scents such as L’eau d’Issey by Issey Miyake (C$69) and Flower by Kenzo (C$55). Duty free exclusives are also available, such as a five-piece Calvin Klein miniatures set (C$55) and a Brit for Women Travel Set by Burberry Fragrance (C$54).
The Cosmetics section carries ten products, mainly from four brands: L’oréal Paris, Fruits & Passion, Clinique and Lancôme. Prices range from C$12 (Monoï Body Butter) to C$52 (Moisture Extras by Clinique).
The modest selection of products contains most of the makeup essentials a lady would need, such as an anti-ageing face and neck cream (L’oréal Paris Revitalift Duo, C$26), an all-in-one makeup palette (Global Glamour by Clinique, C$27), lip gloss (Glosswear For Lips Sheer Shimmers Five Pack by Clinique, C$37), lipstick (Best of Le Rouge Absolu Palette by Lancôme, C$39) and mascara (L’Oréal Paris Telescopic Mascara Duo, C$16).
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The site underlines Air Transat’s tagline – “˜the vacation airline’ – with a soothing image of a striped sail alongside a family frolicking on a beach across the top of the page |
The Liquor section serves up 21 products, including notable local brands such as Inniskilin Icewines (from C$35 for 200ml to C$130 for the gift set) and Crown Royal Canadian Whisky (1L, C$27).
Other liquor brands on offer include Bombay Sapphire, Jack Daniels, Absolut, Glenfiddich, Baileys, Johnnie Walker, Rémy Martin and Macallan. Price points range from C$17 (Brugal Dominican Rum) to C$130 (a three-piece mini gift set which includes the Vidal, Oak Aged Vidal and Riesling).
Five skus are found in the Tobacco section, which carries a total of three brands: Marlboro, Du Maurier and Players. Prices range from C$40 to C$49.
The nine products found in watches include both men’s and women’s models. Brands such as Anne Klein, Lacoste and Tommy Hilfiger make up some of the ladies’ watch brands, while men’s brands include Skagen, Bulova and Roots. A high-performance sports watch, the Triax Swift 3i by Nike Timing (C$85) is also available. Prices range from C$55 (Evidence Men’s Watch by Roots) to C$185 (Multi-function Men’s Watch by Bulova).
The Jewelry section comprises 13 items from brands such as Majorica, Pierre Cardin, Carlo Gioielliere and Goldmajor. Besides one-piece items such as bracelets, necklaces and pendants, there is also a selection of jewelry sets, such as the Six Pair Earring Set with Matching Necklace by Pierre Cardin (C$55) and the Ball Necklace and Bracelet Set by Carlo Gioielliere (C$59). The Tennis Bracelet by Crislu (C$119) even comes with a free pair of stud earrings. The 18K gold plated Maple Leaf Pin by FAF Design (C$17) adds a dash of Canadian nationalism.
The Accessories section stocks ten items, including sunglasses (by Nike Vision, Betsey Johnson and AT Cross), keyrings, pens (Montblanc) and MP3 player cases. There is even a Su Doku Electronic Game (C$39) for passengers to rack their brains with on long plane rides.
Only four items are found in the Treats section: a 180g tin of Chocolate Covered Blueberries by Wildly Delicious (C$13), 7 x 50g of Chocolate Bars by Toblerone (C$12), Inniskilin Icewine (C$35) and a bottle of All Natural Liquid Oxygen Drops by 02 spa bar (C$25).
Similarly, the Children’s section carries a small selection of five items, including stuffed plush toys (the Canadian Moose clad in a Canadian maple leaf sweater, C$19, is a nice touch), Walkie Talkie Watches (C$56) and an Air Transat model plane (C$20).
Overall the Air Transat duty free shopping website manages to be a no-frills pre-order facility without compromising on basic utility. Product information is comprehensive but users would benefit with details on customs allowances and a FAQs page. More interactive elements such as animation and a more defined Sense of Place would go a long way in enlivening the shopping experience.
What we like:
• Neat layout and product presentation
• Inclusion of children’s products
• Ability to pre-order
• Detailed product information
What needs improving/adding:
• Wider product selection
• More incentives to shop such as promotions and special offers
• Supplementary information such as allowances
• A more defined Sense of Place
Website of the week scoring system explained:
Content: How wide is the range of items on offer? Are there good quality photos and product descriptions?
Pricing: Are product prices listed? For all products?
Navigation: How easy is the site to use?
Style/Design: How does the site look?
Supplementary information: On allowances, currencies, after-sales service, useful tips and so on.
Overall incentive to shop: This includes tone, promotions, offers, competitions and, importantly, pre-order.
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