Which? reinforces market position with delivery of new Instant Download service of its popular reports

Published 12th December 2008

Which?, the UK’s leading consumer organisation, has unveiled a new generation of its Which? Instant Downloads - www.whichdigitalstore.co.uk.

Designed by strategy and design consultancy Wilson Fletcher, the new service is the latest major addition to an 18-month project to provide consumers with easy online access to a wide range of Which? consumer services in the new-look which.co.uk website.

Which? Instant Downloads is integrated into Which? Compare. It contains in-depth product reviews, Best Buy recommendations, buying advice and tips on using and setting up a wide range of household equipment. No subscription is required – just a one off payment per report – making it perfect for customers interested in specific products or topics.

Chris Gardner, Commercial Director, Which? commented: “This new generation of Instant Downloads is a major step forward for Which? We now have a state-of-the-art service to provide instantly available PDF Reports on dozens of major products and services, including car reviews and the Good Food Guide. We’re delighted with the result.”

which.co.uk background
Reinforcing its position as the leading provider of expert, unbiased advice, Which? has worked with Wilson Fletcher to integrate and update the four major service areas of its online portfolio. One is a premium subscription service and the remaining three - including Which? Instant Downloads - are free to all consumers:

Subscription based areas
Which? Reviews: This delivers the UK’s only truly independent suite of product and service reviews in an accessible, engaging environment. Available to all Which? subscribers it includes major new features, such as the product comparison tool, that helps customers to select the most appropriate products for their needs (www.which.co.uk/reviews). Thousands of products and services are tested and rated to the highest standards by Which? independent testers.

Free areas
Which? Advice: Free for all to browse, this section provides expert, independent advice to help consumers make the best of the products and services they choose. Dozens of topics - including ‘Your Money’, ‘Greener Living’, and ‘Your rights’ – are discussed without jargon and easy-to-read formats (www.which.co.uk/advice)

Which? Compare: A full price comparison service offering real-time retailer prices on thousands of products. The site also includes the exclusive benefit of Which? Best Buys and Don’t Buys (www.whichcompare.co.uk)

Underpinning these value-add services is a focus on improving how users interact with which.co.uk. Which? and Wilson Fletcher undertook comprehensive usability testing throughout the design process to ensure content is easy to access and services meet the needs of consumers. The new site has achieved its highest ever usability benchmarking scores and has received excellent customer feedback from its initial release.

The site sports a completely new visual language, shaped to give which.co.uk a much more relevant and distinctive position in the market. It is open and appealing, engages well with consumers and sits Which? apart as an independent, advertising-free, high-quality source.

Mark Wilson, director at Wilson Fletcher, said: “When we designed the last Which? site two years ago, it was the first time all of the company’s subscription services were delivered under the new Which? brand. The current site, launched in July brings a radically improved environment for subscribers while adding a range of new free services for the mass market. The look and feel of the new site is distinctively Which? and makes it easy for consumers to understand the extensive range of expert services available at their fingertips.”

“With which.co.uk our aim is to put the consumer at the heart of our online offering,” said Chris Gardner, Commercial Director, Which? “Working with Wilson Fletcher has helped us to create a sophisticated interactive site with an improved user experience and new consumer services, like Which? Compare. Since the re-launch, it’s been really exciting to see the enthusiastic response from our users.”

Consumers can subscribe to which.co.uk for an initial £1 for 30 days. Which? magazine subscribers can also access most of which.co.uk for free.