FashionSport

DW Sports Review

Reviewed by Kelvin Tebbs

When I was kindly chosen to write a review for DW Sports, initially, like I suspect many people reading this article, I was unaware of the fact that DW Sports had a sporting goods website (www.dwsports.com) and merely thought it was a national gym chain (DW Fitness) to which I am not a member.

I generally access the majority of websites thought the day using my smart phone and did so in this case. Initially, I searched the App Store but was unable to find a specific App for DW Sports. I was a little perplexed, as to how such a large brand would have a sports apparel store without offering a mobile app especially as the latest research shows that ‘4 out of 5 consumers use smart phones to shop’. Therefore, I continued directly to the DW Sports website.

Similarly to me, ‘82% of smartphone users turn to their devices to help them make a product decision’. Although DW Sports did not have an App as I had expected to find, I am pleased to note that their website did at least render itself to appear as a mobile friendly version making it much easier to navigate than if it wasn’t designed for mobile devices. It is fundamental in today’s ecommerce retail sector where it has been highlighted that ‘mobile shopping-related searches have increased by 120% since 2015’ show that these mobile friendly websites are offered as an alternative to desk top browsing for a successful online shopping experience.

The first thing I noticed in using the website was that the homepage offers a scrolling ad banner of numerous new products followed by bright, eye capturing, visual images of sporting related products, teams and sale information to entice the user to select, if appropriate, the most popular search categories within the website. For those people whom aren’t looking for one of those specific items/categories, there are 3, horizontal lines in the form of an icon, displayed in the top right hand corner, which I have become accustomed to know that when clicked, these triple lines will reveal the menu. Within the menu is a search option should you be looking for a specific item.

The set up for this website is based on the expectation that the consumer has a basic understanding of mobile online website shopping and are familiar with the key characteristics of a shopping based website.

I personally found the menus offered suitable categories to select i.e. Women’s, Men’s, Junior, Sport as well as alternative ‘sport’ specific sub categories such as Football, Rugby and Running. Within the subcategory, you are given more options to delve deeper into your chosen search thus helping to locate all the products that corresponds to your preferred selection.

The website also provides the facility to locate a nearby store which is set out by region. This is an important feature for consumers wishing to collect an item from a store using the free ‘click and collect’ service or, if you wish to return an item (also a free facility). Obviously, this is deemed irrelevant if you are selecting a delivery option for your product but it is important to note that currently (as of summer 2017) standard delivery is free if you spend over £39.99 or a charge of £5 will apply to purchases under the £39.99 threshold. Standard delivery is stated to be 2-3 working days and next working day delivery is available although higher charges and thresholds apply.

The product that I ordered was delivered by Yodel within the 3 business working days as described and fortunately, it was small enough to be posted directly through our letter box thus making life very simple as I wasn’t required to be present for the delivery and that I didn’t need to visit my local depot to collect the item.

I ordered a replica England football shirt (rrp £89.99 – £35 at DW Sports) which was package in its own transparent polythene plastic bag, folded impeccably well with the use of tissue paper within the football shirt itself protecting particular areas of the shirt such as the badge. This plastic bag helped to keep the item clean and protect against any damp or moisture that the parcel may have come in contact with during the transit. This clear bag was then placed within the Yodel branded, opaque, plastic delivery parcel bag along with an order receipt which doubles up as an itemised return note, should this be required. I am extremely happy with the product itself and the care and attention that was taken when packaging my item.

A final point I would like to share and something which I would have assumed would have been made more obvious on the website, is the fact that DW Sorts is a member of a globally recognised brand in the name of InterSport. Had I been made aware of this earlier when making decisions regarding my potential purchase, had I known this fact, I like many others would have felt even more confident in the security of purchasing an item from a company I have never used before.

Although I felt the website was easy to navigate and use, according to CRITEO, users browse 286% more products in apps than on mobile websites. Bearing this in mind and with the fast-paced evolution of online purchasing, my one area for potential expansion and improvement would be for DW Sports to offer their own mobile App in a similar fashion to both the competitors, Sports Direct and JD Sports whom are already on the UK Apps store and in the same sporting apparel market sector.

In all, I would strongly recommend DW Sports for purchasing any sporting related items and will certainly be using this website again myself.

Rating: 4.5/5

For more information or to get great discounts on quality sportswear visit www.dwsports.com.

Show More
Back to top button