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Byline: Profiles written by Sherry Chiger

As e-commerce becomes an increasingly sophisticated marketing channel, the standards for measuring what makes an exceptional Website have to be more stringent. a* In evaluating the I.Merchant Awards, our judging panel was challenged to critique all elements of the finalists' sites, from design, copy, and merchandising to site functionality and service options. a* The judges selected 10 winners this year; to receive a Gold Award, an entry needed an average score of at least nine points on a scale of 1 to 10, while Silver Award winners boasted an average score of at least seven points. The Website of the Year honor - a tie this year between eBags and Orvis - went to the entries with the highest score overall. a* Now, without further delay, Catalog Age presents its Fifth Annual I.Merchant Awards winners...

THE JUDGES

LAUREN FREEDMAN

President The E-tailing Group

ROBIN LEBO

President Lebo Direct

JOHN MORLEY

Senior Internet marketer 1-800-Flowers/HearthSong

WILL SOUTH

Manager of catalog content AutoZone

ROBERT STEVENS

President Growth Insight

PHIL TERRY

CEO Creative Good

I.MERCHANT OF THE YEAR

Also Gold Award Consumer Soft Goods

eBags

www.ebags.com Marketing director: Peter Cobb Webmaster/Website designer: Keith Bristol Merchandiser: Jonathan Fox

The mission of eBags is "to be the world's ultimate source for bags and accessories," and the I.Merchant Awards judges agreed that the Greenwood Village, CO-based marketer meets its goal. From the extensive merchandise selection to the "well-documented pages of customer service options," the panelists found it all but impossible to criticize the site.

Why it won I.Merchant of the Year: The word "robust" cropped up time and again during the discussion of the eBags site. The merchandise assortment, the amount of content on the product pages, and the customer service were all described at one time or another as "robust."

Let's start with the merchandising. EBags sells more than 10,000 types of handbags, suitcases, laptop cases, wallets, toiletry kits, backpacks, and other travel accessories from roughly 200 brands, with products for men, women, and children. To simplify hunting for product among so many choices, eBags offers myriad ways to search the inventory: by brand, by price, by style, by material. As one judge put it, the site has "high sortability and multiple ways of categorizing."

Once you've narrowed down your selection, eBags provides numerous tools to help you make a final decision. There are the detailed product specs, of course, but also alternative product images, which can be enlarged with one click; consumer ratings and reviews; a link to similar products, so that you can compare and contrast features; and the ability to create your own comparison chart of products you're considering.

As for customer service, the eBags home page promotes the free returns policy, a microsite for corporate and volume orders, and its "110% price guarantee" (if you find the same product available elsewhere for cheaper, eBags will refund you the difference plus 10%). And unlike many other companies that began as online-only marketers, eBags doesn't hide its toll-free phone number. What's more, the product pages provide an estimated arrival date, and they can also be easily e-mailed to a friend or colleague.

Ideal to steal: On the bottom of the home page, eBags has a ticker listing how many bags have been shipped since its launch in 1999 (more than 2.7 million as of early June). If you're looking to instantly establish credibility, that sort of ticker can do the trick.

I.MERCHANT OF THE YEAR

Also Gold Award Consumer Soft Goods

Orvis

www.orvis.com Creative/advertising director: Bill Eyre Marketing director: John Rogers Webmaster: Ed Ralbovoky Website designers: Tracey St. John, Chris Woodard Merchandiser: Ginny Newman Copywriters: Tom Murray, Kimberly Bellamy Consultant: Competitive Computing

Manchester, VT-based cataloger/retailer Orvis sells apparel, hunting and fishing gear, outdoor travel, home decor, and dog-related products - all with the theme of "distinctive country living." While the Orvis concept might be difficult to describe in words, the Orvis Website communicates it almost instantly, through its product selection, graphics, and content. What's more, it makes the concept appealing to visitors who may not have viewed themselves as likely prospects.

Why it won I.Merchant of the Year: You'd expect an established brand like Orvis to get the big things right - and it does. The navigation is clean, the graphics inviting, the copy engaging and precise. Product pages include alternative images and links to complementary items. The "100% satisfaction" guarantee appears under the logo on every page of the site, and not far below is a link to the Information & Services page, which provides details on everything from how to track order status to the company's gun and fishing-rod repair services.

But what sets Orvis apart from most every other site is its attention to the smaller things. "Little details like the tape-measure icon to link to size charts shows that Orvis thinks everything through," enthused a judge. Other details include links to the Orvis Fabric Stories page, where you can read about the history and unique features of a variety of fabrics and brands - and gain an appreciation of the high quality of Orvis's products. The main page of the Fly Fishing section of the site includes a wealth of reference materieals, including a glossary, hatch charts, and stream reports, while the Hunting section features game recipes and links to dog breeding and training programs.

Above all, the Orvis Website "constantly reinforces the brand," said a panelist. Scattered throughout the site are blurbs referring to Orvis history. On the landing page of the Orvis Custom Shotguns section, for instance, we read that "In 1990 Orvis announces a challenge grant to benefit U.S. wetlands by raising more than $200,000 in two years." Atop an article in the Travel section about fishing in Patagonia we're told "In 1966 America's first fly fishing school opens at Orvis Manchester, Vermont." Links to the Orvis Conservation Visa and Conservation Projects are also prominent throughout the site.

It's no surprise that Orvis received top marks for its marketing concept. "The editorial and the product tie in well to the company's overall mission," summed up a judge. But it is impressive that a company founded in 1856 can so effectively use a medium that came to prominence only within the past decade.

Idea to steal: Within the Fly Fishing section of the site, visitors can see Flash demonstrations of how to tie knots. Because many users still don't have high-speed Internet access, Orvis limits its use of the Flash technology to added-value features, rather than making it a requisite to viewing product.

Silver Award

Cooking.com

www.cooking.com Website director: Larry Sales Webmaster: Gerald Morgan Website designers: Gaye Esguerra, Margaret Biffar, Wes Biffar Merchandisers: Dawn Allen, Matt Bunn Copywriter: Ken Brooks

What's cooking at Cooking.com? Plenty, judging by its chock-a-block Website. In addition to selling just about every kitchen item imaginable, the Santa Monica, CA-based online-only marketer offers a gift registry, a corporate sales program, recipes, menus, and buying guides. You could say it all adds up to a recipe for online success.

Why it won a Silver Award: "This is a fun-to-shop site," said one panelist, and the others agreed. The wealth of product, the "visually engaging" design, and the "very strong imagery" make shopping for even something as mundane as a can opener enjoyable. The lively, educated copy boosts the entertainment quotient and is sure to help shoppers get enthused about the products.

For example, a Chinese cleaver is described as "perhaps the ultimate Chinese blade, used like a chef's knife as the all-around staple tool. The slightly curved blade side is long and sharp, the ideal cutlery piece for slicing through large vegetables such as eggplant, lettuce, cabbage and squash. Turned on its side, the wide blade can be used to tenderize meat or poultry or to smash cloves of garlic." If that doesn't psych you into preparing a stir-fry for dinner, nothing will.

Product pages include detailed item specs, links to related items, information about stock status, and in some instances links to "What Experts Consider," part of the detailed buying guides. At least one panelist singled out these guides for special praise. Covering a range of cookware, cutlery, and small appliances, the guides include a short questionnaire to help you narrow down your choices, along with advice from the pros and Cooking.com's suggested items.