Local authority and government websites are identified as the most difficult to use, followed by financial services and retail and ecommerce websites, according to a usability poll carried out by user experience consultancy Webcredible.

News and media company websites are the easiest to use websites, followed by travel sites and utility websites, the survey found.

13% of respondents to the survey voted retail and ecommerce sites as the most difficult to use, beaten only by financial services websites, which were voted worst by 16%, and public sector websites at 34%.

“Website user experience has become a big deal in most sectors and users are increasingly frustrated if they find a website difficult to use and will tend to drop off commercial sites for this reason,” says Webcredible’s Trenton Moss. “Some sectors are clearly performing better than others when it comes to website usability, but as competition and demand for online functionality increases, it’s crucial that websites in all sectors invest in providing their users with the best user experience possible.”

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