6 Steps to a Successful Web Site Redesign — How PBS Did It

* communicating with your customers on a one-to-one basis through e-mail; and

* implementing Web analytics to identify customer browsing patterns.

3. Keep your eye on the competition. For PBS, this comprises Amazon, Discovery Channel, Acorn Media Group, National Geographic Society, and Barnes & Noble, among others. Go shopping on your competitors’ sites, and take notes, Downing advised. While not copying, make note of what functionalities your competitors’ sites offer so you have an idea what customers expect from an e-commerce site.