According to a study released today by Keynote Systems indicates that Dell and Amazon.com rank highest among hardware buyers on the Internet when it comes to "customer experience".

"There are some very clear leaders in the computer hardware market in terms of online customer experience," said Dr. Bonny Brown, director of research and public services for Keynote. "However, what is particularly surprising is that some very well-respected brands didn’t measure up. This really shakes some existing assumptions."

The results rank Dell and Amazon.com in the first two of the top-10 hardware retailers on the Internet. Apple and Ibm came in ninth and tenth among the survey which included 2100 customers, Keynote said.

Dell’s strong brand, comprehensive product offerings, and focus on ease of use drove high scores for the site across the board, according to the research firm. The top ranking sites scored points in terms of providing easy search and product comparison capabilities, and comprehensive information about their products. The lower ranking sites generally did not perform as well in product research and during the purchase process. (THG)