Auctionbytes-NewsFlash, Number 5 - August 22, 2003 - ISSN

ForeSee released a university report of e-businesses that shows Google and Yahoo are top performers, and AOL is making improvements.

The University of Michigan's American Customer Satisfaction Index (ACSI) study showed that Google and Yahoo have scores that place them among the best performers of any of the roughly 200 top companies the ACSI measures on an annual basis. The new report revealed that AOL, though still a weak performer, has made a dramatic improvement in the past year and may be on the path to restoring the strength of its customer base. Meantime, the major news and information Web sites maintain a solid showing but demonstrate none of the signs that they dramatically impress their customers like the best Internet companies.

Google has consistently been far and away the best performer in the search engine category (82), and one of the best in any category measured by the ACSI. Ask Jeeves improved its performance an impressive seven points, up to 69, but nowhere near enough to make a dent in Google's lead.

Perennial laggard in the portal category, AOL was the most surprising story this quarter and made a dramatic six-point jump in performance. The increase brings AOL's score to 65, barely a low pass but an impressive leap in the right direction. Yahoo remains the dominant player in the category (78), with a two-point improvement over last year. MSN also moved up two points to 74.

News and information sites proved to be solid, if unexciting, performers. MSNBC.com and ABCNews.com tied at 74, followed closely by CNN.com and USAToday.com, which tied at 72. NYTimes.com brings up the rear again this year with a score of 70, down one point from last year.

http://www.foreseeresults.com