Analysis of On-Line Trading Web Sites

Essay by rquomsiehUniversity, Bachelor'sA, January 2007

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The industry chosen for our project is the on-line trading business. Our analysis will focus on the following three web sites: TD Waterhouse & Ameritrade (tdameritrade.com), E*Trade Financial (us.etrade.com), and TradeStation Securities (tradestation.com).

Navigation Evaluation

This section will describe how the "look and feel" differs for the three Web sites. Each will be evaluated concerning their ease of navigation.

TDAmeritrade

The home page for TD Ameritrade is minimal and simplistic. The photo on the page is of an older gentlemen and the quote next to him reads, "Independence is the spirit that drives America's most successful investors." The quote must be there to inspire people to invest on their own through on-line services, but it comes across as a bit trite. There is a log on section for former Ameritrade, TD Ameritrade, and former TD Waterhouse clients. It appears that TD Waterhouse and Ameritrade have merged to become TD Ameritrade with this one site supporting all users.

Navigating the pages is easy through tabs at the top which include; Portfolios & Accounts, Trade, Research & Ideas, Trading Tools, Planning & Retirement, and Client Services. The sub-tabs on the home page allow users to find out more about TD Ameritrade, open an account, pricing, account types, ways to fund, FAQs, and Apex. There are three large sections in the middle of the page that will link the user to more information on getting 50 free trades with a new account, view commissions of just $9.99--straightforward pricing, and to discover more about the benefits of Apex. There is also a graphic representation of the stock market and five minute delay quotes on the DJIA, NASDAQ, and S&P 500 indexes. Also at the bottom, users can enter their zip code to locate their nearest branch.

This page feels like it is designed for...