There’s a lot of websites out there, over 108 million of them, and that number is three times what existed three years ago.  That means that most of the sites on the Internet were created since 2003.  At this rate, websites become quickly dated, as new sites continue to bring new knowledge and new technologies to bear in their design and capabilities, and ultimately the experience they provide to their visitors.

In reality, if your site is two years old or more, you should be analyzing your site’s current competitive standing.

• Examine your competitors’ web sites.

• Honestly appraise if their web sites are aesthetically “better” than yours.

• Do your competitors offer significant features that you don’t, such as live chat, a customer forum, or “tell a friend”?

• Do they provide a better presentation of product or services?  Are “specials” highlighted?

• Go through their checkout process.  Is it faster and easier than yours?