With a customer satisfaction score of 80 on an 100-point scale, perennial customer-pleaser Apple tops the list of computer and electronics e-retailers measured in the study for the second year in a row. Newegg ties Apple at 80 (the threshold generally considered to be “superior”) and HP’s on- line stores follow close behind at 79. The aggregate score for the computer and electronics category overall is a 74, up a point from last year.

SonyStyle had the biggest year-over-year increase (up almost six percent from 70 to 74), followed by Etron-ics (up 4.4 percent to 71) and Best Buy (up 4.2 percent to 74).

In fact, every measured computer or electronics e-retailer either maintained or increased its score year-over-year, except for Dell and Tiger Direct, which both fell 1.3 percent.

ForeSee Results says that 48 percent of computer hardware, software and peripherals and 20 percent of consumer electronics are now being purchased online. And online satisfaction drives loyalty, sales and word of mouth. According to the Forrester/ForeSee study:

° Highly satisfied online computer and electronics shoppers are 69 percent more likely to purchase from the company the next time they’re in the market for similar merchandise, 43 percent more likely to purchase offline, 70 percent more likely to purchase online and 71 percent more likely to recommend the retailer than are dissatisfied shoppers.

° Computer and electronics e-retailers should focus on online branding and site experience in order to increase customer satisfaction, loyalty and purchase intent.

° Compared to other product categories, the category of computers and electronics delivers below average customer satisfaction.

Thirteen points separate category leaders Apple and Newegg from PCConnection.com and PCMall.com, whose scores of 67 put them at the bottom of the computer and electronics category and of the entire Index for the second year in a row.

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