I Just Want A Pizza!

I'm not sure how they did it, but apparently IPDI has coordinated with Pizza Hut to provide a case study in worst practices in e-commerce. This was very convenient since I was reading their fundraising primer while trying to order a pizza.

Here is a dramatic reenactment of my attempt to order a pizza through an e-commerce system designed by the brain-dead:

"Gee," says the hard-working Femocrat, "I'm hungry and would like a pizza. Since I am handcuffed to my computer, I will log on and order a pizza from Pizza Hut. It will be easy!" The Femocrat navigates to the website, where she has been before, but back when she had a different e-mail address.

First Annoying Obstacle
There is no way to log on and change her e-mail address, so she must create a whole new account. Then, when she creates the new account it tells her she already has an account and DELETES all of the information she just spent her precious time entering. (insert first obscenity here)

Second Slightly Nitpicky Obstacle
A poor graduate student, she clicks on the "coupons and deals" button, but instead of taking her to coupons and deals, it takes her to the menu page. If she had wanted to see the menu - she would have clicked on the menu.

Third Dizzying Obstacle
Still desperately trying to get a pizza, she clicks the order button, which takes her to a page that is SO complicated that she'd have to have a PhD in pizza ordering to use it. It includes a long list of radio buttons underneath little boxes that appear to be semaphore code. "I'm not signaling a ship! I just want to order a (insert string of obscenities here) pizza!"

Fourth and Final Obstacle
Finally, she figured out the intricate ordering system and is ready to enter her information. However, it's not secure! That's right - the whole world could see her pizza order until the very last screen, where she puts in her credit card number. (String of obscenities too long to print)

You will all be relieved to hear that I did get my pizza, but Pizza Hut made it as difficult as possible for me to give them my money. As far as I can tell, they broke pretty much every rule in the IPDI primer, so I guess it is a good thing they aren't running for anything.