Quick Review of Nutrisystem™.com
Review At A Glance
Nutrisystem™.com is host to the online version of this popular weight loss program. Overall, the nutrisystem.com site feels like a marketing site rather than a "destination" site (a place to hang out, visit often, connect, learn). Lacking some of the features and functionality of a mature online service, it's too minimal from both content and design perspectives.
Features Perspective
While offering a solid online shopping experience to its users, Nutrisystem.com misses one big feature: an online message board that at compteting sites offer communitiy to those seeking weight loss. Nutrisystem.com does offer a free diet profile right on the home page. The focus, however, is more sales-oriented than feature-rich; the profile leads to a membership sign-up form – not really a free profile at all, in our opinion.
Design Perspective
The nutrisystem.com site is quite underwhelming from a design perspective – distracting Flash elements on the right that don't blend well with the site as a whole; an overall lack of balance to the home page, where the first impression is made. Several of the main buttons have awkward wording (e.g. "Women's Over 60 Program"). The overall design could use some usabillity upgrading focused on revamping the sales pitch into an immediately useful and visually appealing online destination.
Program Perspective
Nutrisystem.com offers their plans as buttons right on the home page. What stands out at nutrisystem.com are the plans for senior citizens. There are also plans for vegetarians and those with Type II diabetes. The program is in some places defined negatively, i.e. against the competition. For instance, in their FAQ, nutrisystem.com differentiates itself from Weight Watchers ("the end of hoarding points or eating ice cream sandwiches for dinner"), South Beach Diet and Atkins.
