U.S. consumers are more likely to revisit Web sites that are fast loading, customizable and more informative than those that offer rich media or content delivery to wireless handsets, according to research by Jupiter Media Metrix.

Jupiter's aptly named report, "Back to Basics: Enhancing User Experience at Low Cost," found that businesses should assess the needs of their Web site visitors before investing in costly, high-profile development features such as non-PC transactions or rich media. The findings could serve as welcome news to companies looking to control spending while featuring a user-friendly Web presence. A Jupiter Consumer Survey found that 40 percent of online surfers will visit a content site (such as a news or information site) more often if its pages load faster, while only 20 percent would be motivated by the addition of a richer media experience. While retail companies have an expanded set of concerns, Jupiter's research found the lessons of content sites still apply. After the retail-specific "more product information" (59 percent) and "product suggestions" (28 percent), online shoppers cite "faster loading pages" as the next most important driver for a return visit (26 percent). According to Jupiter analysts, great progress can be made toward these ends without any additional investment in technology, and retailers should address these concerns before spending on more expensive, lower-ROI initiatives such as enabling m-ommerce (chosen by only 12 percent as a reason to return to a site). Only 15 percent of users would visit a content site more often if the site delivered information to non-PC devices, such as wireless handsets. In addition to faster loading times, consumers prefer customizable layouts on content sites. The Jupiter Consumer Survey discovered that 36 percent of Web surfers would visit a content site more often if it featured a customized layout, followed by 31 percent who would be motivated to return to a content site by the addition of polling or chat capabilities.