Clear site navigation is key to increasing online sales, especially for intranets, Internet banking and e-commerce, Brazilian e-consulting company e-bit (www.ebit.com.br) said in a statement.

In addition to boosting sales, good navigation or 'userability' in sector jargon increases client loyalty and decreases customer support operational costs, according to the company. The idea is users buy things when they can be found easily, and return to the site if satisfied with the 'user experience.'

E-tailer giant Submarino (www.submarino.com.br) VP Peter Furukawa said its focus on navigation has helped it reach 5,000 sales daily.

Marketing director Zeca Vieira of local insurance company Sul America Seguros stated her company's navigation improvements reduced site update process time in addition to slashing operational costs. The company now receives 65% of new insurance proposals from agents online.

Submarino and Sul America Seguros are e-bit clients.

The overbearing problem suffered by many sites is the lack of userability design. When companies develop Internet projects they frequently do not have a vision of who is really going to use it, the statement said.