Excellent online customer service may be worth US$17.3 billion in 2010, according to a new Ovum/StellaService report. That's a 10% premium consumers are willing to pay.

The three elements that matter for great online customer services are:
1. The website must have all of the necessary online tools and interfaces -- which includes comprehensive content.
2. The shipping delivery and return polices, and can consumers easily execute returns.
3. Human support.
StellaService compiled lists of customer rankings for the largest 150 e-commerce sites. Zappos.com, Diapers.com and BlueNile.com were in the top three slots, in that order. They were followed by Amazon.com, Staples.com, Crutchfield.com, LLBean.com, BestBuy.com, Apple.com, Sears.com and REI.com.
Rounding out the top 15 are Ebags.com, Onlineshoes.com, Orvis.com and Netflix.com.