Question
I'm looking for some feedback on my web store. I'd like your opinions on the color scheme, typeface readability, the text copy on the Home and other info pages, the menus, the overall "feel" and look of the place, and how easy, hard, enjoyable or not, it is to browse or to find things.
I am still working on some technical things, so I'm not concerned about those: All the Item pages don't have a PayPal checkout button yet, and some pages have the wrong Tab title on them. There are also a few descrepencies in pricing between the Section and individual Item pages.
The other big thing I'm aware of, that I don't like myself, is that my shop banner is on the left side. I cannot find how to correct my code to get it moved to either center or right, either of which I would prefer. I've tried changing the code a few times and it won't work. I can't seem to find what in the code is keeping it flush left.
Thanks for looking, and for all constructive criticism! (Oh, and compliments are fine too, LOL!
http://knicknacnook.com/
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Knicknacnook: Overall - I found your site quite attractive and easy to navigate. Looks like a user friendly place and a nice place to shop. I like the colors and layout and you certainly have lots of neat stuff listed for sale! Nicely done!
I'm wondering if your search button and email button shouldn't be at the top of the list? They would be quickly visible there, which might be handy for repeat visitors who return to the site and are looking for something particular. I know you probably want to keep the buttons in alphabetical order, but I'm not sure that should apply to the search and email links. Just my own preferences in that I like contact and search thingys to be easily accessible.
I checked the code on your page to see if I could figure out why the header image is hugging the left side of the page. I think you have an extra column(s) in the top row but I can't find exactly where in the source code, so I'm not really sure what is going on here. I copied your source in my text editor then opened the site in Netscape Composer, a very basic and not particularly good WYSIWYG editor. I joined two two cells at the top and the image moved into the center. However, when I look for the cells in the source code on your page I can't readily find it, or them. Arghhhhh.
I think you should get someone who is good at this to check your code, as the problem might also be caused by an embedded table, or by an empty table cell (or cells) that taking up space, thereby preventing you from moving the graphic. I think it is a relatively minor problem for someone "in the know" to fix.
Did you create the page with an editor? If so, you might want to try reformatting the top row where the header graphic is located to make sure all the column cells are properly joined to form one continous cell to host the graphic. Just guessing here, sorry I can't be more specific.
And one wee pickie that I didn' like - a very minor one. I don't like the "Don't forget to bookmark this site' text where it is located or the fact that it is right aligned rather than centered. (To me it seems intrusive and throws the page off balance.) You might want to consider adding a clickable link that will automatically add the bookmark.
Here is the code for adding a clickable bookmark link:
<span style='cursor:hand;text-decoration:underline;'onclick='window.external.Add Favorite(location.href,document.title);'>
Click here to add this page to your favorites</span>
or here's a javascript code that does the same thing:
<a href="javascript:window.external.addFavorite('http ://www.website.com','Website Title');">
Click here to add the homepage to your favorites!</a>
I would prefer this link near the Enjoy your Browsing text rather than where it is currently located. Doesn't seem to fit in properly to my eye where it is now located.
On the whole - a very nice, user friendly site. Text is easy to read and your images load fast - on the whole, I really like the site.
Wishing you every success with this new addition to your websales kit!
Answer
I like the colors. I like the logo and the menu.
I agree that the logo placement looks a bit funky, but I don't think centering it will help. That will just make the menu look off. Instead, I'd use the blank space to the right for either the search box (instead of a different page) and email link...or use the space to advertise sales and specials (such as the Free Shipping promo).
One small thing about the logo: it needs transparent corners at the top. I can see the white filler covering the background.
I'm not fond of the text. In my opinion, if it makes YOU feel better to have it there, that's ok, but if you expect your viewers to actually read paragraphs, it ain't gonna happen.
A website isn't a sales brochure, it's a catalog. Use pictures. Describe your items. Make it easy for people to order. Put as much of your inventory on the front page as possible.
Statically speaking, a viewer won't go more than two clicks deep (unless they are looking for a particular thing). Ideally, the first click should be to the item detail page. The second click should be the order button.
The first 8 inches of the front page is your prime real estate. Use it wisely. Since you couldn't possibly fit ALL your inventory on the front page, choose the best moneymakers for display. Make it easy for viewers to find your most popular and/or profitable items.
Save the explanations and back story for the About Us page.
I like the pics on the front page, especially the top three that click to detail pages. It would be clearer what they were and where they are going if you had a (clickable) caption under the pics, like "See all Vanity Items" or "See All Toys".
As an alternative, consider a pic of some of your best (most expensive) items with a one-sentence, sales-hype type description underneath, followed by a link to a detail page and link to full category. For example, it might read:
<imagine pic here>
Fabulous Sterling Silver
Arts & Crafts Spoon Details...
See all listings...
Consider making the links down the left side a wee bit wider and the text a wee bit narrower/shorter to make the links all one liners. That would bring the menu up enough that the viewer wouldn't have to scroll to see it all.
The stuff at the bottom of the page, like the Priority Mail logo, PayPal logo, and webring could be put in a row across the page rather than stacked one on top of the other.
It's a great website. You've put a lot of work into it and it shows. I like it. I especially like the pear.
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Just popping in to thank you both VERY much for your feedback. I've read all your comments and they are great, VERY helpful. No time right now to reply properly, but I wanted to acknowledge the posts - I will come back later today or this evening to comment further. Just about everything you both said is useful and helpful; I really appreciate it.
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Jayne and shanne - Just read both your posts again, and I am really pleased with all the excellent suggestions you both provided.
** Search box and email link at the top is a great idea.
** I figured the logo is "stuck left" because of an errant table code too.... Just haven't been able to find it myself either!
** I think I will put the Search box/email link to the right of the logo, to solve two issues with one step.
** Interesting comment about the right justification of the "Bookmark..." text. I think I was trying to add some visual stimulation to the page. But if text is jarring that way, I will indeed center it. And thanks a bunch for the "bookmark" code - that's one of those things I had intended to add and never got around to.
** Thanks for the mention of the white corners on the logo... another thing I've been aware of and never got around to fixing. I have a nice (small) Photoshop program now (called Elements) and can make the background transparent. I'm just learning how to do those sorts of graphic design things.
** Thanks much for the feedback on the text. That has been a question that has nagged at me - whether it was the right way to go, and I think it was not. It started because I tend to be verbose (LOL), and then I got temporarily sucked into a free trial with a search engine submission service which pounded non-stop about the importance of keywords, so I ended up making the text even longer.
I've since canceled the service, and I think now that meta tag words are the more important element for search engine placement, but that's another thread, isn't it. I will take your suggestion of moving most of the text to my info sections, and substitute more photos with captions on the front page.
** Thanks for the tip on making the menu box section shorter to prevent the need to scroll too.
I really appreciate all the tips. Now I just have to get the time to change all that code!!
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Just popping in to update - I've finally had some time to make some of the home page changes, including adding a search box up top on all the category pages. I also trimmed the home page text quite a bit, and widened the menu boxes so you don't need to scroll to see them all.
Still got more to do but I think these things help a lot, and I really appreciate the input I got here.
Michelle
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Hmmm, don't know why my signature isn't showing now. Checked my preferences and it's in there, jsut not showing up in my posts.
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knicknac, I think I remember Jim saying that sigs would only show up in your first post in a thread. Signatures would not show in subsequent posts in the same thread. If my memory is off I'm sure someone will be along to correct me.
Joan
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Thanks, Joan, that must be it!
Michelle
Originally Posted by Joan
knicknac, I think I remember Jim saying that sigs would only show up in your first post in a thread. Signatures would not show in subsequent posts in the same thread. If my memory is off I'm sure someone will be along to correct me.
Joan
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Must be me but a few pics came up with red x's... arrrgh... Notice on the front page of the site.