Thread: New Site I helped create...all comments appreciated

Hi All,

I'm helping a friend create a site of his own and he wanted something up pretty fast so I didn't have the time I would liketo really fiddle. COuld you all take a look at it and tell me what you think...what works what doesn't. He's still kind of deciding on the shopping cart thing and so for now we are using JAlbum to display his merchandise. I'll be re-building the album with more detail as he has quite a few pieces that need info. Also one last thing his Company is GEMESIS JEWELS but he is having some transferring problems with that domain so until we get it, we are using www.jamaicajewels.com for his domain...so please bear with us.

Thanks in advance for all your help.

Hey!

Pretty good site, nice, clean and simple.

hi there - great use of jalbum - would never have thought of using it that way

There's a lot I like but I'd like to see a different font used - this one looks too playful and I think for jewelry elegant would be better.

Also, it would be good if someone could take the time to integrate the business name into the header - not as a line of text under it.

I have a little bit of trouble reading the return policy - the star is pretty but makes it hard on my eyes. I also didn't understand it completely - who pays for return shipping? And does the customer get the shipping to them returned? As a merchant, I've learned how important it is to the credit card companies that the return policy be very clear. I've even made it a requirement when people check-out of my stores that they mark that they've read and understand my return policy. (Don't get many, but don't want to have charge-backs unnecessarily, either).

You've done a good job in creating a basic site that is easy to navigate - easy to understand - which is so important. You'll need to have more text for the se's - but I'm guessing they are looking to get repeat customers from those who were in their store before, so that might not be as important. However, for the others who will find the site - it would help if you'd make better page titles.

Good job.

Thank you all for your comments and BETH thank you for your comments...they really opened up my eyes and you made some good points I had not considered. I am planning on integrating the title into the header and I'll find another font...I wasn't sure about it...I do paln to have more text and few more pages added. THanks agian everyone for all your comments....and keep em coming...lol.

Hi beez

Its a great site ..one big thing tho ...some of your pages arent long enough...I can only see 6 and a bit rows of the "rings" page...and I want to see all of them! lol ...nice job

Originally Posted by Lincslady

Hi beez

Its a great site ..one big thing tho ...some of your pages arent long enough...I can only see 6 and a bit rows of the "rings" page...and I want to see all of them! lol ...nice job

OMG...thanks Linda...I didn't notice...whew...I love this place....good thing I haven't submitted to SE's as yet....lol Will fix ...thanks.

The se's need the extra text - they want to see content - and pics are not content to them - they need the words.

Glad to be able to help! I had to be very careful not to look too close at the product!

Beezz-
My you have been busy. Looks really good. Agree with all said thus far. A little added ideas-
The Home, About US, Catalog etc.... Would like to see them like the other text- with a transparent back ground that would blend with the purple picture.

Also- on the pages with the pictures. Once they click on one they like- it is difficult to see the text at the top that says e-mail us for prices. Might want to lighten that up and have some instruction to copy the item number to include in the e-mail.

Other than that- looking really good. I am interested in a couple of their
products. I will be e-mailing them.

Take care-

Andy
PS- you might have missed it but I had put my new site up for review. Take a look and let me know what ya think.

Hi Andy,

Thank you for the very insightful comments and and very good points. Looks Like I got so me work ahead of me...lol...love it that way though. I can't wait to see your new site. Thanks my Guru...lol

LAtah

Hi Beezz, good work !

-On the Return Policy page, I noticed that the purple background doesn't "stretch" to the bottom, so the black text area hangs down. The former has square edges and the latter rounded.
-From the Contact page, if you click Catalog you are taken to: http://www.jamaicajewels.com/catalog/catalog.html but from the otehr pages to: http://www.jamaicajewels.com/catalog.html

Have fun

Beezie, from a design point of view.. The site looks neat.. I like it alot.. If I was to buy a belly button stud, I'd get it from there, too bad I'll never have my beely button pierced.. oh well..

Now.. I don't know why many people make that error... what is the point in having a live 'Home Link' on the home page..???????????????????????????????????????????? ?????????????????????????????????

Is that 120 question marks?? coz it's meant to be anyways.

well done.. nice.

You know ....I never thought about that...but I like everything to look the same so that's my excuse...lol....hmmm...and not quite 120 (I counted)...lol

Great.. Beezie counts my question marks.. now all I have to worry bout is finding someone who'll dot my I's and cross T's.

Originally Posted by ez-ez

Great.. Beezie counts my question marks.. now all I have to worry bout is finding someone who'll dot my I's and cross T's.

What you don't do that?....grammar medic please....lol

Bee has it right - the navigation should be the same on all pages - make it as easy on people as you can - and that means including all pages in the navigation bar so the page you're on will always be there also.

Yeahhh me....I'm right and you're wrong ez-ez...<sticks tongue out ....pbsst..>...lol...

Working on corrections folks. Thanks bill and will correct that error.

Bee, sweetie, are you aware that on the rings page we can only view the first seven rows of rings? The page doesn't appear to scroll any further than that. It seems that many of the pages have this problem.

It's a stunning site though, well done you!!

Originally Posted by Bethers

Bee has it right - the navigation should be the same on all pages - make it as easy on people as you can - and that means including all pages in the navigation bar so the page you're on will always be there also.

As matter of fact Beezie has it very very very wrong..

Beth.. it's only common sense.. it's nothing new... it's a rule, you always disable the active page link... Imagine if it was a big flash page or something with background music or video clips..

I know, like many, I would hate it is I hit a link to go away and come back with the same page.. It would be different if it was a header logo or site name on the top.. but a menu.. BIG NO NO.

That's what've learnt in my little experience.

Originally Posted by beegud2

Yeahhh me....I'm right and you're wrong ez-ez...<sticks tongue out ....pbsst..>...lol...

Working on corrections folks. Thanks bill and will correct that error.

Sure thing Beezie.. you're the boss, it's your website.. I only just gave an opinion.

Now hand over a tissue... got spit allover me from your '...pbsst...', haha

<handing over big towel>....it was only a little spittle....wimp........ROTFL

I'm not a wimp... I just can't swim.

lol

Originally Posted by ez-ez

I'm not a wimp... I just can't swim.

lol

What ....aren't you people from australia all part fish or something....lol...I take it you just lie on the beach looking good for the sharks eh....poor sharks...no snack out of you....lol

Hi Beez!

Just a small question on the initial paragraph:

This site was established to meet our demand for an increase in requests from our customers for our products after returning home.

Hmm? That maybe could read "This site was created to meet the increasing requests of our customers for our products... etc...

Make sense?

You are awesome as always,

The Purple Butterfly
www.thebutterflypoem.org

Hey tht does sound better...see this is why more than one eye is better when it comes to websites...thanks PB...I see you site is looking as fabulous as ever...as a matter of afact it looks even better thatn before..you have been busy. Good going and thanks for taking the time to comment.

Hi Beez,
Nice looking and functional site, just like you..............

Now why dont you add a fully functional Contact us page instead of just an email address. It would make for better communications.

See my free contact page below, if you need any help I can install it for you, as you have helped me so much in the past.

have fun

Hmmm... YOU STILL HAVE A HOME PAGE INSIDE A HOME PAGE AND THEY ALL INSIDE AN INDEX PAGE IN THE FRONT PAGE..

So, I wonder, if I am to click on the home page from the home page, does that add to the number of clicks on the home page..?????????? And, does that give you accurate stats..???

Beezie....you have that many hands doing your fiddly ting, I say you did some "handy tings" for your friend......good stuff! Double homepage....that's just in case somebody get lost there in all dat jewellery.....it's nice stuff. hee hee

David ...thansk for your comments as usual my friend and I will be looking you up for help with that contact from as I was having afew problems with it myself. Last time nick bailed me out...lol

Ez-Ez...hmmm...I'm sticking with it buddy...but you never know...you do make some very valid and good points so I'm thinking things through....I'm slow with this stuff...lol

CL...yeahh...good to see you girl...yeah the hands come in handy...lol...still lot more work but it will do until I get it better at this stuff...lol...and hey my friends are happy to finally get somthing online. Now if I cna jsut figure outthe whole payment thingy...I'm set....hehe

By the way folks I reloaded the whole album so could you see if it is ok now...great thanks...:) <took all day to do just that..the draw backs with JALBUM...lol>

hi there - jalbum works fine - i clicked on all the links i think and all came up - looks great - you are a very good friend

Thanks ann...I'm learning more and more ...hey check out your thread on the D words..you got us goiing...lol

Beez ... nice site ... you're doing a great job and helping your friend ... good stuff .....

ez ... what do you mean by disable the link to the page you are on, do you mean leave the button there, but disable it so it does not work, or do you mean remove it, so that the nav bar is different on all the pages? What would be better? What you are saying makes sense to me, so I'd like to do what you are saying but would like you to tell me a little better so I do it right.

Thanks ....

Hi EyeLady..

I just had a look at your website.. It's always preferred that you disable the button rather than moving it all together.. But if disabling the button presents a challenge, depending on the software you're using to build your website, then removing that button wouldn't hurt, especially for websites like yours where you have many other buttons and it wouldn't affect the over-all look to remove the button. A dead navigation item is simply cosmetic just so that the pages look uniform.. but when the pages are already busy, removing that one little item may not affect the page.

Have a look at this page and then click on the 'Project Brief' link to see what I mean by cosmetic button (note that I never use pre-made buttons, everything is custom made here, but that's the idea anyway).

http://adsenseptoject.com/background.htm

Cheers.

the right link is

http://adsenseproject.com/background.htm.

My typing skills suck.. sorry.

Originally Posted by ez-ez

the right link is

http://adsenseproject.com/background.htm.

My typing skills suck.. sorry.

Okay ez ez I am seeing what you mean, and this is the route that I chose, and I've added text to that button that says, well if you are on the schedule page and you go to click schedule, it say "You are at the Schedule" , etc. etc., I have alot of pages, just about half way through, a couple I found defaulted back to my idex, so had to change them to _blank and some _self, don't know why but I adjusted a couple and they appear to work right now ....

I'll bet there is an easier way to change all your pages than one by one is there??

Originally Posted by ez-ez

the right link is

http://adsenseproject.com/background.htm.

My typing skills suck.. sorry.

lol .... it's contagious .....

here is my missing s and n .... you have to figure out where to put it ... oh my ... lol

Originally Posted by LadyEye

..... here is my missing s and n .... you have to figure out where to put it ... oh my ... lol

Ok.. figured out where to put the S and N.. The 'n' was fine, only the 'S' hurt a little bit coz it's like a hook.. lol.

You did a mighty fine job, you counter acted that Hand cursor with the Alternate Text which took care of that.. greet job.. see..?? you're more than just a blinking blue eye..

Chin chin.

Yeah and too bad that I did not "alt tex" all of my nav buttons on the one page that I use as a template before I laid them all out, now to add the "alt text" to all buttons, I would need going through all the buttons on all the pages, as now it is truly a daunting task as I have about 125 pages that contain this same format x 17 nav buttons on each, oooh .... a daunting task to say the least ....

Do you know if there is a way with one click of a button to change the template on all your pages with just one click? Or is it that you must do each page individually??

Unfortunately, the only way I know is the old fashion one by one way.. but them again, I'm premitive at this.. so there might be a way that I don't know of.. If there is, I'm sure someone will yell out.

Hi,
What a good looking site. I like the catalogue, and I could see all the pages clearly (I checked quite a few). Really clear and easy to see the merchandise.
I prefer the background and layout of the Contact us page to the Home and About us page - are they going to "match"?
One tiny point - I was left wondering which island (yes, I know it;s called jamaica jewels at present) until I found the contact details. it might be worth changing the intro to mention Jamaica instead of "the island".
Otherwise - VERY NICE.

Bee....I posted something last night (on the oversized soon-to-be-returned laptop)...did you see it, or was it deleted?

Hmmm.

Originally Posted by Vasili

Bee....I posted something last night (on the oversized soon-to-be-returned laptop)...did you see it, or was it deleted?

Hmmm.

Hi Vasili mi fren...sorry was out last two days and did not see your post...was it here or on another thread?

Thought it may have been deleted or something....

It wasn't full of the customary fluff, and zeroed in on some of the more technical things (which may come across as abrasive, so that's why I thought it got gone).
For instance, it looks like your "Policies" aren't originally composed, as they seem to reflect some modifications that need polishing up or expanding to make business sense, like Beth pointed out earlier. I hope they weren't culled from somewhere else (copyright), but in any event, you may wish to spend some time re-wording much of it and finishing the logistics so as to cover all the bases and specifically warrant your processes.

Secondly, many of your product images clearly show the Trademark stamps, and this would require a disclaimer on the site as to who they belong to (have to disclose the Vendor). If you have multiple vendors, it might be easier to group the images in "collections" according to provider. Point is, you cannot present identifiably protected product without complying with industry or governmental/international guidelines (refer to JVC and USPTO).

And, in my opinion, I think there is a critical conceptual conflict between the email-commerce setup (which is useful to "pre-qualify" consumer interest, etc.) and the presentation of so many items without even the slightest meaningful description: you show many similar items, and even though I know there is a difference of diamond weights for example, consumers do not, so how do you expect them to make a reasonable selection from the volumes of choices before them? Especially when traditional "pre-qualification" is 90% price based.....consumers have proved that without a price mention, they are reluctant to express any interest, and certainly balk at going through hoops to find out more.

Your use of the JAlbum is pretty cool, but is there a reason you couldn't use PayPal or even MALS to get the functions that would make many of my mentions go away?

Just a thought. Please don't think I'm hammering you, but I felt you needed to know the issues I saw as really a potential boondoggle for your friend later on.

Whew! Now I can go back to playing the word games.....

Vasili thank you for your input and I greatly appreciate your comments. I found them wholly appropriate and really appreciate the time you took to point out everything for me.

1). I actually created the policies pages based on reading policies of many different vendors and created it to suit the needs of this site. I may have accidentally tapped into the same verbage without realizing and will try and reword again. I would hate to copyright from anyone.

2). I do realize we need more description of site and that is currently on my top prority and it's taking a while as there are nearly 3000 pieces for my friend to input info into. I'm using Jalbum only until we have paypal up and running.

As for the tradmark stamp...I didn't know there was one tht was showing other than the GEMESIS JEWELS watermark I placed on the pics. I'll look again and if you can point out what I should be looking for that would be great.

The owners had had a n empty domain for over a year and did not have tiem to do anything about it and the person who promised did not do anything to make the site live so I wanted to help them outand they jsut wanted soemhting up fast. I know there isa lot more work ahead of me and I'm trying to get it all doen as fast as possible and anyother suggestions you have will be invaluable.

Thanks againg and I owe yuou big bag of JABLUM (hehe..not JALBUM)...lol

FYI

Check these examples:
http://www.jamaicajewels.com/catalog...JDR71Y-74.html
http://www.jamaicajewels.com/catalog...DR68YP-99.html
http://www.jamaicajewels.com/catalog...DR68Y-124.html

http://www.jamaicajewels.com/catalog...JDE31W-14.html
http://www.jamaicajewels.com/catalog...JDE31Y-14.html

just a few....

Also, keep in mind that manufacturers generally require full disclosure of origin whenever their product is depicted online, whether or not the proprietor is aware of it (otherwise, they would host a site for you, right?)

Bee Good.....latah

Thanks for pointing them out...I've informed the site owners about it nad asked them to make sure all permissions for usage are in place. I really appreciate the help on that as I really did not notice that and I'm eamiling you to pick you brain..so hope you got time...lol

Replied to email with useful resources and publishable files.