Thread: Opinions Wanted Before Going Further

Hi Everyone

I'm building my 2nd site, (domain courtesy of Voda Host's excellent reward system) and am wanting all your opinions on a few things.

1. A couple of different colour schemes here, tell me your preference. Or are the colours completely wrong for this.

2. Am I getting the message across as to what it is I do do, that being, buy, sell, and consign 4u2

3. Nav bars and or menu bars ... 2 nav bars or 1 nav bar and 1 menu bar ... which looks better?

4. Design of header and logo ... any suggestions or better creations?

5. Any other categories my nav bars, menu bars should contain?

6. Slogans - Do they work?

All links are not working but this is the layout ....

Thanks to all who will comment and give me the best advice possible.

Sample One

Sample Two

Hello LadyEye,
-First thing that comes to mind - way too many NavBars, the end result makes your page a bit confusing. You might wnatt or educe the number fo options and guide users to your products.
-Colors are subdued, my vote is for the second option.
-Take the color off the scroll bars, they steal from your page
-Three slogans on your page: "Day or Night...", "Located...." and "Everything ...goes"

Good luck !

Hey Lady!!! I can comment, but I don't know if I can give suggestions you don't already know! lol

I personally like the subdued colors of the 1st sample. I like the gold and brown. I also like the way you have a nav bar and menu bar. Your message of consignment is clear. I think the only suggestion I have is instead of your header having the spelled out name, plus the logo, if there is someway to incorporate both together, so you just have 1. Gotta go feed grandbaby, but I'll be back to look more.

Lady Eye, Lady Eye Lady Eye,

Me, I like the first sample. Main reason is the colors. NAv buttons are fine, you need that many to get around, no?
The parts I don't like are: the color of the rectangular box below the header. the color is too dark, the clip art figure of man with money bag, while cute, takes away from the color scheme. The treasure chest is different because it lends itself really well to the theme. Lady Eye, WOW! I Can Hardly type.

I like the first as well, i like both......i agree with Bill to take the color out of the nav. bars.

Looks great though.

Thank you so far everyone, I haven't even got much time to really look at what you are all saying, I have to go out of town suddenly for three days, will check when I come back ... in the meantime thanks for everything and anything you all do will be great, and in fact if it can be all done too, by my return that would even be greater ... lol have fun ... will miss u all!!

I prefer the first.

I would make the header not as deep into the page - as it is taking up almost 1/2 my screen - and not leaving a lot for people to see before they scroll down. I think you could do this without losing anything in it.

I don't think you have too many nav buttons but would consider relocating them - but home above the list of product choices down the side - then move all the contact, shipping, etc down to the bottom of the page - or make those smaller - as they get too much focus and the focus needs to be on the product.

Good luck.

I personally like the 2nd one, the colours work really well, the layout is easy to navigate, good luck on the end result.

First one has my vote- Very nice work!

Andy

Back much much sooner that I could have ever possibly imagined ... too funny, a story I surely won't bore you all with ... maybe someday, lol

Bill, Andy, Bethers, Sharon, Choco, Cindy, Pixel (nice to meet u Pixel!!) thank you all ... I see much work to do and will start over ... and you all make sense .. isn't that great .... appreciate it and can definitely see what needs to be done, will re-work this and publish again with all your wonderful insight ... thanks ...

Hello Lady Eye,

I really like the second one, I like the both, but there seems to be more contrast in sample 2 making the things I would want to find quickly stand out.

Ruth

Thanks Ruth, nice of you to comment, I really appreciate it ...

Ok, what I've done is taken everyone's advice to the best of following instructions, lol .... and have made one now ... so let's pick this apart and then I'll be ready to create the site and get it into operation (and Bethers I'll really be seeking out your posts on meta tags and se's )

so here it is, let me know what you think .... thanks again


http://www.consignment4u2.com/remake.html

Thanks ....

I like the guy holding the bag. That’s great. I would add links to the side items “just in” I actually tried to click on one I was interested in. I am looking forward to seeing it completed.
David

Are all links supposed to be working? Looks 1000% better.
Try seochat.com some good stuff. Like the site.

Originally Posted by choco777

Are all links supposed to be working? Looks 1000% better.
Try seochat.com some good stuff. Like the site.

Hey............. :) Choco ....... :)

No, I've not yet done the other pages, as I want the format the same on all the pages, so just want to make the first page right and will then go from there ..... that's good to hear Choco 1000% gr88t .....

Will go and look at the seochat.com .... I don't recall ever being there ...
will be getting back to you on those other things, it's been a crazy week ....


Thank you LGD Design .... will surely post it all when it is completed ... thank you!!

The colors of the first "Sample" are more comfortable....cooler but with earthen warmth, very soothing and "home-oriented" which is a good thing for this site, right?
I agree with Beth about lightening up the size of your header, and to resist the temptation to "hook" with so many slogans and promotional bursts so quickly. A simple logo in a reduced size header might appear more inviting to visitors, since you have obviously created the "charm" to capitalize upon.

Similar to the header issue might be a suggestion to sightly widen your site to at least 750-775, which would allow you to present more of everything in a much more even "flow" rather than punch viewers down the screen. it would also allieviate the "crunch" of your navigation: the comments on colors, size, fonts, etc. all indicate that they are too prominent and distracting as they are now, all piled up and encroaching your beloved site! If it were me, I'd make them both smaller and more subdued...people will always find them when they need them (God help us if they aren't there as expected, right? LOL), so having what some consider an "exhaustive" Menu is rather proper, but deem a smaller imprint overall....

George (Chocco) brings up a good point about your images, and whether or not they compliment or blend in too well. You might consider adding the element of "layering' to your pages to provide a natural visiual "clue/break" as well as provide an area for both emphasis and appropriate contrast: within your 'frame' you could have a white (or much lighter toned) box/shape along the bottom to place your "icons" in -- the treasure chest and your guy -- since that is the most likely place visitors will decide where to navigate next, and this offers them the "soft" invitation to drill in further....this way, your Content (be it text and/or images) will have the opportunity to create the desired result and to perform as normally presented.

It seems that nowadays, from corporate sites to purely shopping sites, brevity and visual continuity is the proven standard that all are conforming to......either the web populace is becoming lazier, or more demanding, depending on which side of the monitor your sitting on. Your site is a stunning example of maintaining perfect balance between creative personalized expression and conforming business acumen.

Your concept is profoundly articulated, and I cannot see anything to hold you back from success, as you bring your sincerity and charm to your site demonstrably well. I look forward to your decisions and your finalized version with great anticipation!

And on you go....


(For the record, all of the above - as always - is in my long-winded personal opinion. PS> I came out of my self-imposed restriction of critiquing sites in hopes that you would appreciate another perspective.)
PPS: seochat.com is but one person's opinion site....there are MANY others out there that enjoy global respect...... "Learn From A Lot To Know More Than Just One Answer"

I like both.. Although the second one looks *****er and more aggrassive and I like that.

If I was doing this I would change the slogans with clearer messages such as we buy, sell...... and the rest.

If you feel that navigation buttons are a bit too much, then you prolly could just use text links and add a shopping directory feel to it.

More importantly, I clicked on 'Rare Items' and I didn't see my picture.. Now that is a problem..lol.

Hi, I think the site is progressing well! I have an idea for your navigation though. I can see already that in the future you may end up with many, many different categories of items. Where you list Clothing, Jewelry, Headware, and on one previous example page there was Electronics. One way to better plan for this is use ....I can't be certain I'm correct on this...cascading menus or simply this concept to better explain myself:

A Navbar horizontal: use links for overall site pages that provide key information and points of contact that users will definitely want to find either first or whenever they are ready.

Example-- Home - Just In - Consignments - About Us - Contact

Now for the idea I was talking about:(
--Set up sort of a "Browse our Product Catalog by selecting a category below:"
-Clothing
-Mens
+(subcategory)
+Womens
+Jewelry & Acessories
-Electronics
-Computers
-Desktops
-Laptops
-Hardware
-Monitors
etc... You get the idea.. anyway, I think the reason this idea came to mind was a post about search optimization. A menu like that not only helps the site user to target their desired page on your site(if available) but it also helps (well, it would help me..)to come up with designs for the site and all its pages with confidence. Whoa, brain is wooshin'! Thought I'd share this with ya as food for thought.
OH YEAH!!--one more thing...I know everyone loves the colors and all, but the bluevoda button kinda sticks out IMO. Maybe if you un*****en the texture ever so slightly and nudge the contrast a hair it might look great. But then again, I may need a new monitor. HAHAHA.

Good luck!!

Robert
www.GraphXntrix.com
Your Visual Revolution Solution

me personally i like the first it suits well very relaxing the other kinda looks cluttered but it does look good as well so i say sample 1.

Need to clarify this:
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"OH YEAH!!--one more thing...I know everyone loves the colors and all, but the bluevoda button kinda sticks out IMO. Maybe if you un*****en the texture ever so slightly and nudge the contrast a hair it might look great. But then again, I may need a new monitor. HAHAHA."
----------------------

I'm referring to the page background, not the BV button. HEHE, wouldn't wannt to do that!