Thread: Please take time to check out my site

It is not done yet. Waiting to get my satalite internet installed. But it is close. Just a matter of publishing the last pages without timing out on the server. Thank you. www.blackmtngifts.com

A few things - the very first thing I saw when I opened your site was a counter and a dating link - both would cause me to leave your site without ever seeing anything else. And when I look further at your site - it's a gift store - so I see no reason to a link to a dating site. And counters really don't have any place on a professional website.

Then, instead of telling me about you and your products - giving me a warm fuzzy - making me wanting to buy - the text I read tells me how you ship and in capital letters shouts at me that you don't ship to Canada. How about having a faq's or our policies or shipping page - with a link from the home page - and give that information there. And if you want to put something on the home page - very simply make a note that you ship to the continental US only. But do it inconspicuously - and get some sales copy on the page to entice me to buy.

You also need to add alt attributes to all your pictures - and making them clickable to their product pages would be very smart.

I'd like to see your products divided by catagories - as right now I have to scroll page after page to see what you have - and have no clue what that extent is.

I'd also like to see on the home page something showing me how I can pay.

You've got a good start - but to make sales, you're going to have a lot of tweaking to do.

Thank you! I am currently working on fixing several things. Any constructive criticism is much appreciated!!! This is the first site I have ever built so every little bit helps. Thanks

I promise - anything you're told on here - will be to help you make it better. And we all start from the ground up - you're doing great for a first time - be very proud of yourself - and keep asking on this thread and we'll keep helping.

Actually, I did not even wait for the page to load fully......I instantly saw what I consider to be the utmost of faux pax: Unless you are a gun-packing salty old gal who can take care of herself 100%, I cannot for the life of me wrap my brain around why you would put your full name, residence address, and personal telephone number (and even a personal email address as straight text ---meaning it can be scoured, collected, sold, and spammed) up on your website!!!


I can see your intention of wanting your customers to feel comfortable knowing who they are buying from, but it may prove wiser to use your first name only.

Unless the address you posted is a commercial address, I strongly suggest you obtain a PO Box (it's cheaper at the Post Office, but also available at a UPS Store, Parcel Plus etc. and so on) to use exclusively for your commercial venture. If you ship promarily UPS, then consider getting your Box at a UPS Store as they would deliver themselves easliy and do not charge more than UPS direct.....they do charge a bit more at other such establishments.

Same for the telephone number: Inquire with your local phone company how much it would be to obtain a number that is "not delivered" but which can be forwarded to another number without being wired to a location.....use this number to forward to your cell, for instance. Or, consider getting a local (and /or a toll-free number) via Vonage, conveniently co-located with your computer and easily transportable anywhere you go..... You can even look into getting a feature-rich web-based 800# from the likes of CommuniKate.com for only $35/month, and forward this too to a cell or whatever (CommuniKate is also a fax, webcast tool, etc.) Using your personal numbers is a big "no-no" in the online world, unless like I say, you are a woman that does not concern herself with the loonies that will crawl from under the boulders to bother you and your family.

You have already put a great deal of thought into your site design....with a few critical changes, you will undoubtedly redirect yourself on the path to true success in no time!

Hi Serejames!! Hey we're from the same neck of the woods!! I think I've only seen one other person here from Colorado! Anyway...you must be working on your site, as all I am getting is your directory. I'll check back later to see if you have it up and going. Beth and Eric are very very knowledgeable and like Beth said, just keep coming back and asking questions and asking for reviews and you'll get lots of help here.
Cindy

Hey Serejames

At the moment all I am seeing is your parent directory. Just check to see if you have saved your homepage as "index" all in lower case letters.

I guess you might have changed your home page after the good advice above.

Yep... I am just getting the directory too!

Hi Serena,
I now see your site. It is pretty wide and that will turn a lot of people off. If you can resize the width to be between 800 and 1000 pixels and center your pages, you will make it easier for people to stay on your website and shop. You can keep your background photo around 1200 pixels wide, but keep all your buttons and content within the smaller width. You have a great start and some nice items. Good job.

I do not understand why you have not responded in this Forum to my earlier post regarding what I considered to be an important issue, or why no changes have been made to your website since you first submitted here in this Showcase for review.

The longer it stays formatted as it is (if that is a risk), the greater likelihood it is to be cached permanaently by various Search Engines, and "containing" the information will be everso more difficult.

Maybe when this original "issue" is addressed, some pertinent comments on the technical aspects of your development will be forthcoming.

It is good to see, however, your personal efforts to market SMC Corporation products on your own rather than via their "cookie-cutter" websites!

I'm sorry I haven't reposted lately. I have been working diligently on getting the site to be more presentable. And tonite I cant even see the site nor can I connect. It is driving me nuts. Thank you all for your suggestions. I am working on taking your advice, but can only do so much at a time. Thanks, Serena