Thread: New Site - First E-Commerce

This is my third website, but my first e-commerce site. I probably should have used soholaunch but I needed to get this done quickly and did not have time to really delve into soholaunch

http://www.lullabylillys.com

any comments or suggestions welcomed please!

Hi there,
You should center the page and resize a few pictures like the main one and the 'special' on the left (Dragon Fly Nursing Cover) so your site will load faster.
Good luck!

Good show of organization and cognizant layout.

As Tony mentioned above, there are a few missing smaller elements that should be in place to assure a more refined and smoother path to overall web success (not just with customers and conversion, but with the SE's and your opportunity to earn the deserved traffic that is potentially yours).

Looking forward to your next phase of development ....

Thanks! Great advice!

I agree it could use some "framing".

I also agree that the items could use more description. I tried lightbox to display the product images but had too many problems implementing it to work with all browsers. Can anyone recommend a clever way to add more description, without creating a separate page for each and every item. I need to keep the site simple so the business owner can update it herself (not very tech savvy!)

Ditto with the slow loading pages. Need to reduce most of your sales images & head for around 10 to 20kb max on all the thumbnails & 100kb on the pop up's. The nurse dress image on the left is around 2,819kb.

It's obvious that details are important to you, and rightly so .....

For a better version of your OWL image to use throughout your site, follow this link to find it with a transparent background rather than the white edges you are currently using that just don't seem to fit with the rest of your careful design >> http://www.vodatips.com/owl-images-as-png.html

Thanks Vasili, you really went out of your way!

Though you have put a lot of thought and effort into creating the site, you have over looked certain aspects from a customers point of view and also your own time.
the first of these is the fact the customer is sent to paypal every time they click on a add to cart button, this is ok if only buying one item but if you wanted more then one it can and will get annoying and result in potential customers going else were. second keeping track of sales, stock, customers details, thirdly updating is time consuming.

The use of a shopping cart like oscommerce or any cart software would help on all these points, i believe there are at least two to your c-panel can be installed (though basic) in ten min's

there are scripts out there that can be incorporated in to Bluevoda that will help with displaying cart items two demos can be seen here and here which are basic but show the customer all the details they need to know before going to checkout, and i believe that Navaldesign has a all in cart that will incorporate into bluevoda.

Good luck with what ever you decide.

Originally Posted by Alien Dude

the first of these is the fact the customer is sent to paypal every time they click on a add to cart button, this is ok if only buying one item but if you wanted more then one it can and will get annoying and result in potential customers going else were. second keeping track of sales, stock, customers details, thirdly updating is time consuming.
there are scripts out there that can be incorporated in to Bluevoda that will help with displaying cart items two demos can be seen here and here which are basic but show the customer all the details they need to know before going to checkout, and i believe that Navaldesign has a all in cart that will incorporate into bluevoda.
Good luck with what ever you decide.

Actually, "Adding To Cart" in PayPal is completely the opposite from how you describe so matter-of-factly, as it actually facilitates purchase of multiple items, and does not over-burden the consumer with "being OK if you want just one item" "if they want more than one item" ..... to satisfy otherwise, it would argue for the "Buy Now" button for single-item purchases alone: when Adding To Cart, the consumer has the option to either proceed to Checkout (after updating/verifying cart totals) or returning to continue shopping (via the link entered during PayPal cart configuration).

You seem to have replied in exactly they very opposite logical argument on this one!

The suggestion to use a script as osCommerce (even though installed for free via Fantastico) is not in keeping with her intent to preserve her own site design parameters, as osC is much more complicated for the average to master, let alone customize to a great degree (even if uisng a pricey Template).

The additional suggestion to use a substitute script provided from either yourself or from Navaldesign in lieu of the fully capable and design-worthy PayPal functionality already in place and performing sufficiently appears to be more of an opportunity to personally profit rather than truly encourage and assist this VodaPeer in perfecting the capable website currently established: she would gain no advantage switching to any another eCommerce platform, either for free via Fantastico or for however 'affordable' a price to another "well-intentioned" Forum VodaPeer.

Without a clear reason (as rebutted above) or measurably advantageous justification, it seems more obvious the motivations behind such a post are less than altruistic indeed.

Her cart is fine the way it is, and there is no justification to suggest otherwise.

IMO

Anyone here has a the right to express his / her opinion ON THE TOPIC, that is, on how the site appears in HIS personal opinion.

Comments regarding other members opinions are to be avoided. No one is entitled to judge if there is or there is no justification for any suggestions. It is up to the initial poster to accept or not accept suggestions and take them for what they are.