Site Review Please...

[platform8]

Hello,
www.platform8.com
Hope this is the right place to request one of these?
As part of my global expansion See thread here
I'm going to build up the UK side initially, I've upgraded to v7 catalog and used the Smart theme along with some tips from the other threads, Thanks to you all for that.
I wanted a clean Amazon-like appearance but
I'm worried that the site is just a bit dull, samey, no pizzazz! but don't want loads of bells and whistles on it.

Any thoughts?
Any links to classy/ stylish sites that have impressed you?

question:How do I change the background colour, but keep the product list. sidebars with a white background? tried to alter the background1.gif but that changed everything!

Thanks for looking, be brutal.

Platform 8

[pinbrook]

Ok, brutal.....

yes it is abit samey there are loads of smart themes out there and it is difficult to make your site stand out. I'm not sure that the colour scheme works for your products. The good thing about the smart theme is that everything is laid out to help people find things, so your site is fine for usability. But as you say its not exciting.

Get some products on to the front page, sell from the front page, have the info and picture of the B&M store at the bottom of the page (for consumer confidence).

The 2 products within 1 cell layout is confusing, best lay each product out on its own, still in 2 columns if you want.

Maybe have the layout one row one product, which the link to the more info. Have the quantity button on the product page to make it easier for people to buy more than 1 of an item, get your product rows to fit the width of the table.


See if you can get hold of a graphic designer to give some ideas how to beef up the design

[jont]

I clicked into the Romans figures page and was presented with 6 different products - all with the same description (very generic and non descriptive) - clicking on the "more" button gave more info - alas nothing specific about each product and again was the same for each product. Jumping around sections this happens on a fairly regular basis.

Adding extra info against each product will do wonders not only for sales but also search listings.

Jo is right about the colour scheme - it is not really typical of your products and is fairly bland and uninspiring. I personally would expect dark colours for your products - although it can be good to move away from the stereotypical themes and colours so long as you get it right. A quick fix would be to create your own "add to cart" buttons more in keeping with your products.

[j2001m]

look at this www.electricalscentre.com

[jont]

Wow - scrolling marquees in 2005

[whirlex]

they still make those??? :P

[pinbrook]

look at this www. electricalscentre. com

Is there a reason for looking at this site, except to give me a headache...or is it some more self promotion along the lines of the one&one we had to endure a while back

[compendia]

In defence of scolling...

The first design of our site had a lovely scrolling marquee so the title slid into view. It was very quick but really gave you a feeling that you'd Arrived on each page - so I have very fond memories of them.

I like the platform8. We have a picture of the Bricks and Mortar on our homepage too and I think its a good thing to have, the web drives people into the shop and creates telephone sales, and it provides the web customers with a sense of physicality.

Maybe some of the products, like the zoo signpost, need an idea of what you can do with them, or just be sold in a simple list format because they are exciting all together but not on their own.

Perhaps you had some pictures of different setups together but I didn't see them, it seems to me that it might people would be buying sets of the different components.

I don't think you shold have the logo of the suppliers and links on your front page, unless they are returning the favour, it gives people too much of an opportunity to leave. I did it by accident.

But in general I think the site is really really good.

[jont]

The first design of our site had a lovely scrolling marquee - so I have very fond memories of them.

IMHO I think that is where they should stay - as fond memories

[compendia]

Having thought about it some more maybe it was a sliding marquee.