New website finally uploaded, comments?

[TheSwift]

Hi all,

Firstly a HUGE thank you to everyone on this board. I have been working on this site for about 4 weeks on and off, and found solutions to most of my problems using the search, great knowledge base guys, thanks!

So, I have finally uploaded my store. you'll find it at:

www.theumpcstore.co.uk

Please feel free to make comments. Go easy guys and girls, I'm only a first timer. Currently digging into the 'Dreamweaver CS3 bible' and the 'Dreamweaver missing manual' to brush up for my next attempt at millions! ha ha.

Kind regards,

Mark Swift

[jont]

Hi Mark,

congrats on finally getting a store online - always a nice milestone. To be picky.. and that is the reason for you posting for comments :

1. centred product text is a big no-no. Makes scan reading very slow.

2. font sizes are little on the small side

3. main links in the left hand navigation are lacking contrast (grey on black)

4. I would add more padding in the new products and best sellers list - not much but enough to space out the text from the dividing lines

5. the blue across the top could do with being a shade darker in keeping with your products and the black theme

6. the "click for addition image" links are very lost (at least add a space between the pipe | and the "I" ) .. you could look at adding a small icon before each link to help it stand out a little.

[TheSwift]

Hi Mark,

congrats on finally getting a store online - always a nice milestone. To be picky.. and that is the reason for you posting for comments :

1. centred product text is a big no-no. Makes scan reading very slow.

2. font sizes are little on the small side

3. main links in the left hand navigation are lacking contrast (grey on black)

4. I would add more padding in the new products and best sellers list - not much but enough to space out the text from the dividing lines

5. the blue across the top could do with being a shade darker in keeping with your products and the black theme

6. the "click for addition image" links are very lost (at least add a space between the pipe | and the "I" ) .. you could look at adding a small icon before each link to help it stand out a little.

Hi,

Thanks for the comments, just what I am looking for, I will look into what you have said. I thought about adding an image before the additional image links, but to be honest, am not sure how to go about it Could you point me in the right direction? I'm guessing it would be coded into the link to the popup somewhere. Geee so glad I am reading all these books...

I tried adding a space between the text links for the additonal images but the spaces just seemed to be ignored, no matter how many I added No doubt an error on my part.

Regards

Mark

[leehack]

I tried adding a space between the text links for the additonal images but the spaces just seemed to be ignored, no matter how many I added No doubt an error on my part.

Use:

 

to add a space

[TheSwift]

I presume I need the add the padding to the 'mini best sellers layout'? I see no sign of padding, I see it in the 'list layout settings' but if I add a number into padding it just pads the boxes. How would I go about making the boxes bigger so the writing spreads out?

Lee, thanks for the tip, works great! Cheers.#

P.S. Uploaded some of the changes already.

[leehack]

I actually quite like it, it caught my eye in a kind of WTF way, but it got my attention which is good. I would like to see any use of black changed to colour #333333 instead, it will give the same distinction but add a bit of class and less harshness IMO.

Why have useful pages listed down the left and then have 3 at the bottom also? Do you store your cornflakes in the kitchen and your porridge in the bathroom? Keep things together and easy to find.

[jont]

Take a look at .page_body_content_left_column in the actinic.css stylesheet .. you can add additional padding to the a: pseudo class in there

[TheSwift]

I actually quite like it, it caught my eye in a kind of WTF way, but it got my attention which is good. I would like to see any use of black changed to colour #333333 instead, it will give the same distinction but add a bit of class and less harshness IMO.

Why have useful pages listed down the left and then have 3 at the bottom also? Do you store your cornflakes in the kitchen and your porridge in the bathroom? Keep things together and easy to find.

Hi Lee,

I have added some of your suggestions regarding the colour etc, do you think this is a better look?

Jonty, I will work on what you said, but to be honest am a bit losted

Thanks to both of you,

Mark

[leehack]

I prefer it personally, but i think all instances of black need to go to that colour, logos and the big logo etc. Footer text needs defining too. Maybe others will pop in and comment, plain black background is a bad idea IMO.

Select the stylesheet in the drop down box in the design tab to find what Jonty is on about.

[TheSwift]

I prefer it personally, but i think all instances of black need to go to that colour, logos and the big logo etc. Footer text needs defining too. Maybe others will pop in and comment, plain black background is a bad idea IMO.

Select the stylesheet in the drop down box in the design tab to find what Jonty is on about.

Working on the logos, oooppppss.

Mark

[TheSwift]

I prefer it personally, but i think all instances of black need to go to that colour, logos and the big logo etc. Footer text needs defining too. Maybe others will pop in and comment, plain black background is a bad idea IMO.

Select the stylesheet in the drop down box in the design tab to find what Jonty is on about.

Right, I have increased the font size, looks much better. Sorted the logos too. Now, why is it that if you look at the top menus they are slightly enlarged where the text has increased, how do I stop this, do I need to adjust the widths of the cart bar, and top bar somewhere. Can anyone point me in the right direction?

Regards

Mark

P.S Just noticed that this is much worse in explorer than firefox.

[TheSwift]

Take a look at .page_body_content_left_column in the actinic.css stylesheet .. you can add additional padding to the a: pseudo class in there

Hi Jonty,

I have located what I think you are talking about on page 356 of the stylesheet? I have no idea how to add the padding though. Can you help? Think I'm nearly done then!

[leehack]

I hope its line 356 and not page 356, otherwise you poor bugger searching that many pages.

Add:

padding: 5px;

to start with and see how things look, adjust the number 5 to suit

[TheSwift]

I hope its line 356 and not page 356, otherwise you poor bugger searching that many pages.

Add:

padding: 5px;

to start with and see how things look, adjust the number 5 to suit

Hi Lee,

Ha ha, yeah it was line, not page. Gheeeez. Anyway I added that in there as Jonty suggested and it made no difference to the best sellers layout on the main page, the text still looks all squashed sround the images in the boxes. Darn it.

I have sorted the header menu after the resize of fonts, just needed to add a pixel to the content menu and cart menu in design layout.

Any ideas how to make the best sellers look better. I have uploaded the site for you to look at. Made a few more colour changes to the quick search area too. Its looking much better, thank you so much for all your help.

[leehack]

Get yourself firefox and the web develepor and firebug add ons, they let you dissect the site and see what is being used and where, it even tellls you the line to adjust.