basket frame

[PaulGrimshaw]

Hi,

I have a website, written in that has 4 sections, along the top is my site navigation, the left panel is for product navigation and the bottom is where I have my cart and then the main screen for products.

I am evaluating actinic to replace , but can not see how I can get this layout. I really want the cart at the bottom.

My current website is www.madmash.com if you want to see what i am talking about.

Thanks,
Paul.

[wjcampbe]

The cart summary is produced by a small snippet of javascript, which you can move around in the basic template file (Act_Primary.html for catalog pages) to show where you want.

Once you have decided which Actinic theme you will work with, have a search around the forum using the name of that theme to see what tips have already been discussed.

[pinbrook]

I am evaluating actinic to replace , but can not see how I can get this layout. I really want the cart at the bottom.

Why do you want the basket at the bottom? Because you are used to it? or is there another reason.

It is often a useful exercise when considering new software or a site revamp to look at all the elements and objectively decide the best location, Thus potentially improving the site

One of the keys to a sucessful site is to make your site intuitive so that people can easily find their way around the site. Alot of ecommerce sites have a logo top right, left hand nav for products, top horizontal nav for site admin, basket, checkout and search top right.

It mat seem boring to place these links in these places but if the majority of shoppers expect to find links in these places you will be helping them to shop on your site.

I would seriously look at why you want to basket at the bottom of the screen (or is the current software a competitor whose name starts with E) If This is the case then you ought to also consider taking your new site design out of the frames and move your new site into the present looking to the future rather than using code which was in vogue 5 years ago.

Frames are not good news - search this forum on the keyword "frame" to see other discussions.

[jont]

One of the keys to a sucessful site is to make your site intuitive so that people can easily find their way around the site. Alot of ecommerce sites have a logo top right, left hand nav for products, top horizontal nav for site admin, basket, checkout and search top right.

It mat seem boring to place these links in these places but if the majority of shoppers expect to find links in these places you will be helping them to shop on your site.

Indeed - millions of dollars are spent each year reseaching user habits and the "best" layouts always follow the above rules of thumb ... no point re-inventing the wheel when it has already been proven to work

[pinbrook]

Periodically I visit ecommerce sites made by the big guys with big usability budgets

ie microsoft, amazon, ebuyer, and so on.

Check out what they are doing, and then utilise their best ideas...

[RuralWeb]

I do some contract work with a government funded agency who bought a developers licence for the software you are currently using with the idea that all designers in the network would use it.

I refused for many reasons and insisted on Actinic, now after 18 months they are begining to realise the mistake they made as the sites built with the ...... software are rubbish.