Yet another updated site needing feedback

[DJ Dicky]

Hi all

I have spent the last two days making some big changes to my site, originally prompted by the fact that I have become tired of the standard Smart theme (and the number of sites based on it now around) and the fact that several comments on here about how hard it is to make the Smart theme look like anything other than the smart theme.

In addition I have decided to make sure my site works OK on a 800 wide browser (again partly through my bloody mindedness and the comments on here about not supporting 800 wide browsers any more).

All the work so far has been done by changing the templates in notepad, no WYSIWYG editors in sight.

I have done most of the main pages but not started the checkout pages yet as they are harder to check without constantly uploading the test site.

I also now have some work to do on the products as some of the bits I coded into the HTML in the product descriptions are now built into the template and so double up on some of the products.

I also need to sort the headings out in the different boxes.

Before I spend more time on the site I am very interested in peoples opinions on the work done so far.

The new site can be found here

and the original unmodified site here

Thanks
Richard

[procheck]

Hi Richard,

I didn't check out everything, but I like both versions. If I were to choose, I would have to say that I like the unmodified page the best, but that's my own preference. Everything is presented on my screen and there is no need to scroll. I did a search on lamps and nothing was found but lamp with no "s" found plenty so that might be something to look at. Although you are planning to add something to your shipping page, it should be done asap because when I find "Coming Soon" on a page I rarely go back. This is especially true on something as important as shipping. Very professional. Good Luck!

Al

[DJ Dicky]

More changes made

I think I have sorted out all the pages onto the new format now including the checkout.

I have removed the right hand column on the checkout pages to give more room and as I don't think that they contain any useful info once you get to the checkout stage.

Procheck, I am interested that you prefer the old layout I thank sometimes that you can find that a site starts to look a bit tired sometimes just because you have looked at it to much whereas to a new visitor it all looks fresh. I will sort out the search for lamps, good call.

Still interested in other opinions and spotted errors.

Thanks
Richard

[Duncan Rounding]

A couple of personal things I see:
1. The Price Match image on the top left - I thought this was your logo at first. I would consider moving it. Also the quality of that imake is not very good.
2. A strange thing happens with IE7 (ok with FF). The section links for example on: http://www.testshop.nextec.co.uk/aca...log/LED_P.html are left justified onload but take slight jump to the right when clicked on. All the parent section pages do this.
3. The BTN graphic that is used for the main catalog page. These all look similar at first, making them hard to distinguish. I think that a graphic related to the section it is linking to would be better.
4. StockNone.png (and StckHigh.png) file is missing from the server.
5. I personally wouldn't bother to link to my hosting company as you have on the LHS.
6. When you have no stck - it says avaiable for backorder but does not have a buy button.
7. The page for the specfic delivery charges goes to your old site.
8. I'm not sure about the nipple pink background. I think you could perhaps remove the graduation (which shows a bright flash when loading between pages) and make it a much lighter shade. I think it dtracts fro the products.

Just my opinions.

[DJ Dicky]

Thank you very much for taking the time to have a look and for the feedback.

1. I take your point about the price match logo, I will look at moving it. The image is actually a high quality image and is meant to look like that to simulate a rubber stamp.

2. I noticed the jump to the right on the products. I thought I was seeing things at first. I cannot find the reason for it at the moment.

3. These are only temporary images until I have time to create the correct section images.

4. I forgot to upload the stock high , low and none images up to the test server, they are in place on the main server.

5. The only reason I link to the hosting company is that it is my own company!!

6. Not all the products have prices yet which is why I have not enabled them for purchase yet, this should be sorted soon.

7. The link goes to the old site because this is where this site will be moved to when it is ready.

8. I agree with you about the background and will be changing it soon.

What did you think about limiting the site to 800 wide though?

[Cate]

Hi

We are the process of updgrading several V7 Smart format sites to V8
There are some good templates on v8

I too preferred your original unmodified site and agree the pink colour is not great

Thought you may like a female perspective

[george]

Erm. If it was me, which it ain't lol, I'd change the section link images, very repetitive I think. Even text is better than a repeated logo sometimes.

I'd have something buyable where that white van is.

I'd ditch the unsubscribe option, just have a submit where folks can chuck you their email addy for updates etc.

I'd lose the `powered by nochex` bit, and you'll have to get rid of the Switch logo as its now replaced by Maestro.

I'd put the delivery information and the price match promise into a `help desk` box of their own, check my site.

Stick a copyright notice along the bottom of the pages, and put your hosting link there.

You''ll hate this bit. I'm not sure the pic on the top right is good, it looks at a glance (which potential customers do) like one of 'em city at night pictures. I'd make it a clear picture of decks, lighting, or something but make it obvious at a nano seconds glance what you do.

If you are listing one product in a list then I think they can get `lost` in a design thats too wide (ie too much white space man), but hey, thats just me. I squashed ours in a bit but it kinda suits (I think) what we do anyway.

Just my wee take on yer site fella, take it with a pinch of grandulated, I'll be checkin' back lol.

[george]

Thought you may like a female perspective

We do, on various topics.

[Duncan Rounding]

...What did you think about limiting the site to 800 wide though?

I think that's OK you could have gone a bit wider, say 1000px. I personally prefer fixed size layouts to stretchy ones; they can look a bit silly if there's not a lot of content to stretch and so can look disorganised sometimes.

[george]

125 page views and only four replies?

Wasn't like that back in the day...

Give the man some feeback folks!



PS Thats my good deed done for the day.

[george]

Sorry, but I did try to get you some more feeback.

[Cate]

I had another biref look at your new home page from the female point of view.

I guess most DJ's are men-I may be wrong.

I would make side bar colours either grey, red or blue so that you repeat one of the colours from your graphic so giving a more colour coordinated look, and a more macho colour scheme.

Kate

[acompton]

My feelings are a bit like the old Paddy Ashdown joke: "I prefer neither the left leg, nor the right leg; but something in-between".
Old: layout seems more symmetrical and has an even width.
New: I like the dynamic menus, but now the header is not as wide as the rest of the page and looks a little odd.

Basically a nice site, targetting its audience well. A few points:
- Kate is right about the colour coordination.
- You've still got a Switch logo
- no stock of basic things like bulbs.
- spelling error in the dynamic menu: Stands & Clamps > Speaker Stands > ... Speker Poles
- no lighting stands? I'd have thought that was basic (maybe WIP)
- on a product page, it would be nicer if the stock level, quantity and Add to Cart button were in a horizontal line, rather than one above the other (not so far to get to the Add to Cart button

[DJ Dicky]

The colours are fixed as they are sort of our corporate theme. This will become clearer if you look at our main web site here

The pages should all be the same width as the header.

I have taken the plunge and updated the main site so you need to check back there instead.

I have finally managed to get rid of the strange behavior with the images jumping to the right when clicked on. Don't ask me how I did it as I changed and played with so many things I cant remember which one fixed it.

I had spotted that spelling error as well.

Now the site is basically all there I can get the rest of the products and prices sorted out.

Thanks for the feedback

Richard