Could you look at the site !

[hilary]

I have changed the 1st page to show the different products and the 2 different companies.

But
1.a box has appeared on right hand side saying styles & value- I don't know where this comes from
2.(acatoluge)blue baron top - text is right hand aligned. I want it left side.
3.HOME does not work
4.JACKETS.html a big space between picture & text so the words are squashed- Want to get rid of space-

Any other comments ???

Hilary

[Duncan Rounding]

And the URL is??

[acompton]

Duncan - its in Hilary's profile. Click on the 'Click here to enter' link.

[acompton]

I can explain the 'Styles' and 'Value' box. Its a summary of the shopping cart contents and is caused by something in you Act_Primary.html template like this:

<td bgcolor="#000066">
<div align="center"> 
<span class="actxxsmall"> 
<font color="#ffffff">
<script language="JavaScript">
	document.write("Styles:&nbsp;" + getCartItem(3)+"&nbsp;<BR>");
	document.write("Value:&nbsp;" + getCartItem(1));
</script>
</font></span> </div></td>

It needs the titles changing to 'Items' and 'Total'

[hilary]

more questions !

1.(acatalog )blue bar on top I don't know what it is called (underneath Heading Logo)- text is right hand aligned. I want it left side.

2.If you press HOME -It does not work

4.JACKETS.html a big space between picture & text so the words are squashed- I would love to get rid of the space-

Any other comments ???

Hilary

www.abercairn.co.uk

[leehack]

1. Called a Navbar, probably has text align left set or a left aligned <div>
2. It won't if you are already on the home page, do you ever catch a bus to drop you off at the same stop you are already standing at? You also need to get the text added so one can see it, not sure what you have done to make it look like that
3. Hmmmm
4. Doesn't exist, take the time to provide a physical link to something if you want it checked, try and help people to help you

Extra advice

1. Get some decent images, the current ones are a mess
2. Check out your hosting or your network settings, performance on the site is terrible if existent at all
3. Take a look at some other clothes sites and notice how they do things differently to you. Try and improve on what they do, at the moment your site is awful to be honest

If this site is not for a little hobby on the side and it needs to make a living for you, contact a professional to get the site on the right road, you can then take it on from there. It is sometimes hard to take on advice regarding your hard work, many people choose to ignore and believe they have things correct. That site is the worst actinic site i have seen for quite some time and needs some serious work doing on it. Do yourself a favour and pay for some professional advice, it will work wonders for the success of your online business.

[Donna]

Lee's advice is sound and i'm sure will be backed up by others who are equally sage.

http://www.abercairn.co.uk/acatalog/index.html
Couldn't get this link to work in firefox.

[acompton]

Lee's remarks seem a little harsh, but are based on years of experience selling online. I can temper them a little with two points:
1. The site has improved since I last saw it a few months ago.
2. I suspect the shop's target market is quite traditional and is selling to a market with lower expectations of site design. I have a friend who does 30 orders a day on a site that I'm sure Lee would be critical of.
That said, hilary still has a lot of work to do.

[leehack]

Having just reread my comments this morning, perhaps they do come over a little harsh, but the points made do not change at all. I prefer straight talk so always give it myself, people can choose to ignore it of course.

We saw this site a few months ago and it was a mess and it still is, it needs sorting out IMO, there is only so many times you will try to fit a lounge carpet before you call in someone that knows what they are doing.

Alan makes a great point in that some sites wouldn't be great in my eyes but they still sell lots of products, my counter argument would be if they are selling 30 products looking and operating like that, imagine what they could be selling if their site opened up and welcomed people like me in? My generation spends the most online at the moment, don't forget that. We have old relatives in our families too, even if the products don't appeal to us!!!!.

It is also important to note, that it's important when your target audience is not so fussy (usually the older generations) to have an easy to navigate and move around site. It becomes MORE important with this target audience to get things right, not less IMO.

A functioning site that works gets 4/10 in my eyes before i even start to look, this one sadly is (from my perspective) scoring 1/10. Do yourself a favour and seek some professional advice, it is better than before as Alan says, but you have taken one step of twenty you probably need to take, value your time spent, especially if it is not spent wisely or achieving anything.

[pinbrook]

2 diverse sites at one location never works either all it does it to reinforce lack of budget for either site

you also need to add left hand navigation. Help your customers find products is one of the first rules of a sucessful site

[hilary]

you are right

ouch ! No surprise.

I do need help.
As it happens the site is not for on line selling -we use it as a catalogue.
We want larger orders.
We do no carry stock.We are business to business.

We use yellow pages and yell and personal cntacts for RAY (our new business) and various export directories and personal contacts for Abercairn.

Is there anybody out there who can recommand a website redesigner-

I'll just creep under the bed clothes now and weep....

Hilary

[leehack]

I'll just creep under the bed clothes now and weep....

Hilary

Hilary, don't weep at all, you've just taken your first big step towards improvement, just like the drunk that finally contacts AA for help. Your main problem with regards to a designer is the software version you are using. It is no longer supported by actinic and there are few designers who like working in such an old version nowadays. I think you really need to come to a decision to invest some money into your site and possibly move up to the latest version. Perhaps this could coincide with starting to sell online also which will recoup your investment then. A successful website will often recoup the money invested in it within the first 12 months, often the first 6.

But you also have a massive part to play, you know your products and you can concentrate on getting some great new images for your products sorted out. Try and think of your website as catering for somebody surfing at 3am with no way of contacting you. The info and the images you provide on your site are the only way you will get that surfer to buy with you. If you think like this all of the time on your site, you will begin to build up a picture of what is required online.

As for designers, take a look round the forum and see whose around, you are going to need to invest though if you contact a designer, so be prepared, but don't be scared.

Good luck.