site review and feedback, please

[laura]

your input helps

Thanks to all for their input, advice and help.

I have stared at the pages for so long that it had become impossible for me to see even simple typos. My eyes were just brushing over them.

Anyway, I have fixed all the errors people spotted and we have got the small images in place so the site is much faster.

Now all I need are visitors and sales

Surely that will be the easy bit after all the hard development work? (Only joking - I know that up until now was the easy bit and now is when the real work starts.)

Laura

[Decswitch]

The site design looks really good Laura. All you are missing is product content but once you get that added in you will have a really good site. And get the type of models representative of the people buying your stuff as well. Sure there was a comment about not wanting to see the slightest hint of love handles. Why?!? There is a big difference between big and sexy and just being overweight. Represent your customers and they will buy. You get Nigella doing a photoshoot for you and you'd make a million! Be a bit different instead of falling in line with every other site.

If I was nit-picking I'd say you should change your logo from a GIF to a JPG to avoid the slight pixelation you get around the edges with a transparent GIF.

Good luck with it. Let us know how the sales go.

What are you doing with regards to marketing?

Regards, Rob.

[parklifeclothes]

Sure there was a comment about not wanting to see the slightest hint of love handles. Why?!?

What I meant was people don't want to see a size 14 model squeezed into a size 10's lingerie just because that is the only model you can get hold of for the photo shoot.
So many companies in your sector get it so wrong with the underwear looking appalling as they have made do, when if you get the right model/setting/lighting the same underwear looks a million dollars and that is what sells. Take a good look at your competitors, big and small and look at it from the buyers angle.

[laura]

guys, thanks for the input. But running my own photoshoot is beyond my means at this stage. models and photographers charge a fortune - celebrity models even more.

for the time being I will be using the manufacturers photos and material. what you are currently seeing is how they portray their product lines.

thanks,

Laura

[parklifeclothes]

But running my own photoshoot is beyond my means at this stage. for the time being I will be using the manufacturers photos and material. what you are currently seeing is how they portray their product lines.

Well in that case you will be better using the manufacturers images as they will have the right set up, there are some absolute hideous images on some lingerie websites that do nothing for the item, in fact will make certain no one would buy them

[Kate (newbie)]

Can't offer much in the way of advice (I'm new aswell) - just to say it really is a beautiful site. Found myself shopping on it instead of criticising it !

[laura]

Kate, thanks for the encouragement - hope you found something nice to buy .

I wish you every success with your venture also.

Laura

[laura]

Rob,

I am using and planning to use a variety of mechanisms for marketing including,

google ad-words/ppc, e-mail shots, physical mail shots, posters in locations around me, friends and colleagues.

If you have suggestions on how best to market the site I would be very greatful!!!

Thanks

Laura

[Decswitch]

Hi Laura,

For email shots and newsletters Groupmail is good software. There is a free version (I think it's limited to sending 100 emails at a time). Trouble with newspletters is that people expect them every month which can become a real bind. I learnt this at the last place I worked for as they had nothing new to say or sell so it was really hard creating new content.

One of the best ways of marketing your site is to get an article in newspapers and magazines even if it is the local rag. We are trying this at the moment but I'm expecting a lot of them will want a fee to run a story.

Rob.

[bamboo]

Laura a question
I am a busty lady who struggles to find beautiful well fitting lingerie. Lots of sites promise to solve my problem but none do.
How does your site answer my question?



Answer
Currently it doesn't. It just presents me with a huge graphic of an ideal figure, which I am not and never likely to be, and these truly meaningless words

An embrace of lingerie and swimwear for D+ Ladies

As you may have gathered I am not even a lady but seriously if you can answer this question that is in the mind of your suspect (prospective customer) within seconds of them landing on your page I know you would not only gain a lifetime customer but likely a whole raft of likely customers as the original suspect will have a lot of friends who 'suffer' the same problems.
Just trawl the 'big boys' like Figleaf & Victorias Secret to see how they try to answer it and come up with a better answer!

Here's a question for all the ladies on here who may be able to help Laura

When you are shopping for lingerie of the kind Laura is selling what matters most fit, look or feel?

[guccij]

When you are shopping for lingerie of the kind Laura is selling what matters most fit, look or feel?

• Fabric - must be "cotton rich" at the very least.
• The fit - but buying off the internet is very hit and miss and almost always involves guesswork on my part from the description.
• Then colour - since no-one apart from me and my family will see my underwear and they (appear to) love me whatever I wear, I see no point in anything other than white or black.

[leehack]

Jules if you need an outsider's viewpoint on colours that are not white or black, i'd be happy to help out. Not in the smog though, only in the mountains with the goats.

[guccij]

Jules if you need an outsider's viewpoint

When you become a fully paid up member of the Jules family, then maybe

PS I award myself a goatpoint

[gabrielcrowe]

I think the front page needs some work.

I'd suggest a re-think of what's going on.

"An embrace of lingerie and swimwear for D+ Ladies" To me, does not convey a message that screams "You cannot be without underpants! BUY ME NOW". You need something a little less sterile and a little more fun. It says: "I'm comfortable with the pants I've got and i don't need any more."

There is no obvious call to action, and the images look a little stagnant.

You need a set of actions that the customer can take:
- Go to an offer
- Go to a product directly.
- Go to a section of fun things
- Add an item to the basket
- See some more pretty girls.

I give 3 examples from a google search:
- http://www.agentprovocateur.com/
- http://www.lasenza.co.uk/
- http://www.lingerieexpress.co.uk/

All 3 pages have definate callouts:
'New Collection'
'Gift Suggestions'
'Glam 40% off'
'robes from £18'
'buy 1 get 1 free'
'5 for £10'

I feel, you probably need something like this. Your competitors are a rough crowd, and it'll take some convincing to buy from you, when they have pink pink girlyness splattered all over their pages.

You need a definate reason to click on something, and i cant see that on your front page.

15% OFF MARKED PRICES!!

* - 2 Day Mid Week Sale - 15% OFF Marked Prices!! 26th & 27th Nov.
* - Free UK Delivery / Free UK Returns
* - Your 15% Discount will be Automatically Deducted when you add item/s to the Shopping Bag.

on your front page needs a button below it that says: "Shop Now!" and goes to acatalog/. Thats a good start.

http://www.lembrassa.com/acatalog/

then clean up this page so that each section has better images, and some snazzy text based reason to purchase.



additionally, the font used for your logo, should really not be the one used in shop headings, its VERY hard to read.

overall, pretty girls, interesting design, lacking in reasons to buy.

[leehack]

When you become a fully paid up member of the Jules family, then maybe

I'll have a 3 month subscription to trial it out please.