Honest Brutal Site Review

[Owen Drumm]

www.supplement-warehouse.co.uk

Both barrels please as it's better to get advice and criticism from here to make things better.

[Ho Ho Bird]

Hi, here goes:

I prefer fixed width sites. Stretching them to fill my window makes it look less than professional.

I don't understand an 05601 number. Is than a normal geographical number of one that is going to cost be more to ring? [Actually, I just researched-it and found its a Voip-In number. I've got one of those but it starts with a normal Manchester code so it doesn't freak anyone out]

I don't know which version of Actinic you've used, but it looks an early version (7?). If it is 9 (or even 8) I think you've missed the chance to make your site look more professional (although I am a long way from being your target market so may be totally wrong).

You seem to have avoided using single product per page which I understand will make it more difficult for you to rank high in Google etc.

In your logo you have 'Supplement Warehouse 2008'. I'm always wary of business with dates in their names as it implies they went bankrupt the year before and have started up again. I doubt that is your case but I don't think it adds anything (its not in your domain) so should be removed.

The way you are using new products in the right hand margin means some pages are about 2 metres long, when the main body of the page desn't fill the screen. I think you can elect to use just (say) 10 words of the description from each product, to avoid this happening.

Your basket / shopping process looks pretty standard so shouldn't put many buyers off. Is it Actinic payments you are using? because the secure screen looks a little plain and not very reassuring.

If you have a good client base already and just want a means of them placing orders and taking payments, I think you'll be ok. If you want to win business via the search engines and impressive design I think you have some way to go.

Nothing that many hours at the PC can't solve!

[Owen Drumm]

Thanks for that assesment. A few things for me to take on board. Here are a couple of things re your post.

I don't know which version of Actinic you've used, but it looks an early version (7?)

Started with version 7 and updated through 8 to 9.

You seem to have avoided using single product per page

With the amount of products on the site it would be brutal to put each one in it's own sub-section. I have however put a few that I want specifically listed in their own sub-sections.

In your logo you have 'Supplement Warehouse 2008'

It's a long story why this was done but I think that you are right there and will change the logo.

The way you are using new products in the right hand margin means some pages are about 2 metres long

Two reasons for this. Many in the client base want as much info as possible available. Also thought it wouldn't harm the site in terms of ranking. I might however take a look at your suggestion of limiting the number of words.

Your basket / shopping process looks pretty standard

The shopping cart is Actinic shared ssl.

Any more suggestions?

[pinbrook]

The way you are using new products in the right hand margin means some pages are about 2 metres long

Two reasons for this. Many in the client base want as much info as possible available. Also thought it wouldn't harm the site in terms of ranking. I might however take a look at your suggestion of limiting the number of words.

over using the info in the right column can also be perceived as spamming - no -one is going to scroll to the bottom of the right margin - restrict this for a few products you really want to promote and change it regularly.

Started with version 7 and updated through 8 to 9.

you've missed a trick here, you could really do with some good design onthe site to make it stand out. You've got some good section/product images - but the overall site design lets it down. You could just get a professionally designed headerlogo if budget is an issue

You seem to have avoided using single product per page

i think you should have SPP and combine it with single add to cart per page

Font size is too small for me

personally i hate it when i put stuff in the basket and get bounced back to the product, i expect to have to confirm. i always wonder if my product has been added

You also need to ditch shared SSL and read about PCI DSS compliance

[Rich Brady]

I think SPP is definately the way forward, codepath do a plugin that will do the bulk of the work for you to save time.

Take these two examples for whey protein:

Your site:

Whey Protein

This site is number one for a google search "supplements":

Whey Potein

A PSP is a must these days, check out my sig for a little info on PCI-DSS.

The brutal answer is, this site has a long way to go before you should be asking for a site review IMO. You need to read other site reviews on the forum first, a lot of what is said will apply to you.

Go fixed width, your navigation is way to long, so you may want to look at a pop out menu. Get rid of the descriptions from your marketing lists.

You also sell gym equipment, which is not obvious at all. I'd have to fragments side my side at the top of your home page "Supplements" and "Gym Equipment", using those titles as your top level sections too.

Then the visitor can make their decision early on as to what sort of product they want.

[Duncan Rounding]

Two very important things strike me above many others: 'information overload' and 'lack of overview navigation'.

IMO
You need to remove most of the text from the sidebars and leave just tasters and click through for more info. There is far too much information on most pages and no one will look through most of it.
It's almost impossible to find your way around as the navigation is much too verbose.

Don't build for the SEs build for visitors and leave more room so you can make the text larger and easier to read.

And a few others...
Fix the width.
No one knows how much it costs to call an 05... tel number, they might even think it's foreign. (Is it a VOIP number?)
Your crammed content may be considered as keyword spamming.
Your meta content tag content is not always just relevant to the page being served.
Add to cart button does not stand out.
The view cart was very slow - in fact I almost gave up waiting - at least 8 seconds when I tried.
There is no company address in the T&Cs, only on Contact Us page.

Consider using Norman's Tabber to reduce the page length.
Change to SPP.
Truncate descriptions for New Products etc.
Etc.

[Owen Drumm]

Every little bit helps. Will take a look at the code path plugin for SPP.

Just out of interest, what effect does the server being relocated to Germany have on search engines. The host have relocated all their servers from the UK to Germany.

[pinbrook]

Just out of interest, what effect does the server being relocated to Germany have on search engines. The host have relocated all their servers from the UK to Germany.

as long as your domain is co.uk you wil lbe fine. If its com you are stuffed and will need to either host in the UK or use co.uk.

[pinbrook]

You need to remove most of the text from the sidebars and leave just tasters and click through for more info. There is far too much information on most pages and no one will look through most of it.
It's almost impossible to find your way around as the navigation is much too verbose.

When i looked this morning i was using ASUS with 800 px screen, now i'm on PC with 1200 x 800. I've got to agree with Duncan. As a browser i would only scroll down a page abit, your pages are far to long. its information overload.

Go SPP and your will benefit so much SEO wise.

tighten up your navigation its also to long

header/logo is not as wide as the page, makes a mockery of fluid width

[Rich Brady]

as long as your domain is co.uk you wil lbe fine. If its com you are stuffed and will need to either host in the UK or use co.uk.

Jo I was under the impression that a .co.uk address on a UK based server was preferable is that not the case?

[pinbrook]

Jo I was under the impression that a .co.uk address on a UK based server was preferable is that not the case?

Both are the holy grail, but one or the other will suffice.

[Rich Brady]

Thanks for the speedy reply.

[Owen Drumm]

Ok, done some work on the site.

Changed products to SPP using codepaths plugin. I have noticed that some customers use the add to cart on the section on some products that have options so I will have a think about removing the add to cart button on the section level.

Added Normans Accordion menu plugin to shorten the navigation menu. I have also changed the new products side bar to show purely name and price.

I have set the bounce rate on the cart to 0. I have also removed any reference to Supplement Warehouse 2008.

For now I am going to keep the Actinic shared SSL although I am thinking about using Actinic payments in the long term.

The standard font size will be increased also.

Anymore advice would be welcome.