Please review my children's clothing site

preciouschild · #1 (**permalink**) 09-09-2005, 04:58 PM

This site for our family business was created in 2000. I took over the business this year. I would appreciate any suggestions. I will seriously consider every suggestion and because I am still learning so much I will apply them as I am able.

Thanks.

preciouschild · #2 (**permalink**) 09-09-2005, 04:59 PM

PS. I will review your site if you like.

CJacobson · #3 (**permalink**) 09-09-2005, 11:18 PM

Welcome to our community - I'm pleased to give your site its first review!

There are some things I really like about your site. I think it makes a very good first impression. I especially thought the dollhouse picture on the first page was nifty.

But the more I looked around, the more I saw that needs work. The banner across the the top reads "Child Precious Child Precious Child". I think it's a mistake not to put your company name in an easier-to-comprehend form. I also think it would be helpful to put a tag line right up there in that valuable real estate. Something like "Traditional Sunday Clothes For Babies and Children". There's something weird going on behind the second "precious", as though the image was once part of a more elaborate design.

That dollhouse picture gave me the idea you sold toys! I don't think that's helpful to anyone. Why not show your favorite item that's actually for sale: a best-selling "featured product". something that's specially priced, or a premium product that says "Exclusive"?

The images to the left of the main navigation buttons are irrelevent too. (Porcelain trinkets?) You don't sell those!!! If you must, why not use cute little images of baby clothes or bonnets or something?

Now, I think it's important to note that you've filled my entire screen with NOTHING useful except four navigation buttons that take me somewhere else. Frankly, that's wasting my time. It's NOT helping your sales.

It gets worse - two of the four buttons aren't working on my browser. The "About Us" page really needs to work!

About navigation buttons, I think you should consider doing that function with text links instead of images. There are a half dozen good reasons. In a nutshell they include making the site appear quicker on people's screens, making the site easier to index by search engines, and making the site easier to use by people with vision issues. If you must use images, you should certainly provide meaningful "alternate text".

You've got a big button for "brands that we carry" - so why do you need to list all those brands on the home page? Frankly, it'd look more professional to remove that mess. Below the brands, you've got way too many words in a small font. I didn't read them and no one else will either. Then, at the very bottom you have a scary little banner ad for "The Cuppycake Song." I'm sorry, but that photo doesn't look right. The child looks terrified! And the text is almost totally illegible. All that needs to go!

Now, peaking at your source code. It's not pretty... You're missing the required first line that all web page codes are supposed to begin with... the one that says which version of HTML the page is written in. Without it, most of the bug checkers won't work... so adding it could make your life easier. It'll look something like this: <!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.01 Transitional//EN">

For your head tags, I recommend that you force the description and keywords to one line each.

Remember those navigation buttons I didn't like? Well, looking at your code I see they're "mapped" - which is soooo outdated and nasty. (Each nav-button is defined in terms of its pixel position on the screen.) The big problem is they're hard to update as the site evolves. They have no advantage - but they're easy to remove! Again, I recommend using text-links for navigation (and just making it LOOK like you're using buttons.) I think you need exactly the same navigation buttons on every single page, and I think you also need to make it obvious how to get back to the home page from anywhere.

Do you know that it takes at least five mouse clicks for a customer to see a product that can be purchased? That's not good. When the customer does see it, they only see a microscopic thumbnail. Apparently there's supposed to be a mouse-over function where I can get a description by pointing... but that's not working on my browser. It takes yet another click to see an item well enough to know what it is.

Until I enlarge an item... the right column is ugly and full of words that emphasize "cheap". All the "sale" and "discounted" verbiage needs to be de-emphasized. Seriously, I don't know your customers, but I know people need to feel good about themselves to be good customers. Most people feel better about themselves if they think they're discovering great values among premium goods, instead of premium-priced items among clearance-priced goods.

Okay, I've gone on too long. I hope I didn't seem too critical, but you do have your work cut out for you. I wish you good luck!

~~~~~~~~~~~~

p.s. Thank you for already reviewing my site!

preciouschild · #4 (**permalink**) 09-09-2005, 11:33 PM

CJacobson
Thanks for all the recommendations. I didn't create the site so I'll try not to take the comments personally! Reading through your post a second time I can see that your suggestions are valid. I do have the problem that some of the things I simply don't know how to change but there are others that I will start with right away.

As I continue to learn I will focus on learning how to make some more of those suggestions.

Heidi

Paul B · #5 (**permalink**) 09-10-2005, 02:22 AM

I guess not much has happened to the site since 2000 - but the web world has moved on!

Sound came and went. Frames came and went. Your site is stuck with both.

Navigation is complicated and quirky. Then I couldn't find a buy button - finally I see it's not a store, but a catalog and customers phone or email their orders - does that work?

My suggestion would be to convert the site to ecommerce - a yahoo store or if you know a designer, oscommerce.

preciouschild · #6 (**permalink**) 09-10-2005, 12:00 PM

Paul
Thanks for your suggestions. There are a few things my customers really like but I know I am seriously out of date. In particular people like the number of close up pictures. I have to figure out how to still have them and not be like every one else.

Phone orders do work with the people who have additional questions so they want to call. I'm sure that many just move on.

Heidi

Nikky · #7 (**permalink**) 09-12-2005, 06:30 AM

Well, this is my honest opinion. Your site look a little bit outdated . I am a mother of 2-years old so I do shop a lot online. I like Gymboree, for example. Your site should look more modern and professional...

preciouschild · #8 (**permalink**) 09-12-2005, 10:03 AM

Nikky,
Thanks for your comments. I am looking at getting help to make some changes on my site. I hope I can find a balance and not just look like every one else.


Register	FAQ	Calendar	Mark Forums Read

Thread Tools
Show Printable Version Email this Page
Display Modes
Linear Mode Switch to Hybrid Mode Switch to Threaded Mode