bit of a rethink, comments please.

fasterstill · #1 (**permalink**) 11-18-2005, 06:55 AM

www.webcommerceplus.com

JuniorOnline · #2 (**permalink**) 11-18-2005, 08:47 AM

i found it extremly difficult to read the font. it's not easy to read at all.. I would highly recommend changing the font.

fasterstill · #3 (**permalink**) 11-20-2005, 09:27 AM

funny what browser are you on, i find it extreamly clear.

send2paul · #4 (**permalink**) 11-20-2005, 01:10 PM

All this from: Web Page Analyzer :

Analysis and Recommendations

* TOTAL_HTML - Congratulations, the total number of HTML files on this page (including the main HTML file) is 1 which most browsers can multithread. Minimizing HTTP requests is key for web site optimization.
* TOTAL_OBJECTS - Congratulations, the total objects on this page (including the HTML) is 2 which most browsers can multithread. Minimizing HTTP requests is key for web site optimization.
* TOTAL_MULTIM - Congratulations, the total number of external multimedia files on this page is 1 .
* TOTAL_SIZE - Warning! The total size of this page is 192740 bytes, which will load in 38.41 seconds on a 56Kbps modem. Consider reducing total page size to less than 30K to achieve sub eight second response times on 56K connections. Pages over 100K exceed most attention thresholds at 56Kbps, even with feedback. Consider contacting us about our optimization services.
* HTML_SIZE - Congratulations, the total size of this HTML file is 946 bytes, which less than 20K. Assuming that you specify the HEIGHT and WIDTH of your images, this size allows your page to display content in well under 8 seconds, the average time users are willing to wait for a page to display without feedback.
* MULTIM_SIZE - Warning! The total size of your external multimedia is 191794 bytes, which is over 20K. Consider optimizing your multimedia files for size, or replacing them with lower-bandwidth alternatives, or eliminating them altogether.

Which still remains a good tool for website analysis :)

p.s. all the page titles are called "final"...

fasterstill · #5 (**permalink**) 11-20-2005, 02:13 PM

i use these guys , have you tryed them?
http://www.sitereportcard.com/

send2paul · #6 (**permalink**) 11-21-2005, 01:01 PM

No - but I'll give them a go - thanks

flood6 · #7 (**permalink**) 11-21-2005, 06:19 PM

Using Firefox 1.0.7 on Linux:

The following are just observations, don't take anything as a criticism.

I'm not a fan of "whiz-bang" sites, but I think yours is pretty good. I disagree with JuniorOnline, I think the font is fine and goes well with the site; someone with impaired vision might have problems, though.

The little "slider" widget (scrollbar) looks like it is of a lower quality than the rest of the site. I don't know if it's the colors or maybe the shading, but it just doesn't look quite "right" to me.

I don't like popup windows. I've usually got so many windows open at once I can get lost with content in popups.

It gets kind of confusing that the screen always goes back to the home page before going to the target page when a link is clicked. This effect might be exaggerated on slower computers and connections.

I think it's cool that you're offering Skype as a contact method. The Skype image looks like it could use some more anti aliasing.

On the "about" page the three buttons in the top-right aren't labeled and may confuse some visitors.

I like the colors. They remind me of those indiglo watches. I don't think I've seen that color scheme on a site before, or at least not done as well as you have.

Again, the site looks good. Hopefully you'll be able to use some of the member's comments to give your site that final "polish".

Good luck!

corporateface · #8 (**permalink**) 11-21-2005, 07:16 PM

Nav on the bottom wasn't visible right away.

Flash site IMO isn't a good idea.
Dark.

Templates in Portfolio use the Lopus Diem ... text. Only show completed projects in portfolio.

Keith

bsmiffy · #9 (**permalink**) 11-22-2005, 07:23 AM

Initially could not see a way in, had to scroll down to see the menu, thats always a bad idea.

Text is hard to read especially on the popup windows such as web design.

Titles are all 'Final' they need to be more meaningfull for the search engines and a description should be included.

kgun · #10 (**permalink**) 11-22-2005, 10:26 AM

1. What is the message? Too much blinking.
2. Is it an excercise or a real site? Does the designer manage CSS http://www.w3schools.com/css/default.asp and are now trying flash sites?
3. If yes, the demands are great, and he should know how to better than the average designer.
4. I do not use flash, so I could not have done it myself. Do you know these resources?

http://www.lynda.com/info/books/flashmx2004btb/

http://www.learnflash.com/

http://www.flashsupport.com/forum/

http://livedocs.macromedia.com/flash/mx2004/index.html

Webfusion · #11 (**permalink**) 11-22-2005, 04:32 PM

Nice job on the site but ya need to change the font to read more cleary

JuniorOnline · #12 (**permalink**) 11-23-2005, 04:43 AM

am glad to know am not the only one whos finding the font difficult to read.. :P

fasterstill · #13 (**permalink**) 11-23-2005, 07:30 AM

Guys is the font difficult to read because its blurry or just the style?

Just a thought but have you guys still got your font set at medium in IE?

kgun · #14 (**permalink**) 11-23-2005, 08:44 AM

Advice

1. Listen to your customer, the surfer.
2. Never compete with her / him.
3. In the end the surfer is the boss.

I cannot reset the fontsize for every new site. I use three browsers, Opera, Firefox and IE. This comment regards IE.

CJacobson · #15 (**permalink**) 11-24-2005, 02:55 AM

ugh! I feel the site is all gimmicks and that there's very little credible content. All the Flash animations just make me wait for information. All the sound effects sound un-professional. (Are you designing websites or video games?) The font REALLY IS tiresome to read! (IMHO it would be tiresome even if it were crystal clear and large...)

Seriously, this website looks like a term project for some college kid taking a class on Flash animation. It doesn't look like the website of a real company.

The home page is missing any real "hook" - there's nothing about it that makes me want to see more. "Bringing your Company to the World" isn't a very strong tagline because it doesn't tell me specifically what you do or what you can do for me. (What size clients do you serve? What geographic markets do you serve? Do you have experience specifically with real estate websites? Etc.) Don't you think mentioning "the world" and showing a globe will be a turn-off to clients who're concerned only with their own domestic market?

I think you'd benefit from having a header, a subheader, and at least three or four customer-benefits succinctly stated.

If I were shopping for a web design company, I'd want to know whether you can write copy, or at least whether you can arrange text on a page in a way that communicates effectively. You're not showing that in your own website. Also, I'd want my potential web design company to know a lot about SEO... and your site shows NO effort in that direction. I want to see that you know how to target keywords and score for them in Google. (You're not even putting page titles on your pages!)

The "portfolio" page presents very generic looking examples... I think it would be 100% more convincing if the examples were actual customer websites (thereby acting as testimonials) and also showing that you can meet the specific and personal requirements of real customers. (E.g.: "Can you work with my company's product photos, or do you only know how to paste in glamourous photos bought from stock photography companies?") If you don't have real customers yet, you should either make websites for friends or else make fake websites that look more real. (For example, you must lose all that nonsense text...) You may actually have too many examples, but I bet most visitors won't realize that because your scroll bar doesn't look enough like a scroll bar.

The "about us" page doesn't make me feel like I know you... and isn't that supposed to be its purpose? It's just more generic b.s. Also, it looks like you're targeting people with little money and no credit worthiness... the sort of customer who can't get approval to accept credit cards. Well, that puts off respectable business people like myself.

The "contacts" page also maintains your anonymity. You need a human face (i.e. a photo) and a human name (e.g. your company's CEO, proprietor, or whatever...) because I want to know a real person will say "The buck stops here!" if I have a problem. I prefer not to risk my money with companies that hide behind impersonal e-mail addresses and cold, gray, photo-less websites!

fasterstill · #16 (**permalink**) 11-24-2005, 08:08 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CJacobson

ugh! I feel the site is all gimmicks and that there's very little credible content. All the Flash animations just make me wait for information. All the sound effects sound un-professional. (Are you designing websites or video games?) The font REALLY IS tiresome to read! (IMHO it would be tiresome even if it were crystal clear and large...)

Seriously, this website looks like a term project for some college kid taking a class on Flash animation. It doesn't look like the website of a real company.

The home page is missing any real "hook" - there's nothing about it that makes me want to see more. "Bringing your Company to the World" isn't a very strong tagline because it doesn't tell me specifically what you do or what you can do for me. (What size clients do you serve? What geographic markets do you serve? Do you have experience specifically with real estate websites? Etc.) Don't you think mentioning "the world" and showing a globe will be a turn-off to clients who're concerned only with their own domestic market?

I think you'd benefit from having a header, a subheader, and at least three or four customer-benefits succinctly stated.

If I were shopping for a web design company, I'd want to know whether you can write copy, or at least whether you can arrange text on a page in a way that communicates effectively. You're not showing that in your own website. Also, I'd want my potential web design company to know a lot about SEO... and your site shows NO effort in that direction. I want to see that you know how to target keywords and score for them in Google. (You're not even putting page titles on your pages!)

The "portfolio" page presents very generic looking examples... I think it would be 100% more convincing if the examples were actual customer websites (thereby acting as testimonials) and also showing that you can meet the specific and personal requirements of real customers. (E.g.: "Can you work with my company's product photos, or do you only know how to paste in glamourous photos bought from stock photography companies?") If you don't have real customers yet, you should either make websites for friends or else make fake websites that look more real. (For example, you must lose all that nonsense text...) You may actually have too many examples, but I bet most visitors won't realize that because your scroll bar doesn't look enough like a scroll bar.

The "about us" page doesn't make me feel like I know you... and isn't that supposed to be its purpose? It's just more generic b.s. Also, it looks like you're targeting people with little money and no credit worthiness... the sort of customer who can't get approval to accept credit cards. Well, that puts off respectable business people like myself.

The "contacts" page also maintains your anonymity. You need a human face (i.e. a photo) and a human name (e.g. your company's CEO, proprietor, or whatever...) because I want to know a real person will say "The buck stops here!" if I have a problem. I prefer not to risk my money with companies that hide behind impersonal e-mail addresses and cold, gray, photo-less websites!

Couple of good points. Its a shame they are smothered by unnessersary attitude. I thought this forum was supposed to be friendly and helpfull ?

kgun · #17 (**permalink**) 11-24-2005, 10:27 AM

There are two types of criticism:

1. Destructive.
I can not see that in this thread, but you may say that some comments are too short to be of any value.

2. Constructive.
Nice job on the site but ya need to change the font to read more cleary.

Is it this type of criticism you want, then you may have come to the wrong forum.

Remember, not everybody post long posts like send2paul, flood6 and CJacobson in every post.

Conclusion: Do not wait too much from free help. I have bad experience myself at forums, but hints may be of value. Sometimes it is better to use your time on reading a good book. I gave you one. I have it myself, and my son created flash animations in minutes after reading in that book. This http://www.lynda.com/ site with the book link is good on flash (Macromedia products).

Advice: Use a filter to filter out noise. I hope you found value in the links I gave you.

Yet another link http://www.multifinansit.no/alle-IT.htm

Page search on that page in IE:
CTRL + F
or
Edit Search this page

KW: SiteExamples

Exactly as it is written

Alternatively scroll down.

There you find my collection of site examples of "Flash and animation". The collection is a bit old, so some sites may suffer from the same effcts that your site does (too much blinking in my personal view). We require more in 2005 than we did in 2001.

In that collection you find this http://www.vippowernet.com/ with a HTML Version and a Flash Version. May be a good proposal.

P.S. If I shall include your site in my collection in the above category in 2005, it has to be better.

CJacobson · #18 (**permalink**) 11-24-2005, 12:18 PM

Call it "tough love". I try harder to adopt a friendly and encouraging tone when I'm reviewing an amateur's site, or the site of someone who regularly contributes reviews to others.

When a professional web design company asks for reviews on this forum, I expect they want to be judged on a tougher standard. Besides, they should realize their posting might look to some of us like spam. (It could be that they hope an amateur will hire them.)

I don't review sites that aren't interesting, and your site is interesting as a "design exercise". IMHO it's just way out of balance. (Your site would be better if there were more information on the splash/home page, and if there were anything at all a search engine spider could read. You need to focus more on communicating what you can do for customers in a more direct and easy-to-read format.) If someone doesn't like your website, do you want them to withhold their constructive criticism?

After I submitted my first review, I was thinking more about your business model. It sounded to me like you're volunteering to handle money (credit card information and purchase records) as a middle-man between consumers and merchants. Are you sure you want all the responsibilities that go with that? If you have one bad apple amoung your employees, your liability exposure could be really big. You could liable from claims from both consumers and merchants. Aren't there licensing requirements and tough accounting standards for that?

Well, good luck with it...

ran_dizolph · #19 (**permalink**) 11-24-2005, 03:15 PM

K, i'll keep it short;

IMHO, either ditch the flash layout, or at very least, give an HTML option.

Although Flash can be 'neat', it really just doesn't perform what you need it to...especially considering there are many out there who disable it.

I agree with the font issue...it hurts to read. I tried that one on one of my sites, and received many requests to remove it.

the site's a bit too dark as well.

Hope that helps.

JuniorOnline · #20 (**permalink**) 11-25-2005, 10:47 AM

if you feel that certain comments on this post are risky to change for some reason..your next option would be creating a quick survey for users landing on your site. This way you can find out more about your customers and what they like and dislike. Some people might find the font hard to read..others won't be too botherd - just remember if you wish to make maximum impact on the majority of ur visitors you need to go with whats used most because simply this is what works :)

regarding tough comments - I really think the more you sound positive to someone else's queries, the more willing they will ask to learn more. I am aware there are a lot of experts in this forum - which makes it fun and exciting for the beginners - and probably frustrating for the experts to see silly questions asked - your probably even thinking (can't they read more tutorials? or research more in that area?) like we have done in the past. It would be great if they do, but the fact of the matter is, they are here to LEARN! to some this is there starting point of learning.

*there are some LAZY people out there, who wish to get easy answers - These people are easy to spot over time ;)

kgun · #21 (**permalink**) 11-25-2005, 02:01 PM

*there are some LAZY people out there, who wish to get easy answers - These people are easy to spot over time ;)

I am one of these. My business is financial. It is a tool and I use too much time on IT.

Signed up on this

http://www.sitepoint.com/forums/ forum some minutes ago.

By easy, I mean fast.