Please review my site - www.design-a-cushions.co.uk

Blanche1 · #1 (**permalink**) 05-20-2007, 05:37 PM

I would welcome any comments users would care to make on my site. Please let me know:

things you like
things you don't like
suggestions for how things could be improved

Thank you all in advance for taking time to view my site and comment on it.

Tom Blanche
www.design-a-cushions.co.uk

davebarnes · #2 (**permalink**) 05-20-2007, 10:39 PM

Tom,

1. Dump the frames. I used to framed websites a lot. Actually, for every website. In the 90s. Not today. Framed websites make it impossible (for the average visitor) to deep bookmark a page. People hate them. My clients hate them.
The solution is don't frame and used Server Side Includes to make maintenance easier. SSI used to be to "bad" because the the webservers weren't up to the task. Not true anymore. Every webserver box has more than enough horsepower.

2. If the median/mean age of your buyers is over 30, then go to black text on a white background. This is not a gamers' website.

3. The "join our mailing list" on the homepage is ugly. Wrong color.

4. Why is the copyright notice so large on the homepage. Is it that important?

5. This: "We update our site ... version." is just idiotic. These kind of instructions are never read so what is the point?

6. This: " Design-a-Cushions supply quality cushions made from leather, mongolian wool, suede, faux fur, etc. in a range of shapes and sizes. We also have a range of Mongolian Wool rugs. Your browser does not support frames. Please update your browser to view our site." is what a search engine spider finds. You are kidding, right?! What broswers (with a market share of more than 1%) don't support frames.

7. Guestbook! Did you travel back in time to 1998 to design this website?

8. No contact info. No postal/physical info. Why should I do business with you?

9. Is this "postage to destinations outwith the UK mainland" English? Outwith?

10. What is with the URL of "http://www.blancheweb.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/" ? What happened to design-a-cushions ?

,dave

Blanche1 · #3 (**permalink**) 05-21-2007, 03:17 AM

Thanks for the thorough review Dave.

I have been toying with the idea of dumping the frames.

The black background/white text was my wife's choice (she likes the way the products 'stand out' this way). Once again my wife likes the 'guestbook' and it seems popular with visitors.

I see what you mean regarding the mailing list colour, the instruction regarding browser refresh, copyright notice & postal info.

The 'outwith' is actually the correct terminology in the uK but i take your point.

The URL is due to 'design-a-cushions' simply being a re-direct to blancheweb.

Once again thanks for taking the time to comment.

Tom

pagetta · #4 (**permalink**) 05-21-2007, 04:52 AM

I wil be honest i think the deisgn is quite dated and doesn't at all fit the content of your site. the main menu style and the white text on black look futuristic and modern, as dave said - like a gaming website. You are selling homely, comforting products that are supposed to offer comfort and style to a home - the design of your site doesn't really reflect this.

Also you have a mixture of serif and sans serif fonts - keep your design styles consistent this gives the site a more professional look.

Your thumbnail images are quite distorted although your larger images display the products well.

I agree with your wife that the images stand out better against a coloured background but i don't think black is the way to go - something warmer would be good (red/orange hues) or you could even make them stand out by giving them a border and having a white background.

100% agree that you need to have a physical address and contact number I would not do business online with a website who i couldn't locate.

I do like your navugation and site architecture though it works well and loads quickly and the products are easy to scan through and see what product range you have which is great for finding what you need quickly and easily.

Blanche1 · #5 (**permalink**) 05-21-2007, 08:47 AM

Thanks for your comments Pagetta.

I am surprised by the fonts problem - this is something I must check as on most pages I did not specify a font.

I hadn't noticed a problem with the thumbnails - probably just my eyes - I will also look into this.

I will definitely have to look at the colour as black does not seem to be a popular choice - your suggestion of trying to make it feel more 'homely' is one I will look into.

I will certainly be adding physical contact details.

Glad you liked the navigation.

Thanks again.

Tom

Chris · #6 (**permalink**) 05-21-2007, 02:56 PM

Blanche, in no way am I trying to be offensive or disrespectful, but don't think about dropping the frames, DROP THEM. it is a completely antiquated and dated style that no self-respecting ecommerce site uses... not if they want any kind of search engine presences that is.

Frames are viewed as individual documents and that will always hurt you. always. Your customers won't be able to use a tell-a-friend service because of the link structure a frame site provides - which is to say very, very poor.

Furthermore, TAKE A LOOK AT WHAT THE COMPETITION IS DOING. I cannot stress this enough. Since you are in the cushion business, take a look at how someone like Sumo.com (a bean-bag cushion company) presents their information. Granted, their site design isn't the best (but it is simple and effective) and a lot of that has to do with that Flash presentation but it's pretty obvious what they offer and how to go about getting their product (of course, you don't have to use attractive women to sell your product, but it always helps... also, ou probably aren't trying to attract the same demographic Sumo is but I think you get the picture. It's all about presentation).

Another decent approach to consider directly from a related company is this site:

http://www.cushionsandumbrellas.com/

It's also imperative that you kill that Java applet just below your header. That scrolling presentation can easily be done a number of ways that are not as hard on a browser.

Seminole386 · #7 (**permalink**) 05-21-2007, 09:49 PM

Most studies say you have 6 seconds to capture a visitor. Studies also say they should be convinced to enter the site without having to scroll up and down the page. Your photo did not load or at least it didn't load on my pc. I suggest you redo the site with black text or dark blue on a white background. 12pt. Place 2-3 small photos of your products on the page, describe what your site is about and offer links to various sections. If you want frames inside the site, fine but not on the index page. Place contact information on the first page near the bottom and your email on each page.

Personally I like to use links across the top of each page with links back to the homepage similar to Yahoos directory format. This allows me to use each page as a search page for the products featured on that page. This is hard to do if you use frames.

spiceboy · #8 (**permalink**) 05-25-2007, 02:34 PM

I'm English, studied English, write copy for a living - never heard of "outwith".

Blanche0 · #9 (**permalink**) 06-01-2007, 04:57 PM

Many thanks to all of you who have reviewed the site so far.

I have made several changes such as removing the frames, changing the menu and the homepage, starting implementation of css, etc.

We have decided to stick with the black colour scheme for the moment.

If any of you would care to coment further on the revised site I would be very grateful.

Thanks

Tom

littlelo · #10 (**permalink**) 06-04-2007, 04:07 PM

As previously stated, the black background would be more effective as white. The text for the page links on the sidebar are hard to see. Are you marketing to Uk only or to the US too? In the US we call these pillows, and they usually come with the filling. Are these pillows standard sizes, in case people buy only the covers? Justifying the font to the left is easier to read than centering it when the sentence continues to the next line.

delfax · #11 (**permalink**) 10-04-2007, 07:19 PM

I think the problem with the site is its attractiveness. It lacks this. I suggest you learn how to use macromedia fireworks in web making and graphic desing. Judging by what i observed, the page was not designed with macromedia dreamweaver. Personally, i like using DWEAVER though you have a choice of using another application. I am still trying to upgrade my skills in designing though i am not new in this field.

cw1865 · #12 (**permalink**) 10-04-2007, 08:55 PM

Yes, people in the United States will buy these things, so I definitely recommend shipping to the US/Canada. Aside from the other comments I will only make two: 1. Make your thumbnail pictures larger, 100 X 100 pixels (I think one of the thumbs I pulled down was 80 X 80), it is the picture that sells, so by making the thumb larger it should draw people in; 2. I actually like the menu, the only concern that I have about it is whether googlebots, etc. are going to make their way through the site. I jumped though to one page and hit the google cache button and it actually popped up a cache of the main page of the blancheweb website.

sformby · #13 (**permalink**) 10-11-2007, 05:24 PM

I just think the dark background and crispy-edged logo looks cheap (and not cheerful), as others have commented. On my Mac in Safari, the navigation fly-outs don't work at all. They fly-out, but disappear when I try to choose them.

I'd really try one page with a white background. Put it up and let's see how it looks.

trendycushions · #14 (**permalink**) 11-25-2007, 04:02 AM

Im in two minds over your site, I love the slideshow at the top, im not so sure about the background though.

It might look better if the site had some structure, it just looks like everything has been thrown on the page without any care.

I know its expensive but I would recommend you purchase Adobe Dreamweaver or similar.
it needs to be layed out better than how you have it currently. It does not inspire any confidence. Or alternatively a cheaper way would be to BUY a real hosting package (£10 a month or under) for your domain and install free software called OSCOMMERCE.

That would format your products and create a online sales catalogue for them and would look so much more professional

Also try and pay attention to the photos, I notice some products do not display so good as the viewer is too distracted by whats in the background. You can buy a light tent on ebay for under £10

I know my own website ( trendy cushions - throw pillows delivered direct to your door ) is not the greatest, but its clean and simple. I have about 300 sales a month.

Good luck your site has improved a great deal...

Keep us informed of what you do

regards

Peter

olatokunbo · #15 (**permalink**) 02-28-2008, 03:43 PM

I actually quite like it,maybe a little to framey for me but then what do i know,my site is totally non conventional,but good luck with it.

mtheory · #16 (**permalink**) 03-02-2008, 04:34 PM

Vintage 1999 design complete with Bravenet guestbook.

brentp · #17 (**permalink**) 03-15-2008, 05:37 AM

Design needs to be brightened up its to dull and the feel is not pleasant pages look very heavy but the Thames is good