mengyuan.com.au

kimellis · #1 (**permalink**) 10-21-2003, 06:21 PM

Please review my Mengyuan sites. I know they're not too bad because they produce orders and are revenue positive, but I am not the most creative person in the world and like all feedback, both negative and positive. I do not mind if you hate it, please tell me. I have thick skin. What I would really like is some creative suggestions becuase I am always looking to increase that return on investment. Thanks very much. mengyuan.com.au

janeth · #2 (**permalink**) 10-21-2003, 06:55 PM

I'm looking at the site in Netscape.
The site is not to bad but I should know what the site is about in 3 seconds and it takes a lot longer then that to figure out where your doing.

The yellow back ground makes it hard to read the text and the red at the top also is a bit bright. I'm not sure that bright red goes with bright yellow either. The banner at the top in the green needs to go. The links on the left hand side of the page take up half the page causing me to have to scroll left to right to see the whole page.
I would try different colors and a nice logo to start with.

tikanet · #3 (**permalink**) 10-21-2003, 09:15 PM

When attempting to load your site, a generic error on your winNT server was returned. Here's the stack trace:

[FileNotFoundException: C:\data\DotNetNuke\MobileModules\Links.ascx]
System.Web.UI.TemplateParser.GetParserCacheItem() +186
System.Web.UI.TemplateControlParser.CompileAndGetP arserCacheItem(String virtualPath, String inputFile, HttpContext context) +115
System.Web.UI.TemplateControlParser.GetCompiledTyp e(String virtualPath, String inputFile, HttpContext context) +12
System.Web.UI.UserControlParser.GetCompiledUserCon trolType(String virtualPath, String inputFile, HttpContext context) +176
System.Web.UI.TemplateControl.LoadControl(String virtualPath) +41
DotNetNuke.MobileDefault.PopulateTabView(Int32 tabIndex) +256
DotNetNuke.MobileDefault.Page_Init(Object sender, EventArgs e) +573
System.Web.UI.Control.OnInit(EventArgs e) +67
System.Web.UI.MobileControls.MobilePage.OnInit(Eve ntArgs e) +125
System.Web.UI.Control.InitRecursive(Control namingContainer) +241
System.Web.UI.Page.ProcessRequestMain() +174

mm99 · #4 (**permalink**) 10-22-2003, 01:35 PM

The site was very slow loading for some reason. I have broadband and a site with little graphics should do much better. Could be slow servers. Also, even after it loaded, the page continued to adjust itself and move around a bit. That is usually die to poor html coding.

I agree with Janeth on all she said, but would have used more emphatic verbage. She mentioned that you should lose the banner at the top of the page. I saw it also and what may not have been obvious to Janeth (or myself, at first) is that that is your title. It really looks like an out of place whatever and not a title at all.

You need to place a title front and center and make it obvious just what the site is about. Larger type would help greatly. That and a poor choice of colors make the site diff on the eyes.

peace...Paul

matauri · #5 (**permalink**) 10-22-2003, 02:48 PM

A couple of suggestions to start with...
You have way too much stuff happening on front page. And the bright yellow isn't condusive to doing a lot of reading.

Thats about as much as I can say now, because my eyes are still hurting! ;-)

Try dividing some of the text between a few pages, and being gentler on the eyes with the background. Otherwise it has potential :-)

kimellis · #6 (**permalink**) 10-22-2003, 06:59 PM

Janeth, Thanks for the comments on the colours. We market primarily into Asia and I am afraid our research shows a whole different ball game in the colour area. The yellow should definitely be closer to the true required gold colour and I will work on that. The red unfortunately is essential. If you had a look at the ASMS Help pages, you would have had a heart attack :)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Janeth

The yellow back ground makes it hard to read the text and the red at the top also is a bit bright. I'm not sure that bright red goes with bright yellow either. I would try different colors and a nice logo to start with.

kimellis · #7 (**permalink**) 10-22-2003, 07:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tikanet

When attempting to load your site, a generic error on your winNT server was returned. Here's the stack trace:

Stew, Thanks. That error indicates that DNN thinks your browser is a mobile device (sic WAP). So presumably you are not using MS IE or Netscape. The DNN core team are working on it but I guess it is low down on the priority list since IE basically covers our prospective clients. I would appreciate it though if you would please let me know which browser you did use. Thanks.

kimellis · #8 (**permalink**) 10-22-2003, 07:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mm99

The site was very slow loading for some reason. I have broadband and a site with little graphics should do much better. Could be slow servers.
I agree with Janeth on all she said, but would have used more emphatic verbage. She mentioned that you should lose the banner at the top of the page. I saw it also and what may not have been obvious to Janeth (or myself, at first) is that that is your title. It really looks like an out of place whatever and not a title at all.

Paul, thanks. Telecommunication costs in Australia are outrageous so we run the servers on slow speed lines. For those buying art it is not a problem since they are extremely patient and they are going to stare at a painting for ages before buying it anyway. But you are absolutely right, people like speed so one day the line will need to be upgraded.

As for the colours, please refer above. When you market into Asia, you have to take off your western culture cap :)

It is actually banner advertising at the top and you'll get a new one every so often. I personally do not like so much either, so might dump it, but I want to see some more stats on how many of the click throughs go through to an actual sale first.

Also, I should have explained that users usually come in at sub website level from search engines, reciprocal links, etc and not at the top portal level so much, so for them it is a bit more obvious that it is an add.

Thanks, I am really enjoying this feedback.

kimellis · #9 (**permalink**) 10-22-2003, 07:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by matauri

You have way too much stuff happening on front page. And the bright yellow isn't condusive to doing a lot of reading.
Thats about as much as I can say now, because my eyes are still hurting! ;-)
Try dividing some of the text between a few pages, and being gentler on the eyes with the background. Otherwise it has potential :-)

Matauri, thanks. The colour thingy I have addressed above. I am sorry to hear your eyes are still hurting :) but as you gurus would know better than anyone, you have to pitch at the real target.

As for too much stuff happening on the front pages of a site, I confess to not having considered that well and need to run a survey on my users to see what they say. Thanks for the suggestion.

mm99 · #10 (**permalink**) 10-22-2003, 08:45 PM

I would think that if the servers are that slow around there, you might consider servers elsewhere. It really does not matter where they are located now, does it?

Re the title or banner...I just thought it said something about art and thought it was your title. This would mean then, that you have no title? I think the first order of business would be the title and enlarging the typeface #2 verdana will work wonders.

One other thing that I had forgotten about, Janeth mentioned that it took too long to figure out what the site was about. When I first looked, the 2 ads were the first thing that caught my eye and led me to believe it was about something else entirely. They are both about the same subject as well, and neither have anything to do with what you site is about. I think they should be dropped. If you did that, it would leave plenty of room for the larger typeface.

I just loaded your site again and most of it was there in about 25sec but it wasn't all there till about 50sec, just so you know.

peace...Paul

kimellis · #11 (**permalink**) 10-22-2003, 09:11 PM

Paul, thanks. The servers are not slow, just the line speed. You are right that I could shift everything to a faster server anywhere, but (a) I want to keep the server in house for the time being because of some new applications I am developing, and(b) there isn't much I can do about line speeds because I live in the outback by choice (except go satellite broadband $$$$).
I am beginning to agree with the comments about the banner advertising and lack of a clear title, but (a) still want to see some more stats on the sales from click throughs first (as initial sales figures were high and I am only interested in sales figures after all :), and (b) I am loathe to modify the core DNN code any more until the core DNN team have had a chance to get release 2 out.
I dumped the internet essentials banners and shifted the modules around, and even I like it a bit better.
Thanks for the great feedback.

Quote:

Originally Posted by mm99

I would think that if the servers are that slow around there, you might consider servers elsewhere. It really does not matter where they are located now, does it?
Re the title or banner...I just thought it said something about art and thought it was your title. This would mean then, that you have no title? I think the first order of business would be the title and enlarging the typeface #2 verdana will work wonders.
One other thing that I had forgotten about, Janeth mentioned that it took too long to figure out what the site was about. When I first looked, the 2 ads were the first thing that caught my eye and led me to believe it was about something else entirely. They are both about the same subject as well, and neither have anything to do with what you site is about. I think they should be dropped. If you did that, it would leave plenty of room for the larger typeface.
I just loaded your site again and most of it was there in about 25sec but it wasn't all there till about 50sec, just so you know.
peace...Paul

tikanet · #12 (**permalink**) 10-22-2003, 09:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kimellis

I would appreciate it though if you would please let me know which browser you did use.

Opera 7.20.

kimellis · #13 (**permalink**) 10-22-2003, 10:40 PM

Yep, that'll do it every time. Hopefully, the DNN core team will have that fixed soon. Thanks.

Quote:

Originally Posted by tikanet

Quote:

Originally Posted by kimellis

I would appreciate it though if you would please let me know which browser you did use.

Opera 7.20.

Lew · #14 (**permalink**) 10-23-2003, 02:35 AM

I don't want to be mean really, but I have to ask myself why you submitted your site for review. It seems some very good advice was given to you. But for every suggestion you had some comeback excuse for not listening. I have no doubt you are very successful as a business person, but these guys too are experienced with the web. If you ask for advice say thank you and either take it or don't but don't make up excuses. That being said, I do wish you success and hope to see a post with an updated site.

kimellis · #15 (**permalink**) 10-23-2003, 03:17 AM

Lew, thanks. I apologise if my thank you replies seemed ungrateful for the suggestions. I have already made some changes as a result of some of the suggestions. Where the suggestion was not necessarily appropriate to my sites, I thought it would be nicer to explain my reasons. Learning is always a two way street, isn't it. I am grateful for the suggestions, it is just I do not agree with some of them. I am hoping for even more suggestions because I know I definitely do not have all the answers. Thanks again.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lew

I don't want to be mean really, but I have to ask myself why you submitted your site for review. It seems some very good advice was given to you. But for every suggestion you had some comeback excuse for not listening. I have no doubt you are very successful as a business person, but these guys too are experienced with the web. If you ask for advice say thank you and either take it or don't but don't make up excuses. That being said, I do wish you success and hope to see a post with an updated site.