Forums: Discussions for entrepreneurs and small business.

Hi all, I just launched my latest project & I would love to get some feedback.

I haven`t yet set up the 800 #- I`m waiting for an english accent to read my "script"- I am thinking of removing it from the main pages-to put only in a "customer service" section.

I am hoping what will set me apart from other "adult" sites, is having a womans` perspective, as well as reviews & recomondations.

Thank you all in advance for feedback!

Monica

-------------------------

There`s a fine line between genius and insanity. I have erased this line. Oscar Levant Dreamweavermedia LLC

The pictures sould be the same size. (Large)

Keep it up. You are on your way.

-------------------------

olville@bloominglilies.com

MonicaG... I took a look. It`s pretty well organized. I have a couple comments
though. First, the navigation seems squished. That is to say the top, left and
right navigation. Which leads me to my next question. Why did you design
the navigation to first be on the left, then once I choose a location, the
categories within the first (left navigation) selection are on top or bottom? I
would prefer that the navigation remained on the left and opened a new tier
with additional choices. I didn’t notice the sub departments at first. I
thought it was advertising. Then realized it is sub navigation area. One more
thing… On some pages the images are large. On others they are small. Why?
I like the large.

-------------------------

Vincent Wilcox (a.k.a. KRAKR)
Drummer
My band: Letters Make Words

For safety reasons I browse the web with a basic Fx browser, no additions to it, no pop-ups allowed, flash no nonsense that could in any way shape or form be used to infect my pc. Once I’ve landed on a site and have developed a level of trust with it for instance GE and I want to see what they have on that flash section I’ll copy the address to IE and check out the site.

Your website on my browser has nothing but red Xs and download plugin, I’d seriously suggest you eliminate all those ‘required plugin’ downloads.

Elí

The picture thing-ahgg! I`ve been having to rezize each item-I was testing the sizes to see what people liked better..I`m currently working to rezise all to large.

I will speak to my web guy about the navigation stuff, I purchased the shoppingcart, used my template..I think I can configure it but some things are limited..

I love getting all the different perspectives, I work on my site all the time, and sometimes its hard to be objective when you`re in the thick of it.

Eli, I don`t have any flash- I`m not sure why that happened..sorry

Thank You all for your comments-Keep `em coming!!

Monica

-------------------------

There`s a fine line between genius and insanity. I have erased this line. Oscar Levant Dreamweavermedia LLC

Pictures work well with one or the other dimension no larger than 400 px. I agree, they should be the same size.

Overall it`s a nice site, clean, easy to see. But with the gazillion novelty sites out there, it`s "just another site" at the moment. Maybe some content that provides "the owner`s" (you) personality, and why the site was generated? :-)

The other comment is more conceptual. You`re saying you`ll differentiate through the woman`s accented script. That`s fine, for anyone calling a phone number, but what about the Web site? Where`s the differentiation there? Couldn`t you have some sort of big title that highlights a woman`s perspective, maybe like "At last, select adult novelties from a woman`s perspective."

I dunno...just tossing up ideas. I`d expected to see the tabs along the top, as more and more e-commerce sites do that. Some kind of site categorization, with the menu on the left being the particular categorization within the products.

I completely missed your "search" window because the background is pink. I just thought it was an extra graphic, stuck below the main banner for no particular reason. It should be larger, the word "search" should be larger, and "Advanced Search" same thing.

I put in "dildo" in the advanced search and came back with 0 results. That doesn`t seem right? Have you tested the search engine on the site with all manner of test queries? Then I put in "oil" and found only 1 result. That can`t be right either.

"Item List" should be easier to find, maybe called "Product Index." It should be very separate from the "contact us" information. I don`t like that it opened up another instance of the browser. (I`m using Firefox, but did accept the plug-ins awhile back, so they work.) Instead, I`d like to see a text-only list of all items, hyperlinked. If you open up another instance, put a "Close this Window" at the top so I don`t waste my time hitting the "back" button.

I already saw the individual products with their pictures. Now, I want to see (and browse) by product name, in a simple list. The hyperlink will take me to the product if I`m interested in its name. The index could be sorted by category, then alphabetically.

Ok...
Now how did you guys catch so many problems with her web site? Monica I visited your web site, and to be honest, I didn`t see any errors at all, I must have been distracted by the beautiful models (what can I say I`m just a man)

But honestly how did you guys catch the errors??? Laughing... Shrugging... and the funny thing only guys are commenting on your web site.... Is there a problem here?
Hold on let me visit it again!!

Ok, I guess only if they are pointed out ... But there can be some improvements to the shopping cart...
Take care


-------------------------

Edgar Monroy
Web Developer / Owner / Consultant
When starting your own business the need to "know-how" is greater than money!
http://www.nuevolution.net

Edgar, I was thinking the same thing( you gave me the biggest laugh all day)

I plan on upgrading the shopping cart to the 4.0 version(its supposed to be out next year) It has cooler features,but I did this site on a budget under 500. I agree about the search, I don`t think I described any as "dildos" maybe I should, but I`ve been using "vibrator" alot- cause most all have batteries.

Women driven content- It`s on its way- I am devleoping a forum so that all my clients can discuss products, ideas etc...as the budget improves.
I`m mainly marketing the site to the women who attend my "home parties" as a way of browsing more items in private. I just started this site & comapany 2 months ago.. I am new to the world of internet development, and appreciate all of your suggestions! I will be taking them all when I`m updating!!

Craig-thanks for the feedback, I will be making most of the changes you suggested as well .

Were`s all the ladies perspectives? Come on  Ladies I need your opinions!!!I love this site & the community of support!

Monica

Thanks a bunch SUN community-

I plan on marketing to wedding planning sites to get into the `bachelorette" demographic ( after many more changes are put into place)

-------------------------

There`s a fine line between genius and insanity. I have erased this line. Oscar Levant Dreamweavermedia LLC

I was in Provincetown (Cape Cod) not so long ago, and ran across an adult store. It was run entirely by ladies, and was a MUCH more pleasant place to shop than the typical shuttered and boarded-up adult bookstore. Products were right out there, nicely displayed, and the woman at the counter had lots of good and useful advice about various things. (And yes, I was in there with a woman.)

We`d been exploring, saw the shop, and particularly chose to go in because of the nicely done, tasteful and comfortable decor. I saw a lot of women shoppers there, as well, because it didn`t appear threatening. It wasn`t sleazy, and it brought sex out into the open as a business line.

When I searched on "dildo" I did so because it`s a synonym for "vibrator," "toy," and "personal massager." From the SEO perspective, and also with experience in database development, the query is one thing. The "feeling people get when asking a question" is totally different, and almost irrelevant to a search system.

My point is that you can avoid the use of "dildo" in your content, as well in your search capabilities, and keep it seemingly tasteful. But...consider how many people in the privacy of their own mind, will type into Google the word "dildo?" At least as many as those typing in the word "vibrator." Your descriptions should carry as many synonyms and euphemisms as possible, even if they`re in a hidden field. And the site engine should be able to find on any word, by default.

Ultimately it comes down to differentiation and offering something different. At the moment, these adult toys "Tupperware" parties are a hot item. Particularly because women are feeling more secure about being a woman, not just dolls, bimbos, "wifey," or other archaic "objects." The problem I think isn`t only past taboos, but also the ongoing nervous embarrassment of sex and its products.

Victoria Secret pioneered the entry into elegant erotica. Now, with the Internet, countless sites offer sex toys with educational material, FAQs, and answers to those questions nobody has the courage to ask---except in the privacy of their own mind on the Web. So what else can you do for that differentiation?