Forums: Discussions for entrepreneurs and small business.

Hi!  I just got my website up at the beginning of April.  I sell children`s formal wear (dresses, suits, tuxedos, accessories)
http://www.puddlescollection.com/

We bought it as an "off the shelf" type of product then it was customized for our needs.  We maintain the "store" part of the site.  I took most of the pictures myself and wrote all the descriptions (and am still working on improving those).  I am adding the type of product to the name of the product (ie, dress will be in the title if it is a dress), but haven`t completed that yet. 

I want to know how you feel about the site as a consumer, what`s good, what`s not so good, what`s difficult to find, etc.

We are currently working on a wish list of changes/improvement to give the web designer.  Would love to have more to add to the list! 

I like the site, I can`t comment about the design too much as you have admitted that it`s an "off the shelf" type of a thing. What`s the point of commenting on something that looks like hundreds of other stores. If you pay your web designer for doing things on your site then why didn`t you get at least a custom template in the first place?

Hi - we didn`t go custom because we were trying to get it up quickly.  If we have some success we will be redoing the site at some point. 

I like the site.  It is easy to navigate and your product line is easy to understand.  Also your photos are generally very good.

The only thing I would change is that all your page titles are exactly the same.  I would make each page title more descriptive of the page the viewer is looking at.  It may help with your search engine ranking.


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Steve Mann
Internet Videographer
MannMade Digital Video
My Email

Big red flag.  Hover your mouse over the category links on the left hand side of the main page.  The links aren`t going to your site but another site.  If you want the search engines to count the information for your site this needs to be changed.


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Aaron Wood
CEO
San Diego Dream Weavers
http://www.sddreamweavers.com
awood@sddreamweavers.com

New and improved! Now with blogging goodness!
http://www.sddreamweavers.com/san-diego-seo-marketing-blog/

Thanks for the responses!

Good idea about the page titles - thanks!

Yeah, we didn`t know that the "store" part of our site was going to redirect out of our main URL.  I guess it`s our fault for not asking the right questions.  We are looking into what it will cost to get that changed.  We are definitely not happy with it and the fact that you noticed means we are right!

One more red flag.  They put a direct link to your e-mail address in multiple places on the cart/site.  You are going to get loads and loads of spam mail if you haven`t already.  This is just rank amateur cart building if they have an e-mail link to you AND a contact page.  Very poor quality work and testing, IMO.


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Aaron Wood
CEO
San Diego Dream Weavers
http://www.sddreamweavers.com
awood@sddreamweavers.com

New and improved! Now with blogging goodness!
http://www.sddreamweavers.com/san-diego-seo-marketing-blog/

I wouldn`t worry about your email address on different pages. Actually I`d worry more about NO email on the site and only feedback form. I`d rather get junk periodically then frustrate customers who want to send you a regular email not look for a feedback form. So, I`d say, it is not an indication of poor work and testing.

Even though, to be honest, visually the site is quite poor. I understand you wanted to have something up and running real quick, but trust me your success depends on the quality of your web site. If I have to choose between two sites when I buy something and one of them looks and feels more professional, I would probably buy from that site.

Then perhaps a phone number is in order than an e-mail address.


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

Aaron Wood
CEO
San Diego Dream Weavers
http://www.sddreamweavers.com
awood@sddreamweavers.com

New and improved! Now with blogging goodness!
http://www.sddreamweavers.com/san-diego-seo-marketing-blog/

I appreciate the feedback!  Since we are already starting to get orders the redesign may be coming sooner rather than later so I really do appreciate the comments