Forums: Discussions for entrepreneurs and small business.

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Amanda Hope
http://www.GrannsGourmetApples.com
My Email

I don`t recall your earlier site, or this may be my first time to comment, but here`s some notes I took while cruising the site:

I am not thrilled with the colors, but I can`t think of what would be better.  Maybe a light green background instead of the light brown.

FAQ Page:  Why list an index of FAQs then not make them links to the respective FAQ itself?  Since the FAQs are brief, just skip the index.

Delivery: I`m not too far from Erwin NH, will you still deliver for free?  There`s a LOT of Greenville`s, Johnson City`s, etc all over the country, so when you reference a geographic area, you need to specify the state.

The ad for web design at the bottom of the pages tend to dominate.  Don`t sell your website service here, just a one line with a smaller font: "Website Designed by Amanda Hope: www.AmandasWebsiteDesignService.com"

Using Comcast, yahoo or gmail for your email contact is not professional.  Get a mailbox on your domain`s host: "amanda@grannsgourmetapples.com"

Don`t underline your strong points.  They look like links.  Use the header tags <h1></h1> for example, and possibly a different color.

Dump the visitor counter.  It does nothing for your site and is the mark of an amateur

Lighten up on the "Checkout With PayPal".  It doesn`t need to be in multiple places on every page.  Especially when they aren`t links to checkout. 

Your home page is cluttered.  Consider moving the maillist signup to the contact us page?

A number of your images aren`t linked to the page for ordering them.

Your logo should always be a link back to your home page.

On your "Old Fashoned Candy Apples" page, the selection frame is too small and shows up on my browser with a scroll bar.  Make the frame larger or use a smaller font.

Big mistake - there`s *NO* link on your site that lets me go to "Check-out".  I put a couple of items in the basket, each time goint to "return to shopping", but if I don`t want to buy any more, there`s no link back to PayPal to complete the order.

Also regarding PayPal, and here we meet the limits of my knowledge of HTML.  When I "add to cart", PayPal changes the size of my browser window.  I consider this to be rude and presumptuous on PayPal`s part because if I need a larger window - I have a mouse.  If there is a way for you to remember the size of the browser window so that it resets when PayPal goes back to your site to "continue shopping".  I don`t know if this can be done, but it would be nice.



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Steve Mann
Internet Videographer
MannMade Digital Video
My Email

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Robin Lucas, CEO
MYSS, LLC- Creator of Chic Peeks Adhesive Cleavage Covers
www.ChicPeeks.com
"Ladies, this ain`t your mamma`s dickie"

Your review is invaluable.  Thank you. 

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Amanda Hope
http://www.GrannsGourmetApples.com
My Email

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Amanda Hope
http://www.GrannsGourmetApples.com
My Email

Your web site definitely *feels* more professional.  I think that the links on the photos and the professional email address make a big difference.

The only thing that I am still uncomfortable with is that your navigation bars alternate from the top to the left side.  I think that they should be all the same, pick one.  Personally I like the nav bar on top.  Also, your logo image jumps all over the place.  Make it the same on every page.

The "free shipping" button takes me to the FAQ page that tells me to go to the "Specials" page to find out about the free shipping, but there`s no link to the specials page - I have to hunt for it..  Kind of a circuitous route, isn`t it?  It sounds to me like a good incentive, shout it out and make the details easy to find.  If I am buying $20-30 of goods and paying another $12-15 for shipping, then yes, I would buy a few more items to get the free shipping.


I am happy to hear that business is up.

I also see that you have a lot of shows listed where you are selling your products.  Nothing says "stale" like a list of past events in the coming events page.  Keep this page updated.  If you are planning to go back to some of these fairs, etc next year but the dates aren`t set yet, then put the estimated date on your future show list.

Also, ask for a link to your site on their site, even if you have to buy it (as in an ad or sponsorship).  This will greatly enhance your search engine optimization.



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Steve Mann
Internet Videographer
MannMade Digital Video
My Email

1. Change the wood navs, they aren`t great quality.
2. Some minor bugs in firefox.
3. Way too many paypal buttons everywhere
4. You should have image zooms
5. Picture qualities are ok to poor. Some have too much flash, some photos are just way too small.
6. Write more on the quality of products you use on your apples and other candy creations (like we use the finest chocolates from so and so or I pick my own apples that I grow organically).  Saying they are the finest isn`t enough.

Fix those pictures!.
Old school style web design
I don`t think you are tracking your traffic, and you don`t have great search engine listings and link backs.

"Good Luck"