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Thanks.

I had the Visa/MC/AMEX logo on the site but I took it off. I just thought that having that logo there didn`t make any sense. Don`t all website accept credit cards? Maybe that`s me but I will put back on.

The homepage I just made it so that you don`t see the same thing all the time.

My website shouldn`t be about what I like. It should be what the customer is looking for. I love all the feedback.

Keep them coming!

 

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olville@bloominglilies.com

LOL! :-) No....not all Web sites accept credit cards! In fact, the entire problem of having a good shopping cart, accepting various cards, transaction costs, and so forth is an ongoing topic of converstation on these boards. Definitely let people know you accept cards, as it`ll make them much more prone to shop.

You`re also right that what YOU like is what you can do at home after you`ve closed up shop for the night. But what your Customers expect to see, what they like, and what makes it easy for them to buy is what has to go onto the site.

I walk into a flower shop: Why? I`m a guy, and I`m supposed to buy flowers for my woman friend. How come? Because someone told me to....Hallmark or it`s Valentine`s Day, or whatever cultural supposition many men have about flowers. Or, it`s mother`s day, and I just know I`m supposed to buy flowers for my mom...because moms like that sort of thing.

Are you selling to a targeted female clientele, or male? If it`s female, then you`d want to highlight the arrangements, how the flowers smell, and so forth. If it`s men, then you want to promote the reason men buy flowers for women. Most men, in my experience, not only could care less about flowers, but think that since they die so fast, they`re just not practical. Overcome that objection!

That`s what prompted the ever-changing front page. I want to see what you have, what`s what, stare at it, and wonder why I`m looking at flowers. I don`t want the world to change before my very eyes while I`m still trying to figure out why I`m in a flower shop in the first place! :-)

I need some honest feedback on my new website, please. Thanks guys, Nancy

www.nancysvacationsite.com

Independant Travel Agent

1169 Avenida Bella Vista

Los Lunas NM 87031

nancysvacationsite@yahoo.com

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Independant Travel Agent Nancy Smith 1168 Avenida Bella Vista Los Lunas NM 87031 www.nancysvacationsite.com

First of all, I use Firefox ...

The background makes some pages impossible to read. There is absolutely no contrast between the text and the background on half the feedback form.

I think the quote request form needs to have some less specific fields on it, maybe just one big comments field. What if I am not sure where I want to go yet, and I just want you to call me to tell me the options?

On the specials page, your image floats over the top of the navigation button on the left side.

On the specials and feedback pages, I get a horizontal scrollbar, telling me that your page is wider than a 1024px screen. You need to suck that in a bit.

On the front page, the caption and the text on the second half is too close in font ... it blends and looks like it`s supposed to be the same paragraph.
A few of the images are weird and seem to have nothing to do with vacations.
All those little chicklets in the bottom right of the first page loaded really slow for me ... you may consider combining them into one faster-loading image.

Overall the site looks pretty cluttered in my opinion. You should take a look at this site - it`s got a great clean look to it. While you don`t need something quite as complicated and expensive, you can get a site that is at least a step in that direction so your clients can navigate through it better. At the very least, I`m pretty sure someone has a quick template out there that is good for a travel-based theme. You should look around to see what your competition is doing in terms of their own website - does yours compete?

You also need to work on a good, strong, clear message. Why should I choose you to serve my travel needs?

Everything on my computer looks normal.

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Independant Travel Agent Nancy Smith 1168 Avenida Bella Vista Los Lunas NM 87031 www.nancysvacationsite.com

Also ... I could not find your contact information. Am I not to contact you if I want service?

everything on my computer is normal, so I can`t fix what I don`t see, any suggestions? I went to the  link you gave me for the other website and found it small, dull, and boring. So to each his own huh?

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Independant Travel Agent Nancy Smith 1168 Avenida Bella Vista Los Lunas NM 87031 www.nancysvacationsite.com

great call about the contact info! lol, I can`t beleive I forgot that! Thanks

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Independant Travel Agent Nancy Smith 1168 Avenida Bella Vista Los Lunas NM 87031 www.nancysvacationsite.com

Hi Nancy,

I viewed the site with IE7 and FireFox.

The combination of the background image and font make it a little difficult to read the text. And the text on the left middle and right (on home page) should be a litle more distinct. Also, the background image files size is large (238KB) and so can be slow to load for those with a dial up connection.

The Dugan`s Travel image is large too.

Some viewers may not see your site as designed if they do not have that font (papyrus) loaded on their computer... as a result the default text may overlap be out of the position you desire.

In general, white text on a dark background is also a problem if someone wants to print out your page.

A couple of the home page images are not needed (the dolphin-top left and the eyes middle right).  The images used should add to and be related to the site`s content.  So you might have smaller images for each of your "specialties"/packages.

Suggestions:

If you still want to use that image as a background... reduce the colors, fade, and compress the jpg file.  OR use a smaller version of the image for part of the page.

Use a more standard font - dark on light background is better.

Create distinct text areas, perhaps with a different solid color background.

~Roland

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Web Design | Best Beef Jerky | ecommerce articles | Follow vwebworld on Twitter

Hi Nancy,

I can see you like the "mystical" look. You can pull this together in a more organized fashion. I would make it a little less cluttered and make the text more readable.On The feedback page, i would reword...the words complaint or problem. prospective clients who see these words may be turned off. Have Question, Suggestion and testimonial maybe. Or customer service, etc... Take off the negative wording it will scare folks off.Also on home page where you have live help, you have in a table with no backround but border, do you need the table? Either use it or trash it. Make it invisible.Or put backround in it to make online help stand out against main backround.You used front page?  You can definately get your overall style exspressed in a less cluttered manner. Overall i think you did a good job. You should be proud of your creation.

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