Website Review For New Online Shop
Discussion
I'm launching a new online shop selling kitchen and bathroom radio systems, I used to sell them on another site so I know they're good and being an electrical contractor I've got plenty of installation experience with various audio systems for houses/kitchens/bathrooms etc so I hopefully know my stuff (don't ask me about audiophile stuff though!)
The site is meant to be a niche site so it does what it says on the tin really. I have another two different manufacturers of products to list ASAP and various other things planned but I wanted to get it online and a some user feedback before I go too far with it in case it's poor.
So, you can be harsh as long as it's constructive
The site is www.kitchenbathroomradio.co.uk
Main points I'm looking for is the important two,
1) does the site make it clear what it is and provide enough information to make you want to buy? and
2) now that you want to buy a kitchen radio, does the website portray enough confidence in the business and the company behind it, as well as the security of the site etc, to make you actually carry out the purchase?
Important notes:
The logo is a temporary make do until my graphic designer comes up with something better.
The site will have an SSL licence installed shortly
The checkout will be a very nice one page checkout once the above SSL licence is sorted
The "product manuals" page will have links added shortly
Various other brands/types of related product will be added shortly once I get all the design/info/trust elements right.
And lastly a question,
If you saw me at a show/event such as an outdoor home/garden show, a car event (like good wood etc) or similar type of show, with a small stand, the product on display and demo etc, would you be inclined to purchase or is this really not something you'd consider impulse buying at such a show?
The site is meant to be a niche site so it does what it says on the tin really. I have another two different manufacturers of products to list ASAP and various other things planned but I wanted to get it online and a some user feedback before I go too far with it in case it's poor.
So, you can be harsh as long as it's constructive
The site is www.kitchenbathroomradio.co.uk
Main points I'm looking for is the important two,
1) does the site make it clear what it is and provide enough information to make you want to buy? and
2) now that you want to buy a kitchen radio, does the website portray enough confidence in the business and the company behind it, as well as the security of the site etc, to make you actually carry out the purchase?
Important notes:
The logo is a temporary make do until my graphic designer comes up with something better.
The site will have an SSL licence installed shortly
The checkout will be a very nice one page checkout once the above SSL licence is sorted
The "product manuals" page will have links added shortly
Various other brands/types of related product will be added shortly once I get all the design/info/trust elements right.
And lastly a question,
If you saw me at a show/event such as an outdoor home/garden show, a car event (like good wood etc) or similar type of show, with a small stand, the product on display and demo etc, would you be inclined to purchase or is this really not something you'd consider impulse buying at such a show?
Edited by MrSparks on Tuesday 22 July 20:57
Aside from the logo, the header section doesn't look it has received any thought as to the placement of the search bar and the cart section. They both look like they've been thrown at the header.
The first banner image isn't too clear at all. IMO, the first banner needs to explain the product better, like show a device on the ceiling with radio waves and music notes emanating from it - or similar?
Not sure how the second banner works with the rest of the site either? I'd either keep it to a single static banner image, or use the second one to advertise your best product.
I'd remove the 'Information' box of links from the sidebar. They're not that important, they don't immediately instil any trust with customers and they're just duplicates of what's in the footer anyway.
I'd also remove the sub-categories ('Refine Search' bit above the products on category pages. Makes the page look a bit cluttered and messy.
Are people hitting this site going to already know they want a ceiling radio? Or will they need educating as to what exactly one is? For the former I'd suggest you need more filter options in the sidebar on category pages, maybe so I can filter by colour, wattage, size.
Lastly, get all that darn CSS and JS out of the page source and into external files and then give you developer a slap! (viewing a product page)
The first banner image isn't too clear at all. IMO, the first banner needs to explain the product better, like show a device on the ceiling with radio waves and music notes emanating from it - or similar?
Not sure how the second banner works with the rest of the site either? I'd either keep it to a single static banner image, or use the second one to advertise your best product.
I'd remove the 'Information' box of links from the sidebar. They're not that important, they don't immediately instil any trust with customers and they're just duplicates of what's in the footer anyway.
I'd also remove the sub-categories ('Refine Search' bit above the products on category pages. Makes the page look a bit cluttered and messy.
Are people hitting this site going to already know they want a ceiling radio? Or will they need educating as to what exactly one is? For the former I'd suggest you need more filter options in the sidebar on category pages, maybe so I can filter by colour, wattage, size.
Lastly, get all that darn CSS and JS out of the page source and into external files and then give you developer a slap! (viewing a product page)
jammy_basturd said:
Aside from the logo, the header section doesn't look it has received any thought as to the placement of the search bar and the cart section. They both look like they've been thrown at the header.
The first banner image isn't too clear at all. IMO, the first banner needs to explain the product better, like show a device on the ceiling with radio waves and music notes emanating from it - or similar?
Not sure how the second banner works with the rest of the site either? I'd either keep it to a single static banner image, or use the second one to advertise your best product.
I'd remove the 'Information' box of links from the sidebar. They're not that important, they don't immediately instil any trust with customers and they're just duplicates of what's in the footer anyway.
I'd also remove the sub-categories ('Refine Search' bit above the products on category pages. Makes the page look a bit cluttered and messy.
Are people hitting this site going to already know they want a ceiling radio? Or will they need educating as to what exactly one is? For the former I'd suggest you need more filter options in the sidebar on category pages, maybe so I can filter by colour, wattage, size.
Lastly, get all that darn CSS and JS out of the page source and into external files and then give you developer a slap! (viewing a product page)
I've made the logo smaller so that it brings the header together more. I think I'll put the phone number under the search bar which will hopefully make it look more purposeful? The first banner image isn't too clear at all. IMO, the first banner needs to explain the product better, like show a device on the ceiling with radio waves and music notes emanating from it - or similar?
Not sure how the second banner works with the rest of the site either? I'd either keep it to a single static banner image, or use the second one to advertise your best product.
I'd remove the 'Information' box of links from the sidebar. They're not that important, they don't immediately instil any trust with customers and they're just duplicates of what's in the footer anyway.
I'd also remove the sub-categories ('Refine Search' bit above the products on category pages. Makes the page look a bit cluttered and messy.
Are people hitting this site going to already know they want a ceiling radio? Or will they need educating as to what exactly one is? For the former I'd suggest you need more filter options in the sidebar on category pages, maybe so I can filter by colour, wattage, size.
Lastly, get all that darn CSS and JS out of the page source and into external files and then give you developer a slap! (viewing a product page)
Point taken on the banner, I'll look at changing this.
The idea of the information bar was to show the jargon/product spec sheets and the future buying guide, but you're right they are in footer also and the product manuals will soon be on the product page also so the information tab is just cluttering things up.
I have removed the refine search from category pages.
With regard to the traffic, well I think most visitors will be wanting an audio solution for their home/kitchen/garden etc, some will know exactly what they want, others will be looking for something but won't be 100% sure what they want. I will look at adding the extra search refinements to the category pages, I am going to write a buying guide too which I will send out via email auto responder to people who sign up to mailing list.
Unfortunately I am the "developer" but it's just a theme from theme forest, heavily customised with it's own in built settings and a few minor changes to the coding of the template itself to change/add/remove a few bits. What's the problem with the CSS/JS on page? I have just contacted two local developers this week as I need a few things doing on two sites, neither replied! but I've now contacted an indian agency to see if I have more luck there so if this is important I can ask them about doing it, if they bother replying.
As KFC says, it's not critical. If the CSS and JS is included in the page source then it can't be cached, meaning the page load time increases (which is a factor in SEO).
However, very recently there has been some thought gone into the idea that critical, above-the-fold CSS can be inlined as the performance hit would be negligible and it means the immediately visible elements of the page will be styled as soon as they're downloaded. I don't think this is what your theme is implementing.
Also, I would advise getting advice from a number of people (5-10) before acting on any of it. The above was just my opinion, so unless there were items you strongly agree with, changing the website based solely on my opinion is only going to achieve a website to my liking, possibly not one liked by a wider audience and more importantly, your customers. Ideally you'd get the website to a point your happy with, install GAnalytics and then A/B test changes.
However, very recently there has been some thought gone into the idea that critical, above-the-fold CSS can be inlined as the performance hit would be negligible and it means the immediately visible elements of the page will be styled as soon as they're downloaded. I don't think this is what your theme is implementing.
Also, I would advise getting advice from a number of people (5-10) before acting on any of it. The above was just my opinion, so unless there were items you strongly agree with, changing the website based solely on my opinion is only going to achieve a website to my liking, possibly not one liked by a wider audience and more importantly, your customers. Ideally you'd get the website to a point your happy with, install GAnalytics and then A/B test changes.
Edited by jammy_basturd on Wednesday 23 July 10:34
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