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Thread: Need input about current website design

  1. #11
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    Thinkbooks - The website is free, and I am the one doing the finishing touches - front and back. My son set up the site, but with his time constraints wasn't able to do the fine details. This site is limited to what can be done graphically. The picture on top with "Laid Back Ranch" is our ranch. Our budget is extremely limited, but did raid books a million today.

  2. #12
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    I think the product is great but IMO the webpage would improve with catching big images, with bright colors, a cool logo and less text. I would use a larger font and call to action to the users. I would focus on the health benefits that this soap has in opposition to the industrial ones.

  3. #13
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    Props to you for being a do-it-yourselfer, and for taking the constructive criticisms. I know a few peeps who only want to use goat-milk soap and swear by it. Your store could do very well if you give it the attention it needs to not only generate leads, but convert those leads to direct sales. And you do have your work cut out for you.

    First, remember that your online presence should instill confidence and help build and reinforce relationships.
    Secondly, I'm not familiar with cs-cart but from the theme video on their website, you could have real simple aesthetics - a visually pleasing presentation by adding a simple logo and choosing a consistent font and color scheme with appropriate white space. You could use a 'Cartoonize' app to make a goat (you could include yourself in it) drawing in black and white, add your brand name, and there you go - instant logo, easy to print and resize and use everywhere for your brand.
    Thirdly, I didn't go very far in the checkout process, but if you have online shopping, it should be instantly evident that the checkout process is secure, and I saw no HTTPS. Though I did see the PayPal logo (I assume there will be a checkout step referring me to their secure servers), you are still collecting at least personally identifiable information - name, address, phone, email - I wouldn't trust a store on a subdomain with no SSL certificate. Ever.

    Design tips are pure opinion, but website security is a must.
    I might also suggest that you use social media (the footer link on your website just took me to Facebook, so I don't know if you have a brand page or not) - use your existing client base to promote your website and social presence, and turn those tried-and-true customers into brand advocates. You may even find a friend to volunteer to help with your website - someone learning graphic design or web design who would be thrilled to give your site a facelift for free, or create a logo for you.

    Best of luck in your new venture, and above all, patience! Nobody sees success overnight. Well, nobody normal, anyway.

  4. #14

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    Hi lbrsoaps.

    From an artist perspective, maybe the first thing I noticed is some things do not seem to sit well visually with that white background.

    The words "** Now through December 4th, 30% off Entire Store!" are a light pink, and almost blend in with the background. I recommend changing it to a color that stands out more (especially for a sale!). Perhaps a 'christmas red' of some sort.

    Your logo also doesn't seem to sit well on the white background. If you gave it some kind of border it may sit better. Have you ever considered hiring a professional to design a logo for you?

    I love the green titles with black writing beneath on the front page.

    You're welcome to message me if you ever have questions about the visuals of your site.

    Come to Life Creatives

  5. #15
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    You're not making sales because your website is not receiving any traffic. There's no easy answer to building traffic and it usually takes years.

    Established e-commerce sites usually sell to about 1-2% of site visitors. So, when they receive 100 visitors, they can expect to make 1-2 sales. This is a generalization, but gives you a good idea of what to expect. If you capture these people's email addresses you can of course sell to them again.

    As your site sits, I'd expect under a 1% conversion rate. If I'm being honest, the site looks homemade and the benefits of your product are not clear.

    My suggestion is if you have no budget, sell on Ebay, Amazon or Etsy (if you can sell that type of product there). People trust those sites and will purchase from them. They will also funnel traffic to your products for free.

    If you start making money on these sites, start thinking about making your own website.

    Couple quick suggestions with the design. Get the menu items all on a single row and try to organize some under submenus. Get rid of the big white and gray space at the very top. Get your products, benefits and call to action (buy now, shop now etc.) above the fold (top).
    Last edited by vangogh; 09-13-2016 at 05:03 PM. Reason: Removed link

  6. #16

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    I agree with BiJingus and would recommend Etsy! You don't have to worry so much about the layout, but will still have to be creative with photos and banners, but there is already promotion being done to attract customers to Etsy. You will need to do good SEO to be found in the Etsy search, but it is not too difficult once you understand the techniques that work. All this being said though, I am here because I am trying to learn new ways of marketing outside of Etsy to get into the big name search engines, or traffic from other sources.

    Chad

  7. #17

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    I hope you will find my opinion helpful. I'm consuming a lot, and I don't mind getting something what seems to me quite interesting. Your goat milk soaps is something very interesting, BUT! Being absolutely honest, your website looks like a amateur blog, but not like a professional website. I don't like the design of it, and this is what makes me stop scrolling down to see more of your products. It is just not attractive at all. I would strongly recommend you to work on the visual part of your website, as your products could attract lots of attention. Maybe there is a sense to go for a professional web designer who can help with it, or look for some temples that look more presentable.
    InvoiceBerry - an online invoicing & billing software for freelancers and small businesses

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