Please critique my site [Archive]

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kroeger

2nd November 2007, 21:03

Hi,

I am finally up and running with my new site selling Toys and Games aimed at the younger generation. I would be grateful for feedback as to the look and layout. Not sure if I am allowed to post a direct link so it is: www (dot) toyuniverse (dot) co (dot) uk

Also any advice on getting the site noticed in these first weeks and months would be appreciated. Do you think Pay per Click or Adwords would be the best option to start with?

Lasting Designs

2nd November 2007, 21:29

All I get is a holding page!

kroeger

2nd November 2007, 21:47

How do you mean holding page? The site is live with products and ready to trade. are you sure you typed the correct address: toyuniverse (dot) co (dot) uk

Page

2nd November 2007, 21:48

www.toyuniverse.co.uk (http://www.toyuniverse.co.uk) - holding page for me to.

kroeger

2nd November 2007, 21:50

Sorry I don't understand what you mean by holding page?

Polly

2nd November 2007, 21:56

Hi
Here's my comments:-

I think the site looks great. Really like the colours and logo. Think it's designed with a good look for the target market.

Quite a few of your categories are empty

I'd put quite a bit more text in your main pages, Home, About Us etc

On the SEO front there dont seem to be any keywords in the site?

Hope this helps

Polly

kroeger

2nd November 2007, 22:00

Thanks Polly for your comments. I am aware of the need to flesh out the stock in my categories, and have already spent a couple of thousand on stock. I am working to have at least 6-12 products in each category soon.

When you say there do not appear to be any keywords, where would I put them?

Polly

2nd November 2007, 22:11

I'll leave it to an SEO/Web professional to give more information for you but from my basic knowledge doing my own website, in each page you need to have your Keywords for that particular page. Code below from your Home Page shows you only have the words "Toy Universe" as your keywords.

<html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" >
<head><title>Toy Universe</title><meta name="title" content="Toy Universe"><meta name="description" content="Toy Universe"><meta name="keywords" content="Toy Universe" ><LINK href='styles/160.css' type='text/css' rel='STYLESHEET'><link rel="shortcut icon"

Polly

kroeger

2nd November 2007, 22:15

Thanks this is really handy info Polly. gives me something to get started on.

falconinternetlimited

2nd November 2007, 22:18

Kroeger

I would add that there seems to be no logical order in which the items are listed. I would want to be able to list by price possibly. Lowest to highest or vice-versa.

Also, is it possible to have 2 columns or something when listing items as if you have quite a lot of items you could be scrolling down the page for ever?

I like the concept of the Logo (i.e. the odd toy in the letters) but I don't particularly like the font. Could you change the font / concept to use letter that kids have on their bedroom doors perhaps? You know the ones I mean?

For the testomonials I would add a form. If people have to contact you to tell you how great you are they simply won't bother. If there is a form there they might just do it. How about offering them a ratings form so it's REALLy easy for them to rate and then have an optinal free-text comments field?

Also your enlarged images are not working. And search returns an error also - so I think you have a bit of work to do to make sur those errors don't occur.

Good luck and stick with it,

Rupert

Polly

2nd November 2007, 22:18

You are welcome. Adwords are good to get you started and using Analytics to monitor the results, which will details the Adword hits and the natural listing hits too. I spent most of last year just using Adwords before I invested time on the SEO side of things. Now I've virtually ceased the Adwords as the natural (free) listings have taken over the paid ones

http://www.google.com/analytics/en-GB/

Polly

kroeger

2nd November 2007, 22:24

Rupert thanks for honest views. I am with Internet Retailer so am limited in the amount of customisation that I can do.

As regards having the option to sort price high to low and visa versa, I admit this would be useful.

The enlarge images are working ok for me. Could you let me know which one or ones are causing you problems.

Will look into the testimonials page suggestion.

falconinternetlimited

2nd November 2007, 22:27

The enlarged images are working now. I'd Keep an eye in case it's an intermittemt problem. It was an application error / that showed up.

Search is also working now,

Best wishes,

Rupert

kroeger

2nd November 2007, 22:36

Thanks, I am aware of the error for the security page and will get it sorted ASAP.

JustOneUK

2nd November 2007, 23:58

holding page for me too....

Hosting UK Holding Page
You have come to this page because you have either typed in a domain name that has been registered for one of our customers and has been placed on hold for them.
Register a domain name with us and take advantage of FREE parking or FREE web and e-mail forwarding.

James.

kroeger

3rd November 2007, 00:50

Hi, do you get this intermittently or all the time?

JustOneUK

3rd November 2007, 01:04

All the time for me, just tried again and refreshed several times too.

James.

Page

3rd November 2007, 08:53

Still a holding page

Sally@CC

4th November 2007, 23:25

I get the site no problem, could it be a browser issue?

I like your site. The purple is a bit much in the background but that is personal preference.

Any chance you could put in pictures of items you hope to sell in the future and say Out of Stock rather than just empty catagories? It looks like you are going out of business not starting off, it is very off putting.

Like the logo, I wouldn't change it. Love the No Quibble Guarantee, builds trust. Like the wish list and there is a price to suit every pocket.

Well done, I like it. :)

Sally

Games4Business

5th November 2007, 02:41

I get a holding page. We're on cable, so it may be that somewhere down the line the DNS is not refreshing for your site. Anyone else on cable have the same problem, or are you on BT ?

Sally@CC

5th November 2007, 13:44

I am on BT.

frockery

5th November 2007, 14:31

I am also getting a holding page (on BT!)

Regards,
Alison

Online Trader

5th November 2007, 14:38

Holding page here on BT

Sally@CC

5th November 2007, 14:58

Oops I am getting the holding page now, I got the site no problem last night. Technical glitch?

darrenwis

5th November 2007, 17:52

Hi kroeger,

Have you contacted internet retailer regarding the holding page issue? I am considering using them but this has slightly dented my confidence in them.

They seem very helpful but are there glitches in their system?

Let me know.
Darren

kroeger

5th November 2007, 19:38

Thanks for all the comments. Holding page should not be an issue now. It was not Internet Retailers fault. The hosting provider had a crash over the weekend and have now put in place spare dns servers so it doesn't happen again.

Customer service from Internet retailer has been really positive.

Mr Jai

6th November 2007, 19:14

Hi kroeger

From first sight i think the sight looks good! Its clear what you are about, i would suggest that you add some more information in some pages as they are quite brief.

Like on your 'about us' page tell people who you are, why you started this business, show them a picture of yourself etc because this way you can connect with your customers, let them know you are a real person.

I would also test every link and image on your website because when something does not work it makes clients less confidence in your service so try doing this as soon as possible and fix what needs to be fixed.

Hope this helps.

kroeger

6th November 2007, 19:37

Thanks Mr Jai. Good comments. I am going to try out a different colour scheme tomorrow, have a couple of ideas in mind.

kroeger

11th November 2007, 12:12

I have had some changes made. Does it look better now?

Sally@CC

11th November 2007, 17:22

I can't help with technical stuff but the firemen & castle pictures are blurry, the treasure island one is so small I can't see it - I want to see what I am buying (of course it might be the age of my eyes). Compare them to your John Adams mini grafix, which has a good clear picture, good description and is right in my face the moment I click on that page - by the way I bookmarked that as a possible xmas pressie because I could see it, it looks fun and the price is right. That is the difference between sale and no sale for me

The headline font is too big compared to the rest of the text. Personally I would put the darker colour and the bold but the same font size, as my eye misses everything but the big text, so I am starting reading half way down the page.

You have told me in About Us that customer service is very important but not given any indication how you are going to provide me that great customer service (delivery times, link to returns policy, etc).

Images, I would like to see toys as soon as the page appears, if I am a stressed mother buying xmas pressies I want to see not read about toys.

Just my 10 pence worth.

Sally

kroeger

12th November 2007, 02:06

Sally@CC

12th November 2007, 02:45

Sally thanks for the advice. I have put right some of the images and amended the About Us page as suggested. Also I have reduced the size of the bold text on the home page.

I cannot understand how the castle image is blurred though, it seems fine for me!!!

This is just the sort of advice I need in order to improve my site.

Also when you say you just want to see toys when the page loads, do you mean the home page?

Aha that is much better and now, just be reducing that font I can see the pictures as soon as I open the page.

About us page is much better, now I don't have to go searching your services (I am very lazy shopper :p). At the bottom of the About Us page I would add a short paragraph about you, is it a family run business, did you think you could provide cheaper toys or better services than you were buying on the net for your kids? It is not important to me but gives me the feeling I am buying from a real person.

Great stuff.

Shopping Guide -

first paragraph you said you are committed to the safety of my personal information - so how are you going to protect it? Also in the credit card bit you say you use WorldPay, is it possible to put a link to their site explaining how they operate and protect peoples card details?

paragraph 3 says Where is my shopping cart and then explains what my shopping cart is (should it read What is my shopping cart?)

FAQ's re credit card details, says click here to read safety statement but doesn't even say you use Worldpay.

Last thing if I may - I am not a mum so I always worry about safety of toys when I buy them (eyes in teddy bears, lead in paint, etc). Do you have any manufaturers info you could add as a Toy Safety page or manufacturers guarantees? (that is not to suggest parents don't care about such issues, I just worry about killing someones child!!!)

About the blurry pictures it is probably my eyes, I am very vain and refuse to wear my glasses :redface: so best if you ask younger eyes to look at the pictures.

Sally

kroeger

12th November 2007, 09:24

Sally@CC

12th November 2007, 22:43

Sally, thanks again I have made most of the changes suggested. they look so obvious in retrospect, but sometimes you can't see the wood for the trees!!!!

I am working on some Toy Safety articles which will be published shortly.

Wood for trees, heavens I can't even see the trees anymore!! :eek:

No problem, good luck with your site. When my designer is finished perhaps you can return the favour and tell me everything I will see as obvious in retrospect?

Sally

Pelenna

12th November 2007, 23:57

I agree with the post a few posts back - if it is family run business etc, put a picture or two on your about us page. I did it and there was a definite increase in sales (even though I was a bit embarassed about putting a picture of me up!). I think it engenders trust in this type of business?