Critique My Site, Jan 2007: Bedspreads-Quilts-Comforters.com

[Ina]

Today's Critique My Site is Bedspreads-Quilts-Comforters.com
http://www.bedspreads-quilts-comforters.com

The AuctionBytes Critique My Site feature asks readers to visit an ecommerce website and make suggestions on how the merchant can increase sales. Readers can submit their own websites, too, by emailing the editor.

Al Nelson is looking for advice on how to increase his conversion rate - to convert browsers to buyers. Details are found in the January 21, 2007 issue of AuctionBytes-Update:
http://www.auctionbytes.com/cab/abu/y207/m01/abu0183/s03
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Ina Steiner, AuctionBytes.com

[goodworks1]

Just a quick look at the site and I see a few oddities -

But the worst one is descriptions that don't match the photos.

For instance:

A dramatic red and white quilt with straight borders, described as

[carolhearn]

There are a lot of positives about your site - easy navigation, no clutter, clear pricing, etc. I have a few comments:

1. Since the majority of customers are probably women, you might consider a softer look with a pastel or neutral background.
2. Since bedding is heavy, one of the concerns shoppers have is shipping. If shipping information is shown on your site, I didn't find it. I think shoppers are often hesitant to click on "order now" in order to find out how much it will cost to ship.
3. I liked your About Us write-up but found it a bit hard to read against a textured background.
4. I didn't see a link to your other site, although you mention it on your About Us page.
5. I realize that it isn't practical to take your own pictures of all your merchandise, but a few pictures of a spread in a bedroom with your window coverings in the background would be nice. Stock pictures look "professional" (because they are, of course, professional product shots), but a more personal shot (perhaps on the button that leads to each of your categories) would be a nice touch.

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Carol Hearn

[sunlori]

While I generally agree with the others, the big turn off to me was the textured background & colors. I too am retired and maybe it's the "older eyes" that found the background hard on them. I was able to read but found it uncomfortable. A plain or lighter colored background would make me much more likely to stay at the site longer. When I have any problem easily viewing a site I tend to move on.

I also would prefer seeing close ups right away and maybe a link to "About Quality" or something similar.
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sunlori

[mainstreetmallonline]

Your website has a number of great elements, many as mentioned above. Your content is good. Your products are exceptional. Offering personal information on your "about us" page helps define your as "real" and goes along way to developing customer trust. These are all good things.

As a professional web designer for many years I've learned, often the hard way, a little about design elements and marketing. You do make a number of "newbie" errors in your website that will likely detract from sales in a significant manner. Most of these errors are basic and easily corrected. Here are a few:

1 - Your code allows your page content to fill whatever space is available -- on larger screen resolution settings and full-screen browser windows your text spreads too wide to be comfortably read. An uncomfortable visitors leaves before coming to the all important buying decision. Contrain the content portion of your page to a little over the width of your top banner -- about 790 pixels.

2 - Paragraph text is more easily read when it has even left margins. Use either left or full justification for all your paragaphs instead of centering the text. Again, visitor comfort is the issue. You may not think it important but it can actually make a significant difference in sales.

3 - Use "white space". Setting text and images apart from each other, and table edges, by about 20 pixels will make your content more pleasing both to view and to read.

4 - Using bulleted lists will help bring focus to individual points.

5 - As mentioned in other posts, the dark textured background is a problem. Either use it as an "outside" background and contain content within a centred section with a plain neutral background or replace it with something more like this:

http://www.ourhutch.com/backs/paperback.gif

Either way, dark (preferably black) text on a light background is much easier to read than light text on a dark background.

These five simple changes to your site will improve the look and likely improve sales.
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[ MSMO | Free HTML Course | Web Design/SEO ]
Online Selling Association Free Membership Coupon: free4life

[Jus-ol-Al]

Thanks to all of you for your great advice. I guess it is obvious that I will have to change my background since that is your unanimous opinion. I really liked that background. Oh well! As far as the copy being wrong on the individual bedspread sites (I'm embarrassed) it is a case of my not checking back on each page after I did a lot of copy/pasting. The other more technical suggestions and the background change are going to have to wait until next week when I have the time to get to them.

Thank you very much for your time in helping me. Now that you have shown me my shortcomings I can see where the sales should increase for me.

Thanks to all,

Al Nelson
www.bedspreads-quilts-comforters.com
www.oldeworldelace.com
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Come visit our web site at www.oldeworldelace.com

[mainstreetmallonline]

Al,

Don't discard that background if you like it. Just set it to the margin and use a lighter background behind the text area, like this:

http://mainstreetmallonline.com/stuff/bg-example.html
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[ MSMO | Free HTML Course | Web Design/SEO ]
Online Selling Association Free Membership Coupon: free4life

[xcergy]

I liked you site as well, but the dark background and non-black color lettering is not my favorite. For backgrounds, I would choose some of the patterns of cloth you have, and lighten them up with Photoshop of Paint Shop Pro to where they are almost white/invisible and use that for a background. That will add uniqueness and will really make you pages stand out.

Basic web pages should be designed for 800-600 pixel viewing, and always keep in mind that there are still a lot of Internet users who are still on dial-up. As mentioned earlier, white space is important, so I would recommend a little more spacing on the left of the screen. Using the BLOCKQUOTE funtion in paragraphs will do that.

Good luck on your future Internet sales!
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xcergy
www.thedumbdog.com
www.xcergy.com
stores.ebay.com/key-products

[Bob Sansone]

You have 2 great web sites.

I noticed at http://www.oldeworldelace.com/ that there is a place to order product at the bottom of the page.

However, did I miss something at your new site? When I clicked through the pages, there was not any option to purchase. Was this by design? Or I wonder it there is an issue with the pages loading, which would affect sales.
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Bob at Harvey Software, Inc. www.harveysoftware.com www.trackingpage.com
800-231-0296
CPS - UPS, FedEx and USPS Shipping Software CPS Parcel Locator - UPS, FedEx and USPS Parcel Tracking Tools.

[Bob Sansone]

After further investigating, the order section now appears. Don't know why it didn't appear the first time through....
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Bob at Harvey Software, Inc. www.harveysoftware.com www.trackingpage.com
800-231-0296
CPS - UPS, FedEx and USPS Shipping Software CPS Parcel Locator - UPS, FedEx and USPS Parcel Tracking Tools.

[Nikki]

What you've pegged as a website problem I see more as a problem with semantics and marketing.

When I say "bedspread" I'm thinking about what I see covering the beds at hotels--the stiff, floral-patterned, rather plastic, generic overlayer ubiquitous to every hotel/motel I've ever stayed in. Either that or one of those loosely woven, richly colored Indian spreads which I largely associate with college life; or a heavy, woven cotton spread; or grandma's chenille spread. A comforter, of course, is one of those feather-puffy, slidey-onto-the-floor-in-the-middle-of-the-night, hide-a-multitude-of-sins top-of-the-bed layers. I didn't see any of the above on your website thus the semantics problem: what you think when you say "bedspread" isn't what I think when I go looking for one.

And what did I see? Quilts. Likely imported from China, decorator, patchwork quilts, available in so many places it's hard to keep track: Target, J.C. Penny's, Wal-Mart, Meijer's, Linens n Things, Bed Bath & Beyond, Sears, K-Mart, CostCo, Pier One, Domestications, Spiegel's, L.L. Bean, Linensource, Fingerhut, etc.

Who are the customers for these quilts? In my opinion (and experience), I think it's people looking for an affordable "instant decorator" effect. Some new paint on the walls, a new rug or two on the floor, some new bed linens and voila, a room with a fresh face. Not a project with a lot of time investment needed so they have to find what they're looking for in an instant gratification time range. Where are the going to look for the quilts? Unfortunately, just about anywhere. If they start looking online, they'll either go directly to eBay or Overstock or Google/Froogle "quilts" and see what comes up. Since quilts are a touchy/feely type of commodity, more likely than not it's worth a road trip to investigate what's available. This is especially important if they're trying for a certain color scheme because the evidence of their senses rings true where an image on a computer screen probably won't.

I don't understand why you're offering four different levels of quality when there seems to be very little difference among the four levels. I don't understand why you're offering items (valences, curtains, etc.) and not showing pictures of them. I don't understand what you're doing to reach your intended customer. For me it's not a matter of whether or not your website is effective but rather why this product and why try to go against such a heavy tide of competition? You must have worked all this out in your own mind before you jumped in so if you're convinced you're right, don't be swayed by the opinions of one cranky quiltsmith. Best of luck in working out the crinkles.

[worldgems]

With just a quick look I would change the background to a nuetral color.
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Jim

[goodworks1]

I hadn't been back to check your site since January when I posted above. I see you've made a lot of improvements already! I'm impressed!

I did read this from Ina's newsletter,