What do you think of my site?

[Guest ange1cra]

It needs totally changed eh?

And my next question is HOW?

Have seen the templates which can be used, is it easy to change? Do you lose any data?

Any other suggestions most welcome!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Angela

www.angelcrafts.biz

[Guest qld4215]

It needs totally changed eh?

And my next question is HOW?

Have seen the templates which can be used, is it easy to change? Do you lose any data?

Any other suggestions most welcome!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Angela

www.angelcrafts.biz

Angela,

if you have a new template you like to use, then go ahead. It is easy and save to implement.

Usually there is a - readme.txt, install.txt - file included with instructions. Skins are just as easy. You do not lose your data, because you only mod the layout. I have done a layout change with OsCommerce, it was tricky, but it looks that CubeCart is much easier to change.

[jerseyjoe]

It needs totally changed eh?

Surely not just for the sake of change. CC's default skins aren't perfect but they are pretty good. I know you don't want your store look like every other CubeCart - but then how many other CCs do you think your customers see?

A question you may want to consider. At the moment you are using every box that comes with the skin. Just because the default skin provides all those boxes, how many of them are *really* helpful in maximizing your sales?

[roban]

You're off to a good start, after all your shop is up and running.

I would do some work on the header image. It's not very good and needs to be cleaner. It's the first thing visitors see when they come to your store so you want it to make a statement about the rest of your site. In that light you'd probably want to coordinate the colors of your site with the header. It's pink and your store is blue.

Too much text on that front page. Nobody will take the time to read it all, after all they're there to shop...not read. Use more of that space to advertise the products you think are important.

You're only selling in British pounds so get rid of the currency box. You don't need it.

Keep working at it...we all do!

[jerseyjoe]

You're off to a good start, after all your shop is up and running.

I agree with every one of Roban's points. Let me offer more comment on those points that may help you and others with the same issues. BTW - (Don't be offended by direct talk like this. Sugar-coating doesn't improve professional advice.)

You start out with saying: "Our mission is simple... to provide customers with a quick and easy way of buying the products they want, at the most competitive prices around, delivered direct to their door. Our order fulfillment capabilities are second to none."

I could pick up that text and drop it into any web site in the world - and it still would mean nothing. What store has a mission to make it hard to buy, boasts higher prices and makes you go to the top of a mountain for delivery? Nothing you are saying is unique in a way that matters to the customer. You are talking to yourself in an empty room.

All the things you claim are either self-evident or irrelevant. In advertising they are called "puffery" and "empty calories." Customers will find out very quickly and nothing you say will change their mind once they make a judgement.

Now if you were to say something (assuming truth of course) like, "we have the largest selection of left handed, vanilla flavored lolipops," that might mean something to the customer.

Text alone, for some online stores, is not a problem. It's what you do with it that matters.

For example, look at the home page text on http://www.rodriguezpuroscigars.com. It does not promise to make you thinner or younger. It makes explicit statements that differentiate this buying experience from another, that invite local customers to come to the store for a pleasant experience. It makes specific product claims that will appeal to some customers. It does not claim his cigars to be the best, the cheapest, the widest selection, etc. - nor does he claim his is the friendliest venue in town - even though the proprietor believes that with good reason.

Onward . . .

Your home page is just too busy. Too much information and not enough organization. It's a kitchen junk drawer. You have an impressive and broad product line (in England you call it a "range" I think) but I think finding one's way through it is daunting.

There are mods that would allow you to clean up that lonnnnnng list of products in the left column by organizing into a menu of that would open up into sub-categores as a customer rolls over or clicks.

And definitely rework that banner logo. It's just not of professional quality. While you are at it, cut down the banner height by half. Your current height only emphasizes the waste of the valuable space on the right side above the search and log in.

Many others do not agree with me, but I think that a serious flaw in CC default skns is there is too much self-contgratulatory space at the top of every page. Once I reach a web site, I don't need to be shouted at on every page, just to tell me I am where I know I am. By reducing the banner to something like 80px high or even 60px high, I am inviting the customer deeper into the buying experience on every page.

Hope all of this helps.

[Guest ange1cra]

Thank you for your help, i have to say i am not very computer savvy

Is there a way to have a scroll down categories box?

Yes would agree my site is too busy, think i will need to sit down with my hubby and change it.

Def need a new logo, started with that thinking would upgrade it, but time goes by............

I have looked at the templates and will change to one of them, I take it I couldn't change the colour of my screen as is just now?

How do I get rid of the other currencies and languages?

Thanks again

Angela

www.angelcrafts.biz

You're off to a good start, after all your shop is up and running.

I agree with every one of Roban's points. Let me offer more comment on those points that may help you and others with the same issues. BTW - (Don't be offended by direct talk like this. Sugar-coating doesn't improve professional advice.)

You start out with saying: "Our mission is simple... to provide customers with a quick and easy way of buying the products they want, at the most competitive prices around, delivered direct to their door. Our order fulfillment capabilities are second to none."

I could pick up that text and drop it into any web site in the world - and it still would mean nothing. What store has a mission to make it hard to buy, boasts higher prices and makes you go to the top of a mountain for delivery? Nothing you are saying is unique in a way that matters to the customer. You are talking to yourself in an empty room.

All the things you claim are either self-evident or irrelevant. In advertising they are called "puffery" and "empty calories." Customers will find out very quickly and nothing you say will change their mind once they make a judgement.

Now if you were to say something (assuming truth of course) like, "we have the largest selection of left handed, vanilla flavored lolipops," that might mean something to the customer.

Text alone, for some online stores, is not a problem. It's what you do with it that matters.

For example, look at the home page text on http://www.rodriguezpuroscigars.com. It does not promise to make you thinner or younger. It makes explicit statements that differentiate this buying experience from another, that invite local customers to come to the store for a pleasant experience. It makes specific product claims that will appeal to some customers. It does not claim his cigars to be the best, the cheapest, the widest selection, etc. - nor does he claim his is the friendliest venue in town - even though the proprietor believes that with good reason.

Onward . . .

Your home page is just too busy. Too much information and not enough organization. It's a kitchen junk drawer. You have an impressive and broad product line (in England you call it a "range" I think) but I think finding one's way through it is daunting.

There are mods that would allow you to clean up that lonnnnnng list of products in the left column by organizing into a menu of that would open up into sub-categores as a customer rolls over or clicks.

And definitely rework that banner logo. It's just not of professional quality. While you are at it, cut down the banner height by half. Your current height only emphasizes the waste of the valuable space on the right side above the search and log in.

Many others do not agree with me, but I think that a serious flaw in CC default skns is there is too much self-contgratulatory space at the top of every page. Once I reach a web site, I don't need to be shouted at on every page, just to tell me I am where I know I am. By reducing the banner to something like 80px high or even 60px high, I am inviting the customer deeper into the buying experience on every page.

Hope all of this helps.

[roban]

To get rid of the currency box, open your index.tpl and delete {CURRENCY}. Simple?

A simple drop down category code would be something like this:

<form name="catform" action ="index.php" method="get" style="padding: 0px; margin: 0px;">

<input type="hidden" name="act" value="viewCat" />

<select name="searchStr" onchange="submit(this.form)">

<option value=''>by section</option>

<OPTION value="name">value name</OPTION>

<OPTION value="name">value name</OPTION>

<OPTION value="name">value name</OPTION>

<OPTION value="name">value name</OPTION>

<OPTION value="name">value name</OPTION>

<OPTION value="name">value name</OPTION>

<OPTION value="name">value name</OPTION>

<OPTION value="name">value name</OPTION>

<OPTION value="name">value name</OPTION>

<OPTION value="name">value name</OPTION>

<OPTION value="name">value name</OPTION>

<OPTION value="name">value name</OPTION>

<OPTION value="name">value name</OPTION>

<OPTION value="name">value name</OPTION>

<OPTION value="name">value name</OPTION>

<OPTION value="name">value name</OPTION>

</select>

</form>

Where the value="name"> would be the hyperlink to your category as in: value="http://www.yoursite/category"> and the value name would be the category name like: Rosebuds or whatever. So one line would be:

<OPTION value="http://www.yoursite/rosebuds.htm">Rosebuds</OPTION>

This can all be put into a side box named 'Categories' thusly; (thusly??)

<div class="boxTitleRight">Categories</div>

<div class="boxContentLeft">

<form name="catform" action ="index.php" method="get" style="padding: 0px; margin: 0px;">

<input type="hidden" name="act" value="viewCat" />

<select name="searchStr" onchange="submit(this.form)">

<option value=''>by section</option>

<OPTION value="name">value name</OPTION>

<OPTION value="name">value name</OPTION>

<OPTION value="name">value name</OPTION>

<OPTION value="name">value name</OPTION>

<OPTION value="name">value name</OPTION>

<OPTION value="name">value name</OPTION>

<OPTION value="name">value name</OPTION>

<OPTION value="name">value name</OPTION>

<OPTION value="name">value name</OPTION>

<OPTION value="name">value name</OPTION>

<OPTION value="name">value name</OPTION>

<OPTION value="name">value name</OPTION>

<OPTION value="name">value name</OPTION>

<OPTION value="name">value name</OPTION>

<OPTION value="name">value name</OPTION>

<OPTION value="name">value name</OPTION>

</select>

</form>

<border="0" >

</div>

<div class="boxFootRight">&nbsp;</div>