Scuba website help
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WarrenZ
The Ultimate Bad Example
I would have liked to see more pictures of the item different angles/camera out of housing etc...
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You asked...
Too much use of the word Scuba in front of everything, and showing everything on the front page made me less likely to shop there. Not to be negative, but there was no visual interest for me, although I can't define what that is exactly. An institutional design like LeisurePro's and an eclectic design like Scubatoys does. And surprisingly, a busy page that's very similar to yours like Divesports does also. Maybe it's the colors?
One suggestion would be to move all the category pictures somewhere else and instead showcase some of your better deals. Have text links to your categories. It does two things, gets people interested in your deals - if they are deals - and makes them click a link to go to the category they're interested in.
When I find someone on SB advertising their website, even if it's just in their sig., I look at it. Some get bookmarked for future reference. Not to be harsh, but when I first looked this morning, I noticed that I was back reading another thread a couple minutes later - yours didn't get bookmarked. Not exactly sure why.
Having a "underwater vehicles" section with just one Seadoo in it was a little disappointing also. Especially when this is near the top of the page:
And make the mfr's logos at the bottom of the page much smaller. They're distracting and serve no real purpose. I'd prefer to see them at the top/bottom of each category page as a quick visual reference to the the lines you sell.
Too much use of the word Scuba in front of everything, and showing everything on the front page made me less likely to shop there. Not to be negative, but there was no visual interest for me, although I can't define what that is exactly. An institutional design like LeisurePro's and an eclectic design like Scubatoys does. And surprisingly, a busy page that's very similar to yours like Divesports does also. Maybe it's the colors?
One suggestion would be to move all the category pictures somewhere else and instead showcase some of your better deals. Have text links to your categories. It does two things, gets people interested in your deals - if they are deals - and makes them click a link to go to the category they're interested in.
When I find someone on SB advertising their website, even if it's just in their sig., I look at it. Some get bookmarked for future reference. Not to be harsh, but when I first looked this morning, I noticed that I was back reading another thread a couple minutes later - yours didn't get bookmarked. Not exactly sure why.
Having a "underwater vehicles" section with just one Seadoo in it was a little disappointing also. Especially when this is near the top of the page:
Although according to Froogle, you do have one of the best prices on it. Might be worth investing a little time in checking prices on some of your higher end products and promoting that. Even offer to rebate the difference - if you can afford to - if someone finds it lower someplace else. By then they've already bought it from you.
And make the mfr's logos at the bottom of the page much smaller. They're distracting and serve no real purpose. I'd prefer to see them at the top/bottom of each category page as a quick visual reference to the the lines you sell.
jeraldjcook
Contributor
What is the purpose of the "products" tab? It's your home page without the intro paragraph. BTW, you have good prices on quite a few items.
I get a sideways scroll bar which I find annoying. I dislike those. Other than that though, it looks pretty good to me.
ckjacques53198
Guest
Your website loads slow. Took forever for picures to pop up. Thought it was my connection but went over to Leisurepro and zipped through pages.
I opened your web page and immediately felt like I needed sunglasses. The sharp red against the white background has too much contrast. See the difference between your site and Scubaboard. The softer tones are easier on the eyes. (There is a reason you see a medium blue background used in most sales presentations.)
Currently, you have no moving or flashing pictures on the site. I personally find the movement and flashing distracting at best and annoying enough at times to leave the website right away because of this distraction. Pictures of the local dive sights above and below the water might be attractive. Using tropical reef and fish pictures always makes me drool.
Definitely loose the scuba before every category and consider breaking down some of the categories. Try something like, regulators by above and below a certain price range or by manufacturer, etc.
Give people a reason to stay on your website. Give people a reason to bookmark you site, (Have a link at the bottom where people can automatically bookmark the page. Even if they dont use it, it is a reminder to put it in their favorites).
The contact page is very good except for the red print. I like the FULL contact information including the street and city address, phone and fax number, and e-mail. I hate to hunt for these on a website and I am more likely to do business with a place where I can talk to a real human being.
Cant get there from here! Directions to the shop from Interstate 15?
Special events and local diving information and how to get there would be interesting.
Most of all, a free airline ticket to go diving in Mapleton for Flea Dog.
Hope this is helpful!
Flea Dog
Currently, you have no moving or flashing pictures on the site. I personally find the movement and flashing distracting at best and annoying enough at times to leave the website right away because of this distraction. Pictures of the local dive sights above and below the water might be attractive. Using tropical reef and fish pictures always makes me drool.
Definitely loose the scuba before every category and consider breaking down some of the categories. Try something like, regulators by above and below a certain price range or by manufacturer, etc.
Give people a reason to stay on your website. Give people a reason to bookmark you site, (Have a link at the bottom where people can automatically bookmark the page. Even if they dont use it, it is a reminder to put it in their favorites).
The contact page is very good except for the red print. I like the FULL contact information including the street and city address, phone and fax number, and e-mail. I hate to hunt for these on a website and I am more likely to do business with a place where I can talk to a real human being.
Cant get there from here! Directions to the shop from Interstate 15?
Special events and local diving information and how to get there would be interesting.
Most of all, a free airline ticket to go diving in Mapleton for Flea Dog.
Hope this is helpful!
Flea Dog
Too much info. The whole page is too cluttered. It just made me tense when it opened up.
The whole banner on top is too much. Why does the visa and mastercard etc have to be on every page?
And all along the left side it should be just one drop down menu.
To showcase my point..... On the first page you have a menu all along the left side. You have a menu horizontal. And you have all the product links as the main. All three for just one purpose.
The whole banner on top is too much. Why does the visa and mastercard etc have to be on every page?
And all along the left side it should be just one drop down menu.
To showcase my point..... On the first page you have a menu all along the left side. You have a menu horizontal. And you have all the product links as the main. All three for just one purpose.
harleythedog
Registered
I was one of the people who stayed on for 1.5 min in the past. I remember the page and got frustrated with it within the minute and moved on mainly for 2 main reasons; 1) page is to large, I had to scroll (left/right) or maximize my window which I dont like doing - yes a pet peeve but compare that to LP or Scubatoys, everything fits without having to blow up IE. 2) you have categories in the middle of the window and then categories on the left - pick one please. The middle window ones I find annoying, too many graphics, makes the page larger and its not everything you carry because right under you have: " Didnt find your category, click on the left for more" you are making folks look in 2 places. I was overwhelmed with too much info and thought you were trying to hard. Similarly when you open a category, take wetsuits as an example, I am presented with 39 pictures on one screen, no sense of organization to them. You start with 2mm and work up to 7mm then back to a shorty and back to a 7mm then back to a 3/2 then a shorty then a 7mm... etc. again, forced me to look and read everything. If I were looking for say a 3mm henderson I would glance at everything you have and then realize you didnt have them - thats ok but worse is, I cant tell you what you do carry. brand names are all over the place so you loose the repetitive look of grouping brandnames.
I am not suggesting you look like LP/scubatoys, only mentioned them as a comparison as they seem to be very popular as online sales arena. Their homepages have no more than a handful of items on them I can then look deeper into each item or just browse around. When I do browse I can see multiple brand X items together, that makes one remember you carry brand X. They also have some good deals on the main page, makes me take a look and wonder... hhhmm.. do I need another light ? or wow, thats a good price for a 3mm. I have been suckered into buying like that before and while I got a good price, I rarely buy one thing at a time. yes I like gadgets.
So:
- have ability to sort by brand and price.
- some basic organization so if I wanted a C8 light I could scroll to the end versus a pen light, same for wetsuits, knives, etc.
- smaller (left/right) pages. dont mind scrolling up/down - its the other way that bugs me.
- as others have said, remove the redundant words (scuba, dive, etc), streamline the page may give more of an impression you mean business and not just pushing product.
- give users a reason to stay. Again as a comparison, look at LPs main page, they have: 4 or 5 featured items (sales), gift card, divers atlas, buying guide, return policy, etc. I know you have that up top but you loose it with all the product categories you throw out.
- streamline. more pics and more stuff on a page is not always better. If I ask for 28 bags then throw them at me, but dont tell me everythng you have all at once without ability to filter. I would suggest you develop a sleeker template for each page ad carry that throughout the site. May seem obvious but i have seen many sites where each page looks different.
Disclaimer: you asked so I commented with the hope the feedback is useful. I did not compare pricing because thats not what you asked for, you asked... why do people only stay 1.5 min. Wish you good luck and hope this helps.
I am not suggesting you look like LP/scubatoys, only mentioned them as a comparison as they seem to be very popular as online sales arena. Their homepages have no more than a handful of items on them I can then look deeper into each item or just browse around. When I do browse I can see multiple brand X items together, that makes one remember you carry brand X. They also have some good deals on the main page, makes me take a look and wonder... hhhmm.. do I need another light ? or wow, thats a good price for a 3mm. I have been suckered into buying like that before and while I got a good price, I rarely buy one thing at a time. yes I like gadgets.
So:
- have ability to sort by brand and price.
- some basic organization so if I wanted a C8 light I could scroll to the end versus a pen light, same for wetsuits, knives, etc.
- smaller (left/right) pages. dont mind scrolling up/down - its the other way that bugs me.
- as others have said, remove the redundant words (scuba, dive, etc), streamline the page may give more of an impression you mean business and not just pushing product.
- give users a reason to stay. Again as a comparison, look at LPs main page, they have: 4 or 5 featured items (sales), gift card, divers atlas, buying guide, return policy, etc. I know you have that up top but you loose it with all the product categories you throw out.
- streamline. more pics and more stuff on a page is not always better. If I ask for 28 bags then throw them at me, but dont tell me everythng you have all at once without ability to filter. I would suggest you develop a sleeker template for each page ad carry that throughout the site. May seem obvious but i have seen many sites where each page looks different.
Disclaimer: you asked so I commented with the hope the feedback is useful. I did not compare pricing because thats not what you asked for, you asked... why do people only stay 1.5 min. Wish you good luck and hope this helps.
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creamofwheat:
Good catch, I missed that. You have a fixed-width layout and need a fluid layout.
Anybody running big fonts or a monitor less than 1024x768 will get scrollbars and will be looking at your site through a soda-straw.
Terry
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