site review and feedback, please

[laura]

Hi All,

I guess new is only word to describe my position. New to this forum, new to Actinic and of course with the new website - www.lembrassa.com

(a word of warning it is a ladies lingerie site - perhaps not to be viewed from your workplace ;) )

There was no way I could have built it myself, so I got a company to do it to my design. But if I'd known how much work and effort and time it would take, I'm not sure I would have even got started. I'm told that a lot of the things I wanted were hard to do in Actinic - but don't know if that is true or just a justification of the cost.

Anyway, it's up and running now. But as with all these things when you are too close to it you can't see the wood from the trees any more.

So if you could offer some constructive criticism - especially on ways to get customers to click past the first page - that would be really great.

Good or bad will be equally welcome - looking for honesty and helpfulness in your feedback.

Thanks to all for looking.

laura

[vistamaster]

Hi Laura,

I have visited your website, and couple of things I'd like to say... :)

So, when it comes to design, I did like it.

Website is not difficult to navigate, but I find vertical menu easier to navigate the site than horizontal (but it's just my user experience).

There are empty product sections on your site, without even one product in it... Do not publish it, until you have added at least one of them :) I prefer to receive the message saying product not found or whatever, instead of having an emty page, as it is confusing, as your first thought is "the page is still loading...", then you wait, then you refresh, the just leave the site thinking it's not working :)

Page Title...

I would personally click first of all in google search results on the links that contain my search term/keywords at the beginning, and on your site, I would swap over the Page Title with your company's name. (just my oppinion again :) )

You have a link "back to previous page", located at the top, I would not look for such a link at the top of page when viewing the product, since every browser has a back button, I see that link on your website useless, however if it was at the bottom of page, then possibly it would be helpful to the site visitors, as they scroll down all the way to the bottom of the page, and do not really need to move their mouse pointer to the top of screen in order to return to previuos page. In fact your product pages are quite short, so if that link wasn't there I wouldn't miss it :)

Shopping cart...

I would stretch the layout to fill that funny gap on the right. :)

Post Code lookup would be an advantage as it saves shoppers time.

Web address...

instead of what it is on your site now: acatalog/copy_of_copy_of_Name_of_Section___.html

make your page name from product name (Search Engine Optimisation)

something similar to: winter_sale_embrace_of_lingerie_and_swimwear.html

Images...

the size of thumbnails in my oppinion is too large, on my 20Mb/s line takes few secs to load them fully, imagine if your potential customer with 512Mb/s or even worse with dial-up...

The rest seems fine ;)

Good luck with your site.

Regards,
Rytis

[Mike Hughes]

the size of thumbnails in my oppinion is too large, on my 20Gb/s line takes few secs to load them fully, imagine if your potential customer with 512Mb/s or even worse with dial-up...

I agree about the images being too large and needing some compression. But Rytis, what are you talking about on bandwidth? Most people only have 2-8 Mbps on broadband.

Mike

[Rich Brady]

I like the look of your site.

Definitely get rid of the "copy_of" page titles sooner rather than later, the last thing you want is to change them once the SE have indexed them.

Section images are around 600kB, it's not necessary and may slow down page load.

There's no tel number or address in your Ts and Cs which may out people off. Also, I get a this error message when trying to search or view contact us page.

The requested URL /cgi-bin/ss900033.pl was not found on this server.

Additionally, a 404 Not Found error was encountered while trying to use an ErrorDocument to handle the request

All the best,

Rich

[Darren B]

I like the look of your site.


You would

Actually one thing at a quick glance, make the images on the front clickable, taking people to that product, 1st thing alot of people do is click images

[Rich Brady]

You would

What Darren are you trying to say???

Actually, I do. I have a client that's asked me to amend a site he has just acquired (don't ask), and this one looks much better. Classier...

While I'm here, the Swim wear images let you down in terms of quality, a total opposite from the lingerie images you have.

Also, there's no content, which is a let down from a customer perspective. Hide the sections until you have products.

The 1 day spectacular offer is today, which for a new site that's probably not getting many visits (except for Darren and I), why not move the date into the future?

[acompton]

Basically a nice site. Good choice of colour and font for the products.

The home page title has underscores in it.

Those pictures are far too big and take an age to load. For a while, I thought the section pages didn't have any pictures. Some of the section page thumbnails look a little squashed width-ways.

I don't recognise any of the brand names. I would have thought in this market, you would have a job persuading customers to try new brands (but I'm a man and don't know much about lingerie :D)

T's & C's are a bit thin.

[Rich Brady]

(but I'm a man and don't know much about lingerie :D)

Obviously you know enough to state that your usual suppliers aren't there! :eek:

[leehack]

I've been looking for an hour, sorry what we supposed to be doing on this site?

[Rich Brady]

I've been looking for an hour, sorry what we supposed to be doing on this site?

LOL The last 2 posts of yours that I have read have had me chuckling to myself. Thanks Lee.

[leehack]

Pleasure Rich, ;).

[Darren B]

Pleasure Rich
Nope im not that kind of guy

[Rich Brady]

Nope im not that kind of guy

PMSL PMSL :D

[laura]

Thanks to all you guys for the great help and feedback.

Sorry to have put you through the trauma of viewing all those pictures - hope you all make a fast recovery :D.

I'll be making changes - especially to the page names and titles as a number of you suggested.

The image sizes you are right about and that was supposed to be fixed yesterday - I have new smaller images all ready. Don't know what has happened there or why the mini-images didn't get up to the server.

Using Internet Explorer, I don't get any error when trying to view the contact us page and that's where the phone numbers and addresses are located. Webd -what browser were you using or do you know of any other reason why you might have got that error when I don't?

Forgot to say, that the site specialises in clothes for "larger ladies". The brands I stock are at the quality end of the market. I'm really glad the you men did not know that - I would be a bit concerned if they were your favourite brands ;).

I just want to add how grateful I am that people took the time to look at the site and post replies. This has been a big help to me - I'm so glad this forum exists.

Thanks again,

laura

[Rich Brady]

Using Internet Explorer, I don't get any error when trying to view the contact us page and that's where the phone numbers and addresses are located. Webd -what browser were you using or do you know of any other reason why you might have got that error when I don't?

I use FF3, but they're displaying now.

[parklifeclothes]

Being a man who happily spends obscene money on high end lingerie for my other half my opinion is to where at all possible use either professional models and photographers for your images or use the brands own images (with permission), there is nothing worse than an image of underwear draped on someone with even the hint of 'love handles' or a bra that doesn't fit the models build or badly lit images. Also when displaying items such as thongs/strings it is always an idea to show off the back otherwise from the front it just looks like a brief, and to many, buying a thong it is the back that matters.

Your site
On the Choose accessories images these would be better if they were clickable for more info/larger images.

Colour wise I like the background but would use very pale pink in place of the 'orangey' shopping bag box and choose a size grid.

On your new styles box the word new starts with a lower case n where as all the other boxes start with upper case and personally I think the font looks weird, you have to look at it twice and most people these days scan read and half expect what is is going to say and it just confuses people.

Bring in some more high end, but not mainstream names (Bas Bleu, Beau Bra, Argentovivo, Marlies Dekkers, etc) and get the marketing right and you'll be well ahead.

[grantglendinnin]

...there is nothing worse than an image of underwear draped on someone with even the hint of 'love handles' or a bra that doesn't fit the models build or badly lit images...


Probably the most honest post yet, good answer - and it's all true. A customer ain't going to buy anything if the lingerie doesn't even make the models look good (and vice versa!). If the obtainable photographs don't look the part, in the long run (IMO) it's better to get product photography specialists in to get the job done. However, I'd suspect ROI to probably be minimalistic in this case.

[vistamaster]

I agree about the images being too large and needing some compression. But Rytis, what are you talking about on bandwidth? Most people only have 2-8 Mbps on broadband.

Mike

I have just took my Broadband Speed test, and the results are here:

http://www.speedtest.net/result/359244671.png (http://www.speedtest.net)

[Mike Hughes]

13617 kbps would be 13.617 Mbps. No sign of any Gbps :o

Mike

[vistamaster]

13617 kbps would be 13.617 Mbps. No sign of any Gbps :o

Mike

Mike,

I can't believe I did write G instead of M :eek: , my apollogies, I was too concentrated on giving the feedback about the website, so I made a little grammar mistake :D

[Mike Hughes]

Perfectly understandable. Probably a bit distracted by the pictures.

Mike

[vistamaster]

yeah and still unable to fully recover myself! :D


Rytis

[leehack]

I have a new camera and am more than happy to help take the new pictures if you like.

[vistamaster]

I have a new camera and am more than happy to help take the new pictures if you like.

lmao :D :D :D

You seem very helpful to Laura... :rolleyes:

[leehack]

lmao :D :D :D

You seem very helpful to Laura... :rolleyes:
She has the key to a door i'd like opened.

[vistamaster]

She has the key to a door i'd like opened.

Don't forget to close them behind you once you are in...! :D

[TraceyHand]

good grief, you blokes are like kids in a candy store :rolleyes:

One thing, Laura

Your 'Fitting Guide' bit has a typo advice spelt adivce

[Darren B]

good grief, you blokes are like kids in a candy store :rolleyes:


Not me i stayed out of it ;)

[TraceyHand]

Not me i stayed out of it ;)

only because you were too busy eying up the 'candy' to comment!

[Darren B]

only because you were too busy eying up the 'candy' to comment!

Possible ;)

[laura]

Thanks to all for their input, advice and help.

I have stared at the pages for so long that it had become impossible for me to see even simple typos. My eyes were just brushing over them.

Anyway, I have fixed all the errors people spotted and we have got the small images in place so the site is much faster.

Now all I need are visitors and sales :D

Surely that will be the easy bit after all the hard development work? (Only joking - I know that up until now was the easy bit and now is when the real work starts.)

Laura

[Decswitch]

The site design looks really good Laura. All you are missing is product content but once you get that added in you will have a really good site. And get the type of models representative of the people buying your stuff as well. Sure there was a comment about not wanting to see the slightest hint of love handles. Why?!? There is a big difference between big and sexy and just being overweight. Represent your customers and they will buy. You get Nigella doing a photoshoot for you and you'd make a million! Be a bit different instead of falling in line with every other site.

If I was nit-picking I'd say you should change your logo from a GIF to a JPG to avoid the slight pixelation you get around the edges with a transparent GIF.

Good luck with it. Let us know how the sales go.

What are you doing with regards to marketing?

Regards, Rob.

[parklifeclothes]

Sure there was a comment about not wanting to see the slightest hint of love handles. Why?!?

What I meant was people don't want to see a size 14 model squeezed into a size 10's lingerie just because that is the only model you can get hold of for the photo shoot.
So many companies in your sector get it so wrong with the underwear looking appalling as they have made do, when if you get the right model/setting/lighting the same underwear looks a million dollars and that is what sells. Take a good look at your competitors, big and small and look at it from the buyers angle.

[laura]

guys, thanks for the input. But running my own photoshoot is beyond my means at this stage. models and photographers charge a fortune - celebrity models even more.

for the time being I will be using the manufacturers photos and material. what you are currently seeing is how they portray their product lines.

thanks,

Laura

[parklifeclothes]

But running my own photoshoot is beyond my means at this stage. for the time being I will be using the manufacturers photos and material. what you are currently seeing is how they portray their product lines.


Well in that case you will be better using the manufacturers images as they will have the right set up, there are some absolute hideous images:eek: on some lingerie websites that do nothing for the item, in fact will make certain no one would buy them

[Kate (newbie)]

Can't offer much in the way of advice (I'm new aswell) - just to say it really is a beautiful site. Found myself shopping on it instead of criticising it ! :)

[laura]

Kate, thanks for the encouragement - hope you found something nice to buy :).

I wish you every success with your venture also.

Laura

[laura]

Rob,

I am using and planning to use a variety of mechanisms for marketing including,

google ad-words/ppc, e-mail shots, physical mail shots, posters in locations around me, friends and colleagues.

If you have suggestions on how best to market the site I would be very greatful!!! :)

Thanks

Laura

[Decswitch]

Hi Laura,

For email shots and newsletters Groupmail is good software. There is a free version (I think it's limited to sending 100 emails at a time). Trouble with newspletters is that people expect them every month which can become a real bind. I learnt this at the last place I worked for as they had nothing new to say or sell so it was really hard creating new content.

One of the best ways of marketing your site is to get an article in newspapers and magazines even if it is the local rag. We are trying this at the moment but I'm expecting a lot of them will want a fee to run a story.

Rob.

[bamboo]

Laura a question
I am a busty lady who struggles to find beautiful well fitting lingerie. Lots of sites promise to solve my problem but none do.
How does your site answer my question?



Answer
Currently it doesn't. It just presents me with a huge graphic of an ideal figure, which I am not and never likely to be, and these truly meaningless words
An embrace of lingerie and swimwear for D+ Ladies

As you may have gathered I am not even a lady but seriously if you can answer this question that is in the mind of your suspect (prospective customer) within seconds of them landing on your page I know you would not only gain a lifetime customer but likely a whole raft of likely customers as the original suspect will have a lot of friends who 'suffer' the same problems.
Just trawl the 'big boys' like Figleaf & Victorias Secret to see how they try to answer it and come up with a better answer!

Here's a question for all the ladies on here who may be able to help Laura

When you are shopping for lingerie of the kind Laura is selling what matters most fit, look or feel?

[guccij]

When you are shopping for lingerie of the kind Laura is selling what matters most fit, look or feel?

Fabric - must be "cotton rich" at the very least.
The fit - but buying off the internet is very hit and miss and almost always involves guesswork on my part from the description.
Then colour - since no-one apart from me and my family will see my underwear and they (appear to) love me whatever I wear, I see no point in anything other than white or black.

[leehack]

Jules if you need an outsider's viewpoint on colours that are not white or black, i'd be happy to help out. Not in the smog though, only in the mountains with the goats.

[guccij]

Jules if you need an outsider's viewpoint When you become a fully paid up member of the Jules family, then maybe ;)

PS I award myself a goatpoint (http://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Les_Lindarets.jpg)

[gabrielcrowe]

I think the front page needs some work.

I'd suggest a re-think of what's going on.

"An embrace of lingerie and swimwear for D+ Ladies" To me, does not convey a message that screams "You cannot be without underpants! BUY ME NOW". You need something a little less sterile and a little more fun. It says: "I'm comfortable with the pants I've got and i don't need any more."

There is no obvious call to action, and the images look a little stagnant.

You need a set of actions that the customer can take:
- Go to an offer
- Go to a product directly.
- Go to a section of fun things
- Add an item to the basket
- See some more pretty girls.

I give 3 examples from a google search:
- http://www.agentprovocateur.com/
- http://www.lasenza.co.uk/
- http://www.lingerieexpress.co.uk/

All 3 pages have definate callouts:
'New Collection'
'Gift Suggestions'
'Glam 40% off'
'robes from £18'
'buy 1 get 1 free'
'5 for £10'

I feel, you probably need something like this. Your competitors are a rough crowd, and it'll take some convincing to buy from you, when they have pink pink girlyness splattered all over their pages.

You need a definate reason to click on something, and i cant see that on your front page.


15% OFF MARKED PRICES!!

* - 2 Day Mid Week Sale - 15% OFF Marked Prices!! 26th & 27th Nov.
* - Free UK Delivery / Free UK Returns
* - Your 15% Discount will be Automatically Deducted when you add item/s to the Shopping Bag.


on your front page needs a button below it that says: "Shop Now!" and goes to acatalog/. Thats a good start.

http://www.lembrassa.com/acatalog/

then clean up this page so that each section has better images, and some snazzy text based reason to purchase.

:)

additionally, the font used for your logo, should really not be the one used in shop headings, its VERY hard to read.

overall, pretty girls, interesting design, lacking in reasons to buy.

[leehack]

When you become a fully paid up member of the Jules family, then maybe ;)
I'll have a 3 month subscription to trial it out please.

[gabrielcrowe]

example of a good reason to buy: http://www.play.com/
'free delivery on everything' - animated

[laura]

Hey Everyone,

Wanted to say thanks so much for your advice. I have looked at the links you've suggested and its made me see how much my homepage is missing the "WOW" factor.

I'm going to design something completely different that will hopefully encourage customers to buy from me.

Your right it's a competitive market and I need to stand out!!!!

All your advice is greatly appreciated.

Thanks

Laura

[bamboo]

I'm going to design something completely different that will hopefully encourage customers to buy from me.

Hoping is no way to succeed. Go to every competitors site listed in this thread as a buyer and write down their calls to action, their sales path from site entry to checkout, their upsells, their cross sells and finally but most importantly their language and you will end up with an accurate idea of the type of customer they are chasing.

If you find one of them is actually chasing a different type of customer to the rest you have struck gold because you can then ignore the rest and concentrate on beating this one company.

Just imagine spending an afternoon going through online lingerie shops is there anything more onerous :D.

[TraceyHand]

.

Just imagine spending an afternoon going through online lingerie shops is there anything more onerous :D.

I'm sure you'd find plenty of forum volunteers :D

[bamboo]

If she was selling lingerie to men rather than women it would be dead easy for her because all men are interested in is how easy it is to undo :D

She could introduce a sliding 'skill level scale' for even the most useless fumbler could 'grasp'!

[gabrielcrowe]

or even better, have a bonus for the most disfunctional, racy, kinky things to buy, and rate products on that.

this will be known as a boyfriend scale.

[leehack]

I'm sure you'd find plenty of forum volunteers :D
I'll gladly pay, forget volunteering, i'd love the photographic experience an opportunity like this would provide.

[bamboo]

this will be known as a boyfriend scale.

In my experience this scale extends to many a husband! :D