Honest review needed for site

[roundman]

Hi guys

Just looking round and found this forum, i have had my site up and running for over a year now, all the items on it are done by me, over the time i have found new ways of doing things, but need to get people looking and in turn buying, i have looked into adword campaigns but have been put off by ultra high prices.
What i am looking for is an honest review of my site, and fresh ideas on how to get more traffic.

All that i have done on atinic is pretty much self taught, i have a very good friend who designed it for me but training was minimal, so it has been a challange.

Thanks

[Duncan Rounding]

Welcome to the forum Maurice.

A link to the site would help those such as myself who are not clairvoyants.

[guccij]

Is this your site Maurice www.roundstooldistribution.co.uk (http://www.roundstooldistribution.co.uk/)?

If so, there's some visible code top left you might want to deal with.

I can't say I'm a fan of black, nor of the use of keywords as the page title. Are you really expecting people who are searching for a campsite to stop by your site and buy a drill?

Your best selling items are below the fold - few people would bother to scroll down that far I think. The WOB makes it nigh on impossible to read.

Anyway, if it's not your site, then just ignore everything in this response.

[RuralWeb]

Great Bargin I got yesterday- I bought a makita drill for £15 less than what that site is selling it for so all the prices look a bit expensive to me.

[Darren B]

whats this at the top of the page

<%@LANGUAGE="JAVASCRIPT" CODEPAGE="1252"%>

My 1st observastion is a lack of images, i am no designer but am learning about the need for images, people seem to like sites with lots. Your section links look Very Bland even if you made an image for the different voltages, makes it more eye catching IMHO

[Cheapprices4u]

hi quick one for me

the new product best sellers at the bottom the discription is HUGE gut it down

my humble opinion is only that my opinion

[Darren B]

HUGE gut it down


you takign the pee;)

[leehack]

Lack of decent images (product and navigation), no SPP, bad colour scheme. It looks like a site from 4-5 years ago really, not really in tune with where things are at and what you need to be doing as standard nowadays. Take 60 minutes to investigate the top sites in your marketplace, it really is that easy to find out where you should be and what you should be doing. Never do what you think looks good or what you think is right, investigate first and find out. If you don't, you can make some real clangers on your decisions, especially if you are out of tune with where we are currently.

[gabrielcrowe]

*sigh*

as per usual:
My eyes! The goggles, they do nothing.

start again, and sort out that header. Your server isnt asp, those directives wont process.

i'd rather look at about:blank.

was that too harsh?

[pinbrook]

Just looking round and found this forum, i have had my site up and running for over a year now, how many visitors in the past 12 months, how many sales?

why is your page title <title> rounds tools, power tools burnham on sea, online tool distribution, power tools online, holidays burnham on sea, caravan and camping sites burnham on sea, hand tools, safety workwear, scruffs dealers in the southwest, dewalt dealers burnham on sea, </title> are you selling tools or are you a camp/caravan site?

[Darren B]

why is your page title are you selling tools or are you a camp/caravan site?


LMFAO - interesting keywords in a title

[fergusw]

Some pages also have
<title>.......
, restaurants in somerset, accomodation in somerset, holidays in someret, great deals online, friends of rounds
....
</title>


Not particularly relevant either.

Also, is your site mirrored at http://www.roundstooldistribution.com/ or simply an alias? Duplicated sites and content is frowned upon by SE's like G.

[gabrielcrowe]

in short, if this site was deisgned by someone other than yourself, then you have the oppertunity to shout at them and demand your money back.

Sadly, if you made this yourself, then afford yourself the honour of website seppuku, and pull all the guts out of your site and try again.

no 'standard' actinic template will ever impress any forum regulars.

[pinbrook]

Just noticed your strapline

"Big or Small, we've got the right tool"

now why does that make me smile? ;)

[roundman]

the site was made by a friend of mine, we wanted the colours to be different to every other site, the keywords i'm glad to say were not my idea, we was advised by a "website developer" who told me this would boost traffic to the site.
I have felt for a while that things have been missing or not right, which is why im glad i have found this site.
We only manage 50-60 visits a day, mostly unique, sales are ok but not where i want them to be at this stage, yes www.roundstooldistribution.com is linked to our main site .co.uk
I have lots more questions but will save them for later.
As said before ALL comments are considered good or bad as all go to help make my site better.

[roundman]

you have bought an old stock drill which they couldn't sell.

[leehack]

LOL Maurice, don't be bitter, take it on the chin and get improving your site, you have a long road ahead of you.

[roundman]

i had a good friend ddesign the website for me FOC, but i feel it has lots missing from it,
The page titles, i was advised by a different "website designer" that i should use these words as we live in a tourist area and it would be more visible on search engines as traffic would increase, mmmmm
How do i make the new products and best seller items section smaller??.
I chose the colour scheme as it was different to others, i think maybe i have overused some colours with the writing tho.
<%@LANGUAGE="JAVASCRIPT" CODEPAGE="1252"%> i have never seen this where is it??
We have 40-60 visitors a day, orders are sporadic and not where i wanted them to be at this stage.
Yes the .com is linked to my .co.uk
I take ALL comments on board good or bad as it will help take my site forward.
Thanks for your time

[roundman]

LOL Maurice, don't be bitter, take it on the chin and get improving your site, you have a long road ahead of you.

lol
im here to improve my site and am ready to take all the bad comments i have to.
still a overstocked drill tho lol

[Rich Brady]

<%@LANGUAGE="JAVASCRIPT" CODEPAGE="1252"%>

Is the first line after you <body> tag. You'll be able to find it in the design view towards the top of you Overall Layout.

The page titles, i was advised by a different "website designer" that i should use these words as we live in a tourist area and it would be more visible on search engines as traffic would increase, mmmmm

The terms are not relevant to your site or the things you sell. Even if they did attract people to you site, if those people were looking for a Caravan Park they're hardly going to buy a Drill are they? LOL

I think it's Mal who says this often "Design the site for your customers, the SEO will come" and he knows what he's taking about (but perhaps not about the price of Drills LOL, but that's for you two to discuss)

[RuralWeb]

Don't think so - it's the special edition one exactly the same one as on your site

[george]

Actually getting the content on is a big step. I reckon it wouldnt take much work to make the site a lot better initially. A lot of wasted space at the top, and the product menu is half hidden. In your product line delivery (cost and how long) is important to many customers, that info has to be easily found.

Do one bit at a time and you'll get there.

[roundman]

very true webd
also WOB i take it that means white writing on black background is hard to read?
i dont personally struggle with that but it is something to consider, but what other colour would anybody suggest???
As i said some of the homepage i think is to much colour.
i have no way of altering the design of the site myself as i only have catalog not design.

[roundman]

ok you had a bargain but its not good for everyone to have the same sale on.

[Rich Brady]

i have no way of altering the design of the site myself as i only have catalog not design.

Yes you can...

When I was at college I had to do a number of presentations and lecturers always said use a light background with dark contrasting text. Easier for the masses to read and I have stuck by that. Remember a number of people may be slightly visually impaired and/or colour blind.

[george]

White text on a black background is better than grey on white imvho.


You can alter all that stuff yourself.


Have a look at the starter guide etc.

[roundman]

ok have changed the home page title, am now looking at colour scheme.
Only problem is i dont want to lose the corporate id of black and orange.
am looking thru the starter guide for how to change things.

[Rich Brady]

Darren pointed me to this site a few months ago:

http://www.colorhunter.com/browse.php?h=y&p=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.roundstooldistribution.co.uk%2Facatalog%2Flogo.gif

It might give you some ideas regarding palette choices, however I agree with George, use White Text.

[roundman]

thanks George and WebD
Do you guys think the homepage is to busy, was thinking of dropping some of the stuff like news from it to trim some fat, and perhaps not so many colours for the writing,
however i do not want to go to bland, as my section list has been said to be.

[Firecom]

download the free copy of web ceo. you can google to find it.

check keywords and analyse the top 5 who come up in google searches for your products. see what they use and use the same :)

[Rich Brady]

You need to ask yourself if I was a customer what would I want to see?

Most if not all would like to get to the product they are looking for as quick as possible.

Make the search facility more obvious, move the Products and Sections Nav above the Main Pages.

However if I search for "Dewalt drill" I get a list of products so long it's difficult to know which one will suit, so I click on the top, because I assume that must be the most relevant. However I get taken to a driver... Perhaps images would help?

There are no links in the "NEW MAKITA 10.8v TWIN PACK" fragment on your home page, only the image and people might miss that.

[RuralWeb]

ok you had a bargain but its not good for everyone to have the same sale on
There was no sale it was thier regular price - the point I am making is that with a branded product people will always buy based on price. eg I have a client with a site that sells a competive branded product - he normally sells 70+ a day of them. The other day his sales dropped off to about 40 so we had a look about and found a competitor had dropped his price by 60p - not alot but enough to make a big difference to sales.

You are in a competitve market so your prices have to be competitve so I dont understand your comment about its not good for everyone to have a sale on - that may have been true in the days of the high street but on the internet its dog eat dog.

[pinbrook]

thanks George and WebD
Do you guys think the homepage is to busy, was thinking of dropping some of the stuff like news from it to trim some fat, and perhaps not so many colours for the writing,
however i do not want to go to bland, as my section list has been said to be. go to your favourite tool store, analyse what you like about it. Go to your worst nightmare tool store and do the same.

then decide how your site stacks up.

Do not take any more advice from the numpty who suggested you add camping/tourist keywords to your site - its utter nonsense.

Your page title should be 6-10 keywords, those words should also be present within the body text of the page.

[Rich Brady]

Do not take any more advice from the numpty who suggested you add camping/tourist keywords to your site - its utter nonsense.

PMSL Jo, Numpty is a word not used often enough IMO :D

[roundman]

So if i add an obvious click here message to the Makita 10.8v i will cater for everyone.
For someone searching Dewalt drill, there are 10's of drills made by Dewalt the search bar could do with images in the finding, perhaps just thumbnails would do, is that possible to do without the design part of the package??
Also am i limited to what i can move (such as section + product nav) ?? with out design
Thanks Firecom for the easy but effective idea

[roundman]

There was no sale it was thier regular price - the point I am making is that with a branded product people will always buy based on price. eg I have a client with a site that sells a competive branded product - he normally sells 70+ a day of them. The other day his sales dropped off to about 40 so we had a look about and found a competitor had dropped his price by 60p - not alot but enough to make a big difference to sales.

You are in a competitve market so your prices have to be competitve so I dont understand your comment about its not good for everyone to have a sale on - that may have been true in the days of the high street but on the internet its dog eat dog.

Its impossible to keep slashing prices on powertools as this is a very low margin line anyway.
Sometimes to take £15 off of a drill can mean no profit at all, i understand principles of pricing, and with only doing this myself it can be hard to keep up with every product, as i have nearly 3000 of them, also powertools are not the bread and butter of many tool shops, handtools and consumables are.
And yes the guy who told me about the keywords was a numpty. lol

[RuralWeb]

with only doing this myself it can be hard to keep up with every product
get your site linked to an external spredsheet or use one of moleends tools and its easy

[pinbrook]

For someone searching Dewalt drill, there are 10's of drills made by Dewalt the search bar could do with images in the finding, perhaps just thumbnails would do your descriptions need to contain keywords so a search will only bring relevant results, TBH an image of a drill is just that, i don't think thumbnails of images of drills will help anyone ascertain the finer differences

to do without the design part of the package?? you said you have catalog, this contains the design part of the package. order mamager is the only edition without design capabiliity

[Rich Brady]

Don't think that adding a "click here" button is going to make everything better, I'm/we're trying to get you to think about how your customers work. They're on your site because they want to buy tools, so make it easy for them.

You have a lot of reading to do I think. Look at other peoples sites and read the other site revise on this forum. Then make a list of what changes you think need making and prioritse them. Then you've need to read the manual, help files, forum and knowledge bas to implement the changes you need to make.

It's not going to happen over night and if you're on your own and don't have the time, then you need to weigh up the cost of a designer against the extra hours and potential stress you're going to put yourself through.

Just chip away at at it slowly. What Version are you using? Do you have Analytics Set Up? This will give you information about how many people are finding your site and by what means. You will also be able to tell where they leave your site and hopefully use this info to start your campaign.

You can add a thumbnail image to your products directly beneath the image field.

[Rich Brady]

TBH an image of a drill is just that, i don't think thumbnails of images of drills will help anyone ascertain the finer differences

No but when there 30 odd lines of text in the search results it will seperate the drills from the drivers. I'm not trying to suggest it's the be all and end all, but it may stop people bailing out at the search results.

[RuralWeb]

As price goes you are cheaper than some on the net having had a quick look round BUT look at this site http://www.ps-tools.com/catalog/makita-bhp452rfwx2-18v-lxt-liion-combi-drill-limited-edition-p-1996.html
They are more expensive than you but I would be more tempted to buy from them TBH - now all of what they have done and more is possible in actinic.

What you need to do is STOP and look at you competitors - see what they are doing and devise a plan. It will cost you money but should pay off in the end.

[roundman]

your descriptions need to contain keywords so a search will only bring relevant results, TBH an image of a drill is just that, i don't think thumbnails of images of drills will help anyone ascertain the finer differences

you said you have catalog, this contains the design part of the package. order mamager is the only edition without design capabiliity

I dont know why i don't have the design part, the main program was loaded onto her computer and then she loaded the designed site and catalog onto mine, i have no way of changing the design, i was going to run an ecoupon promo but couldn't do it as it would of meant snapshots being sent back and forth.

[RuralWeb]

http://www.hobuk.co.uk/acatalog/Limited-Edition-BHP452RFWX.html here is an actinic website - see the difference.

Check your business settings - your designer will have turned off the design changes button

[roundman]

As price goes you are cheaper than some on the net having had a quick look round BUT look at this site http://www.ps-tools.com/catalog/makita-bhp452rfwx2-18v-lxt-liion-combi-drill-limited-edition-p-1996.html
They are more expensive than you but I would be more tempted to buy from them TBH - now all of what they have done and more is possible in actinic.

What you need to do is STOP and look at you competitors - see what they are doing and devise a plan. It will cost you money but should pay off in the end.

I must admit that it is good site, and easy to navigate, i can see that i have a long way to go, but in the mean time while i go about changing these things, i still want to drive more traffic to my site.

[Rich Brady]

i still want to drive more traffic to my site.

The problem is that many people wouldn't buy from you as the site stands. So sending more people there will only put them off and possibly prevent them visiting you in the future when you've got it right,.

[RuralWeb]

i still want to drive more traffic to my site
As Rich says - you can lead a horse to water but you cannot make it drink.

[leehack]

Why fumble around for months/years and never quite get to where you should be anyway. Accept that you haven't really got a clue what you are doing (it's not a weakness to do so, we all have things we simply cannot do) and get a professional in to do it for you. Every day you continue on your current path is a day that your business is held back even further.

A professional no matter what they cost you will have paid for themself in such a short period, it really isn't sensible to waste your time messing around with something that you have no idea about, nor do you wish to pursue as a career. It's just a whole load of wasted time that could have been put to use on what you are good at, your products.

[roundman]

nope looked in there too
all i have is tax, shipping, etc.
in the options bit i have Access on this pc which is catalog maintenance, network setup and order processing, which are ticked.
and enable logon and card encryption which is unticked.
mmmm oh whats occuring

[RuralWeb]

You have - Catalog Client by the sound of it.

[Rich Brady]

Have you got catalog or catalog client?

Beat me to it Mal...

If you have Client then you will have to employ the services of a designer I'm afraid or upgrade.

[roundman]

If thats the case Lee, (which i think it prob is, lol) whats the cost going to be at the end of it??
I know that the right website is going to be more profitable than the one i currently have, but i have put alot of time into it.

[roundman]

yes i believe client catalog

[RuralWeb]

but i have put alot of time into it
You will have by adding all the products but that will not be lost. You will need to contact Lee direct as members are not allowed to post such things as quotes.

Gabe also has a find a designer service if you want to try that

[Rich Brady]

Even if you spent £2000 pounds wouldn't it be worth to get to this stage:

eg I have a client with a site that sells a competive branded product - he normally sells 70+ a day of them.

You'll find a designer that will quote anything from a few hundred up to a few thousand. Have a chat with a few and see what they say.

[roundman]

will do, but are u allowed to put a ballpark figure??
a quick roughtimate perhaps.

[leehack]

Forget cost Maurice, find yourself the right person, have a look on the actinic site for a local designer to you. Design costs to involve a professional are an absolute pittance to what a successful site can take online, it really is pennies in the grand scheme.

[roundman]

at the moment we have spent out on new premises and i don't want to overstretch my budget, especially at this time of financial uncertainty.
And an extra k+ would be eating into reserves i dont want to touch at the moment.
Yes i know speculate/accumulate, but we are a small firm still building and i dont want to lose the ground we have taken so far.

[RuralWeb]

but are u allowed to put a ballpark figure
As Lee says every site is different - there are people that will sell you a template for £145 (see other thread) and others that will charge many thousands - It all depends what you want.

Sit down and write a spec sheet for everything you want your site to do

[roundman]

Even if you spent £2000 pounds wouldn't it be worth to get to this stage:



You'll find a designer that will quote anything from a few hundred up to a few thousand. Have a chat with a few and see what they say.

Well i would offer him a cheap drill for helping out but.........
LOL:)

[RuralWeb]

Well i would offer him a cheap drill for helping out but.........
Yep got mine:D - the more I look about I think that they must have priced it wrong:confused: but Im not complaining

[RuralWeb]

A very quick fix would be to use codepaths SPP generator to turn all your products into single pages

[roundman]

i want a long term fix, i know that money will have to be spent but it's a question of how much.

[RuralWeb]

i want a long term fix
It will help long term as you will have to convert to SPP - what I ment is that the code path software will convert all your products in a few minutes - it will take days otherwise. A designer would still charge you for doing this so you are saving in the long run

[gabrielcrowe]

Oh dear Maurice.

This thread wins all sorts of awards.

You may be interested to know that the people that have replied to this thread are all responsible for (probably multiple) very successful actinic based stores, so you can be assured that they know there stuff. You'd be a fool not to heed every morsel of their advice.

My honest opinion, in light of your crowded and failing market, is to get the most beautiful website you can afford. I'd be paying about about 2k for a REALLY good site. If you take this into consideration when you look at the big picture, you'll see that its the best investment you'll ever make.

Would you expect to furnish a beautiful showroom for 2k?

It sounds to me like you don't know how to make sites yourself. Don't try. Get someone else to do it, or you'll lose more than 2k profit during your learning curve than you will paying someone for a site.

[roundman]

its true i don't know how to make a site myself, and every bit of advice is welcomed and taken on board.
I would like to thank all those who have added to this thread for their time and knowledge.
Its all the things i knew was wrong just been bumbling along really.

[roundman]

ok if somebody wants to email me with the damage, then i guess i'm ready

[roundman]

i see from your site Mal u not accepting anymore design work.

[bamboo]

Apologies if I am missing something obvious here but who are you selling your power tools to?

If they are low margin & price sensitive products compared to other items you stock in your brick & mortar store why are selling them online instead of the ones that make you money offline?

[pinbrook]

The whole thing about having an online shop is getting the edge on your competitors. All to many people have a product range and think that by going online they will increase sales. WRONG.... its an even tougher world out there online than inthe high st. At least if you have someone in your BM shop you can use your expertise, advice and persausion power to get a sale. online you haven't got this opportunity and you have to engage buyers attention in other manners.

The only way to suceed online is to have a master plan and build something that will beat the competition hands down. if you can't think of a way that your shop is going to be better than other shops then now is the time to stop or engage someone who does know.

my limited experience of tool shops tells me thare are loads of them around, all being stocked by the same supplier. There are to many suppliers (not just tools) who will supply to anyone who asks.

to suceed you need some/all of the following

cheapest price
good navigation
good telephone sales
fast delivery
good reputation
specialist stock
and of course your failure proof master plan

if you are unsure if you have the cash to pay someone to help you, then don't do it, as you say times are tough at the mo, do your research, spend time on the web working out what constitutes a sucessful site, ask around ask friends who they buy from and why, ask friends to buy from your site, listen to their feedback. Ask your customers to look at your site listen to what they say. Look at amazon, look at ebuyer - these are sucessful sites. Then think about what you have learnt and maybe plough in.

[RuralWeb]

i see from your site Mal u not accepting anymore design work
Correct Ive been closed for 2 years now!! - I now only really work with a few long term clients who pay to retain my services.

[Darren B]

I know someone who could build you an amazing power tool site, mind it would cost you at least 10 times what your thinking, but it would be fully customised for you ;)

Seriously if you want someone to take a look, the see Lee, Jonty, Tracey ermmm plus others hanging around here. I have used Jonty's services and taken some good advice from Tracey, Lee and Mal

If you dont talk to them off forum then your never know how much its gonna cost, i bet its not as much as you fear

[roundman]

Bamboo, i sell all our range online, powertools are what get people interested and looking, they will only buy powertools every couple of years or so, its what they buy inbetween and getting them to come back to my online shop that i want.
Yes there is a lot of tool stores out there, all supplied by maybe 3 or 4 suppliers, its how you go about things, people are not buying from my site because of the way it looks, but will buy from someone else more expensive coz they look better.
I have found somebody willing to take on the task and will be discussing it with him in a few days, and i now feel more positive about where it's all going, and can finally channel my efforts into building it up as opposed to scratching my head wondering how i can change something i dont know how to.

[roundman]

i was looking at and auction site for the future too.
lol once i got rounds up first obviously

[Firecom]

marketing and looks count. Look at stores like RS and Screwfix. They are DAMN expensive, but people buy off them still. And buy alot from them.

[roundman]

Exactly it comes down to Branding those peole are now brands in their own right, i can beat Screwfix and RS hands down 90% of the time, and now people are starting to realise this and move away from them, tradesmen are looking for better deals and service, it just comes down to ease of use, screwfix was part of Toolstation which was started in someones bedroom.
So its not about how many others out there its about, what you do, which is why i want this to be right, it isn't i needed new eyes and honesty and i got it here.

[bamboo]

Bamboo, i sell all our range online, powertools are what get people interested and looking, they will only buy powertools every couple of years or so, its what they buy inbetween and getting them to come back to my online shop that i want.

These two statements show me that you really don't understand the way people use online shops.

Firstly you have literally seconds to grab a potential customers attention. Browsers (people looking or more commonly called tyre kickers) will find you anyway & these people hardly ever buy as they are looking not buying.
It doesn't matter how that potential customer arrives at your site either by a well worded PPC ad or a well worded page description in the organic search.

If you don't hit them with precisely what they are expecting to see as soon as they land on the product page they are gone.
Your market is overcrowded & may well be diminishing so this is a key aspect you have to nail before you splash the cash on a designer.
Words/pictures/price do the selling. Design convinces the customer they are in the right place!

Secondly in the market you are in unless you have a massive brand like B&Q or Screwfix you ain't going to get any repeat customers after a couple of weeks let alone two years.
Unlike a bricks & mortar store which can go years without changing & still be profitable an online store has to be in a constant state of testing & improving or it's stuffed. Believe me I know what happens when you take your eye off this particular ball.

B&Q advertise online and in the paper, radio & TV media constantly to keepr their brand in the forefront of their customers minds.
Screwfix bombard their customers with mailshots to ensure their customers keep coming back.
Both of these companies also have big online stores and a lot of employees making sure that their online adverts are everywhere. However even they don't understand the difference in customers shopping behaviour online & offline so there is an opportunity to make money from their failings.

There are a myriad of other competitors for the products you sell which suggests that even though it may be diminishing & the margins are low you should still be able to make money if you concentrate on selling the one thing that the person landing on the product pages buys that product on the page.

Repeat custom is often seen as the holy grail of online retailing but in many markets this is simply chasing rainbows. The power tool market seems to be one market where the money is not in repeat sales but is in higher conversion rates of existing site visitors.

It's not going to be easy & you have to find out facts whilst ignoring what you think you believe but you should easily raise the conversion rate if you track & record the impact of every change you make.
Try adding product video. Neither B&Q or Screwfix have figured this one out yet so make a video of a tool in action & get it on your site & see if this improves the conversion rate on that particular product.

[pinbrook]

on the rare occaision i buy tools and bits i do it locally

a because i have to ask
b i need it right now

[RuralWeb]

Hmmm I must admit I am the same - i've never bought a tool online either. Very odd as I buy most other things online. Strange.

[Firecom]

i just 'borrow' one of the engineers we employ and get them to do it for me :)

[parklifeclothes]

Try adding product video. Neither B&Q or Screwfix have figured this one out yet so make a video of a tool in action & get it on your site & see if this improves the conversion rate on that particular product.

B&Q or Screwfix (now one company) are sufering massively at the moment so using this time to be different could be what makes the difference and grab the sales.
The product video is a good idea and there are thousands of sites that in my mind would be fantastic if you could see what you are intested in buying shown in action.

Also think what else on top of cost goes thru' a shoppers mind before he/she inputs their orders.

What if it breaks down?
Whats their returns policy? Is it easy?
I need the drill to put some shelves up on Monday, will it be there?
Can I call someone if it doesn't turn up?

Look closely at your competition and do something different, and when they catch up, move again.

[roundman]

Bamboo that maybe so, but without the traffic and the right site im not going to be able to convert anything.
I wouldn't say that the market is diminishing (just yet), it may do in the future, but that is a risk for everyone.
If i wasn't going to test and change my site i wouldn't be here, repeat customers do exist, i have some.
My mind is open to all new information, for better ways to improve or change my site to keep it upto date.

B+q and Screwfix are owned by the same company, perhaps this is why neither of them have cottoned onto the video idea.

[roundman]

Some good points there
about returns policy and breakdowns.
i have a favorites list of competitors as long as my arm all being scrutinised.

[Duncan Rounding]

I see that Trade Depot, also part of Kingfisher plc, is closing down:
trade-depot.com

Sadly it's funny in a way:
Tag Line: It's Time to Trade
Splash Image: Massive Clearance - Closing Down Sale Now On

[roundman]

not the most informative site, although it shows what you can do with the orange and black colour scheme.
It's time to trade (but hurry we might be gone by the morning)

[roundman]

Hmmm I must admit I am the same - i've never bought a tool online either. Very odd as I buy most other things online. Strange.

It's a growing market, people know what they want but don't always have time to go to the shop and get it.

[RuralWeb]

Tradesmen might know what they want but a tool is a personal thing - I played with lots before I bought my new vibrating design icon!

Tradesmen will want discount as well

[roundman]

Tradesmans discount is something dreamed up by builders merchants and now used by most people, all discount for trade does is takes the extortionate list price, they give xx% off which brings it to around the original RRP that it is for everyone anyway.
Seems to have worked for a long time, but i think its changing.

[bamboo]

The fact B&Q and Screwfix are now owned by the same parent company is irrelevant. They do not cross promote & are competing in different markets.
B&Q is consumer focussed, Screwfix is trade focussed. Yes they do step outside these boundaries but nevertheless they have different targets.
Big companies are seen as either being rip off merchants on price or as an insurance policy if things go wrong by most people.

I cannot argue whether your market is growing or diminishing in the current frankly farcical economic Armageddon but whether it is or it isn't is irrelevant.

I usually buy a tool when an old one breaks or in the case of power tools simply dies & I invariably buy on my perception of quality vs price. Online or offline it doesn't matter the company that has the tool & deal I want at that moment in time gets the cash.
It's the same for the majority of people who are in buying mode IMO.

I have no loyalty to any particular company. I have tradesmen friends who go through tools far faster than I do & for them the biggest deal is price.
Even in my small circle of contacts there are at least two markets.
You really do need to take some time out & build yourself a pen & picture profile of your ideal customer and then make your site sell to them.

Without this you are firing blind.

[Darren B]

Tradesmans discount is something dreamed up by builders merchants and now used by most people, all discount for trade does is takes the extortionate list price, they give xx% off which brings it to around the original RRP that it is for everyone anyway.
Seems to have worked for a long time, but i think its changing.

sorry i disagree, in my primary business there are companies that over inflate prices then massive discount for traders. But these companies also sell to the public at those prices not the discounted price. More fool them, but the internet is driving prices down for one good reason. People can find they are being ripped of alot easier these days.

and example
http://www.diy.com/diy/jsp/bq/nav/nav.jsp?action=detail&fh_secondid=9254356&fh_view_size=6&fh_location=%2f%2fcatalog01%2fen_GB&fh_search=whitwhite+silicone&fh_eds=%C3%9F&fh_refview=search&ts=1234090724195&isSearch=true

http://www.casupply.co.uk/acatalog/silicon_sealant_mastic.html

why do B&Q have a high price on the internet, because thats the price instore, the internet is actually not important to them, now with screwfix the internet is http://www.screwfix.com/prods/27071/Sealants-Adhesives/Sealants/General-Purpose-Sealants/Vallance-General-Purpose-Silicone-White-295ml
but still over priced, so screwfix are opening argos type outlets all over the place. Personally i think its a mistake, or kingfisher is preparing to sell one off B&Q is losing money why, personally i think its because people are able to research and do research more these days.

So you need to find the "buy now" influence price is one part, im no expert in marketing but i understand alot about my business, and how and why we compete with these companies and still maintain good sales, margins and stability.

[roundman]

Thats right, the internet has given people the ability to search for the products they want at reasonable prices, from their own home, and then it gets delivered.
Which is why im here, to find whats wrong with my site and how to fix it,
i work hard to add the content to my site, it takes valuable time, if that time is wasted due to no traffic then it needs addressing, im not a website genius but im willing to learn what i can, and adapt.
Kinda get the feeling that people are now trying to tell me not to bother, i have learn't everything about my website pretty much myself, how it works and what it can do.
I dont know a 10th of the power of it probably but it will get there, and when the credit crunchie bar has finished i will be here stronger with a slick new site and sales coming in.
Ready to move and improve before the rest.

[leehack]

It's just opinions Maurice from different angles, that's all. You are proud of what you have done and achieved so far, whereas most people think you have left a lot behind and need to change things, even more so in a littered marketplace. All the time you have spent has probably been mostly wasted as you didn't learn the key things you needed to, hence you being here and now employing a designer to change that.

As a designer that is the single most frustrating part of this industry, watching people like yourself spend weeks and months to do things, but getting them wrong after all that effort. That time is so much better spent on products and marketing, which is the one area where you can excel.

[pinbrook]

yep this is getting to be an interesting thread, lots of people all with valid points..... lots to be learnt here

[parklifeclothes]

You don't have to be the biggest or best to get sales you just need to convince what visitors you get that they should shop with you, so having something different will get interest and sales.

We now compete with virtually all our suppliers such as Diesel, Kickers as they have nicely set up their own websites and I would say we do better now as people look on these, get ideas and then start really shopping for that bit extra of service which bit by bit we are improving, thankfully the big boys aren't near enough the ground to see that their website is actually putting people off from buying from them.

Internet trading is a difficult business but if you have the right product and right attitude to making it work there's no reason why you can't do well.

[bamboo]

One of the key reasons why many people end up in your position Maurice is that they don't grasp a fundamental of retailing. I didn't and for years I struggled with making a living from selling products to other people for profit.

People only ever buy one thing, a solution to a problem be it a real or perceived. You are on here asking a question because you need a solution. You are actually getting an education from all of the replies and it is up to you to listen, learn & then go and find out for yourself what solutions you are going to be offering your customers.

It doesn't matter what you are actually selling the person who gives you their hard earned is actually buying a solution. Service or product it is all the same and always will be, at least in my lifetime.

Granted many people buy things they don't REALLY need but even then their perception is that they have a problem that can be solved by buying a service or solution.

How many ladies buy clothes in the belief they will make them look better and they then hang in the wardrobe for years before going to the charity shop with the buying tags still on them?

The purpose of the clothes is not really to make the buyer look better but the act of purchasing makes her feel better which is a good enough solution for that particular buyer.

No Yoda insight into women's behaviour here just got it straight from the horses mouth from my best friends wife who does this regularly to make her feel better about herself. My wife never buys clothes to hang in the wardrobe she wears hers & buys her clothes to be comfortable and enhance her appearance. Different problem same solution, buy clothes!

The science behind buying behaviour is fascinating & if you are not careful it can be very distracting.

In the present economic climate more and more people will be doing things for themselves instead of employing tradesman so why not make short 'How to' videos for things that are seemingly simple to do like drill a hole in plasterboard & use the right plugs to hang a mirror or a picture or something similar.
If you did this you have a multiple upsell/cross sell opportunity.
The power tool to make the hole, the correct drill bit to use, the dust catching attachment, the correct plug for plasterboard, the right type of screw & the 'd' link or picture hanger.

All you are doing is showing the novice how to do something but you are over delivering on the value to the viewer because you are highlighting the reasons why they need these things. You are not selling them anything overtly but you are product placing your products.
As a final add in at the end of the video you can use an embedded link to take them to a page on your site where they can buy all they need at a special price there & then.
Your video is actually pre-conditioning that customer that they really need these items and you are giving them the solution by taking them to a page where they can buy them all in one click.

You could use these as an occasional video newsletter to target the novice. This would be a much better way to try and maximise the lifetime value of your individual customer.

I reckon you could shoot five or six videos in a day which could give you five or six weeks, or five or six months of customer contact which would have a massive impact on your bottom line.

Of course at the end of the day you really do need to stop fixating on large companies and focus on what solutions you can provide for your 'people with problems' more commonly known as customers.

[roundman]

I'm using V8 would i be wise to upgrade while i have the chance to??
I don't know what this would entail.
We have always offered good customer service and will help anybody with any problems or questions they have, we have always had very positive feedback in this area, with most people going away satisfied (you cant please everybody) so this is not a problem for us.
Our prices are good, with a reshuffle of the site and an overhaul of the way it works, things will improve, it is a lot of work but no more than i have been trying to do and getting nowhere.

[dscontroller]

One of the key reasons why many people end up in your position Maurice is that they don't grasp a fundamental of retailing. I didn't and for years I struggled with making a living from selling products to other people for profit.

People only ever buy one thing, a solution to a problem be it a real or perceived. You are on here asking a question because you need a solution. You are actually getting an education from all of the replies and it is up to you to listen, learn & then go and find out for yourself what solutions you are going to be offering your customers.


I haven't included all of this quote as it is a rather long one, but it certainly hits the nail on the head for retailing over the net.

The 'How to video' idea over the net is an extremely good one. It also serves to interest the potential purchaser right from the start.

A most interesting thread from start to finish!

[dscontroller]

I'm using V8 would i be wise to upgrade while i have the chance to??
I don't know what this would entail.
We have always offered good customer service and will help anybody with any problems or questions they have, we have always had very positive feedback in this area, with most people going away satisfied (you cant please everybody) so this is not a problem for us.
Our prices are good, with a reshuffle of the site and an overhaul of the way it works, things will improve, it is a lot of work but no more than i have been trying to do and getting nowhere.

I think at this moment in time I would tend to stick to v8 until v9 appears more stable. There are still quite a number of problems rumbling along with v9. When it is properly stable it should be pretty easy to upgrade to v9.

[leehack]

I'd say V9, by the time you have done what you need to do, V9 will be as solid as V8.

[Firecom]

The video is a good idea. We are doing that at the moment. Will offer hi-def content.

We are ok as we are on a dedicated server, but what about bandwidth issues for people on standard hosting packages?

I think alot of people who are not technical would not ubnderstand fully this side of their hosting packages. Perhaps someone on here with much greater technical knowledge than me could explain?

[parklifeclothes]

If bandwidth became an issue there's always youtube, we have found no end of quality product videos on there, stinkyink is one.

[Firecom]

we thought of youtube too, but if we make the video ourselves we don't want someone else using it on their site. might be a pain to keep looking and sending out legal letters.

but youtube is perfect for say a manufactures video.

[parklifeclothes]

but if we make the video ourselves we don't want someone else using it on their site. might be a pain to keep looking and sending out legal letters.


Can't you have some kind of leaving a caption on in a corner? or otherwise having your website address always in the background, or mentioning your web address at several points so if it does get nicked their going to be advertising your brand. Have a look at stinkyinks, I'm sure he mentions stinkyink several times http://www.youtube.com/user/stinkyink

[RuralWeb]

Your missing the point of YouTube as the whole idea is to let people UsE your video. It's easy to get your URL added so it's viral marketing

[Darren B]

Your missing the point of YouTube as the whole idea is to let people UsE your video. It's easy to get your URL added so it's viral marketing

I did wonder Mal, i have watched so many youtube vids that have advertising and personally thought it was a great free way of promoting, coupled with links from you own site saving bandwidth to me its a no brainer.

I use links to a couple of manufacturers youtube videos, i did not convincing to add a link to them.

[roundman]

a friend of mine was experimenting with music and video editing and made kind of advert, he wanted to upload it to Youtube but we were concerend about copyright as it was a well known video with a recently released tune on it, is it legal to upload this type of thing with your name all over it???

[RuralWeb]

It makes it easy for them to come after you!

[bamboo]

a friend of mine was experimenting with music and video editing and made kind of advert, he wanted to upload it to Youtube but we were concerend about copyright as it was a well known video with a recently released tune on it, is it legal to upload this type of thing with your name all over it???

My god. Naivety is no defence. You are in effect stealing video & audio produced by someone else without their express permission for your financial gain & you would be vigorously sued.
This isn't China!

[Darren B]

This isn't China!
i thought it was, every made in label says "made in china" these days:D

[roundman]

yeah thats why we didn't post it.
Although it was done for "educational purposes"
Have found a site who will let me link to them for how2 vids, i have a designer on the case for a site overhaul, everything is coming together and i am busy researching other sites that are good AND bad.

[bamboo]

yeah thats why we didn't post it.
i am busy researching other sites that are good AND bad.

I'll lay odds that you uncover more of the latter :)

[roundman]

Seems to e a few, especially as you get past page 8-9 in the search list,
i was thinking of changing the sections, and have an image for each part, so 24v drills would have picture of 24v drill and so forth, perhaps make it almost so you could navigate thru by just looking at the pix,
Still wondering about colour scheme, i dont want to lose the corporate id of black and orange, but is it quite limited for making the site slick and stylish???
As was pointed out before it looks like a site from 4-5 years ago.

[roundman]

thinking about something like this for image nav
http://www.elliotts4tools.co.uk/prodtype.asp
What do you guys think??

[leehack]

Along the right lines but too many options, I get bored looking through that lot to find what I want.

[Duncan Rounding]

I thought this was fitting to this thread:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/7874998.stm

[leehack]

LOL that dragster was pretty funny. Certainly the best use for silverline tools anyway IMO.

[bamboo]

Personally I would trial a big search box front and centre with a variety of questions such as;

"What are you here to buy today?"
"What are you looking for today?"
"Which power tool are you looking for?"

etc, etc so that those that do land on your homepage may be taken to the most likely product page. To be honest I would put more effort into getting your product pages optimised correctly so Auntie Google, or Uncle Adwords drops your potential customer right onto them.

[roundman]

Have made a start with the page titles am going thru and finding what words on the most popular sites and renaming mine.
So images good but too many options bad.

[roundman]

Hi Guys
Have made some ammendments to my site, wanted to know if i was going in the right direction, i have had some top advice from an award winning designer.
Just wanted to know if i was implementing it properly.
If you go into my site and look at the power tools, angle grinder section and see if there is anything i should be doing different.
Thanks

[bamboo]

This may seem like nit picking but believe me it isn't.
You have to go to powertools>corded>angle grinders!

As I've said earlier you really need your search box front and centre on the homepage. The reason?
Women shop, men BUY and I presume your target customer is male. Don't expect men to be fannying around with navigation trying to find the perfect power tool. They'll just click onto a better laid out site IMO.

[parklifeclothes]

fannying around with navigation .


Too true and to the point, no prisoners taken.

I vote Derek (Bamboo) to be chief site review guru, you're sure of getting no bull, no beating round the houses, but straight to the crux and honest critique.

[roundman]

So if i dropped the corded power tools bit and made the sections
power tools (this is in place of corded power tools)
cordless power tools
etc
etc
This way it is slimming it down less clicking leading to quicker finding.
I like the no bull comments, straight forward and to the point.
The front page will be done soon but i wanted to make a start on the spp and ensure it was heading in the right direction

[Darren B]

Is it me or is this not an Actinic site?

And sorry no disrespect to Derek but there are others on here who's opinion is more valuable, just through my years on this forum i have a learnt alot from the little bits, sadly though some people have abused these members invaluable free advice and they now take a back seat.

I no doubt derek will find out this over time

[acompton]

Is it me or is this not an Actinic site?
Its Actinic alright. Go back to bed again, Darren :D

[Darren B]

it was just the way the the site changes, not acatalog directory but many different sub directories, to be honest though Alan, i only glanced through it this morning and was nosing around the site.

I will take your word for it, the threads too long now for me to read it all

[bamboo]

Too true and to the point, no prisoners taken.

I vote Derek (Bamboo) to be chief site review guru, you're sure of getting no bull, no beating round the houses, but straight to the crux and honest critique.

I am humbled but truly not worthy of such praise. No single individual on this most marvellous forum deserves to be raised above any other. We all contribute something different as Mr Beaumont has kindly reminded us all.

It's just that a lot of designers & retailers/botchers, I fall into the latter category :o get so wrapped up in their babies they overlook fundamentals which are staring them in the face. In this particular case men really do buy, not shop, and the OP ignores this fact. If he addressed this issue before he embarked on all the other excellent suggestions this thread contains he would see a much quicker boost in conversions IMO.

I've just watched a video which tries to understand what is going on in e-commerce worldwide with a view to understanding where it is going, as a general trend and there were a fair few shoe sites highlighted with some very good innovations that made the 'the shopping process' more like a real world one. But even these companies applied the 'shopping formula' to men's shoes so alienating a large proportion of their potential customers who simply want to buy a pair of shoes and be done with it!

Surely figuring out which sex your customers are is as fundamental as it gets and is the keystone to working out what an ideal target customer is. Crack this and continually refine the model and it will bring in the money especially in a recession as most of the competition will be spreading a wider net to catch as many customers as possible not realising that the real profit is creating a smaller more focused net and giving them the 'bait' they want to see.

[roundman]

Thats all well and good Bamboo but if i haven't got the traffic to my site conversion isn't gonna happen.
So if i get the foundations right i can build on them and learn more about targeting the right people and how to do it as i go.
That way when traffic is up i will be able to convert to sales.

[bamboo]

Thats all well and good Bamboo but if i haven't got the traffic to my site conversion isn't gonna happen.
So if i get the foundations right i can build on them and learn more about targeting the right people and how to do it as i go.
That way when traffic is up i will be able to convert to sales.

Typical but totally wrong approach to retailing on the web.
i haven't got the traffic to my site conversion isn't gonna happen.
You will get traffic no matter what you do. Granted it will be unqualified browsers but people will arrive at your site regardless. Without knowing what your target is and building your sites message accordingly to sell your products you are right, conversion 'ain't gonna happen'

That way when traffic is up i will be able to convert to sales.
This is frankly rubbish because the traffic you are trying to attract is unqualified. You may have a very good idea of your ideal customer profile in your head from your experience to date but I'll don't see anything on your site that shows that this site is 'on message'.

More traffic will only lead to a higher conversion IF your site is saying all the RIGHT things. Yours isn't at present.

However it's your site and whether you take notice of what's been said on this thread, cherry pick the bits you like because they fit your beliefs or choose to ignore all of it the choice is yours.

I will now bow out of this thread as you have had one of the most in depth reviews of what is not working on your site, along with a multitude of fixes. Best of luck, whatever you decide to do.

[Darren B]

Surely figuring out which sex your customers are is as fundamental as it gets and is the keystone to working out what an ideal target customer is. Crack this and continually refine the model and it will bring in the money especially in a recession as most of the competition will be spreading a wider net to catch as many customers as possible not realising that the real profit is creating a smaller more focused net and giving them the 'bait' they want to see.

And this is something i have never really thought about, as i said i have picked bits up over the years and this is another of those

[parklifeclothes]

Not only is your text hard to read when half way thru' a line in changes colour white to orange to red and back to white (presumably to highlight things like south west of England, family run) but also as it's all centre aligned, it really doesn't make for reading.

Centre aligned is alright for headlines and very short bits of text, but if you want someone to read lots of text it has to be left aligned/justified IMO.

Personally if you have something I need and I can't find elsewhere I would buy but your site doesn't make it easy to shop/read and for this reason you will lose many many sales. I know you want to keep the 'corporate' colours but why not go for a clean white background and have your just your logo in the 'corporate' colours.
Its really important to be giving the customers what they want in an easy to use enviroment and this is what your site fails ion at the mo, IMO

[roundman]

i appreciate all the comments, the last question i asked was about the changes i had done in the power tools section.
i am experimenting with the site and wanted to know if this was an improvement or not.
i will address all of the issues the site has as soon as i can get my head round all the info i have been given, as you can imagine at the moment it is brain overload with lots of learning.

[roundman]

Yes colours will be addressed in the design stage, i do not have the design program so am unable to change it.

[RuralWeb]

have had some top advice from an award winning designer.If this is true then why are you still asking basic questions:confused:

[roundman]

i'm not a webhead and like i say i am still learning.
it's one thing to have advice it's trying to find which way to put it all into action.
i am trying different things with the site and simply wish to know if they are better?
i'm sure everyone here started somewhere and was not born with an actinic manual in their hand.

[RuralWeb]

i'm sure everyone here started somewhere and was not born with an actinic manual in their hand.Dont get pissy - if you have been given advice then it is generally better to stick with one view point especially if they are good as you say. You will NEVER get a consistant opinion on a forum and usually thats were the confusion comes from

[roundman]

not pissy at all.
Just so much info to take inas i say, i wanted to know if the changes i made were an improvement on the site or not.
Yes the advice is as good as i say, SPP i believe is the way forward for my site, having just experimented with it i thought i might ask for some feedback on it.
And your right opinions do vary greatly

[RuralWeb]

Yes the advice is as good as i say, Then stick with that


SPP i believe is the way forward for my site
It is for every site so thats a no brainer - just search the forum over the last 3 years and you will see that its been that way for years

[roundman]

Hi guys
a couple of questions if you please,
Firstly i have moved alot of stuff around and cut some stuff out, now when i take a snapshot i get some errors, all of them are filepath names for images which do not exist now, how do i get rid of these errors????
And secondly im am moving the hand tools section around abit,(still not quite finished) how many subsections are acceptable ?? can u have to many??
by having more of the subsections i am keeping the amount of clicks to product to 3 which is better for finding the right product right??
Please bear in mind that this is still continuing work

[Duncan Rounding]

You're probably going to have to search and replace your image paths in the database using access - backup first.

Reducing the number of levels to go through to get to a product is always a good thing. Keep in mind as well though that most people will probably arrive on your site directly on the product page.

[roundman]

so i have to restore the image to that filepath??
what if i just followed the file path that it tells me and just add the pic and name its looking for??

[Duncan Rounding]

You have two choices re-locate the images back to the same directory structure/paths that they were in before you moved them or go into the database with MS Access (backup first) and find all the links and correct them to where you moved them to.

[roundman]

yeah that second one sounds a bit to tech for me lol
can i put any image in there??
as long as they are named as per the original

[roundman]

Hi guys
is there a way of linking my site with my suppliers so that it alerts me to any price changes??