Wanted: Website Review Please review new site

[dragon]

Site is www . plantopave . co . uk

Specifically looking to find out:

- How quick (or slow) it loads.
- How quick you get what we do.
- Any suggestions for improvement of ease of navigation, colours, images, etc.
- If you would feel comfortable buying from this site (if not specifically what puts you off etc)
- And any other suggestions!

Thanks,
Matt

 

[Retired_member41]

I think it's great. Loaded very fast. Loved the way the pages open as you scroll down.

Had all the marketing layout perfect until it got to the telephone number which then had about us underneath.

Maybe lower that to last and show what you do first. By that time I'd be so happy with what I was viewing, the about us would have to be awful not to use you.

Just needs an example of you bettering the competition next to the price matching section and all the boxes ticked IMO

Just the glue paper type of site you need now i reckon, just enough info and pleasant to look at to make you stay and take a look around.

Organic people may bounce off when they don't see instant gratification but targeted Adwords bought visitors should feel happy.

Lol I guess you can tell I liked it. See that many lame sites still, my own included it's nice to be happily surprised.

 

[Murray]

I don't like it at all

It took me far too long to work out what the website is about, I'm still not 100%? do you want people to buy from the site, or call you? or get you to design their garden for them, very confused about what the site offers.

The first 3 images on the homepage that scroll aren't even of a Garden?

You don't want to have to make people think, you want it to be as simple and intuitive as possible.

So big thumbs down from me I'm afraid.

 

[dragon]

Maybe lower that to last and show what you do first. By that time I'd be so happy with what I was viewing, the about us would have to be awful not to use you.

Thanks Caz have moved it now, makes sense!

Just needs an example of you bettering the competition next to the price matching section and all the boxes ticked IMO

Noted - will get onto that asap! Really pleased you liked it.

I don't like it at all

It took me far too long to work out what the website is about, I'm still not 100%? do you want people to buy from the site, or call you? or get you to design their garden for them, very confused about what the site offers.

The first 3 images on the homepage that scroll aren't even of a Garden?

You don't want to have to make people think, you want it to be as simple and intuitive as possible.

So big thumbs down from me I'm afraid.

Thanks for the feedback Murray.

Sometimes it takes another perspective to notice where you're going wrong, there are way too many things going on on the homepage that I'm asking visitors to do and it comes across as 'do this' 'do that now' when it's just a blur ultimately. Simple and intuitive works, thanks will aim for that.

 

[WealdDomains]

I think the feedback from both Caz and Murray is valid : I agree with Murray's specific observations (why on earth is there a kitchen photo, and even decking is arguable) although I'm more positive about the site as a whole.

The site is certainly responsive but the content on a Hudl is far weaker and more boring than desktop Firefox under XP.

The special font is fine when bolded but is (literally) too weak when used at normal strength.

The contrast is too weak when using the normal-strength font, especially when placed on a pale-grey base.

I suggest you use CamelCase to reinforce PlanTo.

The + on http://www.plantopave.co.uk/contact-us/ suggests a generic international number but the actual number is UK domestic.

Can you edit your Twitter handle to PlanToPave ? More generally, use CamelCase on social media as well as internally.

The vertical line spacing on Products (and maybe Menu) is too wide.

So, do you really price match B&Q and Homebase ?

Regards,
David

 

[Retired_Member38]

I agree with Murray - I'm not really sure what you want me to do here either. The first photo I seen being a kitchen probably didn't help!

"creative solutions for your garden" and the pictures of someone drawing a sketch of a garden makes me think you're coming out to my house to design it for me. But then I look at the slider again and I see 'free delivery' then I click about a bit and I can order stone chips or tiles.

I think you need to decide whether you're designing gardens, or selling bits of gardens. You can do both - but if one of them is your main aim then that should be front and centre, with the other just being an addition to it.

I think if I was looking for something that let me to your site via Google I'd quickly be hitting the back button, I wouldn't really be interested in spending time trying to decipher what you are offering.

 

[dragon]

I think the feedback from both Caz and Murray is valid :

Me too!

I agree with Murray's specific observations (why on earth is there a kitchen photo, and even decking is arguable) although I'm more positive about the site as a whole.

Wow, it does look like a kitchen, thats actually part of the design studio, but thanks, have removed that now.

The special font is fine when bolded but is (literally) too weak when used at normal strength.

The contrast is too weak when using the normal-strength font, especially when placed on a pale-grey base.

Thanks, noted, will get a stronger font up.

I suggest you use CamelCase to reinforce PlanTo.

The + on http://www.plantopave.co.uk/contact-us/ suggests a generic international number but the actual number is UK domestic.

Thanks updated!

Can you edit your Twitter handle to PlanToPave ? More generally, use CamelCase on social media as well as internally.

Done!

The vertical line spacing on Products (and maybe Menu) is too wide.

Updated products spacing, working on menu.

So, do you really price match B&Q and Homebase ?

They don't really have the same products we do

 

[PanzerWagon]

Being honest the site is poor. It doesn't answer any of the key questions a user will have as soon as they land it - who is the site for, what does it offer and what should they do next?

"Creative solutions for your garden" is vague and jargon like. What am I getting?

I actually have no idea what you offer, seems like you are 50% selling products, 50% consultancy. It's just all very confused and cluttered. Nobody will be buy and I think even having ecommerce is pointless for paving stones and decorative stones.

 

[dragon]

I agree with Murray - I'm not really sure what you want me to do here either. The first photo I seen being a kitchen probably didn't help!

"creative solutions for your garden" and the pictures of someone drawing a sketch of a garden makes me think you're coming out to my house to design it for me. But then I look at the slider again and I see 'free delivery' then I click about a bit and I can order stone chips or tiles.

I think you need to decide whether you're designing gardens, or selling bits of gardens. You can do both - but if one of them is your main aim then that should be front and centre, with the other just being an addition to it.

I think if I was looking for something that let me to your site via Google I'd quickly be hitting the back button, I wouldn't really be interested in spending time trying to decipher what you are offering.

Thanks Monkey, need to tighten up the homepage so it reflects exactly this, want to primarily sell paving & garden products.

 

[dragon]

who is the site for, what does it offer and what should they do next?

Well put - all great feedback tbh.

"Creative solutions for your garden" is vague and jargon like. What am I getting?

I actually have no idea what you offer, seems like you are 50% selling products, 50% consultancy. It's just all very confused and cluttered. Nobody will be buy and I think even having ecommerce is pointless for paving stones and decorative stones.

Thanks, obv i think different on last point

 

[Retired_member41]

I think people are losing the plot here.

Over engineering a new site that would be suitable for an established brand is nonsense.

As for saying people would land and not know what they are looking at is again nonsense. Those visitors are bonuses and usually bounce away anyway.

A site and business like this needs what it had in the beginning plus a few tweaks.

People will arrive there from marketing and having clicked on the product or service description on an add they won't see the home page anyway.

If you look like a great store but they haven't heard of you they will bounce off and go to a store they have heard of.

If you are a nice liking site that looks real and organic. They will look a little further.

Last thing you want is a site that showcases a load of products only for the buyer to order elsewhere which is what happens.

Most of the web sites that supply what this site does are rubbish but people buy from them as they inform them that they

1. Deliver to their area
2. Have the product and a description of where it came from, quality etc
And 3. It doesn't look like some slick site that looks like a multi national but who's brand says they are small and dedicated.

You see a gazillion great looking sites arrive on affiliate networks weekly. 6 months on they have been abandoned.

Don't run before you can walk should go for web sites also.

People like to spread the wealth around when buying this type of stuff. Look too slick and they may as well go to bandq etc

 

[PanzerWagon]

I think people are losing the plot here.

Over engineering a new site that would be suitable for an established brand is nonsense.

As for saying people would land and not know what they are looking at is again nonsense. Those visitors are bonuses and usually bounce away anyway.

A site and business like this needs what it had in the beginning plus a few tweaks.

People will arrive there from marketing and having clicked on the product or service description on an add they won't see the home page anyway.

If you look like a great store but they haven't heard of you they will bounce off and go to a store they have heard of.

If you are a nice liking site that looks real and organic. They will look a little further.

Last thing you want is a site that showcases a load of products only for the buyer to order elsewhere which is what happens.

Most of the web sites that supply what this site does are rubbish but people buy from them as they inform them that they

1. Deliver to their area
2. Have the product and a description of where it came from, quality etc
And 3. It doesn't look like some slick site that looks like a multi national but who's brand says they are small and dedicated.

You see a gazillion great looking sites arrive on affiliate networks weekly. 6 months on they have been abandoned.

Don't run before you can walk should go for web sites also.

People like to spread the wealth around when buying this type of stuff. Look too slick and they may as well go to bandq etc

16 sentences of nonsense I think I disagree with every line other than 1 and 2 of the 3 point list.

Basically you are saying, have a crap looking site and people will buy from you because they know you're not B&Q or a brand. What a ridiculous statement.

I don't think it's about over engineering anything based on feedback so far. It is about putting across a clear value proposition of what is on offer. Which the site does not do.

 

[Retired_member41]

Im not saying have a crap site at all. If you thought the site was crap you are crazy. It may need a few things but didn't need improving that much.

I'm not a web developer but I am a shopper. And guess what, web site owners don't need advice from web developers. They need advice from shoppers who will buy their goods.

And as for people spending money, yes people do like spending money away from the big brands. That is not my opinion but a fact.

I'm ok with you disagreeing though as it's your opinion.

 

[Murray]

Im not saying have a crap site at all. If you thought the site was crap you are crazy. It may need a few things but didn't need improving that much.

The site doesn't look crap, but it's missing the mark on what it's intended to do.

Panzer put it well

who is the site for, what does it offer and what should they do next?

A site needs to convey these messages almost instantly when a visitor clicks on it.

A site may look visually brilliant, but if it doesn't deliver on the above then it's not serving the whole purpose of having a website to begin with.

 

[namealot]

Your gallery page some pics go to other pages some don’t no uniformity
When you click special offer I expect to see some? Ditto designs and studio to be honest not enough products to really keep the interest of buyers

 

[dragon]

Your gallery page some pics go to other pages some don’t no uniformity
When you click special offer I expect to see some? Ditto designs and studio to be honest not enough products to really keep the interest of buyers

Thanks Gallery is being updated also.

Well I've removed the slider and updated the homepage now, I am aware that it's still not quite there, but after other feedback i think it's now clearer as to what we do and what we want visitors to do?

 

[PanzerWagon]

I don't think this theme works at all. It's just the wrong layout.

Now I think your offering is "Custom Garden Design Service"

But I thought you wanted to sell products?

You need to read up on visual hierarchy.