My new website - Review

Blindside87

Hi All.

I put this in website reviews but doesn't seem to be much happening on that forum!

Launched this site a few weeks ago, appreciate any feedback.

Thanks!

www.bonusinks.ie

DubTony

i know little or nothing about designing a web site, but I know what I like when I'm on a site where there's a possibility I'll buy something.

Firstly, never - ever - ever reload the page I'm on when I hit a "link". I cannot understand why any site does this. There's just no good reason for it.

Your "Welcome to ... and Inkjets from ... and Laser Toners from ... all simply reload the front page. As a consumer, I'm already gone. I'll buy my ink from somebody who makes it REALLY easy for me to get what I want.

The menu bar under your banner should ideally have drop down menus. When I click on Inkjet, I'm looking to buy some ink (or at least get a price). Labels like "Ink for Canon" or "Ink for epson" should take me to exactly where I want to go. Taking me to a page to force me to make another selection annoys me. I'm the customer. Goodbye. Shopping online shouldn't be like shopping in a supermarket.

Walk into the supermarket.
Find the Ink aisle.
Look for my brand.
Look for my product.

At the very least, you should enable me to find my brand in one click after I enter your site. Your site is the ink aisle, not the supermarket.

Offer me a BUY NOW and a MORE INFO option when a I find my product. I might just want to buy it and get out. I don't want to HAVE to click again to be taken to the BUY page.
oh, and the BUY button seems to be on the wrong side. It's on the left. I'm used to adding to basket on Amazon on the right. I'm used to seeing the same on ebay. It just seems natural.

There aren't enough calls to action. Your front page should have some sort of offer, or a few offers. Whatever you're trying to push should feature there, with a BUY NOW button right beside it.

For me it's simple. Bring your customer to the product in as few clicks as possible, and give them the option to purchase straight away.

Some other stuff .... that Visa MC Laser logo on the bottom of the page is too big. I don't know, or care, who Realex are, but they get as much space as your front page as your special offer does.

Stop taking me to selection pages.
"SALE
Brother, Canon and Epson Multipacks from €19.99."

The link brings me to the standard inkjet page with 8 manufacturers on it. When I click on Brother the first one I see is €39.99. If you're doing specials set up a Specials Page. I shouldn't have to look for the offer I've just clicked on.

The search worked perfectly for me when I put in all the possible parameters of my printer name except when I typed Hewlett Packard followed by my printer name. (Call me pedantic :roll eyes:)

There's so much wrong with this site. I honestly wouldn't spend 2 minutes on it. Make it easier for your customer to find what they want and you've a better chance of making it work.

I'm sure the web design guys on here will have something to say about the graphics. But it's not my thing, so no comment on that.

TonyStark

As user I clicked on the graphic for €4.99 inkjet cartridges, nothing happened so I closed the site. I will probably never go back.

Blindside87

Thanks for the feedback!

I am going to make a specials page today and link it to the multipack sale.

I had planned to change the homepage a bit and put some more deals up just haven't had a chance yet!

Thanks again.

Kenny Logins

DubTony wrote: »

Firstly, never - ever - ever reload the page I'm on when I hit a "link". I cannot understand why any site does this. There's just no good reason for it.

DubTony wrote: »

i know little or nothing about designing a web site...

blackworld

Never have tested all of the links but I probably think it does good.

clintondaly

Just a quick note-You should provide an option to search by cartrigidge number also.

also,some additional social links may be an advantage like a Twitter account

Rgds

Clinton

DubTony

Kenny Logins wrote: »

Do you have a point to make Kenny? Maybe you know why some sites reload the same page after clicking a link. If you do and it has something to do with the design, I'd love to hear it because as far as design goes I am completely clueless.

Kenny Logins

DubTony wrote: »

Do you have a point to make Kenny? Maybe you know why some sites reload the same page after clicking a link. If you do and it has something to do with the design, I'd love to hear it because as far as design goes I am completely clueless.

My apologies - I didn't realise you meant dead links, I thought you meant a page refresh when clicking any link, which is the norm.

The banner/header should always link to the front page, even if you're already there.

DubTony

Kenny Logins wrote: »

My apologies - I didn't realise you meant dead links, I thought you meant a page refresh when clicking any link, which is the norm.

The banner/header should always link to the front page, even if you're already there.

You see, that makes absolutely no sense to me. Why link to a page I'm already on? I'm confused. When I click something I expect to be taken to a page further into the site. But in your example, it's a bit like opening a door and walking through only to find myself in the same or an identical room. It's pointless. Is it some sort of lazy coding thing? Or is it a default for a broken link? (I didnt know that was done.)
I would expect that the banner on the top of the home page would be simply a picture unless there are definite links in it, taking me deeper into the site. I can understand the thinking behind using it as a link to Home further into the site, but I do feel that it should be exploited to bring people where a site owner wants them to go. (special offers etc.)
Having said all that, I'd imagine that designing a site can be tough enough without having to think about what a pedantic f***er like me wants. But then TonyStark in his post said that he won't be back because the site didn't do what he expected. So it's important to get it right first time.

Blindside87

clintondaly wrote: »

Just a quick note-You should provide an option to search by cartrigidge number also.

also,some additional social links may be an advantage like a Twitter account

Rgds

Clinton

Hi Clinton,

You can search using cartridge number in the advanced search .

Although I will be adding drop down menus as a back up as well in the future.

Thanks.

Kenny Logins

DubTony wrote: »

You see, that makes absolutely no sense to me. Why link to a page I'm already on? I'm confused. When I click something I expect to be taken to a page further into the site. But in your example, it's a bit like opening a door and walking through only to find myself in the same or an identical room. It's pointless. Is it some sort of lazy coding thing? Or is it a default for a broken link? (I didnt know that was done.)
I would expect that the banner on the top of the home page would be simply a picture unless there are definite links in it, taking me deeper into the site. I can understand the thinking behind using it as a link to Home further into the site, but I do feel that it should be exploited to bring people where a site owner wants them to go. (special offers etc.)
Having said all that, I'd imagine that designing a site can be tough enough without having to think about what a pedantic f***er like me wants. But then TonyStark in his post said that he won't be back because the site didn't do what he expected. So it's important to get it right first time.

The banner/header link thing is to bring you back to the front of a site, no matter how many pages deep you go. It's always there to prevent you getting (or feeling) lost.

Check a few sites, it is almost always (can't think of any exceptions..) the case that this link is present, even on the homepage.
When you're already on the home page, without realising it, the absence of this link may just lead to confusion.

Countryboymike

Blindside87 wrote: »

Hi All.

I put this in website reviews but doesn't seem to be much happening on that forum!

Launched this site a few weeks ago, appreciate any feedback.

Thanks!

www.bonusinks.ie

Good site .Maybe you should accept AMEX.Lots of people use these cards now.Also Paypall.

Blindside87

Countryboymike wrote: »

Good site .Maybe you should accept AMEX.Lots of people use these cards now.Also Paypall.

Thanks!

Is AMEX american express? As far as I know realex accept this? Not sure though will check it out.

I will definitely be adding paypal soon, shouldn't be a big job as far as I am aware.

Again thanks all for the reviews good and bad!