Which is better?

I just re-designed the website for Electronic Components Company.
Design isn't my strong suit but I think I did ok. Please check it out
and give constructive ways to improve (as opposed to this is wrong or
that is wrong or similar pointless comments). First, the OLD site can
be viewed at http://www.webuyparts.com/oldhome.htm. The new site is
just webuyparts.com. Thanks in advance.

F.Y.I....while the author of this post is not opposed to using usenet
to drive traffic to this web site and while this message could be taken
to be just for that reason, that is not the case. In fact, if you're
NOT going to comment on the design DON'T BOTHER GOING. The site isn't
polished yet and I wouldn't want you to see it. I'll get you there
when the time is right but now is not it.

 

Nice interface. I much prefer simple layouts without much flash or
nonsense, because it's easier to load and navigate.

I spend a LOT of time on componant sites.

THX,
Jason D

 

First, thanks for taking the time. It's obvious you did. Second, I
was glad to see a lot of things NOT mentioned (too much verbage, too
many links one page, information too many clicks away, over-usage of
"Click here," phone or other contact details hard to find, etc.). As
to your suggestions....

Most widgets gone. Kept globe but found better one. No receptionist
nothig special about building. Replaced moving flag with Amex card.

Thumbnails now click-able. Ok, I tried to be lazy.

"About Us" page less precise.

Titles redone (includes titles displayed when using cgi)

One you might have missed: Email address not included in details. Has
been added.


Walter Harley wrote:

michael@webuyparts.com> wrote in message
news:1131024466.121795.178540@g47g2000cwa.googlegroups.com...
I just re-designed the website for Electronic Components Company.
Design isn't my strong suit but I think I did ok. Please check it out
and give constructive ways to improve [...]

Both front pages have too many animated widgets. Basic principle of web
design: draw attention to the things that deserve attention, only. On your
front page you've got an animated news-headline widget (if I wanted the
news, I'd go to a news site); an animated globe (only remotely related to
your business, and by the way, it's missing a frame or two); and an animated
flag (same story). So, start by simply getting rid of those things. If you
need graphics, don't use stock graphics: use something about your company,
like a picture of your building or your warehouse shelves or your cute
receptionist.

Principle #2: thumbnail pictures should be clickable. A thumbnail is
inherently unsatisfying; it's too small to actually see what's there. So,
make EVERY thumbnail be a link to something: either a bigger picture of the
same thing, or a page describing the product, or (as a last resort) a link
to a shopping cart. The thumbnails on most of your inner pages (e.g., Odd
Excess and EEPROM Programmers) don't work that way now, but they should.

Your "About Us" page includes the phrase "As of now (November, 2005)". Do
you really want to update that page every month? Instead, use something
that doesn't quickly become obsolete.

Check your web page titles. The title of a page displays in the window
banner, so it's easy to miss if you don't think about it; but it appears in
some important places, like on the Windows task bar. In your case, your
main page title ("Electronic Components Company is a stocking distributor of
hard to find, obsolete, and short market circuit board level components.")
is way too long, so it gets truncated, both on the window banner and in the
task bar tooltip. It's supposed to be a TITLE, not a statement of corporate
intent.

There are many principles of good web design, and they make a difference.
You might start by taking a look here: http://www.webpagesthatsuck.com.
Despite the name, it is actually a serious site that attempts to teach good
web design by showing bad examples.

 

[Walter Harley]

<michael@webuyparts.com> wrote in message
news:1131024466.121795.178540@g47g2000cwa.googlegroups.com...

I just re-designed the website for Electronic Components Company.
Design isn't my strong suit but I think I did ok. Please check it out
and give constructive ways to improve [...]

Both front pages have too many animated widgets. Basic principle of web
design: draw attention to the things that deserve attention, only. On your
front page you've got an animated news-headline widget (if I wanted the
news, I'd go to a news site); an animated globe (only remotely related to
your business, and by the way, it's missing a frame or two); and an animated
flag (same story). So, start by simply getting rid of those things. If you
need graphics, don't use stock graphics: use something about your company,
like a picture of your building or your warehouse shelves or your cute
receptionist.

Principle #2: thumbnail pictures should be clickable. A thumbnail is
inherently unsatisfying; it's too small to actually see what's there. So,
make EVERY thumbnail be a link to something: either a bigger picture of the
same thing, or a page describing the product, or (as a last resort) a link
to a shopping cart. The thumbnails on most of your inner pages (e.g., Odd
Excess and EEPROM Programmers) don't work that way now, but they should.

Your "About Us" page includes the phrase "As of now (November, 2005)". Do
you really want to update that page every month? Instead, use something
that doesn't quickly become obsolete.

Check your web page titles. The title of a page displays in the window
banner, so it's easy to miss if you don't think about it; but it appears in
some important places, like on the Windows task bar. In your case, your
main page title ("Electronic Components Company is a stocking distributor of
hard to find, obsolete, and short market circuit board level components.")
is way too long, so it gets truncated, both on the window banner and in the
task bar tooltip. It's supposed to be a TITLE, not a statement of corporate
intent.

There are many principles of good web design, and they make a difference.
You might start by taking a look here: http://www.webpagesthatsuck.com.
Despite the name, it is actually a serious site that attempts to teach good
web design by showing bad examples.