10-12-2006, 09:25 PM
Quote:First of all, I always wondered why more Tulipers don't post their websites here. Are we afraid of being sabotaged by people who don't agree with our views expressed on these boards? Just curious.
The thought did cross my mind--but then I said, what the hell. Xppman has already been helping me via PMB, too.
Quote:I'm a big fan of good looking models. The sexier the better. I would hire a couple to model your shirts.
I will indeed do this.
Quote:The designs are mostly what will set you apart from other sellers, so they have to be front and center in a big way. The thumbnails are way too small. It takes two clicks to get to the biggest shot. Some people might not even be clicking the second time because they might not consider that an option. Even the biggest pictures you have aren't big enough, in my opinion.
Very well put. The consensus is that the thumbnails are too small, so I'll be working on making them bigger. Probably 100 x 100 or 130 x 130, at least.
I had been worried about people not taking the time to click a second time, or worse yet, not realizing that they can. Yahoo templates kind of force me to keep that cube size--so... I'm thinking Yahoo templates are NOT the way to go for this site, even if I have to redo everything.
Quote:Colored shirts are a must. Many people won't buy white or pay a reasonable price for it.
Thanks for your insight. I started with white because they were easy--but I do intend to add a bunch of other colors.
Quote:I used to be in the t-shirt business (airbrush and silkscreen) but it's quite a bit more competitive now than it used to be. There's a certain ambiance required to sell in a competitive market. I think that your site needs more of an edge to it. I can't exactly put my finger on it but everything, from the fonts to the logo, needs to make more of a statement. You need to identify who your potential customers are and gear it toward them. I don't think that the current look of your site matches your demographic.
You know what? You put into words what's been nagging at me since I first started to work on this project. There's no way for the Yahoo template system to give me the originality, character, and personality the site needs. The site really needs to stand up and be weird, or to stand up and be unique and quirky.
I need better branding and a REAL layout, not the cookie cutter templates. I was hoping to use templates because they're easier--but now i'm realizing they won't work.
I'll be working on this new design mockup and idea. I'll also be incorporating everyone's suggestions into it, including larger thumbnails, bigger pictures, more color choices, more search engine food and in-page meta tags, navigational changes, etc.
I also need to target my demographic more.
Quote:Those are a few of my immediate observations. I hope that you find them constructive.
Absolutely, completely, 100% helpful. You've made me finally realize that I need to ditch the templates and do something that has as much attitude as the products I'm trying to sell. Your personal expertise has been so much help, and has been so valuabe to me I can't even begin to thank you for it.