A better name than Store Directory...

The link you posted had a comma in it so here is the correct one.
http://www.aabestcomfort.com/

Now I know you are looking for a name and I will get to that in a sec. Just wanted to throw this in. It took me about a minute to find the directory which is too long in my opinion. When I went to the second page, I had to search for the links to take me to the store part. When ya gonna put links at the top? Just some food for thought. I think this issue was discussed in the critique area though.

Ok....How bout:

The Comfort Counter
Shop Our Comfort Products
The Down Town Store (i like this one)

I'll sleep on this one and maybe come up with more.

Toodles

Am I the only one on earth that can see where it says "Store Directory" with brown bars on top then categories and picturs and then another brown bar below... doesnt this sorta jump out at you and say "HEY THIS IS THE STORE DIRECTORY, I GUESS THIS IS WHERE I CAN CLICK AROUND THIS SITE!?!"

I mean come on... people cant be this ... ummm... no.. you know what... I'll hold my breath.

infact I am thinking of putting the following in the top paragraph on the second page with a jump down link to the STORE DIRECTORY. Some thing like:

To begin shopping, scroll down to our Store Directory below.

(Store Directory being the underlined link that would jump them down to the SD. )

Here is something sorta like what I think you need for a nav bar. Keep in mind that this is just an idea and a "rough draft" though. And someone else may even have a better idea.
Idea for a nav bar (My site is down for a few. Check back in a bit if the link isn't working)

I really don't think you should get mad about this. Didn't you come here to improve upon what you already have? Why don't you get someone to look at your site. Someone that hasn't seen it before and tell them to find the shopping cart. Observe them trying to find it and that will give you some pointer also on how you can improve the navigation.

Quote: infact I am thinking of putting the following in the top paragraph on the second page with a jump down link to the STORE DIRECTORY. Some thing like:
To begin shopping, scroll down to our Store Directory below.

Good idea if you aren't gonna do a nav bar.

Good luck with your site.

One thing you have to remember on the web- design your site so that it could be used by customers with the attention span of 2nd graders. I've found that most customers on the web don't like to read, or think, or sift through information trying to find what they're looking for. They want it fast, now, and right in front of them. You might want to re-evaluate the need of the entrance page, as well.. Make it extremely easy for the customer to see where he/she has to go to buy (preferrably place the links near the top of the page so the user doesn't have to scroll) and I guarantee you'll see more sales.

For some ideas, you might consider taking a look at coolhomepages.com -- they have a gallery of nicely done ecommerce sites.

Good luck,

Brian

that graphic is too simplistic... but I get your idea. But, no... If I got to basically "spoon feed" my website to these visitors.. well, then to be honest.. I dont want them as customers... because if I have to do that.. then .. geez I could just imagine the hell after getting their credit card information from these knuckleheads. non stop phonecalls.

I will be upgrading the Nav of each page and Im in the process of having better photos online soon. But, I am not going to sellout my site to make it so braindead simple to navigate... I mean I dont get it ( rant beginning I can feel it.) I ve been to countless websites where the navigation was symbols, or little stupid spinning things.. and I didnt have a problem figuring them out what was what... and I am by no means a member of MENSA (?) so why should I spoon feed. sorry if i sound pissed.. Iam not

thanks for the link to coolhomepages.com good stuff.

got anymore like that? One thing, these top 30 companies got uddles of $$$$$$$ to throw at their websites.

thanks again.

:blue:
http://www.webpagesthatsuck.com/badnavigation.html

http://www.webdevelopersjournal.com/columns/ajs_navigation.html

http://www.zdnet.com/devhead/alertbox/20000109.html

http://info.med.yale.edu/caim/manual/index.html

This is kind of being carried on from the critique on your site but yes you do need to spoon feed to your visitors and most of them will expect a navigation bar of some sort at either the top or the side with the links on it. The site should be laid out with small pages with the information being easy to see and read and the links to be logically labelled.

Quote: Originally posted by AABest
My navigation of my website: aabestcomfort.com, begins under the heading (thats a graphic, btw) that says "Store Directory".

This says it all. The fact that you yourself had to spell out the location of your site navigation to a group of professional designers (without any prompting, I might add) speaks volumes.

Navigation has to be intuitive, not necessarilly idiot-proof. If it requires directions, it is not intuitive. If it requires labelling, it is not intuitive.

Quote: Originally posted by AABest
If I got to basically "spoon feed" my website to these visitors.. well, then to be honest.. I dont want them as customers...

Nice attitude. Why not try it as a tagline on your home page.

Quote: that graphic is too simplistic...

Sure it is. It was only an example of placement for your nav.

Quote: Originally posted by taff

Nice attitude. Why not try it as a tagline on your home page.

couldnt hurt, could it?

It's better not to try to be clever with your naming. That said, you could seriously improve your site by working on the layout, pulling the stuff you want people to see up to the top (reducing the wasted space taken up by that big title graphic).

As for the spoonfeeding, you have to consider whether it would be worth it. I guess if you only want stupid plodding people as customers, don't bother. The thing about "spoon feeding" is that smart people don't waste their time trying to unravel your cleverness, they move on. It's not about the lowest common denominator, it's about encouraging people to buy your product. If you throw up barriers, you're the daft one, not your "knucklehead" customers! The adage about "location, location, location" being the key to success applies on the web as well, except it's the location of the items for sale.

The "store directory" graphic (and actual directory) is at the bottom of the second screen at 800x600 (internal target notwithstanding). You are giving people the information backwards -- show them the products, then tell them all the ways they can get them. Or better yet, put all that shipping and handling and payment information on a separate page so if someone only wants to know that information, it's available.

Choosing not to have a clear navigation area is a dubious strategy. Navigation should be in the same place on every page, even if it's not a nav bar. It should be clearly identifiable as navigation (which doesn't mean stupid, ugly or spoon-fed), and should also provide some idea where people are within the site.

This is because it helps guide the user to purchase. Surely if you've been in business on the web for 7+ years and in meatspace for 20+ you have learned a little bit about guiding the customer to the purchase?

Anyway.

The rest would be for critiquing (reading microfonts, black backgrounds, over-centering).

Suzanne

that graphic is too simplistic ...
look at the rich and famous, their houses arent cuttered with stuff, everything is spaced out, colors blend and has a flow, you've mention your target is top end, so make your site the same, I think Disaster-masters image was a nice one, very up market even if you didnt use that exact thing, something along that line would work well, your clients are rich or have money so you have to present your site/product as if it was a fancy store somewhere were only rich people go, like Harrods or whatever (mind you I've been to harrods and i'm not rich, got a jellybean, didnt buy anything thou), you need to use a gold color, maybe with a white (gold and white) with your black, you need minimum text, rich people have things done for them, so make your site so simple and straight forward a 8 year old could work it (mind you some 8 year olds are smarter than 48 year olds) you could use up market names for things but dont invent words or use misleading/confusing words. everything should be at their finger tips without scrolling or searching

sometimes even when you think your right, you have to bite your lip and go with what works, so many try to reinvent the wheel and fail.