Website Questions

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hagtech

Website Questions
« on: 24 Feb 2013, 09:12 pm »
What is it a customer wants to see in a website? 

Does a manufacturer's website mean a lot to you?  Does it affect your purchasing decision?  What are you looking for: photos, specifications?  Do you have any good / bad examples?  Perhaps more interesting, what is NOT important?

I am looking to re-vamp my websites, as they are rather outdated, based on HTML code I wrote 15 years ago...

jh

rif

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Re: Website Questions
« Reply #1 on: 24 Feb 2013, 10:35 pm »
A manufacturer's website is extremely important to me.  That goes for a businesses such as yours or a behemoth like Denon.  I never noticed that your website was outdated, until just now when you pointed it out and I looked for comparisons.  In fact i would have said it was one of the examples of good websites.  I still think it is, it just needs a little work to freshen it up.  Or you could go for a total revamp.

There are many mediocre to bad sites, but I won't post those publicly - are you open to email or PM?

Professional quality photos are very important, but you have that covered.  I need to get a sense that the site is being maintained - the products shown are current/all current products are shown; I can search for and find at least something that acknowledges a discontinued product.  Again you've got that covered very well.

Here are two good ones that I've visited in the past week:
blumensteinaudio.com (very modern, but not overwhelming or distracting)
schiit.com (very distinctive, all the info I needed, but not complex)

I know nothing about webdesign but I've heard "Wordpress" in a few conversations in the past few months.  I've also heard Flash is on its way out.


galyons

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Re: Website Questions
« Reply #2 on: 24 Feb 2013, 10:53 pm »
What is it a customer wants to see in a website? 
We are a distinctly niche market. Most eCommerce sites are all about flashy techniques to hold you on the site.  I want facts, details, pics, best practices.  I actually like the relatively recent changes to your site. (Except the missing Piccolo 1/2 Kit!  :wink:)   I would make the "order now" graphically more prominent and duplicate as a page footer.  Crap if someone read all they way down, they should be ready to buy. A nit, but I would eliminate the white spaces in the opening paragraphs. Looks to me like the photo  embedding on the side is causing it.

Does a manufacturer's website mean a lot to you? 
Yes! Especially in our market full of flakes, snake oil and tents pulled down silently in the night!  You have been around a long time with highly successful products.  You have gravitas...use it!


Does it affect your purchasing decision?
Absolutely! See all of above!


 What are you looking for: photos, specifications?  Do you have any good / bad examples?  Perhaps more interesting, what is NOT important?

Photos, spec's...   Marketing shuck & jive and fatuous claims, not needed! 
Add You Tube videos..Progressive DIY Work...finished products playing in system.


I am looking to re-vamp my websites, as they are rather outdated, based on HTML code I wrote 15 years ago...

Well you could practice on a small scale with a new Piccolo 1/2 Kit page!!!


Cheers,
Geary

WireNut

Re: Website Questions
« Reply #3 on: 25 Feb 2013, 12:00 am »
Pictures of the inside of a unit that I'm about to purchase is a big plus to me, also pics of the connectors and unit specs.
Pics of the business, inside, outside can also help to decide on my purchase.
Business address, phone number, and email.

I'm not real crazy about sites that look like the one below. Two much text I think, and it looks like it's been setting Idle for years. Reminds me of DOS. Id probably go somewhere else just because of the looks of the site.
https://www.tubeworld.com/6922.htm


Grinnell

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Re: Website Questions
« Reply #4 on: 25 Feb 2013, 01:08 pm »
Make sure it is easy to navigate.  I hate sites that i have to figure out how to find the info i am looking for.

hagtech

Re: Website Questions
« Reply #5 on: 27 Feb 2013, 06:05 pm »
Thanks for the info!  I guess my site is not so bad.  I'll work on adding more photos - especially of the insides.  Maybe I can work on some videos - like soldering.  Or a white paper on how to track down hum and buzz.  And yeah, not having a PICCOLO half-kit leaves a hole in the lineup...

jh