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Sale is Over now. Thanks Everyone - Website Critique

Instead of sending a note with the gift certificate info I thought it might be a little easier if I posted the instructions here.

After you add an item(s) to the cart for purchase in the upper right corner under "Shopping Cart" you will want to click on "Checkout".

This will take you to a page that will say "Checkout Options" on the left hand side. When you click on the appropriate button there will be fields to fill out for your address. Just underneath that it will say, "Do you have a promotion code?" Next to "Enter Code:" there will be a field where you need to enter the letters (ten) just the letters, lower case without the brackets.

After you complete checkout the invoice should show a $10 discount labeled $10 Gift Certificate.

If for some reason it does not work correctly for you just send me a PM and I will refund the $10 that should have been discounted from your total.
 
Looks good! It rocks!!

I would like to see you had this under your first <head> tag

<META HTTP-EQUIV="Content-Type" CONTENT="text/html; charset=ISO-8859-1">

Unless I missed it. Give it 30-90 days and then prepare for Google and Yahoo to index and refer.

You can code for surfers or the search engines. Think like when you first started to search on the net. What will someone type in to find you? Look at your compeition and check their meta tags and keyword density.

:)

Charlie
 
Mark,

I checked out your site and it looks great. I noticed on the bottom page number that there were multiple pages of blocks. 1234 but no arrow that just takes you automaticaly to the next page. It's a small thing but something I notice whenever I am turning pages on any site.

Also, you give a great explanation on your stabilized woods but the un-stabalized are not addressed. I would like to know how long they have air dried, what thier moisture content is, etc.. If I didn't know that cocobolo or African Blackwood didn't need stabilized, that would put me at ease to buy the wood unstabilized.

Anyway, great job on your site!
 
I visit your store frequently and like the way its laid out.I dont know how hard it is to do but it would be really convenient if you could have an enlarge feature like I have seen on E-bay.You just put your browser on it(dont have to click on it)and an enlarged pic comes up.
 
You guys are giving great advice. Thank You!

Some of the verbage cosmetic issues I will work on through the next few days as well as the meta tags and key words to optimize the site for the search engines. A lot of this stuff I already know, but sometimes things get overlooked and the input from you guys helps me to get back in focus.

The sections of the main website are currently in place sort of as an outline. I intend to come back to the different pages to add further information, photos and re-word some of my writing.

Please continue with the comments, constructive criticism and ideas. Sometimes you have to hit me with something more than once before they start to sink in.

OK, I am starting to ramble. I still have a gazillion pieces of wood to photograph and post in the store. By the way, if you hadn't noticed, my photos are getting but better but still don't look as good as the wood looks in person. Bear with me, I'm a slow learner.

Thanks again, Mark
 
I checked out your site and found it informative and easy to navigate. I myself don't find having the same item listed on other pages to be a problem. Glad to know about your site since I like to shop for handle material instead of trying to beat someone to it on a thread here. I have you bookmarked and see some blocks I would like cut into scales. I like my scales cut anywhere from approx. .200"-.270". I would like to know what your saw kerf is so I can decide what size to cut scales into. Thanks, Darrin.
 
darrin sanders said:
I checked out your site and found it informative and easy to navigate. I myself don't find having the same item listed on other pages to be a problem. Glad to know about your site since I like to shop for handle material instead of trying to beat someone to it on a thread here. I have you bookmarked and see some blocks I would like cut into scales. I like my scales cut anywhere from approx. .200"-.270". I would like to know what your saw kerf is so I can decide what size to cut scales into. Thanks, Darrin.
Click to expand...

My bandsaw is an old Grizzlie. I am probably losing more material than I should be but when I cut a 1 inch block I usually get 2 pieces just over 3/8" after I drumsand them to remove sawblade marks and correct any wandering that may have occurred when cutting. I figure a safe guess is that there will be a loss of up to 1/8" for each cut after sanding. I'll cut the scales for free but usually don't like to go much less than 1/4" thick.
 
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Mark, my comment was just that the fact that there was a page 2, 3 ect was easy to miss. the text was small where it was listed as "result pages" and if you did not have some web experiance you may not know that means there is more wood on the next page.
chris
 
Mark,

I've spent a good bit of time navigating the site and have no problems finding what I'm looking for.

My only critique is that the background is somewhat glaring (not unlike the white background here at bf.com) so I think a darker background might be easier on the eyes and maybe even allow the photos to come through better.

Dave
 
Just wanted to say you've got huge kahoonas to put yourself out there like this. My skin is too thin!

:)
 
Site needs more half nekked Puerto Rican dancing girls! :D


Seriously, I see no problems with the site; except for the fact that I can't afford more of your product. :)
 
I think it looks very nice. I don't mind the white background, personally. I do agree that your logo could move down a couple of pixels from the top. Have you tried it in all the browsers? I don't have them all on my laptop but I'll have a look at work tomorrow.

I usually like to test in Chrome, Firefox, Safari, and Opera, as well as Explorer of course. I'll take a look at it on a MacBook as well, --sometimes sites don't quite the same on OS/X.
 
tekapo said:
Just wanted to say you've got huge kahoonas to put yourself out there like this. My skin is too thin!
:)
Click to expand...

This is one of those things where I had to teach myself and learn as I go along. Everyone has been real helpful with their suggestions. Some of the changes will take a little while to implement. But between the bunch of us the site might turn out ok.

About the thin skin, When someone pushes my buttons I can type back a really mean reply, then delete it instead of posting it and I feel a lot better. My only problem is sometimes I forget to do the delete part. ;)

Mr. Bad Example said:
I think it looks very nice. I don't mind the white background, personally. I do agree that your logo could move down a couple of pixels from the top. Have you tried it in all the browsers? I don't have them all on my laptop but I'll have a look at work tomorrow.

I usually like to test in Chrome, Firefox, Safari, and Opera, as well as Explorer of course. I'll take a look at it on a MacBook as well, --sometimes sites don't quite the same on OS/X.
Click to expand...

The logo position is my mistake. I will be able to fix that pretty quickly.
 
Overall it looks good. couple of things. First I want to vote negative on the background color or photo suggestion. White backgrounds rule the web because they are easiest on the eyes.

I think the description need photos with them. But you are probably planning on that.

on the link at the top there are some words that should be capitalized "Types of Wood we sell" also the word "about" in a couple other links should be.

At the bottom of the main page you have 3 sentences that start with term in italics, those terms should be hyperlinks there so the person does not have to go to the top to find them.

the format on the store page with the links down the side rather then across the top is a more professional appearance ( a store template I assume) I would copy that as a for the whole site when you get caught up on other things.

Don't know if I need to buy more wood, but will take the discount code just in case!
 
BTW, you don't owe me anything for checking out your site. In fact, I think I might still owe you a couple bucks, from the last wood purchase. :confused:
 
After ordering direct from the web store for the first time (and registering as well) I'm really a fan of the way that whole process works. I registered rather than purchasing as a guest and it literally could not have been easier.

Thanks!
 
I luv the new look and the pictures are a lot better than before. I like it that you can clit on the picture and it blows up so you can really see what your buying. Been missing seeing your post on here I think I have been having withdraws or something good to see this post this evening thanks.
 
Hey Mark,

It's been a while since I checked out your site. It looks good. Here's some more feedback.

  • Yes, do center the pages, or at least make them all do the same thing. (I realize the store is another matter.)
  • I have no problem with the white background, but have definitely had issues with poorly executed dark ones or busy textured or imaged ones! If you want to try something different, maybe something like a light off-white ivory, cream, mint or peach might work?
  • Man you NEED an "About Us" Page. You refer to yourself in the first person, but the only place we can see a name for who that "I" is, is on the contact page. We should be able to meet you and your boss and the crazy folks at your crazy store. Remember this thread, It's a Burl - A photo tour of where I work?
  • GREAT about the free shipping! Ever thought about putting a link to your store on every one of your informational pages that might say something like, "Free shipping!" (maybe at the bottom where you contact info is.)
  • Good idea about the tutorial pages(s). You've already posted a lot of info on bladeforums you could use.
  • Nice touch welcoming me by name on the store home page!
  • You might want to make resolving the missing link(s) back to your main website pages a high priority. As a user, trying to back out of the store after browsing dozens of pages is a bummer for sure.
  • No prob about multiple listings (as long as I can't buy the same piece twice!) ;)
  • It might be nice to be able to access info about the wood varieties/species from the main pages for each wood in the store. I know you have a wood info page
    elsewhere. Perhaps it could be accessible from or repeated in the store?
  • Come to think of it, finish posting info about ALL of the woods you have listed. (Ya I know, you're working on it.)
  • Where's the stabilized palm? The hickory? What else ya got mate?!
  • Is the 25% discount on top of the existing red marked down prices?
Thanks for all you do man! I have enjoyed our association, your products, your tutorials, your humor, your marketing savvy, etc. Although we have never met in person, I have come to think of you, not only as a colleague, but as a friend. (Can you tell I still have Thanksgiving-itis running through my veins?!)

By the way, I'll take Danbo's gift coupon too! :D

All the best, Phil
 
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Nice website, Nice wood...I liked the layout and the ease of opening the larger images. The white background is no problem for me.

My only quibble is that it would be nice to have the scales sorted by species, stabilized or not, etc., like the blocks are.

You might spend a little more time explaining what makes a block or scales "master grade" because there are other blocks and scales shown on the website that did not make it to the "master grade" area that I think are just as worthy...based upon looking at the pictures anyway.

Anyway, good job, it's a nice user friendly website.
 
how do I get back to the main pages talking about burls and where they come,etc., once I go to the webstore? Did I overlook a link back? Once I was at the webstore, I had to use my browser's back one page or history to get back to the website, not the webstore.

I did like the looks of the site and the woods available...may just have to buy some!
 
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