Baize LTD's New VirtueMart/Joolma Site

[JazzyJust]

Hi,

Would it be possible to some feedback on my website - www.baizeltd.com

This is the first time I'd used VirtueMart or Joolma, so it's a massive learning curve for me coming from OsCommerce and ZenCart.

I've incorportated the following: -

Google Analytics Tracking Module for VirtueMart
VirtueMart LuckyPhoto Module
sh404SEF
Hot Products

I'm now trying to incorporate the mosproductsnap component to the site so I can have product on the homepage, I know it needs to have JCE install but I installed that to another site I'm involved with it messed all the page links up so I don't want to risk doing that to my main site.

Thanks in advance for any feedback either good or bad.

[kessels1234]

Hi,

Your site look goo and very promissing. A couple of things (you wanted feedback)
- Try to give your site a more personal look. It is now too obvious that this is the elemental template by joomlashack (i think). A lot of people are going to make use of it and your site looks the same as hundred other websites. Only different content.  I hope you know what I mean.

- I've tried many websites at the time I was watching your website so it isn't my inetrnetconnection speed. Your site is terribly slow

- Change the look of your add-to-cart.gif. At the moment it doesn't fit with the rest of the colors on your website. Have a look at http://www.getelastic.com/add-to-cart-buttons/

- In the categories I'd suggest to use images to represent the links and make it more attractive to your shopper.

I did not look very long at your website so I haven't seen all but this is what I saw immediatly. I hope you agree with me and see my comment as positive constructive feedback.

Good Luck
Danny

[Kevin]

I have to agree with Danny.
The site looks good but it is painfully slow.  If I were a searching for a product to buy, I have to regret I would have moved on to another site.  It's unfortunate but people hate to wait.

[JazzyJust]

Thanks Dan and Kevin for your feedback.

I'm looking at new hosting for the site.

Dan, glad you like the look of the site and think it's promising.

I understand what you mean about the site not being individual enough, going to look at the add to cart buttons.

What I got confused about was this - In the categories I'd suggest to use images to represent the links and make it more attractive to your shopper.

Please could you explain this a bit more.

[kessels1234]

Hi Justin,

When you click in the left menu on a category you go to the sub-categories. The subcategories are (now) displayed as links without an image(most of them). Add an image to all the subcategories to make it more attractive. Make tham allso a bit bigger. You have to seduce your customer and a picture says more than a thousand words.

Danny

[JazzyJust]

I've look into it and get it sorted.

Can you have a look at the speed of the site now please.

[Kevin]

Speed test results:

URL:  http://www.baizeltd.com
Measured Speed    (using 10 mbps T3 connection):    10.94 sec

Compare with other sites:

Samples from our benchmarks, showing average speed (in sec) for the last 12 months:
google.com    arin.net    apple.com    microsoft.com    fedex.com    usps.gov    cnn.com    
0.6                  0.7            1.1                  1.2                2.3               2.9            4.4    
You can test yourself by going here or a number of websites that test your speed for free.
http://www.vertain.com/m.q?req=cstr&reqid=d9.7Anm8

[JazzyJust]

That is quicker then what it was before though, isn't it?

[Kevin]

Honestly I cannot tell if it is faster.  "If your page is slower than 3-4 sec (in the above test), you should be concerned! The page will load in about 20-60 sec on DSL or dial-up connection, longer than the average user is likely to wait."