Green Background on website

[pfmflowermarket]

Do you think the green background and format of my website is better than my old format? If you got a chance to view my website before, you know what it looked like. Does this green background with less "white space" make it look better? I was very attracted to this green background. Really nature like and neutral in color. Had some time to work on the website today. Eating the elephant one bite at a time. Thanks guys!

 

[marigold]

Do you think the green background and format of my website is better than my old format? If you got a chance to view my website before, you know what it looked like. Does this green background with less "white space" make it look better? I was very attracted to this green background. Really nature like and neutral in color. Had some time to work on the website today. Eating the elephant one bite at a time. Thanks guys!

It looks FAR Better.
But, here is my 2 cent tip of the day.
Make the building photo go away. It a building . You want FLOWERS
on the home page.
And...loose the all-caps, underlines and explanation points.
It feels like you are shouting at the customer.
And....unless you are completely in love with the spinning rose......
it is a bit distracting ....
But, good start and nice to see that you are taking the advice given!

 

[Dorothy]

Sorry, I think the green is too dark and the site has an overall early '90s feel, when websites were built without the importance of the elements of design. The rose avatar was "cute" when gifs were new, but now? not so much. Dizzy-ing actually. I think simple, clean is the way to go. Looks more professional.

Just my 2 cents.

 

[BOSS]

Green text on a green back ground is hard to read...

I do wear bifocals

But dazeal wears granny panties!

 

[pfmflowermarket]

ahhhh *sighs* ok thanks guys!

 

[Tracy D'Amico]

I like the green, just not the deep dark green border. Unless you can add some color to that dark section somehow....

Agree you need *flowers* on the home page. Though the site is about you, the customer isn't interested in you - they're interested in flowers. Just like your physical location, if you grab them with color from the outside (homepage / building exterior) and hopefully they'll take some time & explore the inside (pages / inside your store).

Agree about the spinning graphics - distracting from what you're trying to sell. The design lesson is just because you *can* do something, doesn't mean you should.

keep at it!

 

[pfmflowermarket]

ok thanks...i'll see what I can do. I'm putting some paper work into good ol' quickbooks and then later on if i have some energy at home I'll play around with the website some more.

I appreciate you being honest and nice about your comments. Its not so much the message as it is the way some people say it. :bangles:

 

[twiggy]

a little tip about the descriptions on your best sellers.. maybe instead of one dozen red roses vased with greenery and filler... say something like:
Our classic one dozen roses features 12 extra long stem Freedom roses (or whatever you use) presented in a vase with seasonal accent flowers and greenery..sounds more expensive!

 

[pfmflowermarket]

ok very cool. Thank you Twiggy..Always looking for better wording. I call it making it sound "fluffy". Thanks for all the help.:headbang:

Twiggy do you mind if I use that wording?

 

[Victoria]

For me the site is word cluttered... and like above, lose the picture of the shop as it does nothing to enhance what you are trying to achieve.

The green is ok, but again, it just seems so busy.

Keep moving forward and chew that elephant slowly and methodically.

V

 

[LOTAKIDS]

Good job for tackling the website. I am with everyone... very busy, no flowers, lose the spining flower makes me dizzy, and green on green hard to read, but it's a starting point!! So you go girl and tweek it and make it more reader friendly.. you are on your way!!


Look who's talking with TF hosted site, I haven't ventured to the website land as of yet, tackling other things on my elephant!!

 

[theRKF]

What I'd suggest removing:
- patterned background on the content area
- move second column info (address, etc) to above or below the main content, it doesn't deserve it's own column and makes the user work too hard to find what they want - also makes the left nav icons nearly invisible
- lose the rose
- lose the borders
- lose the welcome graphic
- all the advice given above about the text is correct

Dorothy's right - it has a very antiquated feel. My honest suggestion is to head back to the drawing board - I don't know if this design is savable, and I'd hate for you to spend a lot of hours on it in vain.

Ryan

 

[hangglidegirl]

The changes are moving you in a positive direction. You will make lots of modifications, maybe some complete do-overs, before you settle into a version that makes you (mostly) happy.

You mentioned that you were going to fiddle with your website tonight if you had the energy. Instead, may I (respectfully) suggest that you take a total break from anything floral? Read a magazine (NOT a trade rag), take a walk, phone a family member to check in; heck, clean the cat box. Just do something that isn't floristry related. Let the mind clear - you might find that tomorrow will be more productive after a little "time off" from analyzing the job. This truly works for me and I respect my family and friends who remind me of it.:thumbsup

 

[JCT]

Much improvement over the first one.

 

[Joe Mioux]

Back when I was writing newsletters and laying them out. I always asked myself, what is the most important story, graphic, etc.

That is what we lead with for the feature or focal point of the front page.

I look at your buttons, on the left and I think you have your priorities out of sequence.

After your home button, what is the most important flower or occasion you sell?

If I were you, I would stick a flower button first, then sympathy, then weddings, something else.

the last two buttons I would highlight would be "our Blog" and Plush Animals.

Remember you are a flower shop first and you sell flowers, after that you sell flowers for occasions, after that the novelty stuff and after that you can yack with your blog.

I can see the value of blogs for certain subjects, but I still don't understand what makes some florists think that the consuming public will seek out florists blogs on a regular basis. We are not that interesting to the general public

Now, if you can gain some SEO benefit out of it via the bots or spyders or whatever the h.ll makes search engines look, then yea, but don't make that your lead button.

Joe

 

[pfmflowermarket]

Thanks Joe! I like the way you put that and reading it carefully and slowly you are right. It makes sense! Thank you. Eating away at the elephant that seems to be getting fatter and fatter the closer I look at it.

hahaha Thanks all of you guys!

 

[Dorothy]

Also, Melanie, I meant to say that it is admirable you're tackling this project. Keep up the good work!

 

[pfmflowermarket]

I feel like I'm trying to eat a table load worth of Thanksgiving food. I look to my left and there is mashed potatoes and stuffing....yum yum...then i glance over at my right and there is turkey and rolls...ohhh more yum yum but then I start to look at the rest of the table and feel oh my god what have I gotten myself into. But like the little engine that could....I think I can I think I can..I will not give up. I thank you all so much for all of your comments. Just because I might not get to writing you back personally or right away doesn't mean I didn't read your thoughts. I try to just hit the thank you button to know that I've read it and thank you for taking the time to post something.

 

[Queen of Weddings]

I agree with what everyone said, on this, but also you have way to much information on the front page, and also get rid of the pic of your shop on the front page, also check your pricing on that front page as well, also someone on her offered to help you with your site, for nothing, I would take them up on it, also it doesn't really matter, but the conversion is the most important thing, also way to much to read,

 

[MFT]

Good ideas

Melanie, I agree to remove the rose gif first! and Get Floral pics on the first page! these two things are more important because you want people to see what you sell first, and that you have modern taste (gif is 5 years ago) You are on a great path....keep walking...The emerald City is in your sites....Call me sometime, I'd love to talk. www.MFTDesignStudio.com
Chris,
Your Fellow Coby buddy.