Tarot Card Store

[Snarf?]

This is my first store. I've revised the design three times I think. The first design I used a template with flash in the header with dancing cards and all that crap. Then my site broke and I pretty much swore never to use osCommerce again. In the end I discovered that if I really wanted the design flexibility I craved I'd have to suck it up either with OSC or some other platform and LEARN. Maybe I'll hate OSC again but right now I love it.

 

bmcewan (Barry) helped me set up the thumbnail viewer I use for the cards. He's also the PHP designer for www.golcarhouse.com He's also helping me work out the final kinks:

1. Clicking "next" on a page with more than twenty products sends you back to index.php

2. The site only appears properly in FF. IE does not recognize the background images I have in my stylesheet.

 

I'm currently transitioning to Comodo SSL so a popup might arise here and there.

 

I'm shooting to open May 9th.

 

http://www.alltarotproducts.com

 

I'm looking for whatever feedback I can get, specifically I'd like to know about any issues that arise when viewing my site with different browsers, resolutions, modem speeds, etc.

 

PS: If anyone knows how to get googlecheckout and Fast Easy Checkout to work together let me know please.

[Snarf?]

I've pretty much fixed the problem with my stylesheet and IE. The next page problem continues to bug me though.

[cmakynen]

I've pretty much fixed the problem with my stylesheet and IE. The next page problem continues to bug me though.

Beautiful graphics - I really like the look of this site.

The graphics are a bit slow loading for me - I'm on a pretty slow DSL link, IE6.

Design-wise - the only thing I don't like on the product pages (and this is somethign I should change on my own) is the Model Number displayed - its not really necessary for the customers, but more importantly it kind of jumps out at you because its on a light background. Probably could kill that!

You ahve a few missing graphics on the jewelry pages, and some of the images there look a little scrunched; also an auto thumbnailer would work well for pages where you list multiple products (not the "product_info" page; the full category type pages)

On your "next page" problem - you have tha tproblem not only when you click "next" but if you click on any of those next page numbers. I don't know exactly which php page is generating that list of pages (maybe product_info) BUT the linkage in it is currently pointing to index.php and needs to be whatever the url of the page is.

 

But I'll tell you what - this is about the nicest looking, complete sites I've seen here. Your policies are complete, the main page is easy and intuitive. Very nice work!

[Snarf?]

Thanks for the feedback!

 

 

I'm definitely getting rid of the model numbers, thanks for pointing that out. The backgrounds on product_info.php will be light because I haven't completely fixed the stylesheet problem. The next page problem is a bit tricky, I thought it was related to seo urls but none of the fixes I've found work. I'm going to fix the thumbnails too. Some of the fonts need to be changed as well. I never had a complete idea of what I wanted this site to look like. The logo, for example, is accidental-I started off with a cartoon sun as a logo. Mostly I look at other sites and imitate the things I like. Clubosc's top 100 was a good place to look. Plus with my product line I can put ads in the national enquirer.

[♥Vger]

There's a lot that's good about the site, but a few drawbacks too.

 

You have SEO URL's and SSL (good), but you still need to install cDynamic Meta Tags.

 

I'd also recommend that you install the Lightbox contrib for your images (great effect). There is an issue with quality of some images and distortion of others.

 

Your site is a bit lacking on selection of tarot packs - no Celtic ones for instance, and they make up the majority of Tarot decks.

 

I'd drop the Crowley ones - that man was deeply into the "Dark Side Of The Force" and even believed in eating his own s**t. He was definitely not someone you'd want to meet on a dark night!

 

Vger

[Snarf?]

There's a lot that's good about the site, but a few drawbacks too.

 

You have SEO URL's and SSL (good), but you still need to install cDynamic Meta Tags.

 

I'd also recommend that you install the Lightbox contrib for your images (great effect). There is an issue with quality of some images and distortion of others.

 

Your site is a bit lacking on selection of tarot packs - no Celtic ones for instance, and they make up the majority of Tarot decks.

 

I'd drop the Crowley ones - that man was deeply into the "Dark Side Of The Force" and even believed in eating his own s**t. He was definitely not someone you'd want to meet on a dark night!

 

Vger

 

 

I've never heard of cDynamic Meta Tags.... thanks for bringing that to my attention.

 

Images:

I like the way the tarot card images are set up with the thumbnail viewer but a lightbox contribution might be best for the jewelry and tarot box products. I know ultra pics has a lightbox addition but I've never been able to get it to work (it always opens in a new page).

 

Yes my selection is low. There are more than a thousand different kinds of tarot decks out there. I have celtic tarot decks (type celtic tarot or celtic dragon in quick search) but not enough. Perhaps I will give those decks their own category. I'm shooting for having a stock of over 500 decks with a large selection of collectible decks. I've even considered adding an auction where people can trade their ritual products (an authentic underground auction for hardcore magic types). I guess I'll never live up to my domain name though.

 

Thoth tarot decks sell really well on my other platform. He was a controversial man who may have been full of s**t without having to consume any. Perhaps therein lies his magic.

[♥Vger]

He was a controversial man who may have been full of s**t without having to consume any

 

If my memory serves me well he died from an infection caused by eating his own s**t. He certainly followed the "left hand path" and was a Satanist.

 

I see no good in that at all.

 

Vger

[Snarf?]

I'm sure this has been posted elsewhere but I've found a great tool for reducing load times for pages: http://www.websiteoptimization.com/service...lyze/index.html

 

You can see what parts of your site are slowing you down. I've already gone from a 200 second load time on a 56k modem to a 37 second load time (hopefully I can reduce that to less than 10 seconds).

[mrjd1410]

I'm sure this has been posted elsewhere but I've found a great tool for reducing load times for pages: http://www.websiteoptimization.com/service...lyze/index.html

 

You can see what parts of your site are slowing you down. I've already gone from a 200 second load time on a 56k modem to a 37 second load time (hopefully I can reduce that to less than 10 seconds).

Just a thought the next page problem could be coming from (seo urls version E) I personally changed back to version D tried and trusted.

As regards thoth and crowley when you reach that stage good and bad cease to exist what thou wilt shall be the whole of the law at this level it depends on what perspective you see what is negative for one can be positive for many and reverse good and bad have no meaning there is only the karma to think about cause and effect.

[Snarf?]

Just a thought the next page problem could be coming from (seo urls version E) I personally changed back to version D tried and trusted.

 

Fixed the next page problem. It was related to product_listing_col.php

Fixed the ssl problem.

 

Added way2ship and usps shipping modules. Integrated Google Checkout (it works now). Submitted ads to facebook, google, and later on today Yahoo.

 

Now that the store is officially open take a look at tell me what you don't like and like about it.

[AlwaysNewbie]

I like how your site looks and feels.

Nice job.

I guess you used contribution for making order with no purchase in a row of others. Was it PWA contribution?

I looking for contribution like that, but still didn't decide which one to choose.

 

Want to ask you a question: I noticed you have an icon in the address bar of browser. I tried to make mine work and some how it doesn't. I uploaded favicon.ico to the site, tried to write additional code and it still doesn't work. It works only if I enter http://mydomain.com, but not if i go to http://www.domain.com. Can you (or anybody) tell me how you made your favicon work?

 

Mike

[Snarf?]

The more I work on my site the more I think "this needs more work".

 

I use FEC (Fast easy checkout).

 

Favicon:

I placed it in my header just below <link rel="stylesheet bla bla >

<link rel="shortcut icon" href="images/favicon.ico" >

[AlwaysNewbie]

The more I work on my site the more I think "this needs more work".

 

I use FEC (Fast easy checkout).

 

Favicon:

I placed it in my header just below <link rel="stylesheet bla bla >

<link rel="shortcut icon" href="images/favicon.ico" >

 

That's true. It can't be finished. :)

 

I tried to place <link rel="shortcut icon" href="images/favicon.ico" >

under line you said, but it doesn't work for me (I found that line not in a header but in index.php).

 

Thank you.

Best wishes with your site!

[Snarf?]

Sales are increasing.

 

Words of encouragement:

 

If a broke college student with no car and no home computer can do it so can you.

 

I highly recommend integrating googlecheckout especially if you are using adwords. No processing fee (w/adwords volume at a certain level) and you get the googlecheckout logo in your ad which draws attention.

[AlwaysNewbie]

Sales are increasing.

 

Words of encouragement:

 

If a broke college student with no car and no home computer can do it so can you.

 

I highly recommend integrating googlecheckout especially if you are using adwords. No processing fee (w/adwords volume at a certain level) and you get the googlecheckout logo in your ad which draws attention.

 

Snarf?,

thank you for all your info.

This is actually most valuable things I'm looking on a forum.

I just started to install store and some addons.

It so hard to figure out what to do first.

I installed STS, HTC SEO, PWA. Now I try to install Google analytics and then Supertracks... Too many good addons :)

Didn't even touched colors and style yet. Huge work ahead, but it's interesting. 24 hours a day looks not enough.

I didn't even have reliable drop shippers yet, and that is a whole different story... kinda scary.

I should start to look dropshippers.

Thank you for advice again, I really appreciate it.

[Snarf?]

Snarf?,

thank you for all your info.

This is actually most valuable things I'm looking on a forum.

I just started to install store and some addons.

It so hard to figure out what to do first.

I installed STS, HTC SEO, PWA. Now I try to install Google analytics and then Supertracks... Too many good addons :)

Didn't even touched colors and style yet. Huge work ahead, but it's interesting. 24 hours a day looks not enough.

I didn't even have reliable drop shippers yet, and that is a whole different story... kinda scary.

I should start to look dropshippers.

Thank you for advice again, I really appreciate it.

 

Try this site: http://www.oscommerce-template-easy.com/os...als-center.html for some great video tutorials on most aspects of oscommerce design.

 

Never heard of Supertracks, I'll check it out.

 

Be very very careful with dropshippers. If they do not ask for your federal tax EIN then they are middle men. Even if they do ask, they could still be middle men. My first and biggest investment in my business was purchasing an online list of reputable dropshippers from a big shot product sourcing company. It cost a lot but at least I knew I was getting real wholesale prices. Looking back, that was an unnecessary expense. Look at the manufacturer website for your widgets and try to find a page that lists their distributers. If the distributers have a website see if they have a dropshipping policy. If it isn't displayed, email them and ask.

 

Dropshipping is awesome because it gets your foot in the door.

 

Dropshipping sucks because you tend to pay much higher shipping fees and higher prices than if you were to create a relationship with the manufacturer and order direct. You should know the minimum order for a wholesale purchase for your product if you were to buy it directly. Mine is $100. I'd have to spend three times that to get a comparable discount from my dropshipper and they charge me $8.00 to ship each order.

[AlwaysNewbie]

Snarf?,

thank you again for priceless info. It always better to learn of others experience :)

 

If you don't mind I'll put you in my "buddy" list and probably ask you later some questions. :lol: I'll try to not bother you too much :lol: :lol: :lol:

Thanks again.

[gamesxs]

Hey Joshua

 

Thanks for the advice with my site, much appreciated. Will make some changes.

 

Like your site and had some ideas on code regarding the next button but see that its all sorted.

 

One thing, if I click on the top left image the alt says Home but it takes me to your contact page.

 

Thanks mate, Gary

[kerino]

PS: If anyone knows how to get googlecheckout and Fast Easy Checkout to work together let me know please.

 

Just wondering if this was ever sorted for you, and if so, if you could share the fix - I'm an absolute noob and I'm tearing my hair out trying to make it work!