www.cherokeesoap.com

[Tariq]

This is the first site I have ever done with OSC, and my first foray into the world of PHP, SQL CSS and all that jazz :)

 

Be Gentle, as I spent many an hour banging my head against a wall and still am bruised ::grin::, but all in all I think it was definately a learning experience.

 

Many things I still have on the site for my client, others have commented on, though I do not know how to get rid of most of it, or the like.

 

There are still things I would like to do to make it even more aesthetically pleasing, and even possibly more functional, though things could ALWAYS be better :)

 

oh, lol, if you want to look ONLY at the cart, it is

 

www.cherokeesoap.com/osCommerce

 

If you do see something that could use some tweaking, or altering, please be so kind to tell me HOW to do it? :):

 

Thanks!!

[Tariq]

ugh

is it that bad??

[Guest]

You're off to a decent start, just needs alittle work. Some of the things I would do:

 

1. Get rid of that background, maybe replace with a solid color.

2. Design a better, smaller logo. (Don't use it as a header)

3. I noticed this on the site:

 

Pricing is $6.00 per bar, however, you can receive a quantity discount and receive a FREE Bar when you order 6! Simply Mail Us your preference for the free bar along with your name and address so that we may add it into your order.

 

You could use that to your advantage alot more by advertising it. Also, I'm sure you can configure your cart to automaticly add their free bar after 6 have been purchased.

 

4. Since you only have two categories, you should keep your sub-category lists extended.

 

5. I noticed http://cherokeesoap.com/ is just a 'splash' page. I wouldn't use this, you might lose potential customers before they even enter your store. I would take cherokeesoap.com directly to your store. You can add links to all that 'extra' information right in the catalog.

 

6. Get rid of some infoboxes on the right side. You can ditch the 'We Accept' box, and just add images to the footer, reviews, and maybe move your 'information' box to the left or create a nice header with those links.

 

7. Add some products to your main page, maybe some 'featured items' just so the customer doesn't have to dig through a ton of categories just to see an item.

 

Hope this helps. Need any help just shoot a pm.

 

-Dave

[CentralMass]

I would like to see you get the white out of the paypal verified logo, it should be more transparent, the white doens't seem to go well with the site colors.

[dictatorelite]

I don't know anything about OS commerce because I haven't installed it yet, but I did look at your site. Just one comment on the first splash page it is hard to find the links to your main site. I almost cancelled out because I couldn't find the links to go on fast enough. Maybe make the top graphic just one big link

[Guest]

Hi Tariq,

 

Let me try and tell you my impressions. As you know, I'm no expert, but I've been learning as I go:

 

- You have a horizontal scroll bar at 800x600 due to the large logo/header

- I can't comment on color, since I'm really bad in that area.

- I would take off the bestsellers list. As someone said, when a visitor gets to your site, s/he already know what s/he is looking for.

- Same goes for reviews. Few people bother

- The information links, I would put in the bar where you have the date and visits. And eliminate date and visits. People now what date it is and don't care how many visits you have.

 

That's what I think. Hope it helps.

[Tariq]

okies guys

answering each as they came :)

 

lessliquidation

1. Get rid of that background, maybe replace with a solid color.

I had it with a solid color before, and frankly myself and my client thought it looked a little too "flat" for what she wanted the site to convey. She loves the look of it now, and I don;t wanna piss off the Boss :)

 

2. Design a better, smaller logo. (Don't use it as a header)

Better as in Appearance, or only with Size?

Doesnt the site look more inviting with a Header, or do you mean something completely different? I have a smaller one around here somewhere, but it did not look right with the smaller size on it :< How do you guys get the type of near... "Fade" from the side of the image into the rest of the header?

I am going to talk to my client and see if she wants to use the image she had before for her company instead, or see if I can incorporate it into what I made, and then shrink it somehow...

 

You could use that to your advantage alot more by advertising it. Also, I'm sure you can configure your cart to automaticly add their free bar after 6 have been purchased.

Ok, how do I do that?? Adding it to their order automatically I mean? And advertising how? you mean with the Meta tags?

 

4. Since you only have two categories, you should keep your sub-category lists extended.

Again, how?

Ya fergot to tell me how to do these things :<

 

5. I noticed http://cherokeesoap.com/ is just a 'splash' page. I wouldn't use this, you might lose potential customers before they even enter your store. I would take cherokeesoap.com directly to your store. You can add links to all that 'extra' information right in the catalog.

I changed the first splash page out and added the graphic to the bottom of the main page. I had gotten another comment on that as well so it has been altered :)

The layout of the page itself, I would have to talk to my client about. She loves the site the way it is organized right now, and honestly, when I go to someone's site personally, and it takes me straight to the buying part, it almost offends me. Its like, Give me the CHOICE to see if I like the rest of your stuff first, before I look at buying something, if you know what I mean. Thats a personal gripe tho, so I will definately have to leave that up to my client wholly. Sides, I am not sure how to go about doing that anyway LOL!!

 

6. Get rid of some infoboxes on the right side. You can ditch the 'We Accept' box, and just add images to the footer, reviews, and maybe move your 'information' box to the left or create a nice header with those links.

I edited them around, and added the images to the footer. Looks cleaner now..Thanks!!

 

7. Add some products to your main page, maybe some 'featured items' just so the customer doesn't have to dig through a ton of categories just to see an item.

I had changed the "New Products" settings to only display for like 10 days because it kept ALL the candles, since I entered them all on the same day or so, on the front page. How do I make a featured products area? Would that be a Contrib?

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~`

 

 

CentralMass

 

I would like to see you get the white out of the paypal verified logo, it should be more transparent, the white doens't seem to go well with the site colors.

Done. I realized AFTER adding that, that it was not MEANT to look that way :) Its been transparented out, though I could not get the edges to look a whole lot better than they do now, it looks a lot cleaner without the white edges.

 

Thanks :)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

dictatorelite

 

I don't know anything about OS commerce because I haven't installed it yet, but I did look at your site. Just one comment on the first splash page it is hard to find the links to your main site. I almost cancelled out because I couldn't find the links to go on fast enough. Maybe make the top graphic just one big link

 

Already taken care of. Thank you as well for the comment tho!!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

Nugar

 

- You have a horizontal scroll bar at 800x600 due to the large logo/header

I am trying to address that. I made the image as big as I did because anything smaller just looked really... funky for lack of a better word ;/

Trying to see what I can do about that.

Maybe a Center Shop contrib?

 

- I can't comment on color, since I'm really bad in that area.

Lol, as long as it looks ok??

 

- I would take off the bestsellers list. As someone said, when a visitor gets to your site, s/he already know what s/he is looking for.

Actually, not really. Customers, myself included, get different ones almost every time they shop with my client in person, just because everything DOES smell and feel so wonderful on your skin. Someone may get one kind this time, and the next time, want to see what everyone else likes. I will see what my Client says, but I do know she likes to see that there, because it shows what are the most popular ones, as it is intended to do. ::makes note of another thing to ask Michelle::

 

- Same goes for reviews. Few people bother

I have seen mixed opinions on that. Some sites I have been to LOVE the reviews option, and others dont have it at all. Seeing what other "normal" people say about something helps ME make a more informed opinion sometimes, but again, this is another call for my Client to make :)

 

- The information links, I would put in the bar where you have the date and visits. And eliminate date and visits. People now what date it is and don't care how many visits you have.

I kinda like the date, but that is a good point. If someone doesnt know what the date is, hover over your time on the computer screen? hehhe

AS far as adding in the links for the info, do I just take the references in the infobox and put them in the footer.php where the time and such is right now instead, exactly as they are written in the info.php box? Is that how I would do that???

 

Thanks!!!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

And thanks again to everyone who has posted so far. Please let me know if there is anything else

 

Oh, and HOW to do these things too :):)

[Dragonmom]

I don't like your buttons :)

go visit my site, www.dragonmother.com/dragoncave

if you like mine, I'll be happy to send them to you.

Once in a while I see a site that might be able to use them!

Yet another box you might want to remove would be the updates box. What kind of updateing would there be?

I WISH i could re-configure the updates box to cover categories. I'll figure it out.

[Tariq]

Dragonmom[\b]

 

Hrm

those are nice buttons, but they seem a little cramped? Or is it just my eyes? LOL

 

sure! send them on over. Ill see about what I can do :) Maybe edit the colors a little to make them match even more if you dont mind?

Pmd ya.. :):)

 

Honestly, I didnt much like the way the buttons came out either, and was going to mess with the aesthetics a little more after I got all the stuff working right :)

 

I have an Updates Box tho?? or do you mean the new products being added on the front screen when they are??

 

Little confused..

[Tariq]

Dragonmom

 

Hrm

those are nice buttons, but they seem a little cramped? Or is it just my eyes? LOL

 

sure! send them on over. Ill see about what I can do :) Maybe edit the colors a little to make them match even more if you dont mind?

Pmd ya.. :):)

 

Honestly, I didnt much like the way the buttons came out either, and was going to mess with the aesthetics a little more after I got all the stuff working right :)

 

I have an Updates Box tho?? or do you mean the new products being added on the front screen when they are??

 

Little confused..

[Dragonmom]

I know what you mean about my bottons being cramped- maybe I'll remake them.

The updates box is showing up on products_info.php, in the right column

 

pm me again, i don't see your message! I also could swear I posted in the simple-templates thread today and I don't see that either- so who knows

[Tariq]

ok Dragonmom

this is gonna make me nuts

I have a

Login

Shopping Cart

notifications

and Tell a Friend

 

on my product info???

 

where is the updates coming from??

uuuuuuuuuuuuuuuugh....

[Guest]

I'm getting the following error messsage when i go to your e-commerce site at he present time:

 

 

" . tep_image_submit('button_login.gif', IMAGE_BUTTON_LOGIN, 'SSL') . " if (tep_session_is_registered('customer_id')) { array('align' => 'left', 'text' => '' . LOGIN_BOX_MY_ACCOUNT . '

' . '' . LOGIN_BOX_ACCOUNT_EDIT . '

' . '' . LOGIN_BOX_ADDRESS_BOOK . '

' . '' . LOGIN_BOX_ACCOUNT_HISTORY . '

' . '' . LOGIN_BOX_PRODUCT_NOTIFICATIONS . '

' . '' . HEADER_TITLE_LOGOFF . '' ); } ?>

 

Otherwise looks good.

[radders]

- I would take off the bestsellers list. As someone said, when a visitor gets to your site, s/he already know what s/he is looking for.

I thought of dong that on my site too , then I noticed that Google seemed to like the bestsellers list so I left it there. I agree about it being not so important for customers.

[Tariq]

Aaramlias

 

you must have come in while I have been trying to change something.

 

Its making me freaking bananas :(

 

I play with it for a few, and reload my working copy again and again

::sigh::

 

 

radders

 

lol, good for Google, not good for custimers? Isn't that kinda the point of Google, to Bring more customers? ;)

 

Seriously tho, I like seeing what others like the most. It helps me look at something new, if what "I" like, is different than the things that others do.

[radders]

Loaded in 2 seconds this time! Blindingly fast :)

[Tariq]

Thankee! :)

 

I am still playing and messing around with things on it.

 

Got the Links from the Info box into the footer, and got the Search actually into the header Bar. Way proud of yself for those two amazing feats!! :rolleyes:

 

Anyway

still trying to get the Login, AND the Accont Box after the cutsomer IS logged in, into the header, into that dead space that is now there on the right since I shrank the header image, and it is making me actolutely insane@@!

 

Anyone have any idea just WHAT needs to go in there from the loginbox?????

 

OR, if I can take OUT the Header for the infobox that says, Log IN, or Information, or Cart, blahblah, and just have the BOX only there???

 

I think I saw something once about taking off the box title, but I cant find it again :(

Damn power keeps dying on me when I have 14 pages loaded of stuff that Im looking through.

 

Thank the Gods I learned to save after each change ;/

 

Backups are so very good too lol

 

anyway, any ideas??

[Tariq]

ooook

ANY Ideas why the heck my footer wont show right in IE??????

[Tariq]

::smaks self in head: Im such a doof lol

I found that i had mistyped a bracket calling it a ', AND missed a </td>

 

LOL

 

it works now on both

[Yikes!]

Just looked at your site.....hmmm you seem pretty vocal on other submissions...as the saying goes....don't throw rocks if you live in a glass house.

 

just my $.02

[Tariq]

I understand that opinion, Yikes, and appreciate the candor, though, you failed to see something I had posted numerous times.

 

I am more visual and of a design side, than anything approaching a Programmer. I did good to GET OSC in, much less do any mods on it whatsoever. No PHP, CSS, SQL or any experience outside of HTML, and I think I did an OK, not Great mind you, an OK job on the site I did. As far as the OSC side is concerned at any rate. I am proud of what I have been able to accomplish to date, though know I can ALWAYS make it better.

 

If you have any opinions, please make them known, not just make comments as to what I have been able to accomplish, and will continue to work on nearly daily until it reaches the point that "I" am satisfied with it. I welcome, and look at every possibility and whether it would truly be an improvement, though, if I do not know HOW to do it, I will ask, or look until I find information on it to help me do so. That is the entire purpose behind asking FOR opinions. Make it, and let the person decide if it is something they would be bettered by, and the reason for posting "Please Look at my site" threads in the first place.

 

As I said in this very thread as well. If you see something that needs improving, please let me know, though please be so kind as to tell me HOW to do it.

 

Thank you :)

[Guest]

Just looked at your site.....hmmm you seem pretty vocal on other submissions...as the saying goes....don't throw rocks if you live in a glass house.

 

just my $.02

Not sure where that comment came from Yikes, but a bit of an unprovoked attack IMO.

 

Tariq has been vocal in many other threads, but certainly not in a bad way. In fact most of her comments have been very encouraging for others, so unless you have some constructive criticism about the site then you can keep your $0.02.

[Tariq]

okies guys...

 

Im back again after a long hiatus, and still trying to figure out how the heck to get the dang login into the header to the right of the banner....

 

Any ideas?

[Guest]

Hi Tariq,

 

Lov the site great on the visuals .......... to log in and keep the SID's you need to tep it in. <a href="' . tep_href_link(FILENAME_LOGIN) . '">Log In</a>

 

Regards

PhilipH

[Guest]

Just a quickie to that,

 

After a coule of scoops the brain is fuzzy .......... it Friday after all ...

 

I don't think you are refering to the log In at the top of the box in stead you are refering to the sign-in button within the box.. you must create a form and then have your button enclosed within the following format :

 

<td align="right"><?php echo tep_image_submit('button_login.gif', IMAGE_BUTTON_LOGIN); ?></td>

 

Regards

PhilipH