disapointed with website

mugatea

mugatea

Jedi Master
Hi, I look after my uncle's website for his tailoring business and every few months update/revamp it. Anyway, I did what I thought was my best job yet but an important customer emailed him to say that the load time was 'crazy'.

Anyway, fair do's, it is slow to load especially if you don't have broadband. And the scenes may be slow too. I've posted on a site what they thought and quite a few didnt wait for it to load. What I wanted to do was make it calm and relaxing with soft music but it's been suggested that I've made it boring and too slow instead.

I can shrink file sizes for pics and remove stuff, but am after some ideas of how to make it less dull.

I'd be interested in hearing any ideas.

www.tailoratdrum.co.uk

Jamie
 
The original cass site was quite an experiment. I did it pretty much by myself, and it looked amateurish. It was. But gradually, I learned to do things and added music and moving images and so on. People began to complain. They didn't want an "experience," they wanted the bottom line and they wanted it to load as fast as possible.

So, I made changes. Got rid of all the fancy graphics and music. But I still wanted "atmosphere," so I had pages with black background and white text.

People didn't like that, either.

So, I switched to white backgrounds and an "almost black" text that was easy on the eyes. That seemed to be the ticket.

After a bit, my son and others took over web design. My son attended advertising and graphic arts school, so he had some idea of what to do and most of the website is based on this information: that basically you have only a few seconds to grab the reader's attention. If you page loads too slow, you've lost 'em. So, they work very hard on maximizing these potentials.

If I go to a page with all the fancy gimmicks, I generally just close it immediately.
 
lol, yeah I remember the black web page. I liked the black website, hope that's not a bad sign - it had character and I like character. But I know what you mean, Laura. I guess it's content that interests people and maybe I should try to put the website in the background and bring just the content to the viewers attention - not that there is much, mind!

Trying to be bold and removing triviality is actually quite hard.

PS, wanna buy a suit!?

J/K

cheers

Jamie
 
I just wanted to add that I guess the problem (for those that complained about the website) may have been that you personalized things. Maybe thats what I've done. But like personalized things, I appreciate it even if it is amateurish, cause a part of someone went into it, altho I guess it has its place.

Jamie

PS, I've been getting record hits for the website! yay!
 
For what it's worth, after the site stalled at 44% loading, for twenty seconds, I gave up and closed it. Ultimately, if a website is that slow, people will not stay. I also really don't like music on web sites, for some reason. I almost find it intrusive, but that could just be me. I think keeping it really simple is the way to go, fwiw.
 
People have said its hung their browser, its never done with me. Takes 18 secs to load on my pc - it's only 4 meg. Simple is my game plan!

ta'

Jamie
 
18 seconds is way too long. I waited about ten seconds until I hit the X. You gotta hit people with what you're selling ASAP.
 
Hi mugatea,

I am using Firefox and it loaded okay but very slow to load and I had to wait for quite sometime, almost a minute on an ADSL connection. Perhaps you need to design for the lowest denominator meaning that here, there are people who still use dial-up connection to log on to the web, so I can imagine that these people might not want to wait for the page to load since it would take too long. On the other hand, since you are catering for UK audience only, if most people in the UK have fast connections, that might be okay. I personally don't mind the music but if it slows down the load, I do tend to skip that page. FWIW
 
mugatea said:
I'd be interested in hearing any ideas.

Jamie
Click to expand...
Hi Jamie,

I think you may be better off moving to a xhtml/css implementation instead of flash (if possible). I will be easier to fine-tune any loading issues.
Even though I like the mood you are creating with the music and the animation, it is overwhelming and draws attention away from the content.

Also, the client gallery photos need to have more resolution. I found them to be too fuzzy and somewhat flat in color.

Hope this helps and let me know if you need any help with xhtml/css.

Best,
Dominique
 
I'm suprised by the amount of people that have told me they hit the X before it even loaded up. People are so impatient. It's like stopping half way thru opening a christmas present cause of the wrapping.

I'm glad you like the music, I may keep that but make it so the visitor has to switch it on should they want to. I'm gonna make it stream lined. The thing that gets to me is, its all about selling out, no longer pleasing yourself and instead pleasing an unforgiving faceless consumer. But on the other hand if them being pleased, pleases you, then that can be satisfying. Art is very selfish to be true, I think. I dont think it has much place here.

cheers

Jamie
 
Thanks Dominique

To be honest I'm happy with flash and a bit daunted about learning programming. Those pictures in the gallery were sent to me small, my uncle is an old man and just doesnt understand all this businness, so I enlarged them and that's the best I could do for the mo.

thanks, I may come back to you for help tho cause I havent decided exactly what I'm gonna do.

thanks

Jamie
 
Here’s my thoughts Jamie. Hope I don’t come across as too critical.

I usually ‘surf’ with my speakers switched off, I suppose I’m just not the type of person who needs entertainment when looking for a things to buy.
The fading in - fading out of the pictures, and of the various cloth pattern pictures seemed annoying, a big turn-off.
If I was looking to get a suit made up I would prefer to be looking at the cloths already made up and being modelled in static pictures, either by real people or mannequins.

Also, I thought the main bloke in the ‘client gallery’ section was a bit off-putting because he doesn’t smile at all, and if he was modelling £££ + coats and suits maybe he could have been a little more enthusiastic?
But I apologise in advance for that because I have a gut feeling that the grumpy looking bloke may be your uncle?

However, I've never paid more than 130 quid for a suit or 45 quid for a coat, and only really wear suits for weddings and funerals. So I've only ever bought one on the spur of the moment when I've tried to get into the old suit and found it has shrunk.
Why do suits do that??
 
Lol, yeah my uncle is terribly aware of himself when he takes his own pics. No need to apologise, we all laugh at how bad he takes. Altho I cant laugh to much, cause my own photos are even scarier! They will hopefully be replaced by customers in the future. Yip, the C's are contracted to fashion this autumns collection.

Yeah, I feel a great sense of clarity with all the great feedback I've had. Thanks. There's too much and I will prune it hard back.

"So I've only ever bought one on the spur of the moment when I've tried to get into the old suit and found it has shrunk.
Why do suits do that??"

Lol, I dunno, I've never worn a suit! Maybe it's old man fat!? j/k

Jamie
 
mugatea said:
Thanks Dominique

To be honest I'm happy with flash and a bit daunted about learning programming. Those pictures in the gallery were sent to me small, my uncle is an old man and just doesnt understand all this businness, so I enlarged them and that's the best I could do for the mo.
Click to expand...
Ok, in that case how about having a version 2 with all music and animation removed so you end up with navigation menu (just the meat and potatoes) and content (also no landing page in the beginning). That should trim things down significantly.

Best,
Dominique
 
mugatea said:
Lol, yeah my uncle is terribly aware of himself when he takes his own pics.
Click to expand...
AH, I just knew it was your uncle. :)
"So I've only ever bought one on the spur of the moment when I've tried to get into the old suit and found it has shrunk.
Why do suits do that??"

Lol, I dunno, I've never worn a suit! Maybe it's old man fat!? j/k
Click to expand...
The correct terminology is 'middle aged spread', although your suggestion fits my aches and pains better. :(
 
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