[robinmce]

Hi Amrita. How about a currency converter...or link to one... so we can figure out pricing!!
The site does look very nice!!
Robin

[Amrita]

Thank you so much for your responses, kind souls!
Pearlescence: the website does have pearl sizes and strand lengths, but maybe they are not prominent enough..? Anyway, have noted this down as well.
Sueki: Thanks for your wise counsel - will try to be more patient!
Robin: A currency converter is a great idea - have added this to my notes. Thanks for the compliment!

[Mervione]

For how long have you had this page up? Wish you much luck!

[Amrita]

Thanks for the good wishes, Mervione! This website went online in April 2008 - so about 2 months now.

[jshepherd]

The site is targeting primarily a beading wholesale market, right? That is what jumps out at me and I think you should point that out right on your homepage. It is a very specific demographic that is searching for a specific product. A browser might not know that until they dig deeper, but you may have already lost that chance if you do not immediately show what the site is all about.

There are some simple changes that could help you out a bit without getting into too much detail.

1. It appears as though the template you are using takes your pages names and automatically creates matching title tags. If you have control over the title tags, change them to use more descriptive keywords and make sure you have those words repeated throughout the text and in your H1 tags.

2. Your logo should always return the home page. It should be linkable in any template. It is a standard best practice and nearly everyone visiting your site will be surprised (on some level) when it does not work as it should. It creates an element of distrust.

3. Your primary category pages have your hyphenated name as a title tag. This means you have no keywords as the only important one "pearls" is a hyphenated version. Change the tag to match the category. Use more (that match keywords in the text) if possible.

- The primary category pages have no text. Add a block above and below describing the page. Do the same under each picture.
- None of the photos have ALT tags. You should have the ability to add those with any template design. Make sure the surrounding text has those same words. The text for the ALT tags should tie in with the page title and the page theme (the targeted keywords).

4. Remove the register button from the top of every page. This should be an option during checkout, not appear to be a requirement to shop or browse. The icons aside the top buttons are very "old school". If you have the ability to replace or remove them you should. The screen next to "register" does not carry the same meaning it did seven or eight years ago.

5. Your primary focus is Pearl by Size. Maybe you should switch that with the color, or at least have a way of showing the differences. You also might want to change "pearl" to "pearls" in each one. It fits better and it is a much more powerful keyword as it eliminates competition associated with terms such as "Pearl Harbor" and "Daniel Pearl".

6. Pearls by kilo is cool for wholesale. But most people do not know how many strands are in a kilo. You should add this.
Also, the number of strands is important in determining what you are selling. For example, if a kilo of your 7-8 mm is 34 strands, this would tell me that it is market size and not actual. If it is 32, that would show that it is true size.

7. When you consider adopting 3rd party features such as Hacker Safe, go with more recognizable ones like BBB. Hackersafe is way too much money and is only important for high-volume, high-value transactions. It is too much money to spend in the beginning as the cost does not equal the benefit. Since it is the only one you have at the moment (and you paid for it), move it to the top. You have no other "credibility" tags above the fold.

8. The best text is on your detail pages. But you have static URLs which are very indexable by the search engines. But the pages are deeper in the site. Concentrate more text on the earlier pages. I imagine it is easiest with your software to edit WYSIWYG on the detail pages, but it should be possible... no, it must be possible on your category pages.

9. Add a footer. There are things that should be there as "best practices". Many browsers will land on a single page of the site and simply scroll to see who you are. There is no answer on every page.

Most of these suggestions relate to your site getting found online. That is, of course, the first step to having an online business.

[jshepherd]

PS
I know you have spent a lot of time of the shipping page, but devise an average and make it standard. Online consumers scan, they do not read (except for the members here ). There is no way you are going to be able to easily communicate shipping charges based on your breakdown. This is very important, especially when you are shipping internationally as a rule not an exception. Choose a rate and price your product against your cost accordingly.

[Amrita]

Thanks Jeremy for the detailed suggestions and for your thoughtful response! I definitely need time to digest the gems in your excellent post(s)....Sincere thanks! I will be discussing these and suggestions by other members with the website company that helped set this site up, and hopefully have them incorporated soon...on my return from India...I cannot pretend that I understand all of what you have said , but I do get some of it !
Thank you, thank you, thank you
Best wishes,

[jerin]

Sueki,

I like the clean look and very informative style with the lovely photos of your site - very good job!

[jerin]

Hi Amrita,

much as I think it is of the greatest value for your business, I feel sorry for You as Jeremy picked out sooo many things that should be added or deepened - am I happy I am just a humble customer,lol.

But sincerely, this advice coming from a professional IS THE VERY BEST and you make sure that the company that helped you, incorporates all, since you have paid for it too and it may give you a flying start, once everything is simple and clear enough to suit even not so well educated buyers as the members of the forum.

I thought about the word "Pearl" and the only thing that came spontaneously to my mind was "only ONE pearl"? But I also did not want to be too hard on you with advice, I am glad though Jeremy did bring it up (there are just so many traps, one can fall into, setting up a web site)...

[Amrita]

I know what you mean, Jerin! I know this is advice from a pro and I did need it.....as I would never have known all the stuff that Jeremy so kindly pointed out. Now I need to figure how to bring about all those changes - am talking to the website company and am hoping they will cooperate. Thanks for your kind words and "sympathy"

[Amrita]

Hi everyone! I haven't been posting here for a while, partly because I was travelling and partly because I was busy setting things right, including doing the things that had been suggested by all you good-hearted people about my website. But I have been lurking on the forum off and on and keeping a sort of casual tab of what's happening here.

So now, I think I owe it to this thread and all my friends here to report on the changes I have made on my website, which are not finished yet, by the way. I hope you will see that I am trying, and intend to keep at it untill I get it right Am trying to list below my follow-up action of people's suggestions (with the name of the kind people mentioned). So here goes:

Mervione: I have added a page explaining pearl grading.

Jerin:
1. I have mentioned the P-G forum on above page, but have yet to get the link activated. Was not sure if I needed permission for that?
2. I have added pearl grading information.
3. I have changed "regular pearls" to "round/near round pearls".

Robinmce: I am working with the website company for a link to the currency converter for item prices.

Pearlescence: Pearl sizes and length of strands is mentioned with every item.

Sueki: I am keeping your wise counsel about "patience" in my mind, as I continue to work each day.

Jeremy:
1. "Wholesale" mentioned on homepage.
2. Changed all title tags and page tags to make them more descriptive etc.
3. Logo always returns homepage now.
4. Primary category pages have changed tags with better text.(I hope)
5. Have added text to most primary category pages under the pictures.
6. Photos now have ALT tags. (Imagine a couple of months ago I did not even know what that meant)
7. Register button removed from every page.
8. Primary focus now is "Pearls by color"
9. All "pearl" words changed to "pearls"
10. Have still to work on the "how many strands in a kilo". Hopefully will get to it soon.
11. Hackersafe logo moved to the top - you're so right, they are really expensive. Maybe when their year is up, I will switch over to BBB as recommended by you.
12. I have added some text in earlier pages (category pages) too.
13. A footer has been added.
14. I have not touched the shipping page yet, partly because it is going to be plain painful to me to undo all the hardwork and time that I put into it, and partly because I have not yet applied my mind to what "one rate for all" would be suitable.....I will get to it eventually....I promise I will

Anyway, I think with that I have come to the end of my report on whatever action I have taken on the website so far. May I again say how very thankful I am for all your valuable suggestions and support. I am also glad to report that there have been some enquiries as I was putting these changes into place.....I should report the progress, shouldn't I, as I started posting on this thread with the request to make my website a case-study, after all

Warmest wishes from an Olympic-crazy China! It sure is fun being here at this amazing time!

[jerin]

Thanks for the report, very interesting.
I don´t think you need permision to mention the Pearl-Guide forum, after all it is a service that online sellers with Jeremy and Kevin at the top provide for customers and of course having the link on Your site, makes it so much easier for your customers to get educated! Good luck and many sellings.

[Nerida]

Hi Amrita - I've missed you! Glad you've been spending some time on your website, and I look forward to seeing the changes! I'll have look later this evening. Anyway - welcome back!!

[Caitlin]

Hi Amrita
So happy to see you back! What a job! I can hardly wait to see it!


Everybody,
When you put your link in your signature over here, just be sure to have a P-G.com link on your site too!

[Amrita]

Thanks all, for your kind comments and warm welcome! The link to PG on my website works now , and I have a working currency converter as well now! Just moving forward step by small step.....