Critique My New Website?

[dmr400]

Hello everyone, I'm just about finished with my website and I was wondering if anyone would mind crawling through it and critiquing it. It can be found at:

PF Gunleather Home Page

or if the link doesn't work at:

www.pfgunleather.com

I've only tested it in Internet Explorer and Mozilla Firefox, so if you use a different browser I would appreciate your feedback on how it worked.

The most glaring things missing right now are the examples of the different colors (which will be fixed in the near future), and the lack of a picture of the pancake holster (I keep forgetting to take pictures before I send them to their new home so I'll have to make another one of my latest design).

All comments and feedback gratefully accepted now matter how big or small! Thanks,

Andy

Edited June 24, 2010 by dmr400

[Lobo]

Andy:

Nice looking website, and fine looking work. You are doing very well, sir.

My first suggestion is to take your telephone number off! Try to limit correspondence to e-mail as much as possible. Otherwise within a short period of time you will be constantly interrupting your work to answer the telephone. Some customers will think nothing about taking an hour of your time to ask questions, discuss options, offer suggestions, etc. Your prices are quite reasonable, but your profits won't seem worth it when you get one of those customers who is like the kid in the back seat on a trip (Are we there yet? When are we gonna get there? Are we there yet? When are we gonna get there? Are we there yet?).

It is always best to be friendly and accessible to potential customers. But there are only so many hours in a day and I need to make those as productive as possible. I receive and reply to over 100 e-mails every week, most of which are questions about products, production time, etc. I receive 20 to 30 orders every week for 25 to 40 items total. I need to keep my "shop time" uninterrupted so I can keep up the pace of production.

Staying off the telephone is what has worked for me. Your solution might be different, but I'm quite sure that you will need to find a solution soon.

Best regards!

[knockout]

looks fine, well outlined, good communication, and once filled out should be very effective.

[Paul 13]

Hi Andy,

Just checked out you web site, looks great to me! I do agree with Lobo about the phone number, especially with a one man operation (no one to screen calls). If there are any issues you can give it out on a case by case basis.

I am fairly new to this site but am impressed by the quality of what I am seeing and the friendlyness of everyone. I hope to be able to do as good one day.

Paul

[Shorts]

The website looks great All the info a customer wants is immediately visible at the top of the page and communication is clear.

As for the phone number, I too would take that down because of accessibility. As you get busier you will find the phone a bit of an anchor. There is a lot to be said for a good chat and communication with customers but just be careful how open it is. It's a control issue - the more you can control your work time, the better. Otherwise you will be stressed out of your mind, splitting actual holster work with customer service. Then people will complain how you never answer and the phone rings and rings... Just look ahead to the worst case scenario and decide how you can head that off from the very beginning. ;

Edit: What you might can do is request their phone number when they submit their email order request. If you need or want to talk to that particular customer you can call him/her on your time. You may also set your outgoing number to pop up as "Private" or not. That is a little one-sided, but remember, you've got to be in control!

...maybe I'm just a control freak?

Edited June 24, 2010 by Shorts

[dmr400]

The Ayes have it...phone number comes off Thanks everyone!

[dirtclod]

Nice website and work. But i would have the pages open in to another window. Because your banner / bar across the top and the box that everything is in limits being able to see the picture when your reading. I guess what i'm trying to say is when i was reading your description of the holster i tried to see what you were talking about and had to scroll up and then back down and find my place again to read. Might not be a biggie to anybody else i though it was a pain to have do that on ever picture and description.

The roll over thing didn't work to good for me either. Maybe i need to get a bigger screen I have a 17 inch. When i did the roll over the picture stayed to right where i couldn't see the whole holster and when i tried to drag it back it was gone.

I really like your opening picture and the rest are great to.

John

[ShortBBL]

Nice site! A couple things I'd mention though..... 1) The first thing you say on your Packages page is.... "If you can afford it..." to me, that sounds like you're questioning if your buyer has the money to buy a full set. If I was buying, it wouldn't really bug me (cuz I can afford it) but, it jumped right out at me. Maybe I have just seen too many things critique'd like that in the past. Just something to think about. Wording can be a huge part of successful advertisements. 2) When I mouse over your pictures (in particular, the one of the askins avenger type rig) it brings up a bigger picture, but it only shows part of it... it's too far off to the right side (and I use a big screen). 3) lastly, some of the pages like the "Belt" page, does not show any pricing at all.

Overall, it's a nice site and with some tweeks, it'll really look super. I am sure it will do what you want! Good job and nice looking stuff!

I am especially interested in trying to make a light holder like the one you show with the E2D(L?), Head Down! How does that work? It is my preferred method of carry but I was curious how it would hold up. email me directly if you like.

Jon

[Bronson]

Overall a nice website but I would have to agree with John.

But i would have the pages open in to another window. Because your banner / bar across the top and the box that everything is in limits being able to see the picture when your reading. John

Bronson

[JLSleather]

I LIKED the site. Menu ALWAYS visible (which I think is a MUST), nice photos, personal without being "wishy-washy", clear navigation ...

Two things I might do differently. Not that I'm necessarily "right", but thoughts (my wife says I'm antagonistic, but I disagree)

1.) Space the text just a bit. White on black will work, and the font size is okay for most, but maybe a few "points" added between lines.

2.) I would shorten the paragraph on your "wait time" page. Nothing on there sent me running for some other maker, but the initial impression when I click "wait time" is that I'm about to get a bunch of reasons why what I want is going to take too long. You cleared that up IN the text, but I think some will get that impression and be out. I LIKE the big, bold time frame right at the top (and "up front"), but maybe (without altering your text) shorten it up to NOT have that first impression ...

Wait times are the bane of the custom gunleather world. I am a drilling member of the Army National Guard, and a member of my local Search and Rescue Team. Because of the unpredictable nature of both , I've built a small margin into the wait time for unexpected callouts, so don't be surprised if you receive your item sooner than quoted.

If for some reason I have to suspend production because of either duty, it will be posted both here and on the home page. I don't expect to be called away from my business for more than one week a year (and doubtfully all at once), but I would feel remiss if I didn't put the possibility of it happening out in the open.

I added the paragraph break because (1) it takes the same space as what you now show and gives the illusion of being "shorter", and (2) it leaves the reader's eyes seeing "don't be surprised if you receive your item sooner than quoted. "