# Website Up - woodhavensoaps.com



## BakingNana (Aug 3, 2010)

Finally have a website.  Anyone want to "proofread" it for me?     Any and all suggestions/comments appreciated.  It's pretty bare bones.  Nothing fancy.  Less than half my inventory on it.  Found out I stink at photography, so finding someone to do it for me is next!

woodhavensoaps.com


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## PrairieCraft (Aug 4, 2010)

Love your logo, great selection.  Your soaps look better than the half dozen makers I used to buy from.  That sea glass salt bar is unreal.  Congratulations on this, you have to be thrilled that it's up.  Also, I like that some of your soaps are found under more than one category.  As an avid online shopper, seeing something more than once makes you think about and want it more!  Good luck.


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## agriffin (Aug 4, 2010)

Very nice!  Easy to use, easy to navigate.  My only thought was that the home page could use some pictures or something.  It's mostly text. 

Looks great!


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## BakingNana (Aug 4, 2010)

Thanks for looking at it for me, y'all!  I agree the home page DESPERATELY needs pics.  My sons are canvassing their college buddies to see if someone can do some work for me.  I may have to break down and get some pro photos taken.


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## PrairieCraft (Aug 4, 2010)

For being amateur photos what you've done is really nice but a little on the dark side.  Have your tried a light box?  I sell a lot of stuff on ebay and pics are so important when selling online.  I tried every which way.  Finally realized, duh, I have a cabinet with a light in it.  It is already white otherwise I would have lined it with something white.  It's the perfect picture taking spot.  But if you don't have a cabinet that is lit on the inside then they sell very affordable light boxes for professional looking photos.  I think you did a good job with arranging all the items for the photos.


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## PrairieCraft (Aug 4, 2010)

http://digital-photography-school.com/h ... light-tent

This is a link with directions for making your own light box.  I think I have seen ones nicer than what you could make selling on ebay for around 50.


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## BakingNana (Aug 4, 2010)

THANK YOU, PRAIRIE!!!!


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## IanT (Aug 4, 2010)

I'm on my phone right now but I'd be happy to look at your site once I'm on my home cpu... I'm an amateur web developer so I can try to give you some critique from that standpoint!!


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## BakingNana (Aug 4, 2010)

Thanks, Ian.  Just remember, I'm whatever there is below an amateur when it comes to web design.  You'll probably be way over my head!  I think I've learned enough the last couple of months to at least get some photos on the home page.  I ordered a tabletop light box setup today from our local camera shop.  Supposed to be in tomorrow.  Now I'm actually looking FORWARD to trying to take photos thanks to y'all's support!!


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## Best Natural Soap (Aug 4, 2010)

YAY BAKINGNANA!!!!! YOU'RE OFFICIALLY A WEBSTORE GODDESS!!!!

 :wink:  :wink:  :wink:  :wink:  :wink:  :wink:  :wink:  :wink: 

Nice job on all the writing! I like your descriptions!! You did a great job keeping out of the ugly FDA-cosmetic claims area- That's the first thing I look for. 

I like your creative soap category list on the left. I like your labels- simple, and natural looking.  
I like your "about us" and your policies.

The only thing I wonder if you can do or not, is get the pictures of your products a bit bigger. The thumbnails on the first page after clicking on the category (for example, "Camping Soap") is a great size. But, when you click that, is it possible for the next picture to be bigger? Or, to be able to click on that picture, and have it open in another window bigger? Just a thought... 
Your soaps are beautiferous and I want you to be able to show off how professional they are. 
I like the soothing minty green background. We're getting ready to change our site's template-- but the colors I can choose from leave a bit to be desired. If I could just find an inexpensive developer.... 

Well done!!! You have a LOT of soaps, Lady!!! And your site is easy to navigate. What do you still have left to do?


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## BakingNana (Aug 4, 2010)

BSN, you're so sweet!  Ya, I wasn't happy with the thumbnail size on the catalog listing.  I'd have to get a designer to look at it to see if they can be enlarged; it's a template.  The larger picture shows up on the product details pages.  All the pics are too dark, but I have hope now that I have a lightbox setup coming.  I have a bunch left to photograph plus redoing all the ones on the site already.  I've been making extra logs gearing up for the fall craft shows.  I'm POOPED.

What I want to do is put photos here and there on the home page that have several different soaps in them.  Then I need to do some marketing.  Can't find the time or the energy to market properly until fall inventory is safely curing.  :roll:


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## Best Natural Soap (Aug 4, 2010)

It's endless, isn't it? I've been working and working and working... my only relief is taking a bath with a bar of my soap! 

I got to stop by WSP yesterday on my way back from a trip to see my family in Michigan. I love that store!!! Being able to smell every EO is such a treat! SO much easier to select them that way! 

I have to get my new soaps on my site- I probably have 10 to write up. Ugh! It feels so good when it's done- like I accomplished something big! But, getting to that point lately is rough. My kids start school on the 18th (my 5 year old will be in K this year!!) so I'll have LOTS of time to soap! 

Your site is really really nice! It looks all natural, and cozy. I like your idea of taking pictures of the different soaps together. Those are always so colorful! One of the best I've seen is the header at http://awildsoapbar.com. If she's on here- IT'S GORGEOUS!!  She calls herself the SoapBartender. That's cute! 

Nice job Nana!!! 
Inspiration for the rest of us!


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## Hazel (Aug 4, 2010)

What a great selection! You've done a fantastic job. The only thing I think could be added is an approximate weight on your soaps. 

You could add a weight slightly below what they actually are so people will see that they're getting value for their money. Say something like "Soap weight varies do to being cut by hand".

This is just my opinion and perhaps it isn't necessary.


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## Best Natural Soap (Aug 4, 2010)

Hazel said:
			
		

> What a great selection! You've done a fantastic job. The only thing I think could be added is an approximate weight on your soaps.
> 
> You could add a weight slightly below what they actually are so people will see that they're getting value for their money. Say something like "Soap weight varies do to being cut by hand".
> 
> This is just my opinion and perhaps it isn't necessary.



ooh-- that's a good idea!


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## BakingNana (Aug 5, 2010)

I put the weight on every label and try to package at 4 weeks of a good cure (meaning I'm running the dehumidifier CONSTANTLY).  I like my bars to be .7 to .9 above label weight when packaged, but on some like the baby soap (rock hard) I go as low as .3 to .4.  I fussed about what to do about size/weight on the site and got tired before I came to a conclusion.   

I think what I'll end up doing (let me know how this sounds) is saying something like "bars are cut to approximately 3.5 x 2.5 x 1; weights will vary according to variety."  Think that's close enough?

BTW...heard from Paul today and my 8-bar cutter is somewhere between here and there on a UPS truck - FINALLY!  I think I'm more excited than a kid at Christmas!!  Paul, if you're out there - I LOVE YOU!!


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## PrairieCraft (Aug 5, 2010)

BakingNana said:
			
		

> THANK YOU, PRAIRIE!!!!



You're very welcome.  Glad to be of assistance.  Did you get a decent price on the light box?  What is included in the set?


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## BakingNana (Aug 5, 2010)

It includes the fabric-covered box, 3 different color backgrounds if you want to use them, and 2 lights, one on either side.  Price was $99.  The owner of the camera shop said it'd be much cheaper to buy the set than separate components, and since the price on the light box they had in the store was $149, I'm believing him!  The whole shebang is supposed to sit on a tabletop.


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## PrairieCraft (Aug 5, 2010)

Not bad, I'm sure it will be worth every penny.

I will be checking back to see your progress.      Have fun.


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## BakingNana (Aug 5, 2010)

Thanks again, Prairie!


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## IanT (Aug 5, 2010)

Allllright this should get you started! What did you use to make the website with?

Id check out Notepad++ if you want to learn how to code, youve got to do it allllll yourself, but its really interesting and youll pick up on it quickly, The drag n drop editors add a lot of useless code to your site and also include in-page styling (which I guess from what Ive seen the new norm is out-of-page css styling ...)

Just a few little suggestions...now remember im an amateur! lol...

1) The front page is very verbose, you may want to cut down on the wording or maybe use bullet points to make it easier to read...

2)I would change "Service" in both header menu and footer=>To "Customer Service"

3) Change your favicon! change it to your logo!! (The tree) ... I can help you with this if you need it

4) * Asterisks are different sizes on either side of the slogan "**Luxury Soaps at Affordable Prices**"

5) Menu:" Your Account, Lost your password? / Register   /  Home"

.... Can you make that into the tab format along with the others on top? so there is one menu on the top ... 

6) Bigger/More Pictures!


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## Hazel (Aug 5, 2010)

BakingNana said:
			
		

> I put the weight on every label and try to package at 4 weeks of a good cure (meaning I'm running the dehumidifier CONSTANTLY).  I like my bars to be .7 to .9 above label weight when packaged, but on some like the baby soap (rock hard) I go as low as .3 to .4.  I fussed about what to do about size/weight on the site and got tired before I came to a conclusion.
> 
> I think what I'll end up doing (let me know how this sounds) is saying something like "bars are cut to approximately 3.5 x 2.5 x 1; weights will vary according to variety."  Think that's close enough?
> 
> BTW...heard from Paul today and my 8-bar cutter is somewhere between here and there on a UPS truck - FINALLY!  I think I'm more excited than a kid at Christmas!!  Paul, if you're out there - I LOVE YOU!!



 It's only my opinion about weight but I do check out weights when I'm looking at soaps on web sites. I have a better understanding of what I'm getting by looking at weights as opposed to measurements. But I may be the only one.   

Since all your bars are cut the same, you could put the info on your home page. Say something like "Hand cut bars are approximately 3.5 x 2.5 x 1; weights are 4.2 oz but may be heavier due to additives." I just put in the 4.2 as an example. 

Does anyone else have an opinion about weights? Maybe it's not important.

Congrats on your 8 bar cutter. You'll have to post pics so we can see how well it works.


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## IanT (Aug 5, 2010)

just to expand on that idea, you could include a to-scale picture of the soap, like a link under the image (Actual Size) or something... Id advocate the way you have listed above by always making sure that theyre over what they say... 

you could give both dimensions, and weight this way you cover both avenues...


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## BakingNana (Aug 9, 2010)

Ian, thank you...it all sounds terrific.  I don't know whether I can do it or not.  I tried like the dickens to find the coding for the Customer Service tab to add the word "Customer" but for the life of me I can't find it.  I think a lot of the template coding is hidden.  For instance, I didn't have any trouble changing the font color for everything except product descriptions.  That piece of code refers to something else hidden to pull the color, and I don't know how to defeat that.

It's Homestead Storefront, an Intuit product.  My husband is a Linux expert, but he's working in DC and only home on weekends so he hasn't been a lot of help lately.  :cry:  I'm spending this week finishing soaps I'm adding for the fall craft shows so they can cure in time.  After that, I hope to spend a few quality days trying to make your changes.  I may be asking for help!  Is it OK if I show your list to a friend of mine who does a little web designing?  I don't know how expert she is, but maybe she can help me.

I really appreciate all the time you took to do this!  I hope I can get these things done.


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## IanT (Aug 9, 2010)

BakingNana said:
			
		

> Ian, thank you...it all sounds terrific.  I don't know whether I can do it or not.  I tried like the dickens to find the coding for the Customer Service tab to add the word "Customer" but for the life of me I can't find it.  I think a lot of the template coding is hidden.  For instance, I didn't have any trouble changing the font color for everything except product descriptions.  That piece of code refers to something else hidden to pull the color, and I don't know how to defeat that.
> 
> It's Homestead Storefront, an Intuit product.  My husband is a Linux expert, but he's working in DC and only home on weekends so he hasn't been a lot of help lately.  :cry:  I'm spending this week finishing soaps I'm adding for the fall craft shows so they can cure in time.  After that, I hope to spend a few quality days trying to make your changes.  I may be asking for help!  Is it OK if I show your list to a friend of mine who does a little web designing?  I don't know how expert she is, but maybe she can help me.
> 
> I really appreciate all the time you took to do this!  I hope I can get these things done.





```
<TD width="100%" align=right>
[url='/Service.bok'][img]/images/store_version1/service-tab.gif[/img][/url] 


[url='/-strse-template/about/Page.bok'][img]/images/store_version1/about-tab.gif[/img][/url] 


[url='/-strse-template/policy/Page.bok'][img]/images/store_version1/policies-tab.gif[/img][/url] 

</TD>
</TR>
<TR>
```

that would be the section of the code that would be for the tabs, not sure how your web server is set up and if you can just create pages and upload to your ftp manually, or whether you do it auto...  but lets say for my hosting, I can go in manually, if I wanted to create another few tabs where I wanted them to show up in that list above:


```
[url='[b]THE OTHER PAGE.bok[/b]'][img]/images/store_version1/[b]ANOTHERTABIMAGE.gif[/b][/img][/url]
```


Can you send me a link to the page where you cant change the font color? I can t seem to find it by looking  

I would DEF have your web engineer friend take a look at that stuff...  might help ya out a bit!

[/code]


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