Your Opinion on my website....

[tlaborn]

Please give me your honest opinion on my new website. I will be making some improvements but I would like some advice, tips, pointers on what I can do to make this website better to get sales! Thank you so much!!!

www.silkcandles.etsy.com

 

[Tabitha]

Your avatar is amazing but I have seen that banner on probably 40 other shops. Can you work your avatar picture into your banner somehow? Your descriptions are nice, your pictures are too dark and I would like to see your labels. I would place the oz in the title. When I am flipping through 500 pages of candles ( or soap, or whatever) I will not click on one if it does not have the oz listed in the title. I need that quick referance.

 

[soapbuddy]

The link didn't work for me. I got this error:
Oops! This link appears broken.DNS error occurred. Server cannot be found.

 

[donniej]

I haven't seen the banner before but I don't spend much time on Etsy. I agree with Tabitha that you need labels and better pics.

 

[tlaborn]

The pics are just a starter, I would like to get better pics, I just have my digital camera and i want to put the avarter in my banner but don't know how!

Thank You for your advice please keep them coming!

 

[donniej]

If I needed professional pics on a budget I might post on Craigslist or a photography forum that I was looking to trade some product for some nice pics of it.

Just posting about my soapmaking on other forums (not soap related) actually got a couple people to volunteer. I never say no and always send them plenty!

 

[DottieF.]

I agree with everything the others have mentioned. The thing that really stands out for me is the biblical quote. Unless you want a primarily Christian customer base I would suggest removing it. It is off-putting to non-Christians and non-religious people like myself and unless you're selling bibles it really has no place on a business site. Dottie

 

[madpiano]

I really really do not like the Bible thing. I am christian, but I am soap shopping (candles), not preparing for Sunday Service.

You photos need quite a bit of work.

1) make sure they are all in focus, not even a little bit out
2) you seem to have a reasonably good camera, but you need to either have an off-camera flash or stand back further, so the front of the product isn't in shadow. You can always cut the photo later as you only need it to be small for the internet
3) never have the light coming from behind. I can see a window in the background. place the product in a way, that the window light is helping you, not casting shadows
4) crop your photos, we don't want to see your kitchen, we want to see your candles.

you don't need to be a professional photographer, and for now you propably cannot afford one either, but make sure there are no shadows and double check for focus.

http://www.tabletopstudio.com/TTS_Product_Photography_Tips.html

 

[Tabitha]

The pics are just a starter, I would like to get better pics, I just have my digital camera and i want to put the avarter in my banner but don't know how!

Thank You for your advice please keep them coming!

You could also blow up the image & use a slice of it as a banner & super impose your shop name over that.

I would post to the alchemy at etsy & offer to pay someone 5-10 bucks to do it for you. I use alchemy ALL THE TIME! Post what you need/want & the price you would like to pay & you should have 5-20 bids before the day is out.

 

[Tabitha]

BTW: I have a fabulous idea for you. If you want to point your shop/business in a Christain direction, go for it. Make each of your scents a biblical phrase... you could have a specific built in customer base and probably do VERY well with that! Not verses per-say, phrases like heaven's gate, garden of eden, halo, silver lining, jubilation, white dove, olive branch, etc.

You would need to market very specificaly but it is a somewhat untapped market. I have seen a couple people do it but not many. A billion soapmakers are mainstream... this could set you apart.

Imagine how well you would do at church craft shows! Advertise on Christain blogs, forums, etc.

I do agree with the girls above though... if you want to go mainstream the bible verse feels out of place.

 

[agriffin]

BTW: I have a fabulous idea for you. If you want to point your shop/business in a Christain direction, go for it. Make each of your scents a biblical phrase... you could have a specific built in customer base and probably do VERY well with that! Not verses per-say, phrases like heaven's gate, garden of eden, halo, silver lining, jubilation, white dove, olive branch, etc.

You would need to market very specificaly but it is a somewhat untapped market. I have seen a couple people do it but not many. A billion soapmakers are mainstream... this could set you apart.

Imagine how well you would do at church craft shows! Advertise on Christain blogs, forums, etc.

I do agree with the girls above though... if you want to go mainstream the bible verse feels out of place.

That's a great idea! And really on the bible verses...do what you want. It's your business. You might miss out on some folks who might be turned off by that...but you might also gain customers who will support you because of it.

Daystar has a page with scriptures. They don't throw it in your face but if you want to visit "the page" then you can. They have a good following.

http://www.daystarsupplies.com/favorites.htm

 

[punkflash54]

your store looks great. my only critique is the photo quality but i think its already been mentioned.

 

[tlaborn]

Thank you guys so much, I just started my business and I was just asking for adivce and I appreciate it! Lovinsoap... Thank you for your support thats why I follow you on twitter and your blog, (I think!) I agree 100% im not worried about offending anyone or missing out on a few people because I do not put my faith in people but in GOD so im not phased by what people think. Lovinsoap thank you for the website.

Tabitha thank you for that advice, I will differently look into doing that, I agree 100% im looking to do what others are not doing, so im not phased by what others that are negative. I have changed my website because I wanted something a little better and not too expensive, but classicy looking, so I have a new website:

http://silkspacreations.com

Im already getting alot of hits because of the God that I serve! in my eyes im successful! God Bless to those in the same journey, be encourage! =D

 

[jeazalez]

I just made own homepage too. Okay I didn't really made it on my own because I used the build in page editor my web hosting provider is overing.. anyway.. making the page was not a problem but searching for good pictures is really hard. I used I-stock but they doesn't have too many good pics for my project.. any other suggestions?