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elgato
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« on: September 10, 2007, 09:02:34 PM »

Here's a site which has been around for about 2 years, yet little has been done to promote it. Just too many paws in the fire I guess  sniff

Hosted by our own powersellersunite.com hosting services this humble Cat's web store is filled with unique items not found in most online selling formats.


http://www.elgatosden.com/

 

Once fall arrives and this Cat's live events schedule slows a bit I'll be able to promote my Den a bit better.
Thank you for your kind comments. Remember, I have sharp claws 
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The Bar Keep
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« Reply #1 on: September 12, 2007, 01:07:43 AM »

Hi elgato,


Unlike most sites we don't come in here pat you on the back and say beautiful website, we give you a true critique here. I hope you are up to some constructive advice from the Crabby critics.

Here's a site which has been around for about 2 years, yet little has been done to promote it. Just too many paws in the fire I guess  sniff

Hosted by our own powersellersunite.com hosting services this humble Cat's web store is filled with unique items not found in most online selling formats.


http://www.elgatosden.com/


Remember, I have sharp claws 

Well you can sharpen your claws if you like but my skin is like chain mail so here goes with a truly honest critique elgato.



First and for most what matters is sales and not appearances but appearances and the site being user friendly are what makes the sales as well as the product you offer. From what I can see you have a niche market that should payoff quite nicely as an independent store owner, however I do see some major issues with your site.


Let's start with the simple things. The item counts, visitor count and the who's online is a major turn off for buyers from my experience. By turning off your item counts you will encourage your site viewers to search through your entire site rather then just look at the category counts and say most likely they don't have what I am looking for because there is not enough items in that category. Ask yourself this, if you are a buyer do you really care how many people visited a site and who is there when you are? Take a look at any well know website and see if you see a visitor count or who is online thingy. I am sure you can remove these things through your PSU cart's admin and if not consider a new cart and or host.


Ok so when I was in your site I noticed a few things that seem out of whack. It appears as if the titles, while in a listing, well uh the letter appear to be connected from top to bottom. I also checked a few other carts hosted by PSU and saw the same sort of thing's going on with the titles within each item. Is that a common PSU cart problem? It seems to be to me as I checked a few and everyone of them had the same issue with overlapping text. Another thing that jumped out at me was I got stuck in one of your items and couldn't find my way to the homepage through the little home link. It seems the breadcrumb also has issues with the PSU carts, I also saw that issue in the other carts I checked.


Now here is one thing that I have stated on other forums that I think you need to consider. You do have a niche with the southwestern theme and like items but you don't normally find hand tools in the pocketbook isle in your local department store. I just feel if you stick with like items within your niche market it looks more like an independent website rather than a general store. JMHO.



Here are a few quick other things I noticed that need improvement some before you start your SEO and a few while you SEO.


1) Add some linked text to the homepage and maybe create a few pages for your payment, shipping, returns and other policies. Also I would make a seperate page for "about us"

2) Add some product to the homepage as well as the linked text.

3) Maybe display a paypal banner since it is one of your acceptable forms of payment and where you state you take paypal now on the homepage is a little hard to find.

4) Review your meta tags and keywords. I did do a few searches for some of your bags and the best I could find was #33 on google for a keyword search that displayed about 350,00 results. I also searched a few more with far less resulting results and your store was nowhere to be found. On a scale of 1-10 in meta tag keyword results I score you about a 2. This can be improved however very easily.



All this is JMHO but I must say I am shocked at the problems that I saw with the PSU carts as I reviewed yours elgato. I did see other major problems with other PSU sites as well that I didn't see on your site as well. I am only calling it as I see it and wish you all the sales in the world but the way I see it is you could be doing so much better with the proper advice.


Hope this helps.


Joe - The Bar Keep
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robertjohnston
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« Reply #2 on: September 12, 2007, 07:33:01 AM »

Hi elgato,

I tend to agree with Barkeeps suggestions. I feel about me and shipping should be on seperate pages. Front page should put consumers in a buying mode. You might want to look at Zencart Google seems to love them.

Bob
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ABeautifulSecret
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Come See What The SECRET Is All About!


« Reply #3 on: September 12, 2007, 09:45:51 AM »

Hi elgato!

I went over to your site. And here are my opinions:

1) As a buyer - anytime I see things in red it make me feel like I am being yelled at.

2) The manufacturers box lists nothing. If you aren't going to use it, take it out and replace it with something that will advertise your products or something. I consider that wasted space and as a buyer I would be confused to why it was there if it didn't do anything.

3)I agree with Bar Keep about the numbers next to the categories. Also with the number of visitors.

4)Also you should take the time to update the landing page info on the increase of the postal service. It is over with and it makes buyers question if you keep up with the site.

Overall its a great start. Make sure you link categories on the landing page to make spiders and search engines go thru your site more to get your products out there.

~Patti~


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The Tavern Wench
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« Reply #4 on: September 12, 2007, 11:31:46 AM »

Hey Elgato!

Like Joe and Patti said, you have a good start and a great product niche...ya just need a little tweaking. 

Since everybody else has already covered most of the text, navigation, etc. type tweaking, I'll concentrate on my speciality....cosmetics/appearance.   

1) Your site has nice Southwestern theme colors and that theme could really be brought out even more.  As you can tell from most...ok all...of the sites I've done, I'm really fond of big, in your face, look at me style headers.  So first thing I would recommend is adding a beautiful southwestern scene/theme header.   

2) You have beautiful pictures of your products.  I really loved the way you used southwestern theme backgrounds in all of them.  Biggest recommendation here would be make the 'enlarged' pics a LOT bigger.  I love to click on a picture and get a really good-sized enlargement so I can see more detail.  Not huge mind you, a little over double the size of your current size should do nicely.   Is there a way to enlarge the smaller image too?  If so, I would make it the size of your current enlarged pic if possible.

3) I particularly loved the background you used with your purses.  It was a perfect choice and the purses are beautiful!  I would recommend taking individual images and creating a separate listing for each style/design of purse though.  This eliminates any possible buyer confusion and adds more product to your site, which the search engines love.

4) Last but not least, I would tweak your titles.  Leave out the parentheses and load those babies up with keywords!   It's your own site and you can keyword spam all you want to! hysterical   

Examples: 

Light Gray Felt (Cowboy Hat)  >  Cowboy Hat Light Gray Felt Western Wear
Shoulder Bags / Purses (New Southwest Styles!) > Stampeding Horses Southwestern Design Shoulder Bag Purse


I hope this helps and I haven't rubbed your fur the wrong way or mashed your tail with my rocking chair.  hysterical  hysterical  hysterical  hysterical  hysterical

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moonMAJiC
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« Reply #5 on: October 09, 2007, 06:16:46 AM »

Hey there elgato!

I don't have any critique - just saw your name here and had to say hi to ya!  wave
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vinewood
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« Reply #6 on: October 12, 2007, 12:50:00 AM »

  hi 

  others have covered  most  all  ~

   u  need a nice header  this a SW  theme  ,  and home  needs items on it 

   and  many  links to other  sites which has been covered 

  a great start   ~  my 3 cents worth   
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Baysbeauty
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« Reply #7 on: October 26, 2007, 04:19:35 PM »

Very nice start elgato! 
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elgato
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« Reply #8 on: December 26, 2007, 10:51:25 AM »

It's been a while since my last visit here at CH and was impressed by the great ideas which came from this group.

I deeply appreciate all of your time and ideas for my humble little web site and once things slow a bit around here I plan on making some much needed changes.

Thank you for your thoughts & ideas!


 
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The Bar Keep
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« Reply #9 on: December 26, 2007, 12:27:11 PM »

Here's a site which has been around for about 2 years, yet little has been done to promote it. Just too many paws in the fire I guess  sniff

Hosted by our own powersellersunite.com hosting services this humble Cat's web store is filled with unique items not found in most online selling formats.


http://www.elgatosden.com/

 

Once fall arrives and this Cat's live events schedule slows a bit I'll be able to promote my Den a bit better.
Thank you for your kind comments. Remember, I have sharp claws 


It's been a while since my last visit here at CH and was impressed by the great ideas which came from this group.

I deeply appreciate all of your time and ideas for my humble little web site and once things slow a bit around here I plan on making some much needed changes.

Thank you for your thoughts & ideas!


 

Quote
Remember, I have sharp claws

Could have fooled me  hysterical hysterical hysterical hysterical hysterical hysterical

I guess you were still spread too thin during the fall to make any meaningful changes to your PSU store with all the goings on of being the Mod there as well (decisions, decisions) as your status at several alternative sites and ummmm other forums. In any case I would say your domain name has gone stale for the bots and spiders at this point. Makes you wonder what your priorities should be IMO. Hey in any case you learned what doesn't work and can take what you have learned to a new domain with a better cart system/hosting package IMO.

Just a suggestion here. Your have a niche type product line and would do very well with an independent website that was more user friendly with a much more professional look. Ditch the PSU store for another host. Heck maybe even forward the domain. Have somebody design you a site that fits the southwestern theme. IMO you are wasting everyones time because your hands are in too many places, you know what I mean Elgato.

Free advice - INVEST IN YOURSELF BEFORE YOU INVEST IN ANYONE ELSE!!!


On a more personal note Elgato:

I have been waiting for you to grow a pair of claws for a long time. Acting like you have been away for a while and don't have a clue as to what has transpired over the past few months (no need to say it either you know what I mean) only makes you look like a drama queen. I advise you now to stop insulting the intelligence of online sellers. This will be your one and only warning you will receive from me before I sink my teeth in for one big bite.


Joe - The Bar Keep
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Alana
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« Reply #10 on: January 07, 2008, 10:00:07 AM »

I know you said you never posted over here on another forum, but just in case you do read this, here is what I seen in view source for your site that may be a problem. I am not sure what you sell, but not sure this title description and keywords you have would be the best option for what you are selling.

<title>ELGATOSDEN</title>
<meta name="description" content="Powersellersunite.com online stores and hosting service, build your own ecommerce web site" />
<meta name="keywords" content="elgatosden.com, powersellersunite.com, online store, hosting, ecommerce" />


Alana
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knappschiles
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« Reply #11 on: January 07, 2008, 10:15:15 AM »

Alana,

My guess is those meta tags are the "default" and sellers need to change them themselves. But most of them don't know to do it, or how to do it.

Carol
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