fire whoever made your website

[BraenDead]

Looks good so far, only confusing part is that all of the items are grouped together and some seem like they do not belong. This is especially true considering the list is alphabetically sorted, except for the last items such as:
Sales/Specials
Wavemaking
Refugium/Specialty
Clearance - Closeouts
TUNZE
These items are just appended to the end of the other items and seem like they should be differentiated somehow, especially since they do not fit with the alphabetical sorting.

Good job so far though, taking things one step at a time is the best way to handle it.

Bob

 

[javajaws]

HI Again,

On the expired shopping carts, I understand some of your points, but I don't think you are understanding how inventory works and how it's not fair to keep an item on hold for a day just while you think about it. That's why the gift list is there, it's easy you just lick the save button and will save your cart for 30 days. THat's why I don't understand why this seems to be such an issue that you would shop elsewhere? Like I said, we want to make shopping easy for everyone, but you have to have a happy medium and try to please as many as possible.

So anyway, we got side tracked on this shoping cart expiring thing.

For some reason you have got it stuck in your mind that when you put something in your shopping cart you have to reduce your inventory stock likewise immediately. It doesn't have to work that way...that's just the way YOUR cart works.

It would be better if you (this is only one way):

1. Let the user place in stock items into the basket, but don't subtract them from inventory. These never expire (preferably) or expire very slowly.

2. After all items have been selected have a step in the checkout process before shipping is added and before the CC is charged where you double check stock. At this point adjust the inventory count and start the 30-minute timer. If an item has become out of stock since adding to the cart notify the user and let them deal with it (remove/change selection/etc.).

3. The user has 30 minutes to enter shipping and billing info.

But that's just my 5 minute solution. I'm sure there are other/better ones out there...I'm no website developer that's for sure.

And I'm sorry to have sidetracked this thread. I guess shopping carts must not be that important on a commerce website anymore.

I understand you don't have professional help to assist you very much and I understand your constraints being a small company. But your 30-minute cart thing is bad. Really bad. I've bought from you guys several times. But I've probably filled out a cart 3-4 times more than that. Most of the time the stuff expires before I can finish picking out the stuff I need/want...other times I get interrupted and can't finish immediately.

You need to evaluate if/what this costs your business to remain as is vs. having it fixed. Maybe this isn't a problem for many other people...but maybe it is? Perhaps using some sort of survey when orders are placed may help you solicit more feedback on this and other website issues.

I only bring this up again because I like you guys, have gotten good service from you so far, and just want to see you succeed.

 

[jasonfrey]

HI Javajaws,

I understand your point and I would like to make the inventory count and shopping cart time better. This is just not something we can do right now though. It will take a Miva Script programmer and getting something custom done to miva can take months. So I'm just trying to improve on some of these comments that we can actually do basically. Then we'll look into improving the other areas that will take planning and programming.

There are many limitations to shopping carts and unless you are a programmer, some things are really hard to change. I don't just mean something that knows web design or HTML, but actual code hacker, like Perl, C-plus etc. We have places we use for this help, but they are extremely slow. We are chatting with someone right now from this BBS though about helping us out, so might not be too long of a wait.

thanks

 

[Snarkys]

looks better every day . i like how you can see the full list now . would be spectacular if you could get rid of that tree though and have it open on the main part of the page after ya click a category.

btw i don't know if this was stupid on my part or not but after i suggested the domain name www.premiumaquaticslive.com i scooped it up so someone here didn't read it and try and take it sell it to you . if ya ever want it . PM me and ill give it to yas for the 5 bucks i paid to save it .

 

[GL]

For some reason you have got it stuck in your mind that when you put something in your shopping cart you have to reduce your inventory stock likewise immediately. It doesn't have to work that way...that's just the way YOUR cart works.

It would be better if you (this is only one way):

1. Let the user place in stock items into the basket, but don't subtract them from inventory. These never expire (preferably) or expire very slowly.

2. After all items have been selected have a step in the checkout process before shipping is added and before the CC is charged where you double check stock. At this point adjust the inventory count and start the 30-minute timer. If an item has become out of stock since adding to the cart notify the user and let them deal with it (remove/change selection/etc.).

I place orders that sometimes have 20 or 30 items or more, I go through the list and decide on my order based on availability. If I get to the end and check out only to be told the product is no longer available I'm going to be very upset. I believe most people would feel this way. Imaging spending 15 20 minutes working on an order just to find out you can't order it at the end. Not good!

Keep it the way it is, you will loose more business just becuase someone does not want to use the wish list.

 

[Snarkys]

rather than having to hit the searchtab at the top to open a search window you should have a open search box on the front page.

 

[jasonfrey]

Hi Snarkys: I agree 100%, i'm working on making that happen. Takes some code programming, but shoul be possible.

 

[anglecoral]

ok you don't need to fire them anymore : )

great job listening you your customers wants and needs and then responding quickly . that's really impressive : )

 

[rdmpe]

...on Reefbones comments: The catagory page is one of the biggest problems. I put those notes to look to the left because it was amazing how many people don't see that tree break down and show the other links, so people were having problems finding the sub catagories.

Ideally having them in the content page would be great. Here is the problem though. The sub cats are created through Miva, it's a script, we add them and the links are generated automatically. To put them in the main content page, we would have to use HTML and hard link each one. That itself would take one person probably hundreds of hours. That's not what worries me though. If we make any changes, we might forget to update those and then have problems. Where when we make changes to a sub catagory, all links are updated automatically...

Is there any way to make a script that takes the subcatagories and copies the links to the top of the main window dynamically?

Also - some "quick links" at the top of the main pages would be helpful. For instance when looking for a particular sequence pump. If the top of the sequence main window had links to "Reeflo Series", "Uno Series", etc. that would allow me to pop down to the line of pumps I'm interested in rather than scrolling through all of the pumps...

 

[jasonfrey]

I'm hoping there is some type of code that can be programmed to display those links automatically in main page instead of just to to the left.

We are working with a programmer right now and see if we can get some of these implemented.

thanks

 

[marinelife]

Hmm, I see nothing wrong with the site, it is easy to use and great for dialup users, not that I am on dial up but there have been some good points here and want to change. I would not cry if nothing changed, I can easily find anything I ever wanted to buy. I did notice that the site changed some.

 

[cwegescheide]

One thing I notice is that sometimes the menu on the left of the page does not stay "where you currently are" If you want to look at another brand of light fixture you have to go thru the whole navigation again. Not that big of a deal really but.. Also I would say maybe have some thumbnails of the products instead of links to the pictures. If you really get bored then I'd take pictures of the big ticket items like some of the t5 lighting fixtures that do them justice. some of the pictures make them look kindof cheap. Stuff like that.

I wouldn't worry too much about the website that much though. Personally I don't agree that your loosing a lot of business. Its your reputation that makes people come to PA. I know thats why get my stuff from you guys. But the first time you shaft me THATS IT!!! lol

How's my corals doing over there? I FINALLY got my payment in for the acrylic tank from IPI. I think there was a little confusion going on but I think we're on the right track... Its worth it for the quality stuff.

Later,

Chris

 

[RayinAZ]

I'm filling out an order form right now at your site, so I have a recommendation based on that: two line fields for address (in addition to city, state amd zip line fields). In my instance, delivery is to a box (#47) in a UPS store, which is in a suite (F-104)in an outdoor strip mall. The best way to do addresses per them is:

attn:Crazy Fish Guy
PMB #47
1234 N. Obsessive Street F-104
Palookaville, MA 02138

From past experience, I know that when I put everything in one line (which I have to with your form), (e.g., 1234 N. Obsessive St. F-104 PMB 47 or 1234 N. Obsessive St. F-104-47), there is a very good chance that those last numbers will be lost in the field or by the shipper when entered and the package will be delayed or worse. Yes, it's happened many times in the 10 years I've been there.

Just a suggestion.

 

[jasonfrey]

HI,

I agree with the 2nd address line. We are working on having that programmed. Would think that would be standard. Hopefully have that fixed soon.

Thanks for the suggestion.

 

[RayinAZ]

Well, the order (ballast and reflector for MH) arrived no problem! Anemone looks twice as large as too days ago. I think that's good . . .

 

[sjm817]

I think the site is fine. I can find anything pretty easy.

On the other hand...

Worlds WORST website!