The Present Shop

I've figured it's time to give my first major website an overhaul and start implementing all the SEO tricks that I've learned over the last 2 years. But before I do that, I'd like to ask the DP members for all the criticisms they have of the site so that the site can actually start doing well.

The URL is www.thepresentshop.co.uk

I know there is a tonne of stuff that could do with being changed. I cringe every time I look at the code on each page, but I'll make a big list from what your comments are and get it all updated.

Thanks guys.

 

the code is power enough
the design: i think you should use a totally different color palette, create another more graphical banner

 

Thanks newera. That was definitely one already on the list of things to do

 

Hi Weifire:

1. Make the 'registering' link at the top right look more like a link.
2. Also, there is something wrong with the pilgrim jewelry link.

 

Howdy,

To me it looks very cluttered, the text in the right column is touching the sides, I'd add a margin of some sorts.

The top ebay image has lots of white pixels around it which looks terrible, either make the white transparent or get a better image

The top logo has a lot of white space (well green space) which seems pretty pointless to me.

In FF your shopping trolley has big blue box around it

The pilgrim jewlery link on the left dissappears when the mouse hovers over it.

You repeat the meta tag

<meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=iso-8859-1">

Code (markup):

Whats with all the robot tags

<META NAME="ROBOTS" CONTENT="ALL">
<META NAME="ROBOTS" CONTENT="ALADIN">
<META NAME="ROBOTS" CONTENT="SCOOTER">
<META NAME="ROBOTS" CONTENT="CRAWLER">
<META NAME="ROBOTS" CONTENT="EULE-ROBOT">

<META NAME="ROBOTS" CONTENT="EXCITE">
<META NAME="ROBOTS" CONTENT="FLIPPER/1.1">
<META NAME="ROBOTS" CONTENT="SMARTCRAWL">
<META NAME="ROBOTS" CONTENT="MOTOR0.5">
<META NAME="ROBOTS" CONTENT="MARINER">
<META NAME="ROBOTS" CONTENT="LYCOS">

Code (markup):

I like the picture of the mini and present at the top of the page

 

Used Firefox 1.0.6 on Win.

Like Shannon said, the eBay image needs cleanup.

I am not a fan of table borders. The main page, for example, lists Ortak Jewellery in a table with 4 columns. I'd experiment with removing the border.

Add padding (20px or so) between the text within content area and the nav bars and the header. Currently the text is too close to those areas.

Top Bestsellers and Special Offers look too much like ads rather than a part of the site's content (probably because of the link color blue not used anywhere else). I'd try to integrate it more. As most people don't like ads and don't click on them

I'd remove the image border on the shopping cart link.

Some of the content sections have white background, others are grey (About Us). I'd be consistent

The register link should be underlined and the hover should look different (too dark now)

p.s. Lol, posted at the same time as dct. Lots of the same comments

 

Thanks for your comments guys

I've got my work cut out for me now. Hopefully I'll be able to squeeze some time in to get all the changes done before the Christmas rush!!

Please keep the comments coming as I won't be starting to update it until next week.


Thanks again

 

Make sure you validate your pages

http://validator.w3.org/check?verbose=1&uri=http%3A//www.thepresentshop.co.uk/

Your font styling and spacing needs some work. Try and make things conjoined, rather than disjointed.

Get rid of those thick black lines.

 

Another excellent point digitx.

We are now putting together all the reviews from all the different forums and review sites and hopefully within the next 4 weeks the changes will be complete so if anyone has any other comments they'd like to make we'd appreciate it