Conversion Rate - site feedback

[keane-114517]

Hi

We gave a website a bit of a facelift last nov with the aim of increasing its position within Search Engines and getting it to begin making sales.

The site: www.funkyfootstools.com is now moving in the right direction for its keyphrases, footstools and ottomans although it still needs some work.  The issue I have is that from the visitors that come to the site, the stats prove they have a look around, they are just not purchasing - I am not sure if this is because of the layout, ie. usability or if there is something else.

Any ideas & feedback would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks

Carl

[Mcarle]

http://www.funkyfootstools.com/purchase-footstools.asp?cat=5&offset=12

Cute site, & I think the cute might be the problem.

As much as I love the image of the socks & feet...& the bright purple & green colors, they do not match your product descriptions of

The benchstool is individually hand built using the finest aniline leather by skilled craftsmen at our own workshop.

In the US I can go to any furniture outlet & buy the "same" product for much less still with leather mass produced in china. Yes, I know it is produced in China, but it will only cost me $99.00

http://www.overstock.com/Home-Garden/Warehouse-of-Tiffany-Ariel-Leather-Storage-Bench/6313033/product.html?cid=144058&fp=F&TRACK=CSEPG&mr:referralID=4d27fed3-84bd-11e1-ac63-001b2166c2c0

Pottery Barn has the opposite idea, they look like a gallery & have very simple BG.

http://www.potterybarn.com/products/raleigh-nailhead-storage-bench/?pkey=e%7Cfootstool%7C67%7Cbest%7C0%7C2%7C24%7C%7C12&cm_src=PRODUCTSEARCH||NoFacet--NoFacet--NoMerchRules-_-

Think about two main ideas:

1. Your selling footstools, so make the FOOTSTOOL the main attraction in your site, not the feet with funky stripped socks & purple banners...

2. If you are selling based on UNIQUE ARTISAN QUALITY then spend a few pages showing us that artisan craft shop...The leather, the tools, the work bench.. convince us this is a hand made piece of art & not mass produced...

[Steven_Macdonald]

Add mentioned by Mcarle, FOOTSTOOLs is your priority here. At first glance, I assume you are selling socks.

Suggestions:

1. Add real images of footstools, not the black and white designs

2. Move "This week's featured footstools" and "Free delivery" above the fold

3. Run a usability test using www.usertesting.com

4. Make the product the focus on the product pages, not the header (with socks)

5. Change the colour of your "Add to basket'" button

If possible, I would also remove the following step in the process and include in on the product page (with remove item): http://www.funkyfootstools.com/basket.asp?cat=3&prod=148

Best of luck!

[Olaf]

Nice clean design, but not always to-the-point

1. Use a pay-off at the header of the page (what can I find at this page)
2. Change the elements "his week's featured footstools" and the black-and-white ilustrations (just show your product!!)
3. Change the colour of your "Add to basket'" button and make the button more prominent
4. Delete the red-white socks on a product detail page (and other pages exept the homepage). It's nice to use it at the homepage as a gimmick, but on every page it may be iritating. Your products are beautifull, show them!! Not the socks!
5. Redesign your product detail pages: let the product be the most important part of the page not a big purple header, not the navigation on the left. Relocate 'free delivery" etc to a place above the fold.
6. Remove the category navigation at your shopping basket page, just show the basket and the service claims like free delivery.
7. Change the colour of your "checkout" button and simplify the form, just visit large webshops for examples.

Good Luck!