Looking for feedback on my new website.

[AdrianF3]

Hello there everyone, I have created a new website for my business. My old website iveovercome.com (http://iveovercome.com) will be switching to my new flash based website soon and before it does I would like to get some opinions on it. The new website is currently at iv-oc.com (http://iv-oc.com) (I will be switching it to iveovercome.com when the new site goes live).

Also some of the photos have not been updated, the products without photos are new ones being added so they do not have official photos yet.

I would love any and all feedback, advice, anything you can offer. thanks!!!

[vangogh]

I wouldn't switch to the new site. Not because it's a bad site, but because it's coded entirely in Flash. Flash has a lot of drawbacks when the entire site is built inside of it. For one search engines will now see your site as only one page, which is going to make it less likely the site gets search traffic. Perhaps that's not an issue, but I'm guessing you'd like search traffic.

Another is no iOs device (iPhone, iPad, iPod) sees Flash. Again perhaps something you're not concerned with at the moment, but it's a growing segment of internet browsing. Some new Mac laptops also ship without Flash installed. Most other phones and tablets, while technically being able to read Flash sites don't do it well.

It does look like whoever built the site did a good job with some other Flash issues. I see the back button does work and since I can copy and paste the text I'm guessing it can be read by search engines. That's good.

However, with your site there's no reason to use Flash. Its doesn't add anything to the experience so it's hard to argue it's worth using when there are downsides. I'm clicking around both sites now and if anything the Flash site is a little harder to use as clicking certain things isn't doing what I expect. I'm also finding the text smaller and a little harder to read in places on the new site.

Out of curiosity why switch? It looks like the content is staying the same and the design isn't a huge departure. I think the visual tweaks to the design look fine in the new site, but as you can tell I think making the site all Flash is more likely to hurt business than help it.

I do think the new design has a little more professional feel to it. Adding the donation page makes sense given the nature of the business. The subnavigation on the products and see the impact page is also good. Probably not entirely necessary at the moment, but as both sections grow it'll be helpful to find what people want.

Sorry I wasn't too positive, but I really think moving to an all Flash site is going to be a mistake. Otherwise I do think there are some positive changes with the new design.

[KristineS]

Personally, I like the old site better. I don't think the Flash adds anything to the new site. If anything, it made it harder to see the products in my opinion.

I'd also recommend having someone proofread the site. I saw a few words used incorrectly on the Donate Materials page.

[nealrm]

Looks like Vangogh already took my comments about flash. The new site does look well made, I didn't see any appearance or function issues. If you are looking to upgrade, I would look towards HTML5 instead of flash. It has many of the benefits of flash with few drawbacks. If you do go with HTML5 I suggest also using Modernizr. It will get rid of most of the drawbacks.

[AdrianF3]

Sorry guys so I posted a response earlier but I guess it didn't go through. First off thank you all for the advice/feedback, I do appreciate it! =)

I wanted a new website because I feel like, especially starting a new business with a unique idea, it is extremely crucial that my website look professional and legitimate. I feel like my older html website doesn't give off the vibe but I do understand that sometimes flash is not the best way to go. The nice thing right now is that there is also a mobile version of the site that users would automatically be sent to if they visit the site from a mobile device but the mobile site does not allow for online purchases.

@vangogh you mentioned that "clicking certain things isn't doing what I expect." is this a broken link or text that isn't labeled properly? Thanks!

and to KristinS, thank you, I will make sure I double check it.

So overall thoughts? Abandon the flash and stick to the older website, or integrate both or...? As a first time visitor would you trust the first website, does the second website seem more legitimate??

again thanks for the feedback!

[vangogh]

Sorry your posts didn't go through right away Adrian. I didn't see anything in them that should have sent them to moderation. Hopefully that doesn't keep happening.

i'll give you an idea what I mean about not clicks not always doing what I expect. On the products page when I click an image my thought was it would take me to a page about that product. Instead it opened a larger image of the product. Some might be expecting that, but since I didn't see a way to get to the product page I thought clicking the image would take me there. Only after clicking to open and then close the big image do I see the part at the bottom which is what I need to click. Unfortunately by the time I realize the images have rotated to the next one.

I think that whole process might confuse some people who want to order something, but never figure out how to get there.

Also on the products once I've gotten to the next page where I can order I click to a different group of products. In this case from jewelry to home decor. Now I go back to jewelry expecting to be back at the page with the rotating images, but I don't see them. I'm still at the actual page where I can start the order. The only way to get back to the first page with the rotating images is to click the arrows at the bottom. Again I think that's going to be confusing to people.

Overall yes I would abandon Flash. I'm not sure if either of the two designs stands out to me as being so much better than the other. I guess the new design comes across a little more professional, but given the nature of the product and the business I thought a bit of the individual is a good fit. For example I like the logo on the old site better than the new one. I think the handwriting font works well.

[billbenson]

I mentioned this in a different thread, but the sit is built on a free flash site builder (.wix.com). Free site builders almost always are a bad idea for a professional site.