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Web Site Designs for the Retail Market by ET Productions
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Our Answers to the Makeover Challenge
Screen capture of RoseLaneCottage.com Yahoo Store after makeover
After Makeover of Yahoo Store
We revamped the page so that it now scales to fit any screen size from 800 x 600 up. We tightened the text at the top of the page up so that we could display one full row of actual products above the fold. We reworked left navigation to show top-level sections with sub-sections indented under them, and boosted the contrast to make the left navigation more readable. We also added CSS text rollover effects to further call attention to the navigation..
      We built ina right column with custom variables that let the store owner easily customize it to show specials, best sellers, new items and breaking news in any order desired.
      Finally, there was our ever-present friend, search engine optimization (SEO). We modified the default RTML to incorporate complete META tags and unique Title tags on every page. All navigation uses text rather than the Yahoo Store standard image-map. And page headlines are likewise rendered in text. Images have meaningful ALT text. And we trained the site owner in how to target key phrases and how to write keyword rich headlines, titles and content.
      Visit the site and see how you think it compares with the old version (opens in new window). While you're there, expand the window and see how the site scales to fit available space.
 
The Makeover Challenge
The original site was designed to fit an 800 pixel screen width. About 15% of the Internet's users still surf at that low resolution. The vast majority use 1024 x 768 or above. So step one was to make the store scale to fill larger screens--not an easy task given the header.
RoseLaneCottage.com Yahoo Store before makeover
Before Makeover

The original design looked decent and clean, something we wanted to preserve. But it suffered from SEO. Also, the left navigation used low contrast text that almost disappeared into its background. And left nav covered only the top level sections, so many of the site's most important key phrases weren't represented there.
      Then there was the need for clearer branding. The original site had a pretty picture of home decor showing above the fold. Unfortunately, none of the items pictured there were actually available in the store. That's a sure-fire formula to get constant phone calls from potential customers who say, "I want to buy the lamp shown on your front page, but I can't find it in the store."
      The store owner is left with the task of explaining that the picture is just a pretty setting, but they don't carry the item. Not what the customer wants to hear.
 
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