I just re-designed the website for Electronic Components Company. Design isn't my strong suit but I think I did ok. Please check it out and give constructive ways to improve (as opposed to this is wrong or that is wrong or similar pointless comments). First, the OLD site can be viewed at
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The new site is just webuyparts.com. Thanks in advance.
F.Y.I....while the author of this post is not opposed to using usenet to drive traffic to this web site and while this message could be taken to be just for that reason, that is not the case. In fact, if you're NOT going to comment on the design DON'T BOTHER GOING. The site isn't polished yet and I wouldn't want you to see it. I'll get you there when the time is right but now is not it.
Both front pages have too many animated widgets. Basic principle of web design: draw attention to the things that deserve attention, only. On your front page you've got an animated news-headline widget (if I wanted the news, I'd go to a news site); an animated globe (only remotely related to your business, and by the way, it's missing a frame or two); and an animated flag (same story). So, start by simply getting rid of those things. If you need graphics, don't use stock graphics: use something about your company, like a picture of your building or your warehouse shelves or your cute receptionist.
Principle #2: thumbnail pictures should be clickable. A thumbnail is inherently unsatisfying; it's too small to actually see what's there. So, make EVERY thumbnail be a link to something: either a bigger picture of the same thing, or a page describing the product, or (as a last resort) a link to a shopping cart. The thumbnails on most of your inner pages (e.g., Odd Excess and EEPROM Programmers) don't work that way now, but they should.
Your "About Us" page includes the phrase "As of now (November, 2005)". Do you really want to update that page every month? Instead, use something that doesn't quickly become obsolete.
Check your web page titles. The title of a page displays in the window banner, so it's easy to miss if you don't think about it; but it appears in some important places, like on the Windows task bar. In your case, your main page title ("Electronic Components Company is a stocking distributor of hard to find, obsolete, and short market circuit board level components.") is way too long, so it gets truncated, both on the window banner and in the task bar tooltip. It's supposed to be a TITLE, not a statement of corporate intent.
There are many principles of good web design, and they make a difference. You might start by taking a look here:
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Despite the name, it is actually a serious site that attempts to teach good web design by showing bad examples.
First, thanks for taking the time. It's obvious you did. Second, I was glad to see a lot of things NOT mentioned (too much verbage, too many links one page, information too many clicks away, over-usage of "Click here," phone or other contact details hard to find, etc.). As to your suggestions....
Most widgets gone. Kept globe but found better one. No receptionist nothig special about building. Replaced moving flag with Amex card.
Thumbnails now click-able. Ok, I tried to be lazy.
"About Us" page less precise.
Titles redone (includes titles displayed when using cgi)
One you might have missed: Email address not included in details. Has been added.
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