Anyone build a single book specific site before?

ivanc

Just finished this off...

From what I can gather specific book sites are pretty rare - ie: I struggled to find any others on the web.

Thoughts welcome...

Site is here

dory

I like it. One thing I will say is that it took aaages for the background image to load. So for a long time it was just while and red, which didn't look so nice. Maybe make that a smaller size file so it'll load faster?

ivanc

dory wrote: »

I like it. One thing I will say is that it took aaages for the background image to load. So for a long time it was just while and red, which didn't look so nice. Maybe make that a smaller size file so it'll load faster?

Oops...linked to the PNG not the JPEG.

Should be much faster now.

Cianos

I have to say I really don't like the design;

You shouldn't have two functionally identical navigation menus. You should have one prominent one and make it easy to see and use. Having two will just confuse the viewer. In a basic manner of speaking, the less categories (aka possible actions a user can take) the better, because it ensures easier access to the info the person wants to view. By having double buttons for each option, you're confusing the viewer with more options than they need.

The background image doesn't do any favours for the site. It looks stretched, and the colours are washed out. You shouldn't just use an image for the sake of it, it should work to compliment the content of the site which in this it isn't. Having an image of faded out text behind actual text is just a bad idea.

You shouldn't use a degraded font for the navigation buttons. Some people will find it too hard to read, and the red doesn't work well on the fading background either.

magunkey

Cianos wrote: »

I have to say I really don't like the design;

You shouldn't have two functionally identical navigation menus. You should have one prominent one and make it easy to see and use. Having two will just confuse the viewer. In a basic manner of speaking, the less categories (aka possible actions a user can take) the better, because it ensures easier access to the info the person wants to view. By having double buttons for each option, you're confusing the viewer with more options than they need.

The background image doesn't do any favours for the site. It looks stretched, and the colours are washed out. You shouldn't just use an image for the sake of it, it should work to compliment the content of the site which in this it isn't. Having an image of faded out text behind actual text is just a bad idea.

You shouldn't use a degraded font for the navigation buttons. Some people will find it too hard to read, and the red doesn't work well on the fading background either.

In this case I'd have to say you're wrong on every single point you make.

Easy to navigate, info is where you'd expect to find it, background interesting without being intrusive, nav is legible and clear, colour scheme works.

Think I might just go buy a copy on the way home:).

tricky D

magunkey wrote: »

In this case I'd have to say you're wrong on every single point you make.

I wouldn't agree with you at all on that. All his points are valid.

OP put the price up. It's one of the most important pieces of purchase decision making information. It also has a discount at the moment which is even better.

ivanc

Hi folks,

Thanks for feedback.

Agree that site is a little "different" but that's what was asked for and client happy.

Google was quick to index/rank so it's doing numbers on the back of the publicity campaign.

Good idea on the inclusion of price/discount - will have to see where G&M are with it.