Forum Moderators: buckworks
In starting my online ecommerce store i am analyzing my competetion and try to look at what interests me in an ecommerce site and what would make me want to buy from them.... First is design and a professional look and second the graphics that attract (even if they are simple, thats part of the design). This is what gets me in the door what keeps me there after is another story ;)
My Question is on your sites do you guys do your own graphics or do you outsource it? Im not much of a creative type in that sense and am having trouble gettings that how i want it....
If you guys outsource, where do find people and how do you manage to get what you imagine it in your head? Is it worth it to try and learn it or is it like art (some have it and some dont)?
Thanks,
Karim0028
[edited by: FalseDawn at 2:03 am (utc) on Nov. 22, 2006]
I liken it to photography. At the simplest level, all photographers - professional and turists - do is look through the hole and push a button, right? Wrong. The main difference between the two is when they push the button, and why. They differ in what they think is worth 'capturing'.
The mind has to perceive the compellingness of an image, then harness the technical skills to bring that image into existance. Not the other way around.
We always:
-Crop
-Sharpen
-Brighten
-Compress
Amazing how few sites compress file size to speed loading. We always do.
Yes, takes some time to learn this stuff.
Sry, but what gets you in the door with an ecommerce-site is the search engines in the first place, either via organic search or you adwords campaigns. Or rather more: thats what gets your visitors into YOUR door.
Graphics may play an important role in keeping them there. It might be a trust-building factor, but the internet is also full of searchers, who prefer amateurish looking sites, because these searchers assume the owners of those sites much more concentrate on their primary interest: good prices and a good service.
I also believe, that an overall clear page structure with respect to usablility aspects is more important than the look of the buy-button or your logo. Of course your graphics may some day become an important decisive factor, but you said you just started, and I think there is many, many other much more important points to care for.
Sure: Many GDs are doing a very good job, but this is the ecommerce section. Are you sure, you're setting the right priorities starting your business?
who prefer amateurish looking sites, because these searchers assume the owners of those sites much more concentrate on their primary interest: good prices and a good service.
I am definitely NOT one of those searchers, nor is anyone else I know. If I get to a site that is ugly and disorganized, I'm gone. It's a lot like personal presentation: if you show up to do business like you would to mow the lawn, I assume that disconnect carries over into other areas of your life, and I don't need to be involved on a professional level.
That said, pretty and functional ARE separate. Look at webmasterworld. NOT pretty, but organized and thorough. It is true that they are saved by their content. And because of code like this <td><font size="1" face="arial"> <b>November 2006</b> </font></td> (taken from forum list) it would be extremely hard to change their look without a complete overhaul.
On the other hand, look at A List Apart. Very attractive, very organized very thorough. So, webmasterworld gets an 8.0 and ALA gets a 10. Both good.
But overall an amateur feeling won't get you very far, INHO. It definitely won't get me to part from my money.
If you are smart and honest, you know then if the graphics you create are good enough or not. If you can make passable graphics then do it yourself unless you hate doing it.
I say this becuase I'm assuming you are starting with a tight budget (as everyone does). You would be better off spending that money elsewhere, like marketing.
If your product is right, and you are bringing in the right traffic, you can sell with the most simple of websites.
If you are selling the same stuff everybody else is, then you may need to set yourself apart with a really sharp website. But if that was the case I would suggest finding a new market anyways.
Anyway, I think people understand that some really crappy companies have great websites and some really great companies have simple, plain websites. As long as your site does what it should, looks clean and consistant, you should be fine.
Through trial and error in setting up things i have already learned ALOT.
Looking at myself, i hate to limit my capacity and say that i cant do something but the ROI i see; is just not there in terms of learning to do it myself.... I have no interest in GD.
How do you know if your paying the right amount for a graphic? Or better yet, how do you align the project? Do they do the graphics for the entire site or do you get someone to just do one graphic at a time..
How do you know if your paying the right amount for a graphic? Or better yet, how do you align the project? Do they do the graphics for the entire site or do you get someone to just do one graphic at a time..
Get quotes from multiple graphic designers. Review their prior work to see if it matches your desired style. It’s also a good idea to start with a few smaller projects to make sure that you found the right graphic designer before having them design the entire site.
a classical example being the sites which do well in the South Korean and Japanese markets ..are totally different visually from those which do well in the western markets ..
"linguisitic" differences are not just textual or audible but also visual ..we are all culturally conditioned to differring degrees ..make allowances for that and you will have more success than if you try a one size fits all approach ..choose designer from your target culture or one who understands it's visual language ..
this is much more important than many realize..
My own efforts are limited to say the least!
I do mostly everything else myself, or for buttons and such I use another great resource, i stock photos dot com.
you have (usaly after a lot talent and hard work) or not.
so simple
just thikn all the looser that thought themselves as a great perfomance/actors/musician now imagine a programer/company owner/site owner, that want to create his own or his woman/sun/secretary graphics. nobody can purchase him how bad realy is. nobody.
the only solutions is:
decide what kind of pro you -if, and then or create a bad looking site or
1)use a GOOD desinger.
2) if not (bad idea) buy a template so you can a descent site. only and 99 legale tepmate owner and 90009 non legal
3)at least BUY some advise for a profesional desinger and some assets -button mainly)
