Listing product guide on side of page

Do I need to do this.

[AmyNY]

This is for a small business site with many products. It's like a catalog with photos and description of product.

Currently set up with button tabs to pages at the top of each page and the same thing written out at the bottom of each page:

"see our products" (index of all products)
"about us"
"buy now"
"home page"

Entire products index with categories and subcategories is listed on one page.

Many sites have products listed on the side of every page. I don't see where I have the room for this. The photos and product description will be pushed so far to the right that the user will have to use the bar to read everything on the right side of the page. Should I add another more detailed index at the bottom of each page or do I need to find a way to make room and place it on the left/or right side of the page? Is it ok to click on see our products to get the whole index (the way I have it now)?

Thanks again for all of your help.

[spherica]

I think this is more of a person preferrance or even more importantly, what is better for on-line shoppers and tending to their needs, then "do I need to have it"

[martinibuster]

I think you have to contemplate on what works for the consumer.

On a more pragmatic level, another consideration is where in your code those links are, near the top or at the bottom.

Links are a part of the algo, just like the title tag, <b> and <h> tags etc.