This is Fresh (Duh) Evaluate My Website...

[Jimmy Buffit]

My new website

It is not yet published. A 'pro' is doing it for me, and we are certainly in the beta stage.

Frankly, I don't like it. The Flash aspect of it is 'foreign' to me.

Any and all critisicm/advice is REALLY appreciated!

Thanks for your assistance!

Jim

UPDATE _ 8/28/07

Some three years later the website has changed completely, and so has our volume of business. The following comments do not apply to the current Website.

[ncal]

I like Flash but I think your developer got too carried away and should integrate it with a website instead of making it the basis for the entire site. Flash works great in a lot of things but if its the bread and butter of the site it makes things like the scrollboxes a real pain to use. Just my .02

[Dinzdale40]

I like the Flash stuff.....i'd use different colors...i don't like green

[SpoiledMan]

Originally posted by ncal
I like Flash but I think your developer got too carried away and should integrate it with a website instead of making it the basis for the entire site. Flash works great in a lot of things but if its the bread and butter of the site it makes things like the scrollboxes a real pain to use. Just my .02

Yep, what he said....

[Jimmy Buffit]

Thanks, ncal. I think I agree.

Please keep 'em coming...

I'll be passing this thread along to the developer...

It should be evolving everyday, now that it is 'live'.

Jim

[YouGottaBeLeaf]

IMO, that background color (teal?) is horrible.

I don't mind the all-flash approach.

When you click on something the bigger picture that shows up is blurry. Perhaps it was resized incorrectly? e.g click on "complete new look package" and the picture that get show is blurry, or has "jaggies". Not a good idea if you're trying to use the picture to show how good your work is.

A lot of flash sites make noises when you click on things. Don't know if you'd want that or not.

I think you should change the word "start" to "home" and make the "start" button a picture to the left of the "experience" picture.

I'd say put the contact info in the bottom bar all the time.

IMO you don't need the forward and back buttons under the "start" button. Therefore, if you move the "start" button and put the contact info at the bottom then you can get rid of the whole left bar which would give it a cleaner look.

Also IMO you don't need the word "navigation" on there at all.

Suggestion: Put the "Jimmy Buff-Its Auto Detailing" that you have on the "start" page and put it at the top of the browser and show it all the time. i.e. Put it above the "navigation" buttons.

[ZaneO]

A little too complicated for my tastes, considering it's a detailing website. It needs text headings such as services, etc. I'm not a huge fan of the colors, either.

People don't won't to figure out how to operate your website to access your services. Some people would be fine, but many others would get frustrated.

*I* really like simple, classy formats such as:

www.virtualdriveoftexas.com

www.sellingamarillo.com

www.blakebrothersroofing.com

The designer of these sites can be contacted at www.inamarillo.com

[carcrazy22]

I am a web programmer by profession for a one of top 5 corporate bank in USA. By looking at your website, I am not impressed. ( dont get me wrong here - I am impressed by your work). The guy whom you hired, knows flash but he is not good web designer. To me it looks more like a power point presentation.

I can give you several suggestions to help you design a better website. Let me give few only at this time because I give straight comment.

Experience and picture of lamborghini (?) -
1> You are giving introduction abt Jimmy Buff-it and you are telling abt Jimmy Buff-it ( so its not experience, its Introduction or About Us ). Reflect experience in your introduction. To be honest, have you seen any website who use word "experience" ?
2> Picture of lamborghini(?) and I assume its you (?) working on it. This picture doesnt belong here. I will suggest show picture of you and your staff in front of your workshop and on back show the sign "Jimmy Buff-it". I mean show as a proud owner Jim Schliebner. Do you have picture with Barry Meguiar, show it.
3> For years Jimmy Buff-It has been performing ... show how many years - definite word.

4> Give complete contact info - address, directions.
5> Add picture gallery, showing your client cars ( i assume with their permission) and your work.

My 2 cents ...

[LouisanaJeeper]

needs a online photo gallery of details

pictures were blurry for me @1200x1600 res

HATE the scroll bar

some people do not have flash, might want to have a link to get the plugin or something

[Intel486]

I'm not a big fan of the flash webpages. I say changing the background color would make a big difference.

[Jimmy Buffit]

Thank you all so much!

Keep the comments coming, please!

Jim

[L33]

Originally posted by ncal
I like Flash but I think your developer got too carried away and should integrate it with a website instead of making it the basis for the entire site. Flash works great in a lot of things but if its the bread and butter of the site it makes things like the scrollboxes a real pain to use. Just my .02

I completely agree, i hate when an entire site is in flash. I'm a developer myself, flash makes updates and changes a real pain to do. Plus if you want people to do a google search on content in flash, i don't think it's possible.

He dedicated too small of an area for the actual text on each page, i would rather scroll the page than scroll a small box. Have most of the text in front of the user instead of a small area.
i.e. when you have your packages, the user has to scroll several times to see what is included.

drop the bubbles.

get better quality pics.

I would shrink things down, change the colors and clean it up a bit.

I like that he has the contact number in view the entire time at the bottom of the screen, but i would also include the address

Did he make any type of backend to update the content?