SITE REVIEW: iTrade

iTrade

An Internet Trading Community, bascily a place to discuss online trading topics. Get items valued before they are listed so that a seller has an idea of how much items are worth etc. Please click the "About Us" link to read a short paragraph of exactly wha the stie is about. Just wondering what people think of the idea plus the design.

http://www.itrade.net.nz

Thanks.

OK, I even tested your Contact page...

Sure...

The design is actually not nice, it is VERY nice! I like the subtle little map of New Zealand by the header...

Otherwise as an idea I can't give you an opinion, not sure of the market for that, it all depends on how much you invest in publicity for it...

But my main points is: It's a forum...! A bloody plain damn forum with a nice deisgn...!
No extra pages, no info pages (the About us page is too short and with no illustartions!), no nothing else to captivate the user!

Overall I'd give it a 4....

[Gonna get myself another Bud...]

I have to hand it to you, the design is awesome, from head to toe. The forum looks really smooth and shows really really well. That being said, the concept is questionable. Actually, after reading the about and help desk information, I'm still not entirely sure what the whole thing is about.

First of all, is this forum confined to just people from New Zealand? Its described as New Zealands Internet Trading Community. This value system that you outlined in the about section sounded like an awesome script that you developed that assists in putting a price on a used/new product. Instead its just a poll, which can hardly be described as "system". Of which, you may have people who are totally unaware of the product's value voting on how much it should be sold for. I certainly wouldnt leave the price of my car, for example, to a bunch of strangers, when I can ask my trusty mechanic down the street for his opinion. I'd expect some sort of qualification before anyone dropped their ideas into my bucket. I guess that system just has too many flaws for me.

As a forum to just discuss trading, thats fine. But it honestly looks like its going to end up with a bunch of people from eBay or other auction places coming to spam their items for sale. Hopefully it turns out the way you invision it, but thats my two cents worth. Best of luck with the site.

Did you do the template by yourself? Hmmm, very nice. the only thing I can see that is wrong, is that you might want a new banner, that goes a little better with the actual web page. I like the site and the banner, but it still needs a little work. GJ either way man and keep up the good work

Cheers , yea I created the skin myself.

Hi Fex,

Nice colors
I don't like iTrade text on your logo. Maybe would be better delete this bevel and emboss effect.
Also try white color on your slogan and set the tracking of this text to -100 becouse slogan text goes under the map.

Jan

the logo is slightly hard to read. Maybe read up on some color theory? The colors do not seem to fit very well.

As previously stated, the header/logo is bleh.

Design isn't too horiible, but you need some more content. Consider making the homepage contain some posts from the news or something to keep it changing and interesting. It almost looks like a construction page! Also, the design doesn't really make me want to sit around. It looks like every other plain old personal forum that everybody has. If you want real success, you are going to need a custom forum, not an IPB with a custom skin. I mean, cmon, where is the incentive?

Also, the site is rather dead. It could be because there isn't much interest in the topic your board is about. Starting a forum is hard, but you should keep with it and adapt to what visitors want. Put up a poll asking what people want more of, and try to get some link exchanges going on to raise your PR.

Good concept. I own an online shop, and this is what I needed. Will definitely signup and post.