SITE REVIEW: Lee's Inc.

Hey all

I am looking for feedback on this particular site in the way of overall appeal and ease of use/navigation. Note that I do not have control over the OEM parts pages as they are controlled by another person. I would like to have them local but I do not have the resources to create all of those OEM parts lookups. I will also be moving more towards using css for the appearance, but for now it is laid out using what I know and I was under a deadline to get content and a site established.

The entire site is coded using Editplus with the exception of the java menu, which is a freely available download.

Thanks to all in advance.

http://www.leesinc.com

Edit: HAHAHAHA, I forgot the stupid URL

The site is a little unprofessional looking, and it lacks a layout to format the content. The site just kind of sprawls across the page from one side to the other and doesn't really seem to care where it is going. Try to use tables to format the site into an easier to access layout.

Lose the buttons on the bottom about your opinions on browsers or lose people you are pissing off about it.

I would definately remove the javascript menu. It does not fit well with the site and it is annoying because it pops up when I move my mouse past it. If you absolutely HAVE to keep it, then at least put in a delay before it drops to be sure the visitor wants it to!

The color scheme is a bit un-organized. The red links don't really fit in with the blueish header.

Thanks for the comments.


The more I look at that menu the more I don't like it myself. For now I have made it "click to drop-down", that should make it less annoying. I am just having trouble with navigation, I want people to be able to get to any page from any other page without having to go back somewhere and without having the old/used up left hand menu.


I am working on a graphic for the header that incorporates product images and rids the site of the Free Shipping text on the left top, but it will not be ready until after Christmas. For now I have changed the color to blue to maybe be a little more pleasing to the majority. What do you guys think about the background/text combination? I have problems with light backgrounds and dark text, but I may be in the minority.


I was looking for something that does not copy most every other cookie cutter business site out there...graphic on top, menu down the left, advertising down the right, footer. But maybe that's what everybody wants. Also, as I said in my first post, I am going to use CSS to cleanup the appearance. BTW, what resolution/s did you use.


Gone for clutter reasons, I don't think it will heat anyone up so much that they would navigate away from the site.

Thanks again, this is exactly what I am looking for. I have been looking at it so much its hard for me to tell what I need to do.

Much better with the navigation! Next step would be to make it into a vertical table nav. If you don't want it on the left then put it on the right!

As far as the resolution, my first review was on 1280*1024. I just now visited with 600*600 and I found that your menu will slide off the left side of the page if the browser is not wide enough! That should be fixed when you transition to a different navigation system though.

...Awaiting your next update!

Change the font from Times New Roman to Verdana (arial, helvetica, something similar). And maybe make the photo something like a frame (you could put it in a table with border ...)

THanks for the comments.

I did a quick css change for the fonts, I think thats much better to read...Thanks. I'm not a big fan of framing pics in a border though, I will probably leave it as is.

As for any major menu changes, I will get to that Monday at the shop. No hard work this weekend for me.

Thanks again all and I'll catch you later.

- Add descriptive keyword-rich page titles relevant to the subject matter of each page.
- I would lose the gradient in the site header. A solid colour would look better IMO
- Anti-alias the logo text, it looks jagged which never looks nice.
- The menu is very annoying i.e. definitely a left-hand side menu with standard text links prettied up with CSS would be the best option.

Good luck with it

Looks like my menu is out the door.

Descriptive titles will be happening next week, I decided that after reading reviews here over the weekend.

I will be doing tons of work next week especially on the appearance, and as I told Truce, I am working on a graphic for the header instead of the gradient and the Logo will probably get worked up at the same time.

I wish I had found this forum before I started work on the site...

Thanks

Ok, finally loaded all the new changes...Let me know what you guys think. I added more content with tons on the way, and I completely changed the navigation from java menu to css. I hope this new site is easier on the eyes, better to navigate, and more search engine friendly.

Just checking to see if anyone cares to review the changes made to the site. Halloooo.....

I haven;t read the previous so i don't know whats been suggested. The site looks clean. The menu works... rather large (it goes beyond the fold (scroll needed))... one adjustment i would make would be the top graphic, in my resolution (1600*1200) it repeats and its not seamless...

apart from that everything seems fine and dandy!

Thanks for the info.

I am struggling with the header as my skills with graphics are not up to par. It is something I am working on, its just coming along slower than I would have liked.

Keep em' coming

Hi again,

Wow, what an improvement! The white background is great for the site and I am envious of that menu now It looks great and has nice descriptive page titles.

Overall the best site improvement I have seen in this forum so far. Good work.

just looked at your site and first thing i notice is CLUTTER. there is alot of menu info there, the text is quite small and doesnt flow with the main page text. the bottom buttons that appear on every page look to be to far up from the bottom. the address doesnt have to be there, instead it can be in the contacts page. how about splitting up the menu so you dont have to scroll past the actual browser size of your site. strikes me that the main menu which can go under the main pic or to the side (doesnt matter since the sub menu will take the other position) should be HOME, VEHICLES, PARTS, ACCESSORIES etc. they should be on each page. then the sub menu will be what ever page you are on ie if you are on the ACCESSORIES page then the sub menu will be the pages for that: accessory specials, yamaha etc and so on. not sure about the borders for the menu and the main text.

the header needs to be in line with the actual site. the whole site should look like the whole instead of its parts.

this is just my opinion and i dont want to offend, but those things struck me the most when i first saw it.

you are using .shtml formats. are you including alot of files into the tables?

I am going to have to add on to what buzzbuzz was saying. This is just an idea, but it will hopefully point you in the right direction.

you could split up the menu into two columns, one on either side, that way the menu wouldnt be as long as it is now. the middle column for the content, you can easily make it scrollable if necessary
and maybe put a bottom cell for the secondary links and / or mailing address.