Your Opinion (I must do this 10 times a year...)

[southern.scents]

Hi Everyone

Well, I just got through undergoing my third (and hopefully last) label change since I have been in business. This time, when I changed, all I did was add pictures for fragrance names. Well, the background on my website clashed with the pictures so I changed it to something that I think might work better. Will you check out my website and tell me what you think of the background. www.southern-scents.com Also, feel free to give tips and advice on the layout and other issues. NOTE: All text content is still being worked on and all of the pictures are being edited and are being uploaded .What is there now is being changed. TIA

Adam

[sockmonkey]

Hmmm...how can I say this...It's painful to my eyes. I like the pictures but the black is way too harsh and "in-your-face" in my opinion. Something else that struck me...your "About Us" page sounds strikingly similar to the Mike Kittredge story.

PM me and I'll be happy to work on some text for you.

[I love candles]

I don't mind the pictures in the background since they provide a lot of color but they don't seem to match the style of the black and white logo. Are you changing that as well?

[debscent]

Noticed some typos throughout, on the yellow soap page for instance, and on some of the pages on the right hand side of the page there's a duplication of jar candles for sale. Also, when you punctuate with a period, do you hit space bar twice. It seems as if there is only one space.

I also think the page would be more appealing if your logo wasn't so "blaring." I hate to use that word but it needs to be a bit more subtle on the page, it's over powering.

It's looking nice.

[thesoapbox]

I love all the colorful pictures around the site but as mentioned, it seems the black and white do not go with those colorful pictures.

I am constanly changing things as well so you aren't alone:D

Angi

[LisaW]

I think part of the problem may be that it looks like two different styles together. Does that make sense? It's a little more "modern" looking on the pics in the background, but the b/w with the design looks more "country". I think you need to decide on one or the other. I'm thinking your labels will pretty much determine what direction you're going in. I, also, am always changing my website. Hey, that's what summer's for, right?

[Ring of Fire]

Brutally honest here, it is downright horrible. Like someone said, it is in your face. Nothing matches, a complete mess. IMO, start all over and ditch both of those backgrounds. Even if you just used the Southern Scents one, that is way too much. You need to find a good designer to help you with this.

[asheebeans]

I have to agree with Ring of Fire. It looks like Classy & Country are having a catfight to see who can overpower the other! Country is a hair-puller but Classy is gouging out Country's eyes! I would say to either purchase some graphics or a webset from a reputable graphic design place and go from there. Good luck!

[Circle]

I was going to go with black and white as my logo is all about the silver fern and all black colours, but black is off putting for anyone and is too harsh. I would keep the surrounding pics and have a pale background to complement it.

[southern.scents]

Thanks for all of the feedback. As I said in my first post, all text is in the process of either being changed and or edited. Everything but the background was done by paperprintsandpixels.com (Cara). When she did the design, I was going for elegance of the south with the black and burgandy colors and the swirly type design at the top of the logo. Now, however, I have been working on launching my products more state wide and needed a design that would jump off of the shelves and a plain black label with white text was not doing it. After playing around, we decided that adding pictures for each fragrance would provide the pop of color that the labels needed. See the attatched low resolution copy of the labels. Well, the background that I did have on my website clashed with the new label design so I knew I had to change it. I am all for changing the background to anything that would look nice and compliment my labels but the black part is not negotiable. It is something that I really care for. I will work on the double spacing between periods. It was something that was tought to us in 8th grade but I have gotten out of the habit.

[eugenia]

Adam, you truly scare me. The only link I checked was the yellow box soap. All your oils are skin safe? Can you name any that are not? Your soaps cure from 1 to 6 weeks?

You should not be selling soap cured for less than 6 weeks and I am not convinced that you should be selling soap at all. My personal feeling is that it is a mockery of what I do that I have worked long and hard to achieve, you seem to be all about the fast buck and this is so wrong.

e

[cozyaromas]

I like the labels, but as far as the main page, I prefer the black and white with out the scent fragrance pics around. Black is white is very classy, on your labels the color pops out which I like.

[thecandlespastore]

If you want my honest opinion the background ois too busy. I would change it to black words on a white background and lose the fruits and veggies and have a plain white background.

[southern.scents]

Guys, I went through all of this. All of my products are tested and are safe. My soap is HP so it truly is safe immediately but it still gets at least a one week cure to allow it to harden for packaging. All of my fragrances are skin safe. I have to use serveral different suppliers in order to get all skin safe fragrances but that is just something I have to deal with. Check out my fragrances page. I only have 20. This helps me keep items stocked and a handle on what works in my products. I came into this fast as you all remember a long time ago but since I have slowed things down and I am truly interested and determined in running a succesful business. If I wasn't I would worry with making labels that look nice, adding warnings to all products, seeing what potential clients and customers want and like, etc. Please don't worry about me. I do that enough myself. Its not easy for a 17 year old to go out there and impress shop owners enought to get them to purchase. They do the same thing you guys do, doubt me. I promise that if my parents and myself as well as my business advisors did not feel my products were safe, I would not still be doing this. I put lots of time into this and have invested alot of my life and money into this. I am not willing to screw it all up and loose all that I have put into it.

[southern.scents]

E, you should remember yourself all the trouble I went through with the soap. I even had to go as far as joining a swap to prove myself... No one had any complaints except that is was drying which I have worked on.

[eugenia]

E, you should remember yourself all the trouble I went through with the soap. I even had to go as far as joining a swap to prove myself... No one had any complaints except that is was drying which I have worked on.

Adam, HP needs more than 1 week to be good soap. Please slow down,

e

[CareBear]

There's a difference between "won't hurt anyone" and "good". Eugenia is absolutely right and is being quite kind about it. Please listen.

[thesoapbox]

It is his business and if he feels he has done everything he needs to do to run it the way he sees fit then he is going to do what needs to be done. I have seen many post that they have used HP immediately after unmolding and I have not seen a response telling them they should not have done that until now. I know that is why many choose hp over cp, for the immediate gratification of using it right away.

However he chooses to run his business should in no way affect us. If he feels his products are ready to sell, then no matter what anyone says here, he will sell them. It's his business and his butt. Not ours!

He is in no way making a mockery of me and my soaping with how he runs his business. It shouldn't of you as well.

JMHO

Angi

[CareBear]

In a way I agree, but in several I disagree.

First, yes it's fine to try your soap nice and fresh. I even try my CP soaps fresh out of the mold. You won't find anyone telling people not to because it IS safe. But trying your own is NOT the same as selling them.

But on the topic of selling them - if a crafter sells under par (not saying his are, but it's a good example of potential) then it can adversely impact the reputation of hand crafted soaps of others as well. If I try something that isn't good then the next time I see it, even if it's a different seller, I'm a heck of a lot less likely to reach out and buy it. So yes - I'd say that sub-par products can affect us because one person's efforts really DO represent those of others to a degree. Mockery? Well that's a semantics game I don't wish to get into, but I still agree with Eugenia.

JMHO

Carol

Oh and Adam - if you want to be able to provide shop owners with a consistent product that doesn't CHANGE WHILE IN THE SHOP you really need to let your products age. Truly. Why not sell the best you can instead of something you just whipped up? It will serve you better in the long run, I promise.

[southern.scents]

I said one to six weeks. I shoot for and usually get about three to four weeks of curing but if I have a wholesale order that needs to be made fresh, all I can really give is one week. I really wish I could come here and ask for opinions on one subject without being jumped on about another by people who have never even used my products. I know you guys are trying to help but it really makes me feel like just giving up on my whole business when all I get is put down and second guessed.

[candlegrl]

Adam your are one determined young man go for your dreams and think things through. I think you will do just fine. My son is 19 and you remind me of him hard working and wanting to make something of yourself at a young age. Hard work pays off

Best of Luck

Lisa~

[blazerina]

I'm just going to throw this in for good measure and my own curiosity... because I believed computers to be supercharged word processors and that you do not have to type 'space-space' after a period as the computer's programming does the initial space advancement for you, so you just advance one more. It was only in typewriting class (on an actual typewriter) that I was taught 'space-space' -once in order to advance it off the period placement it's self, and once to give the only space needed...if that makes any sense.

Not to harp on a nitpicky subject but that's just what I thought. But hey, if I'm wrong I'm wrong- and totally willing to be told so!:smiley2:

[debscent]

Guys, I went through all of this. All of my products are tested and are safe. My soap is HP so it truly is safe immediately but it still gets at least a one week cure to allow it to harden for packaging. All of my fragrances are skin safe. I have to use serveral different suppliers in order to get all skin safe fragrances but that is just something I have to deal with. Check out my fragrances page. I only have 20. This helps me keep items stocked and a handle on what works in my products. I came into this fast as you all remember a long time ago but since I have slowed things down and I am truly interested and determined in running a succesful business. If I wasn't I would worry with making labels that look nice, adding warnings to all products, seeing what potential clients and customers want and like, etc. Please don't worry about me. I do that enough myself. Its not easy for a 17 year old to go out there and impress shop owners enought to get them to purchase. They do the same thing you guys do, doubt me. I promise that if my parents and myself as well as my business advisors did not feel my products were safe, I would not still be doing this. I put lots of time into this and have invested alot of my life and money into this. I am not willing to screw it all up and loose all that I have put into it.

To address the first issue. All of us have to use multiple suppliers to get the desired results that we want, so that is not something new to this business. Secondly, having a nice label on a product is not the end-all-be-all to a good product. It's like putting a BMW body on a Neon engine. Part of being in business is believing in your product/reputation strong enough that no matter what anyone on a message board tells says, you believe in your product.

I understand where E and CB are coming from. 1 week is not enough time for soap to cure, even if it's for a wholesale account. What if the wholesaler puts your product out on day 1 after receiving your product?

Adam, I've seen you grow and take constructive criticism over the past year (and when do you turn 18 by the way, seems like you've been 17 forever;) ). But when you ask for criticism on your site, the whole site will be critiqued and you must be prepared for that, whether it's good or bad. If you don't want to hear what is being said, don't put it out there. Stay focused, patience is required and the benefits will pay off. As for your labels...get them professionally done, you will save time having to hand cut them, they will be consistent.

[southern.scents]

To address the first issue. All of us have to use multiple suppliers to get the desired results that we want, so that is not something new to this business. Secondly, having a nice label on a product is not the end-all-be-all to a good product. It's like putting a BMW body on a Neon engine. Part of being in business is believing in your product/reputation strong enough that no matter what anyone on a message board tells says, you believe in your product.

I understand where E and CB are coming from. 1 week is not enough time for soap to cure, even if it's for a wholesale account. What if the wholesaler puts your product out on day 1 after receiving your product?

Adam, I've seen you grow and take constructive criticism over the past year (and when do you turn 18 by the way, seems like you've been 17 forever;) ). But when you ask for criticism on your site, the whole site will be critiqued and you must be prepared for that, whether it's good or bad. If you don't want to hear what is being said, don't put it out there. Stay focused, patience is required and the benefits will pay off. As for your labels...get them professionally done, you will save time having to hand cut them, they will be consistent.

Well, You guys still have to rembmer I am making Hot Process soap so it is safe for use as soon as it comes out of the mold. I am sure that by even letting it cure for a minimum of one week, I am doing what thousands don't. Either way, I do believe in my product 110%. Other wise I wouldn't be putting my reputation on the line for them. I just turned 17 last November and will turn 18 this November. I understand that I asked for criticism on my site but I did say that all text was still in the works and when people started about the soap, I quickly stated that my soap was HP which should have ended all questioning about cure times. Either way, I guess I have learned that you can't come here and ask for just part of somthing. You get every drop either way.

[thesoapbox]

Adam, There are always those that are going to give you crap on this board especially if they already have a preconceived notion about you. The ones that do that feel they are above reproach and I just think of them as pot stirrers as that is their main goal in life when it comes to this board. Just read it and move on, that is the best you can do. If you rise to their ridiculousness then you have in turn given them EXACTLY what they were looking for If you don't believe me about pot stirrers, just take a look at some of the OT posts....proverbial pot stirrers.

The bottom line is you are right about HP. As I stated earlier I have seen post after post about HP being used right away (and no, we do NOT know if they were using it for personal use or business use) and I have never read anyone coming down and saying Oh you can't use HP right away, it has to cure. It was said because YOU mentioned it. And nothing that anyone says will cause me to change my opinion on that one.

When you ask for critiques on websites you are not just going to get a critique on what you are looking for. There are some that are going to go through every single thing you have done with a fine tooth comb. I can't take that type of criticizm so I never ask for opinions on websites ever:wink2: .

I believe in what I do whole heartedly but I also believe that if your labels stink then you won't get any business. Why? Because that is how I feel. I won't buy a product if the label stinks. I look at it in a way that if the person making the product is not at all concerned about the look of the label then they certainly are not concerned about the type of product they are producing. You have to believe in your ENTIRE product and that includes labeling and packaging. This is why I constanly am changing my stupid labels because I just don't feel they are good enough and I do not have the money to hire a professional to create and produce them for me.

Also, if I buy a product that is sub-par from one seller, it does not deter me from buying the same product from a different seller. So I guess that is why I can't see how running his business can affect mine. I had a horrible steak dinner the other night at Rafferty's that was way too expensive for what I got but will that put me off to buying a steak dinner at The Outback...I don't think so LOL! I just will never go to Rafferty's again. If I buy a horrible soap from Eugenia (probably never happen in a million years but bear with me:wink2: ) that would not put me off to buying a soap from CareBear. So, I just can't see that concept.

Anyways, the main point of this ridiculously long post is you really need to accept the good with the bad when requesting critiques and if you don't like the bad, just read it and move on. If you believe in what you are doing then you are going to run your own business how you see fit. Not one of us here can tell you how to run things. We can only give opinions and we all know what opinions are !

Angi