Made a few suggested changes

[so-soy]

Well IMO, I hate the moving photos too, it just bugs me. They JUMP out at you, they move way to fast, it totally goes against the rest of the look of your site, meaning it just doesn't fit the site to me. I don't really understand why you are trying to showcase your products with that thing but I would X out of your site if I happened upon it. You may think this is a rude way of giving my opinion but I don't think it is, its just being honest with how I feel about what I'm seeing on your site. I am also one of those who would NEVER order from a site that doesn't have an address and phone number listed and if I have to start searching for it on the site and looking on every page, I'm out of there! Nothing irks me more than not listing those. It screams, "I'm unethical, I can steal your money and you will never find me"! If you are a legit business why hide where you are and not give customers a phone number to reach you? Now, those Rustics are awesome! I love the colors of them.

[Stella1952]

JokerJen, the work you are putting into your website and your projects puts many folks to shame! I liked a lot of your website ideas and hope you don't mind if I use a few of your web concepts in building my own site (assuming I can figure out how to do any of 'em!!).

Keep up the good work!! I also enjoy seeing your work on the gallery, as it's very different from the projects I make, and I find it inspiring to see other folks' stuff.

[Jokerjen]

Well IMO, I hate the moving photos too, it just bugs me. They JUMP out at you, they move way to fast, it totally goes against the rest of the look of your site, meaning it just doesn't fit the site to me. I don't really understand why you are trying to showcase your products with that thing but I would X out of your site if I happened upon it. You may think this is a rude way of giving my opinion but I don't think it is, its just being honest with how I feel about what I'm seeing on your site. I am also one of those who would NEVER order from a site that doesn't have an address and phone number listed and if I have to start searching for it on the site and looking on every page, I'm out of there! Nothing irks me more than not listing those. It screams, "I'm unethical, I can steal your money and you will never find me"! If you are a legit business why hide where you are and not give customers a phone number to reach you? Now, those Rustics are awesome! I love the colors of them.

Nope , the way you put it was not rude, just matter of fact on how you personally feel....

So far there are more likes than dislikes, but I am still working on it....You are right, I should have my contact info on my home page.... I never thought of it that way, I figured people would look under the appropraite link if they wanted to know my physical address.

And I am one that if i want further info, I have no problem sending off an email....

But food for thought...thanks

And glad you like my pillars!

[Jokerjen]

JokerJen, the work you are putting into your website and your projects puts many folks to shame! I liked a lot of your website ideas and hope you don't mind if I use a few of your web concepts in building my own site (assuming I can figure out how to do any of 'em!!).

Keep up the good work!! I also enjoy seeing your work on the gallery, as it's very different from the projects I make, and I find it inspiring to see other folks' stuff.

Thank you verymuch Stella!:highfive: And I don't mind at all...

[MissMary]

I have to agree about making me want to hurl.

Not that it's disgustingly stupid - it literally makes me want to throw up. If you want nice, I could say that it makes my stomach turn or I want to vomit or whatever, but it goes too fast and when I try to focus on the pic being brought forward it goes away and then I watch it turn again.

I personally, even if it was timed right, don't like these on any site. Especially when you want to click on them to go back and see something, but it takes you to a whole DIFFERENT site, away from yours.

Maybe a font color change to match your menu bar on the left. You can also do an alternative. Many of those fonts are graphics and most computers don't have custom text installed. You can do a text you have in photoshop or whatever program and make an image and color drop the background to match. This does two things - makes your text impossible to highlight and copy and keeps the feel of the site the same. People can load the graphics, but not the text. I'm actually working on this for my own site, once I decide on the final color scheme.

[Di_in_AZ]

Bit of a hijack here, but what do you people who cannot deal with things moving in circles deal in life? There are traffic circles, merry-go-rounds, lazy suzies..heck alot of display cases move in circles. Do you always feel nauseous? This is caused by motion sickness, real or perceived movement. I would go crazy if I had to limit my life in that manner. My sympathies to all

[debscent]

Bit of a hijack here, but what do you people who cannot deal with things moving in circles deal in life? There are traffic circles, merry-go-rounds, lazy suzies..heck alot of display cases move in circles. Do you always feel nauseous? This is caused by motion sickness, real or perceived movement. I would go crazy if I had to limit my life in that manner. My sympathies to all

I don't do merry-go-rounds, don't do spinning rides at all. Traffic circles are few and far between in my area, so that's not a problem. Can't watch shaky camera action on TV and can't watch some high definition TV because of it. Can't sit in the first 10 rows of a movie theater either. I also can't do the shark exhibit at Sea World or the 360 degree movie theaters. And, no my life is not limited because I can't do any of these things!

[Di_in_AZ]

I don't do merry-go-rounds, don't do spinning rides at all. Traffic circles are few and far between in my area, so that's not a problem. Can't watch shaky camera action on TV and can't watch some high definition TV because of it. Can't sit in the first 10 rows of a movie theater either. I also can't do the shark exhibit at Sea World or the 360 degree movie theaters. And, no my life is not limited because I can't do any of these things!

Motion sickness causes that sensation, do you have problems on "moving things"--logically that would include most forms of transport?

[debscent]

Motion sickness is a disagreement between your visual perceptions and your physical (sense of movement) perception. Therefore, I can't look out the window of an airplane, can't sit on a boat facing the opposite direction or be a passenger in the back seat of a car. If I find myself in those situations, I take medication. Not a big deal.

So, yeah, it's a real issue for some people.

[Di_in_AZ]

Sorry to hear that. I have never had that problem so I didn't know how that would impact someone. The only thing I can't do is read in a car. Last summer I was even dumb enough to get on one of those huge coasters at Sea World. It didn't make me nauseous, but it did scare the heck out of me. I was shaking after and decided that I have finally hit the age where I won't be doing rollercoaters anymore

Well, it makes sense why that picture would be disturbing, I was reading the responses and not realizing what an impact it would have.

[Ring of Fire]

Seriously, what is a traffic circle? I have heard of crop circles though.

Let's face it, it's plain annoying even to someone like me who does not have any type of motion sickness. :cakegirl:

Besides, she has already mentioned she's going upscale so I am sure that will be gone ASAP.

[MissMary]

I'm guessing a traffic circle is a roundabout? Otherwise, no idea, but with movies like Blair Witch project - probably the worst out there I know of, I take some OTC stuff. I won't ride circle rides, like the spinny barrel type stuff at all. Started when I was probably 14 or so. Went on my favorite ride at Worlds of Fun and came out hurling. Never before had happened, tried again then next trip, same thing, same ride. Since then, no no for me!

ETA: Also, I have to take some on the cruise with me. Depending on the way the bed is situated in the room as to the movement of the ship, I get queasy too.

Display cases and the like aren't a problem for me personally. It's staying the same size, it's the same speed and are pretty slow. I can usually walk around them if I need to as well. I don't have to quick focus then be forced to refocus on something else.

[ScentGifts]

yes, a traffic circle would be similar to a roundabout where several streets branch off of a road loop if that makes sense. No need to have all the sarcasm, different people call things by different names, deal with it.

Ring Of Fire- The product slideshow may be annoying to you, but you are not everyone. If it bothers you that much, don't look at it! No one is forcing you to!

[bwc]

Motion also makes me ill. When we go to see our relatives in Oklahoma, it drives me crazy to see the lights blinking on all the windmills around Lamar (Colorado) and also on the irrigation rigs in eastern Colorado and driving into Oklahoma (when we drive at night). Don't blinking lights also bother those with epilepsy? I know with fibromyalgia it is easy to get overwhelmed by noises and smells; also, just walking into a place with a lot of people, walking into an unfamiliar store that is real busy with lots of displays, or driving to a new place in a large parking lot will make me disoriented. I can't seem to take everything in at once and get overwhelmed.

There is a website from one candle maker that has a rose or something moving around on the site, and I can't stay on that site at all.

I also get carsick. However, for some reason, I can ride rollercoasters because I can look forward and not out to the side.

Traffic circles don't nauseate me, they just confuse me!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Traffic_circle

[Zeb]

Hi Jokerjen,

This is my first post, just got my membership approved

In my spare time I make websites (mainly friends, friends of friends and myself) and I have a few comments if I may.

First the images. If you want a nice clean thin border around some of the images then add this into the HEAD part of the pages:

<style type="text/css">
  img.boxed {border: 1px #000000 solid;}
</style>

1px: The size of the border (1px=1 pixel)

#000000: Black - change this to what you want to use (ie. #ff0000=red, #00ff00=green, #0000ff=blue)

solid: solid line (also dotted, dashed)

Then on the IMG tags, add the following:

class="boxed"

Example:

<img src="images/somepicture.gif" alt="some picture" class="boxed" />

(EDIT: Just noticed you're using an external style sheet so you can add that middle line inside it)

I noticed with your HTML you're using a complete URL pointing to the images - there's no need to add "http://heavenlyscentsations.ca/" in each IMG tag as this only forces the browser to load the images from the server every time the page is accessed. This means that a lot of viewers will eat away at your bandwidth and could account why others are reporting the images take a while to load. For me being in the UK they do take some time.

The carousel. Nice effect but it does move a little too fast not really giving people enough time to look at the pictures properly plus I'd say it is a little on the large side. I'm not sure what size monitor you're using but I'm using 1280x1024 and it fills quite a large portion of my browser.

Menu buttons. Down the left they're quite large and although they do look nice, users have to scroll up and down the page looking for what they want to access.

Contact details. You've got your email address on plain view on the home page even though the link points to your contact page. Not a great idea because bots trawl websites picking out email addresses and you will receive a lot of unwanted spam. If you really must have your email address made public, create a small GIF image instead and display that.

You've also got no check on the contact page to stop bots auto-completing the form and sending you spam. Same with the guestbook.

Under Construction - try and avoid using this phrase and ones similar as search engines penalise sites containing this and reduce the site ratings.

-Ivan.

[Ring of Fire]

yes, a traffic circle would be similar to a roundabout where several streets branch off of a road loop if that makes sense. No need to have all the sarcasm, different people call things by different names, deal with it.

Ring Of Fire- The product slideshow may be annoying to you, but you are not everyone. If it bothers you that much, don't look at it! No one is forcing you to!

Believe me, I haven't looked, I just can't. And for sure, most everyone finds it annoying.

What is a roundabout BTW

[Ring of Fire]

Very nice suggestions Ivan. I bet you'll be getting a lot of PM's.

[mizbizzyb]

Ok, so what do you think? Still lots to add and lots to do....but I have my candles showcased front and center!!!

Does it load ok for everyone?

http://www.heavenlyscentsations.ca

Not feeling the country theme.

the ring around the rosie thing in middle - too much. I have seen sites that have a slide show that are nice...but there is just something about that - that isn't hitting home with me that isn't too nice.

That is my opinion - you asked.

Try contacting Ivan to see what he can do to help you along.

[KBPrims]

First I am not a huge fan of the photo things but I like yours it works and the timing is good. I don't like the images for cursors so don't go that far.

Ivan has some good ideas but I know you use a site builder that is more then just a basic HTML program, so alot of his things will not work as he suggested them so contact your host to work on them if you want to.

Other comments are just rude." Makes me want to hurl" really can't that be said in a nicer way? I am all for constructive good or bad but no need to get rude.

I think with this being your first site, you have done great! Its a work in progress and think of it as your first pillars bet they are not as good as the ones you make now.

I will never add my full name and address to a website. I will give it if asked but your just asking for spam of the worst kind. Every order does get all my info at order time so if they need to contact me but not just hanging out for all to view.

Your doing great!!!

[waxwench]

I like your site.... I even like the spinny thingy!

If you could slow it down, it'd be even better. Giving people longer to look at your products is always a good thing.

Your candles are absolutely fabulous.

Great job! :highfive:

[MissMary]

I've said this often - I'm blunt. I know others are too. Sugar coating it doesn't mean it changes what is happening. In fact, IMO, being blunt is better, because no one can cross or mince words. LOTS of people don't take subtleties easy. There really is no need to take offense to "hurl". Some people say hurl (I do), some people say throw up, some say vomit, there's 10's of ways to say it.

[CareBear]

traffic circles only make me dizzy if I go around and around and around like that candle carousel. but I generally avoid that so I'm ok on traffic circles (which is what they call them in NY and NJ - at least in the areas in which I've lived; tho I've heard roundabout in MA I think).

I can't believe I'm saying this - but I agree with Mary - blunt works. I can chose whether to take offense or not, just as anyone else can. I am confident enough to take the hit without worrying about that stuff. If I ask for opinions its because I want them - without shifting through all the "well, I don't want to upset you but..." stuff. Just come out with it.

But that's just me and my self esteem talking. I have extra if anyone needs some.

[CareBear]

...

[MissMary]

I can't believe I'm saying this - but I agree with Mary - blunt works. I can chose whether to take offense or not, just as anyone else can. I am confident enough to take the hit without worrying about that stuff. If I ask for opinions its because I want them - without shifting through all the "well, I don't want to upset you but..." stuff. Just come out with it.

But that's just me and my self esteem talking. I have extra if anyone needs some.

*faint*

But seriously though, people have often mistook bluntness for sarcasm, condescending, whatever the case is. It doesn't bother me. If they can't tell by now that I'm to the point, they never will and will ramble on forever. As much as Carebear and I have disagreed (oh and Lordy have we), I'm damn near positive after what we've said in a post doesn't make either of us lose sleep at night. Maybe a lot of it is that we are both blunt and to the point, who knows?

A forum is probably the second or third most useless thing to get worked up over. First being spilled milk of course!

The critique was asked for, for a site. NOT critique others posts of their dislikes or even literal queasiness. If you want true rudeness, it's pointing out others faults or bad behaviors.

[Camay]

I was just shopping at amazon.com and they have one of those roundabout thingies. However, they have forward and reverse buttons for the viewer to control the spinning, so it doesn't spin at all unless the viewer wants it to. Also, the pictures don't do that zooming out at you thing.

We have lots of traffic circles/roundabouts here in SE NH (everyone I know calls them traffic circles). They are very efficient at moving large volumes of traffic through an intersection.