eHABERDASHER.com - what website improvements and/or what would you change?

[eHaberdasher]

OK so our "temporary" site has now been "temporary" for well over a year - sorry! We recognize there are many functional deficiencies in our site and are finally working with a developer to revamp the site!

Planned changes/upgrades currently include:

• Simpler search capabilities (possibly dynamic filtering like asos.com or parkandbond.com)
• Rollover menus (with mobile device alternatives using dropdowns)
• Sorting capabilities within search result
• Customizable email notification of specific items added to inventory
• Customer referral incentive program (don't keep a good thing like eHABERDASHER to yourself - spread the word!)
• Consolidated photo gallery (currently for items having more than 4 photos we have to link you to a separate gallery page - ie suits)
• Possible blog and/or discussion board

We're also toying with the idea of a basic tailoring service...

Any other ideas or suggestions? If you can reference with specific examples (other sites) that'd be great!

 

[celeste_pista]

how about full size/better resolution photos...

i like howard yount but wish you could search by size. shop the finest is good because of the drill-down filtering.

 

[AncientSoul]

How about adding the 360 degree view option at least for shoes? It helps a prospective buyer see the shape of the tow and the back of the shoe, For an example of this feature look at bexley shoes website.

Also, although not website related but I always wondered why you didn't stock men's shoes in men's sizes. I only found 1 US 12 on your site.

 

[Kent Wang]

I highly recommend that you use Magento as your shopping cart software.

 

[eHaberdasher]



how about full size/better resolution photos...
i like howard yount but wish you could search by size. shop the finest is good because of the drill-down filtering.

Thanks - yes this is a given that I failed to mention.

 

[eHaberdasher]



How about adding the 360 degree view option at least for shoes? It helps a prospective buyer see the shape of the tow and the back of the shoe, For an example of this feature look at bexley shoes website.
Also, although not website related but I always wondered why you didn't stock men's shoes in men's sizes. I only found 1 US 12 on your site.

Probably won't integrate the 360 view - just multiple shots like we have now (did you ever notice the link to photo galleries for the shoes from the item page?):

http://www.ehaberdasher.com/images/new_store_version_07_05_2010/testoni_n46014.html

 

[eHaberdasher]



I highly recommend that you use Magento as your shopping cart software.

Looking into both zencart as well as magento - Magento, we understand, is a server hog and more costly. Did you look at zencart at all?

 

[in stitches]

most of what i would say seems to already be in your list. all pertaining to making searching more exact. like filtering by size, price and so on.

 

[CousinDonuts]

I second size filtering, plus add an option to view all, or view 50 to a page or something like that. Possibly adding the size filter will cut down on results. Regardless, when I see 7+ pages to click thru I go to something else.

 

[Kent Wang]

Looking into both zencart as well as magento - Magento, we understand, is a server hog and more costly. Did you look at zencart at all?

I used to work in web development for 10 years so know a bit about this. I used to run osCommerce, which Zencart is a fork of. That was really the absolute worst code I've ever seen that's still in production today.

I run Magento on webhost Simple Helix for about $20/month. It runs fast enough. The real cost that matters is how much it will cost to customize the shop to your needs, and because Magento's codebase is much more modern, your development costs will be lower.

Also just take a look at the Magento demo installation and you can see how advanced even the base installation (without extensions) is.

 

[ezlau]

Not to be rude, but "Actually doing what you promised to do" might help. I sent you an email a long time ago requesting for a picture for the Zegna Throw/Blanket that you guys had for sale on the website and was promised some images would be up soon. Never got done. :foo:

 

[eHaberdasher]



Not to be rude, but "Actually doing what you promised to do" might help. I sent you an email a long time ago requesting for a picture for the Zegna Throw/Blanket that you guys had for sale on the website and was promised some images would be up soon. Never got done. :foo:

Sorry - it looks like we totally dropped the ball on this one - will get on this and let you know...

 

[otc]

Search by size would be great--also for things like a jacket, have chest separate from length. I hate websites where you can filter by size but it lists sizes like "40, 40L, 40S, 40R" as separate categories.
the "40" category should have everything that is R/L/S/Unmarked but on a lot of smaller webstores, "40" is just going to show you suits that don't specify a length. If you are able to wear either an R or an L (or unmarked) depening on length/maker, this makes it a huge pain to scroll through product.

 

[kasakka]

• Categories should be first, designers next. This encourages people to look into other brands than what they were looking for. It also makes it much easier to find anything.
• FYI, rollover menus are a terrible idea - they generally close when you don't have your mouse on top of them. Click to expand is the way to go (possibly an accordion type menu would work too) and is more mobile compatible too.
• You should not list the same product's different sizes as different products. Single product, let the user choose the size and show if it's out of stock.
• Pagination isn't obvious and in general everything on the site is on the small side.
• Registration form could be made simpler. The trouser size etc doesn't necessarily have to be there and to be honest you could ask everything but the email and password only when the user orders something the first time.
• The "brief description, detailed description, specifications" part is unnecessary. They could be all put under one page. SKUs aren't relevant information for users in this case.
• The "you save xx% from retail" is bullshit marketing.
• The about us page sound like corporate speak. It's rigid and not personal or even interesting. Write something with heart, not what sounds "professional".

I'm a web developer.

PS. Terrible brand name. e-anything reminds me of the crap sites of the 1990s.

 

[curzon]

My chief complaint w/ any clothing website is the missing or erroneous sizing info. At your site I pecked around a bit. Take a look here: http://www.ehaberdasher.com/servlet/the-10025/Truzzi-Shirt-cln--16/Detail . Okay, the neck is 16". What's the sleeve length? What's the chest? And the length? I would like to see it unfolded. Perhaps even a diagram of its body shape.

Too often an e-commerce site will rely on a standardized sizing chart, but we all know sizes are far from standard, even from the same maker. I buy three trousers w/ the same waist size from Ralph Lauren and each measures differently. I don't think it's too difficult for the seller to pull out a measuring tape and put the info on the page. Yet it seems to me no one is able to this. In doing so it'll sure distinguish you from the others. And it ought to save you the hassle of having to answer as many tell-me-about-the-size emails.

Take a look at the questions asked at SF and "how's the fit?" is a very common one. Use your web page to answer it.

Back to the example shirt. These here are good details: "...hand made collar, hand stitched shoulders, hand stitched buttonholes, hand stitched sleeves, side gussets at hem for reinforcement, and mother of pearl buttons sewn on by hand." But, appears some info is missing. One or two buttons on the cuff? Gauntlet button? Two panel yoke?

When I click on Dress Shirts I'm presented 14 pages of results organized... alphabetically. Alphabetically? Really?! I think I ought to be able to sort or filter by price, pattern (none, striped, checked), cuff, collar, yada yada. Others have mentioned this, too.

For trousers you do a fine job providing the measurement of rise and bottom leg width at opening as well as amount of material to let out. How about size of thigh and/or knee? Button material? Number of belt loops?

Lastly, and much more important than size info or ecommerce solution, is delivery. If you announce that you're going to improve the website, don't wait a year and them remind everyone you've failed to do so. What purpose does this serve? If you promise to provide someone photos or info, then make it the very first thing you do. In fact, don't make a promise when you can make it happen instead. When ezlau asked for the pictures you could have responded with them instead of the promise. Or use your website more effectively to get the info out there in the first place so you don't need to make as many promises.

You have nice things and the prices are fair. But I don't recall ever looking at your site. I look at A Fine Pair of Shoes, Epaulete, Self Edge, amongst others very often. I don't see why I shouldn't give you my money. But what are you doing to get it?