First muse launched. Looking for feedback/constructive criticism

[simplegs]

Well, we finally got our first muse up and was wondering if some of you wouldn't mind checking it out letting us know what you think.

http://www.pumpkinpatterns.ca

Thanks in advance.

[Flashbackserver]

It's a very interesting and unique idea. Very simple easy to understand the website and not a bad deal considering what your paying for these day. ...but what about once the season is over, do you have seasonal alternative muses?

[simplegs]

Thanks Flashback.

My wife and I do have some ideas for products for other seasons/holidays. Since Halloween was the closest we wanted to get that one up and running asap. Eventually the plan would be to have a master site as that also linked to all the seasonal products as well. We figured we would start small and go from there.

Thanks again!

[TinaD]

It looks good and I like the idea of having a website that links to all the holidays. Good idea.

Here's a constructive criticism...how do you compete with all the pumpkin design products already on the market?

[AWCornell]

Hi Simplegs,

For your consideration, here are some items that could improve the website:
- More preview images of the patterns
- Photos of people using the patterns, photos of happy kids, families etc.
- Bio write-ups hyping the UNIQUE artists that contribute to your site
- Correct the grammar in the copy
- Customers should be convinced that they will be able to have fun making a UNIQUE and HIGH QUALITY pumpkin that will literally blow away their neighbors

Look at some of the websites for tattoo shops, seriously, there are some parallels to the structure of this muse... Showing art, artists, and customers, and the emotional potential...

Feel free to contact me if you want to talk further!
Drew

[froldt]

I like the idea, as I love carving my jack-o-lanterns!
You might consider trying to get linked to a costume shop, like http://www.halloweenexpress.com/
They will understand the seasonal nature of the product and might have some suggestions for you!

[kamakiri]

I clicked the link and got a "Website not found" generic page. Something to look into...

[arobryn]

Hiya - neat idea!

I'm a grown woman, but still love carving pumkins (last year was a big jack-o eating a little one - got the unofficial 'best of' in the little group of friends who got together to carve). So from that standpoint I think this is a neat idea and your main page was well done enough to keep me - doesn't look generic and out of the box, but I couldn't find examples of what I'd be buying. Being a little creative myself I don't want to buy something only to find it doesn't have anything I want in it.

So get a bunch of friends together with a couple sets and start carving! Take lots of pictures of the process and the fun and the pumpkin-gut fight and the final products then post them on the website. I wouldn't recommend showing the pattern, though. Most people are honest, but if you make it WAY too easy to steal they will. But that said, maybe this should a $9.95 e-book to download and print on your own printer or $12.95 + shipping and handling for the mailed hardcopy.

[Caesar_X]

Nice site. Since you are offering a digital download and will get a lot of customers south of the border, I would recommend quoting prices in both CAD and USD. Then customers can click on either link they like.

It's just like an American to not want to figure out the exchange rate and do the math. But I certainly don't want to:)

[simplegs]

Thank you everyone for your feedback. Greatly appreciated!!

Drew - thanks for the great ideas. Most are already in the works. Will definitely check out the tattoo shops

Froldt - Excellent idea. Hadn't thought of that one. thank you!

Kamakiri - very odd. I will look into it. I have had a few minor issues with my host in the past (very minimal though), however probably time to look elsewhere. Thanks for letting me know.

Arobryn - We will be creating the pumpkins within the next week or two. I agree 100% real pictures make it look better.

Question: curious as to why you recommend reducing the price down to $9.95 for the digital version?

Caesar_x: That's a good point. Should I just make it $19.95 in either case and just provide 2 buttons? The Dollars are pretty close right now. Or might it be better to just have the USD only?

Sincerely,

Ryan

[kamakiri]

I did check out your site later on and it worked fine.

Just a few questions/comments on your own comments there.

I have no idea how to do it, but I am 100% sure you can outsource a line of code that will look at the IP address, and automatically list the proper price in US$ Canadian $, Pounds, Euros and Yen. A list of different prices depending on the currency looks like crap (IMHO).

I totally agree that you need a lower price point. I would bet that you could sell a whole lot more patterns at $3-5 than you would at $19.95 (or even $9.95). Really, who in their right mind would pay $20 for a pumpkin design that most people can do freehand perfectly fine.

$3-5 is kind of a no brainer add on that people will spend money on without thinking. $20 is something that you have to think about.

Also, get rid of the headline:
Pumpkin carving is a great way
to have fun with pumpkins!
Great for people of all ages!
It's Easy and Fun for all!



Are ya serious? We all know that. Appeal to my sense of wanting a better pumpkin. Everyone knows it is a great way to have fun, and that it is good for all ages, and on top of that if it is sooo easy and fun for all ages, then why the heck would anyone need your patterns?

See where I am going here? Change it to something more along the lines of:

You want the best pumpkin in the neighborhood this year?
Want to hear your kids say proudly, "My dad carved that!"
We have a fun and easy solution for you!


I know Tim likes the satisfaction guarantee, but having it so prominently on your front page makes me wonder how many unsatisfied customers you had to the extent that you need to give it such a prominent place on your web site. Make it into a button that people can click, not a purple attention grabber from hell, and split it up from the testimonials!

I though that the testimonial there was a condition of the guarantee actually until I looked at it again just now. Add more of those by the way. Add pictures of people with their pumpkins.

Lastly, talk up the additional products. Add a price point to them with a red line through it and a 'correction' making the price "FREE" or "ZERO".

I hope my suggestions were constructive enough to blunt the pain of the criticism. I can assure you though the real world is much worse. They are just quiet.

[officer_dibble]

There's a minor typo on "satisfaction" on the home page. Oh - and on "satisfied" too.

[blackhatontherocks]

That's actually a really awesome headline over there, kamakiri. ;)

[simplegs]

Thanks Kamakiri!

Constructive criticism is criticism! thanks for your honesty. That is what I'm looking for. It's the people that say "It sucks", but don't offer a way to improve it or provide a direction to go in to learn how to make it better which doesn't help, hence the constructive part.

The ideas are great and make a lot of sense. Going to work on them now. Thanks!