Monday, 15 June 2015
Tuesday, 19 February 2013
Backgrounds: Black or White
I have been playing around with pictures recently and have had some of my images cut out from their backgrounds (see the post below for the results). This then leads on to the next question which is the best background to place the images? Black or white? White appears to be cleaner and crisper, but black seems to show off the silver better;
As you can see here, in isolation the white gets a little lost, but the black really stands out. Put together on a neutral background shows the difference a little better. So I asked my lovely facebook friends as a little survey, so far its an overwhelming 'black'. You can see the responses here
As was pointed out, for print purposes the black would be a non goer really as it is so ink heavy, but I also know that for line sheets etc white is preferred, but it really is true that black shows it up best. Or is that because its a masculine product? that came out in a lot of comments, the black looks better because its for men, so where does that leave us with stuff for women? My dilemma now is I am in the process of changing my website over, do I go black background or white? I see most are white and it is true that it is much easier on the eye, but there is no denying, black has more impact. So... what do you think? Black or white?
Would love to hear your comments!
As you can see here, in isolation the white gets a little lost, but the black really stands out. Put together on a neutral background shows the difference a little better. So I asked my lovely facebook friends as a little survey, so far its an overwhelming 'black'. You can see the responses here
As was pointed out, for print purposes the black would be a non goer really as it is so ink heavy, but I also know that for line sheets etc white is preferred, but it really is true that black shows it up best. Or is that because its a masculine product? that came out in a lot of comments, the black looks better because its for men, so where does that leave us with stuff for women? My dilemma now is I am in the process of changing my website over, do I go black background or white? I see most are white and it is true that it is much easier on the eye, but there is no denying, black has more impact. So... what do you think? Black or white?
Would love to hear your comments!
Friday, 15 February 2013
Away from it all....
For Valentines and my birthday we have come away into the Dorset countryside with our lovely friends. To see how lovely they are, just have a look at this - isn't that the sweetest thing?
So, after the Christmas rush, you start work again and feel slightly 'depleted'. This break was suggested and I have to say it is proving the absolute perfect opportunity to blow the cobwebs, come up with new ideas, clarify plans and just relax and connect again. I feel like I'm in 7th heaven, the view from our room at the bottom I think shows you why!
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad
So, after the Christmas rush, you start work again and feel slightly 'depleted'. This break was suggested and I have to say it is proving the absolute perfect opportunity to blow the cobwebs, come up with new ideas, clarify plans and just relax and connect again. I feel like I'm in 7th heaven, the view from our room at the bottom I think shows you why!
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad
Sunday, 10 February 2013
To cut it or not (and who has the scissors)
I went and hired an accountant this year, I asked him whether I was on track for doing jewellery full time. His advice was to start outsourcing the time consuming stuff. Inwardly I laughed, as though I could afford that. He suggested the local University as a place to find people to help with stuff, however I didn't want anyone else touching my stuff (control freak here - I admit it).
So, I started following a course on jewellery design as a business and hey presto they said exactly the same thing. Now the one thing that sucks the life and time out of me is photo editing. There is a lot of talk of cut outs for jewellery, I'm not convinced its really the image I want to project, however there was certainly a need for some things I do to have cut out images, it's not that I can't do it, I can, it just takes me forever. So I took the advice of one of the other people on the course and signed up to an online outsourcing site. And this is the result. Oh my word I am so impressed. The work was done quickly and very reasonably priced, and now I've found it I will most definitely be using it again, and the guy who did my pictures.
Below you can see the difference in using cut outs and not.
And to show the immediate difference here is my Facebook timeline page before and after.
If anyone is interested in who I used
the site is www.odesk.com
the guy I used was Razaur Rahman
.
So, I started following a course on jewellery design as a business and hey presto they said exactly the same thing. Now the one thing that sucks the life and time out of me is photo editing. There is a lot of talk of cut outs for jewellery, I'm not convinced its really the image I want to project, however there was certainly a need for some things I do to have cut out images, it's not that I can't do it, I can, it just takes me forever. So I took the advice of one of the other people on the course and signed up to an online outsourcing site. And this is the result. Oh my word I am so impressed. The work was done quickly and very reasonably priced, and now I've found it I will most definitely be using it again, and the guy who did my pictures.
Below you can see the difference in using cut outs and not.
And to show the immediate difference here is my Facebook timeline page before and after.
the site is www.odesk.com
the guy I used was Razaur Rahman
.
Sunday, 3 February 2013
To Twitter or not to Twitter / Does Twitter HAVE to be so boring?
I joined twitter about 4 years ago. I have a jewellery business, I have a website and also sell on Etsy. Everyone told me that I needed to 'do social media' to succeed. I followed their advice, got me a facebook page and got me a twitter account.
I did as I was told and followed all the people I was told to follow, other sellers on etsy, people whose blogs I followed, other crafty types - I did it all. Any crafty type I went and looked to see who they were following and followed them as well, and slowly my followers grew, got about 700 followers. I tweeted about all the things I could think of that were to do with my craft and as etsy told me to,I always tweeted when I posted something new. Sometimes I was a bit canny and even tweeted when I was just renewing. I would try and start up conversations, try and engage and you know what? I hit a big fat wall of void. I hardly ever heard back from anyone. Yes sometimes I would get a retweet, but by and large it was the most depressingly boring thing I have ever done. People raved about twitter and I could not understand. All I had in my feed were tweets with new Etsy listings or adverts saying 'buy my crap'.
And then a wonderful thing happened. As I do blogging (I actually have about four blogs and write for another one), do facebook and twitter, I also trained as a journalist, I ended up being the person to start up the twitter account for the school I work at. Well of course you then have to start following a brand new breed of tweeter. Other schools, Universities, local newspapers, publishing houses, people of note. Hey presto twitter suddenly got interesting. Yes sure, some of the celebrities are promoting themselves, but not all, in fact what I see in the news feed now is just interesting facts, latest news, stuff that is actually worth reading. It is a totally different ball game. I am suddenly engaged, I love opening twitter up, I devour all the interesting stuff and retweet like an idiot because it is just so interesting. Of course the school I work at also has a lot of interesting things to say as well. So, if you recognise yourself in the top of this post, have a go and look around for some interesting people to follow, you can't go far wrong following your local paper, in fact just enter your local city in the search and see all the interesting accounts that come up. Newspapers and entrepreneurs are good as well. The more discerning and intelligent celebrities are worth having a stab at, although do get ready to unfollow them, some of them are right narcissistic idiots, but some are just lovely creatures. I deleted all the boring people from my own account ages ago, and was following about 20! That has changed now and I have started following all the same ones I follow for my works account. It's a much more pleasant experience. No idea whether it will do anything for my business, but it sure didn't do that much before anyway, so at least I'm enjoying it now.
Anyway, just thought I'd share.
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad
I did as I was told and followed all the people I was told to follow, other sellers on etsy, people whose blogs I followed, other crafty types - I did it all. Any crafty type I went and looked to see who they were following and followed them as well, and slowly my followers grew, got about 700 followers. I tweeted about all the things I could think of that were to do with my craft and as etsy told me to,I always tweeted when I posted something new. Sometimes I was a bit canny and even tweeted when I was just renewing. I would try and start up conversations, try and engage and you know what? I hit a big fat wall of void. I hardly ever heard back from anyone. Yes sometimes I would get a retweet, but by and large it was the most depressingly boring thing I have ever done. People raved about twitter and I could not understand. All I had in my feed were tweets with new Etsy listings or adverts saying 'buy my crap'.
And then a wonderful thing happened. As I do blogging (I actually have about four blogs and write for another one), do facebook and twitter, I also trained as a journalist, I ended up being the person to start up the twitter account for the school I work at. Well of course you then have to start following a brand new breed of tweeter. Other schools, Universities, local newspapers, publishing houses, people of note. Hey presto twitter suddenly got interesting. Yes sure, some of the celebrities are promoting themselves, but not all, in fact what I see in the news feed now is just interesting facts, latest news, stuff that is actually worth reading. It is a totally different ball game. I am suddenly engaged, I love opening twitter up, I devour all the interesting stuff and retweet like an idiot because it is just so interesting. Of course the school I work at also has a lot of interesting things to say as well. So, if you recognise yourself in the top of this post, have a go and look around for some interesting people to follow, you can't go far wrong following your local paper, in fact just enter your local city in the search and see all the interesting accounts that come up. Newspapers and entrepreneurs are good as well. The more discerning and intelligent celebrities are worth having a stab at, although do get ready to unfollow them, some of them are right narcissistic idiots, but some are just lovely creatures. I deleted all the boring people from my own account ages ago, and was following about 20! That has changed now and I have started following all the same ones I follow for my works account. It's a much more pleasant experience. No idea whether it will do anything for my business, but it sure didn't do that much before anyway, so at least I'm enjoying it now.
Anyway, just thought I'd share.
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad
Thursday, 10 January 2013
A new year A new plan
Well that's the idea. Last year I had virtually no time for my self or my lovely man. It was all about the jewellery. Being obsessive is not all it's cracked up to be. So my New Year's plan (we stopped resolutions years ago - when they stopped working) is to get a much better work life balance.
My first plan of action has been to take off most of the custom pieces from my site and shop, if it's made it's for sale, if it's not made, it's not for sale.
The relief I feel knowing that when that bing bong for a sale comes in that its something that is already made is incredible.
What I am hoping, is to get a bit of my life back, to be able to relax a bit, get back to creating - what I want to create, and get back to being a bit more regular with my blog.
7 or so years ago I did a journalist course. The reason I did the course is because I love writing - I decided again getting a job in journalism for many reasons, but the love of writing is still there and I miss coming here and blathering away.
So watch this space!
And... A very happy and healthy and peaceful New Year to anyone reading this.
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad
Wednesday, 9 January 2013
Unconditional Love
Watching television tonight and hearing someone talking about their mother and unconditional love made me think of the unconditional love that I was blessed to experience in my own life.
I am tall, slim to thin, straight talking, honest and pretty straight forward, opinionated, quite sharp tongued, quick to respond, loyal with a love of using my hands - and every time one of these characteristics surfaces I am reminded that I am my father's daughter.
My father; Henry Duncan Haggett, born 1929, died 2012 - 10 years ago.
Ten years ago on New Year's Eve I left a party and walked up the road just before midnight to slip into St Mary's hospital in Portsmouth to bring the new year in with my dad, the last one he would see in, I will always be thankful I did that, it was a very special moment. I was 44, he was 72 and hated being in the hospital. He wasn't an emotional man, he was a man of his generation who found it hard to show his feelings but his face lit up that night when I slipped into his room at a few minutes before midnight to spend the last minutes of the old year and bring in the new year with him.
We tuned in his radio, shared an ear phone each and held hands while the bells rang out and the fireworks flashed outside the window.
A constant stalwart in my life, slow to show praise, slow to criticize, just a constant, safe and loyal and always there. While others in the family needed to follow other paths, my dad always showed me that he was there for me. He didn't always, in fact quite rarely agreed with my choices, but would always support me with them.
Now when I look round my slightly shabby home I am reminded of him constantly. Ten years on and in every room there is a reminder of some sort of that very good man. The kitchen knife he gave me, sharp because 'you have to have one good sharp knife in your kitchen'. In the dining room - the brackets for the wall hanging that he carved for me, made to measure exactly as I asked for them. The bookcase, made in the wood I wanted, exactly the right shade to fit in the alcove, the 'antique' sewing table restored, the last thing he managed to do for me, not perfectly because by then he was quite sick, which makes it even more precious. In the hallway the pictures of him and me. The wooden fruits he made on his lathe that decorate my CD shelves, the shoe rack in my bedroom, rustic but functional, and in my 'studio' the jewellers drill and stand that he bought as a surprise to encourage me with my new 'hobby'. Tucked away in my bedroom cupboard is a beautifully polished wooden box with my initials carved and a secret opening mechanism that he made for me when I was 14, for me to hide my 'private things' from my brother! In fact as I am writing more and more things come to mind that I have around the house from my dad, things he fixed, things he made, few words spoken, just asked and he did them. I wasn't a little princess and I couldn't wrap him round my finger, but I knew he was always there when I needed him, and in those 44 years not once did he let me down, not once. And I miss that. I miss the fact that we argued constantly, that we rarely agreed on things, things that I have since changed over to his way of thinking. I regret little, but maybe I regret telling him more often how much I appreciated that, but maybe I didn't even know until it wasn't there anymore.
I remember the first time I heard this Luther Vandross song, I just bawled my eyes out, and still today it touches me deep inside.
I wonder whether people realise the unconditional love they receive until it's gone, I'm not sure I did, I do know that I am glad I returned to England to be able to spend his last years with him and finally really get to know him, and what a good man he was, and to be able to hold his hand and be by his side the moment he left this world, such a very good decent honest kind man.
I am happy today but it is a slightly cooler and emptier world without him.
I am tall, slim to thin, straight talking, honest and pretty straight forward, opinionated, quite sharp tongued, quick to respond, loyal with a love of using my hands - and every time one of these characteristics surfaces I am reminded that I am my father's daughter.
My father; Henry Duncan Haggett, born 1929, died 2012 - 10 years ago.
Ten years ago on New Year's Eve I left a party and walked up the road just before midnight to slip into St Mary's hospital in Portsmouth to bring the new year in with my dad, the last one he would see in, I will always be thankful I did that, it was a very special moment. I was 44, he was 72 and hated being in the hospital. He wasn't an emotional man, he was a man of his generation who found it hard to show his feelings but his face lit up that night when I slipped into his room at a few minutes before midnight to spend the last minutes of the old year and bring in the new year with him.
We tuned in his radio, shared an ear phone each and held hands while the bells rang out and the fireworks flashed outside the window.
A constant stalwart in my life, slow to show praise, slow to criticize, just a constant, safe and loyal and always there. While others in the family needed to follow other paths, my dad always showed me that he was there for me. He didn't always, in fact quite rarely agreed with my choices, but would always support me with them.
Now when I look round my slightly shabby home I am reminded of him constantly. Ten years on and in every room there is a reminder of some sort of that very good man. The kitchen knife he gave me, sharp because 'you have to have one good sharp knife in your kitchen'. In the dining room - the brackets for the wall hanging that he carved for me, made to measure exactly as I asked for them. The bookcase, made in the wood I wanted, exactly the right shade to fit in the alcove, the 'antique' sewing table restored, the last thing he managed to do for me, not perfectly because by then he was quite sick, which makes it even more precious. In the hallway the pictures of him and me. The wooden fruits he made on his lathe that decorate my CD shelves, the shoe rack in my bedroom, rustic but functional, and in my 'studio' the jewellers drill and stand that he bought as a surprise to encourage me with my new 'hobby'. Tucked away in my bedroom cupboard is a beautifully polished wooden box with my initials carved and a secret opening mechanism that he made for me when I was 14, for me to hide my 'private things' from my brother! In fact as I am writing more and more things come to mind that I have around the house from my dad, things he fixed, things he made, few words spoken, just asked and he did them. I wasn't a little princess and I couldn't wrap him round my finger, but I knew he was always there when I needed him, and in those 44 years not once did he let me down, not once. And I miss that. I miss the fact that we argued constantly, that we rarely agreed on things, things that I have since changed over to his way of thinking. I regret little, but maybe I regret telling him more often how much I appreciated that, but maybe I didn't even know until it wasn't there anymore.
I remember the first time I heard this Luther Vandross song, I just bawled my eyes out, and still today it touches me deep inside.
I wonder whether people realise the unconditional love they receive until it's gone, I'm not sure I did, I do know that I am glad I returned to England to be able to spend his last years with him and finally really get to know him, and what a good man he was, and to be able to hold his hand and be by his side the moment he left this world, such a very good decent honest kind man.
I am happy today but it is a slightly cooler and emptier world without him.
Sunday, 25 November 2012
More on the Resin Front
Just love these new photo pendants. I am so lucky to know so many artist friends, and they have all agreed for me to use their images, which I think is lovely, no generic pictures but real art form images. Many more to come, just trying to find the time to upload them all.All in the new shop SxtraS
Just playing with Pretty - Steampunk
I know it's now called steampunk, but when I started loving this stuff was back in 1991 on a trip to Bologna, where I saw in a gypsy market a brooch made up of old watch parts. Since that day I have saved and collected all my old watches. Here is what I have been playing with. I made a few so have listed some in the resin shop.
Link to steampunk timeless love heart
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Timeless Love |
Friday, 16 November 2012
Win a Solid Silver Pea Pod!
I belong to the lovely metalclayhead team and there is an article about ME this month. If you comment on the post (not this one but the metalclayhead one) - you'll be in with a chance to win! That's all you have to do.
Click here to go to the post
Click here to go to the post
Good luck and thank you
xxx
Thursday, 8 November 2012
Sometimes you just want to do something different!
So, I was standing outside the kitchen looking in, when I found myself thinking 'now Alan's picture is exactly the colour I want to wear with my jumper'. Alan is the BF and he is an artist. He tends to leave his pictures on a shelf in the kitchen to dry. It suddenly hit me that I could make it into jewellery. I did, and then found myself talking to another artist friend and so now I have two very different styles and a new shop. Quite a little diversion from the silver, but I just fancied something for a change - certainly not giving up on the silver just wanted to make some big bold things. So here they are - in my new shop on etsy: SxtraS
Sunday, 30 September 2012
Giving this pendant away!!
Just Leave a comment on my facebook page to be in with a chance to win this pendant!
If any one would like to join in the competition, all you have to do is go to my facebook page and leave a comment as to why you want it and the best comment will be the new owner of a solid silver leaf pendant. Seriously that is all - doesn't cost anything and no hoops to jump through.
The winner will be chosen midweek.
https://www.facebook.com/somethingextraspecial
Don't forget - comment on the facebook page - not here! ;-)
Tuesday, 11 September 2012
In Vogue
Octobers UK edition of Vogue hit the shops yesterday. And I'm in it! Yes SomethingXtraSpecial is in Vogue - can you tell how excited I am - calm down Sue!!
That's me down the bottom - the Pea Pod, number 31.
In case you can't read the copy here it is:
SomethingXtraSpecial’s signature Pea Pod jewellery is loved for its tactile organic feel with the peas representing those close to you. The Pea Pod jewellery is part of a range of distinctive, quirky jewellery for women (and men). All SXS's pieces are designed to become treasured silver objects of quality and meaning. To see the ranges: www.somethingxtraspecial.co.uk
That's me down the bottom - the Pea Pod, number 31.
In case you can't read the copy here it is:
SomethingXtraSpecial’s signature Pea Pod jewellery is loved for its tactile organic feel with the peas representing those close to you. The Pea Pod jewellery is part of a range of distinctive, quirky jewellery for women (and men). All SXS's pieces are designed to become treasured silver objects of quality and meaning. To see the ranges: www.somethingxtraspecial.co.uk
Thursday, 23 August 2012
Ringing the changes
While I've been off work I've had a chance to try out and play with things, and practise things I learned how to do 15 years ago and not had the chance for a very long time, so here are a few of them. All sterling silver. (Wish I could remember the name of that stone in the top - I got it a couple of years back and can't for the life of me remember what it is - anyone know?
Edited to add - just remember Blue Goldstone.
Sunday, 5 August 2012
Skin Cancer - Wear sunscreen !!!
Not my normal post, but with all this lovely weather I am quite stunned by how so many people just still don't seem to have gotten the message. The sun can do real damage if you aren't careful. 20 years ago I started hearing of people with skin cancer and started being careful, wearing factor 40 or 50, staying in the shade, infact staying indoors between 11 and 4 but the damage was done and 20 years on I had a little place on my nose! Now the thing is English Doctors aren't all always on the ball with skin cancer, and although I did finally go to a doctor, she fobbed me off and made me feel like a vain idiot. As it turned out it was something, and more than that another tiny tiny little pimple on the end of my nose which I showed the surgeon on the day of my surgery even got little attention until a by chance glance under a magnifier, turned out to be the bad one out of the two. The result was 30 odd stitches and a new experience - not wearing make up! I haven't gone without makeup for more than a few days since I was 15, but it's now 3 weeks since I wore any.
If you fancy reading more, here is a blog on what happened. If not, then if nothing else please keep protected in the sun.
http://recyclednose.blogspot.co.uk/
If you fancy reading more, here is a blog on what happened. If not, then if nothing else please keep protected in the sun.
http://recyclednose.blogspot.co.uk/
Monday, 23 July 2012
Going for Gold
I have been designing a new range of items with 24ct gold inlay, and I'm really pleased with them. I have got some of them on my website but not all up yet. Here are the rings:
 |
| heart of gold - 24ct gold and fine silver |
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| Leaf of Gold - 24ct gold and fine silver |
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| Simple heart of gold - 24ct gold and fine silver |
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| Love Ring - 24ct gold and fine silver |
There is some controversy with fine silver and rings. I follow Kate McKinnons method - full fire at warp speed and then work hardening with a hammer (in the old time honoured tradition) and - works a treat, rock solid!
Sunday, 8 July 2012
And for the Mother in Laws!
You may recall my very dear friends got engaged earlier in the year and I was asked to make the engagement rings (as a surprise).(Here is the story).
Well they didn't hang around and were married a couple of weeks back. I was very touched to be asked to make brooches for the mums. And here they are. What I really like about these is the way the two different patterns are joined together as one (symbolic ;-). Took ages to get it right and to not get the patina onto the leaf section, but eventually got there.
Monday, 2 July 2012
What is Social about Social Networking
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| Am I in the wrong place? |
I know why they are on my newsfeed / page, but in a way it shows me that facebook maybe isn't targeting very well, so that's knocked my faith a little in facebook ads but it showed a wider activity that I constantly see, and of course at the start I was part of.
Please like my page and I will like yours!
Follow me and I'll follow you!
What? what on earth is the use in that? If you have a page that is trying to promote that you sell cars, is there really much point in asking to see everyone else's car promotions? You know sure as eggs is eggs that they aren't interested in your car just want everyone to see their car.
Obviously there are exceptions, and for teams and things I get that there is a cross pollination, and help, and of course we all like a pat on the back.
But on Etsy, on Folksy, on Linkedin I constantly see the 'please like/follow me' posts and other than getting numbers I really am at a loss as to what people feel the point is, other than having a ton of not your style stuff delivered to your news feed and twitter feed. In fact I went through and unfollowed about 500 people on twitter a few months ago, because all I could ever see in my twitter feed was 'new listing on etsy' x 100 a day. Seriously, there is rarely anything like that that I click on. I will click on a friends', I will click on something totally different, or something very similar to see the competition, but not to buy.
So, am slowly getting very disillusioned with the whole 'social networking' thing, and honestly - who ever called it that, since when was shoving promos in my face social networking?
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad
Monday, 25 June 2012
New Site is finally launched
Well - here it is, new site is finally up. I think all the links and redirections are working - (if anyone see's anything that doesn't work do please let me know).
So - now I am going to sit down and celebrate with a nice cuppa tea!
Sunday, 24 June 2012
Change!!! Goodbye Mrsite
A few years back I changed over from Yola to MrSite. At the time I found Yola very clunky, and quite difficult to get the layout just right, and with Mrsite it was much much easier.
2 years on and I am now on the move again.
This time for some more fundamental reasons.
The problems I have found so far have included:
the fact that Mrsite is not optimized for mobile devices. When I brought this up, I was palmed off with a very weak answer on the lines of 'it isn't really important'.
Customer Service. MrSite has a feature where you can have an online chat with a Guru. However, the 'gurus' are not native English speakers (going by their names and their command of the English language) and are not gurus but first defence operatives. I have been very happy with some small problems, where I was just not very adept and they were able to help me quickly. Lately though I have just ended up almost screaming at the screen in frustration. I imagine they are overworked and are answering three or four callers at the same time by the delay in response time. It has taken up to 30 minutes to get four answers back on online chat, which is incredibly annoying, and when they continually misunderstand what you mean, and don't have the answers either, it can push you to breaking point. One tip if you are a user, is to get them to repeat back what they understand to be your problem. It is very revealing and the quickest way of cutting out the 'that wasn't my question' comment.
If you want to set up conversions it is very difficult, nigh on impossible for sales tracking.
Google analytics has been the sore point with me. I have a pile of dead end links that have taken 6 weeks of back and forth emails, screen shots, denials and blaming google and being redirected back and still not understanding the fundamental problem - that there are dead links that about 40% of my visitors go to. No-one can find what they are and no-one can get rid of them.
I have lately had four in a row customers contact me saying they thought they had bought something but the order hadn't gone through when I went and checked.
The blog that is available is very clunky and unwieldy, and that has driven further frustration my way.
The sales page isn't secure (not an https page) so I don't feel that fills people with confidence.
The shop feature is ok, but is just a long list rather than the ability to have a gallery.
There is no feature for a site map being available on screen (as far as I can see).
A big issue for me, is that there is the ability for meta tagging and key words, however they are the ones they suggest from a selection they find, not ones you choose, so /approx / 16 inch / link etc are words that get given, where my site is very text heavy with the words pea pod / peapod / peas in a pod but I am not able to use it.
So, anyway, I am on the move again, which is very frustrating, as superficially and visually I am quite happy with the site. But behind the scene it's a bit of a mess. I have signed up to Jimdo and taken the business account which works out at £15 a month - £180 pa (probably double what I was paying with Mr Site.) The customer service is German, I'm happy with that. So far so good, it seems very easy to play with. The templates aren't the biggest selection I have ever seen, but adequate. But what I do like is that all on the same page you can add an item, make a catalogue, change the layout and hide unhide pages in the menu. You can make a selection of pictures into a slide show or gallery, and have a choice of three sizes for your product items. I love the fact that when you view an item you can super magnify to get a really good close up of the item section by section - for what I do that is such a bonus.
So, I have many many nights and weekends of work ahead of me to get everything moved over, but I am happy with that.
Watch this space - will keep this updated if anyone is interested in the merits. If you have any questions about any of the above mentioned sites - do ask.
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad
2 years on and I am now on the move again.
This time for some more fundamental reasons.
The problems I have found so far have included:
the fact that Mrsite is not optimized for mobile devices. When I brought this up, I was palmed off with a very weak answer on the lines of 'it isn't really important'.
Customer Service. MrSite has a feature where you can have an online chat with a Guru. However, the 'gurus' are not native English speakers (going by their names and their command of the English language) and are not gurus but first defence operatives. I have been very happy with some small problems, where I was just not very adept and they were able to help me quickly. Lately though I have just ended up almost screaming at the screen in frustration. I imagine they are overworked and are answering three or four callers at the same time by the delay in response time. It has taken up to 30 minutes to get four answers back on online chat, which is incredibly annoying, and when they continually misunderstand what you mean, and don't have the answers either, it can push you to breaking point. One tip if you are a user, is to get them to repeat back what they understand to be your problem. It is very revealing and the quickest way of cutting out the 'that wasn't my question' comment.
If you want to set up conversions it is very difficult, nigh on impossible for sales tracking.
Google analytics has been the sore point with me. I have a pile of dead end links that have taken 6 weeks of back and forth emails, screen shots, denials and blaming google and being redirected back and still not understanding the fundamental problem - that there are dead links that about 40% of my visitors go to. No-one can find what they are and no-one can get rid of them.
I have lately had four in a row customers contact me saying they thought they had bought something but the order hadn't gone through when I went and checked.
The blog that is available is very clunky and unwieldy, and that has driven further frustration my way.
The sales page isn't secure (not an https page) so I don't feel that fills people with confidence.
The shop feature is ok, but is just a long list rather than the ability to have a gallery.
There is no feature for a site map being available on screen (as far as I can see).
A big issue for me, is that there is the ability for meta tagging and key words, however they are the ones they suggest from a selection they find, not ones you choose, so /approx / 16 inch / link etc are words that get given, where my site is very text heavy with the words pea pod / peapod / peas in a pod but I am not able to use it.
So, anyway, I am on the move again, which is very frustrating, as superficially and visually I am quite happy with the site. But behind the scene it's a bit of a mess. I have signed up to Jimdo and taken the business account which works out at £15 a month - £180 pa (probably double what I was paying with Mr Site.) The customer service is German, I'm happy with that. So far so good, it seems very easy to play with. The templates aren't the biggest selection I have ever seen, but adequate. But what I do like is that all on the same page you can add an item, make a catalogue, change the layout and hide unhide pages in the menu. You can make a selection of pictures into a slide show or gallery, and have a choice of three sizes for your product items. I love the fact that when you view an item you can super magnify to get a really good close up of the item section by section - for what I do that is such a bonus.
So, I have many many nights and weekends of work ahead of me to get everything moved over, but I am happy with that.
Watch this space - will keep this updated if anyone is interested in the merits. If you have any questions about any of the above mentioned sites - do ask.
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad
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