On the first loading of the site what hits me is the abundant use of red and size of text. The page just jumps out and smacks my eyes. Ok this is a karate site but still.
The by-line of traditional Karate books & videos for the modern world should be how your site is designed.
The logo is the only oriental hinting object on the page, I suggest a white rice paper background, use of more cooler, less aggressive blues. Look at traditional Japanese artwork for inspiration and buttons.
http://www.robynbuntin.com/default.asp – this is a site that sells artwork, and shows a variety of different styles.
The link colours are opposite of the norm as well. Blue is normally associated with an unvisited link, and red with an active link, however using the opposite results in a confused viewer.
On 800 x 600 the home page is just unappealing and disjointed, at 1024 the whole page fits on but looks disorganised.
I suggest the bottom navigation being smaller, redoing the top “logo” style navigation or adding a side navigation. The navigation should remain consistent throughout.
The text and images moves from left to centre all the time, where should I look? Also when you get to the product pages the navigation becomes lost at the bottom. To many navigational styles.
http://www.damashi.com/video/videosets.html
This page appears to assume that the buyer know all about the video already, lets have a screen shot, perhaps the cover text. Why should they buy it?
Sufficient information on the product should be given to allow the casual buyer to make a decision.
To be honest the site looks put together in a hurry and is constantly shouting to buy buy buy in very red text.
It looks like a small company site, and you are competing on some books with the top players, you have to look good and provide a professional image.
Peter Langford
Marston and Langinger Conservatories
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