My first impression when viewing the Damashi site is how “sales copy” it looks. I appreciate the need for good sales ad, but when I’m looking to purchase something online, I don’t need a hard sale.
I do agree with the webmaster’s comment that the navigation should be changed. I wouldn’t go so far as to call it ugly – but it is as impersonal as the rest of the page. The products sold here are great – sincerely – but they’re sold in such a cold-call style that I instinctively shy from it. How about some warmth? There are some options for creating a stylish page that STILL sells without feeling so commercial.
I don’t mean that a lot needs to be changed, though. What about highlighting more than one product on the home page, without as much sales copy? Or having a complete area just for customer navigation. The key to a successful website is letting a visitor feel that the site really was created with them in mind. It has little to do about the designer/owner/operator in the end, it should be ALL about the visitor/customer and making them feel at home, comfortable, and secure.
I have actually put together a visual if any one is interested in what I mean (http://www.design-sanctuary.com/review.htm). My big point here, in the end, is that there is no need to make the site feel like an infomercial. It is a website, and there can be a much nicer atmosphere without doing a massive change on the site. I have the visual available in psd format for download, as well.
Lolaness
www.design-sanctuary.com
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