Hey there, @CarnivalPapers!
Love to see the work you’ve put into the store. It’s definitely on the right path.
Let’s dive right into feedback!
Homepage
- GREAT job linking your announcement bar, however it links to the Shipping Policy. Instead, I would link it to an All Products collection.
- Hero image: I would add some hero image with a strong CTA and engaging copy to showcase your products. It would add a little buffer for visitors to show them what you have before jumping into your product line.
- Overall, it’s not a bad homepage. My biggest question for you is how are your visitors engaging with it? I would suggest using heatmaps (to see where people click and scroll) and session recordings (to watch replays of each visit) to better understand how they move around your store. How far do they scroll? Where they click...or not click?
- Testimonial: I like your testimonial, but I would make it easier to read. For example, since you have an international audience, they may not know that NC means North Carolina.
- Blog post: I doubt many people are reaching this point on your homepage, but a scroll heatmap will show you for sure. I would suggest removing it as a feature from your homepage and instead letting it reside in the footer.
- Because you do serve an international audience, make sure to include a currency localization tool!
Lantern Building Guide
I had to mention this. While I am happy that you have a 10-step guide on your blog, I feel that’s a missed opportunity.
- It’s hard to read. Because this is a guide, having it as a PDF may work better.
- Don’t hide it on your blog! As you build your blog out, this post will be buried. I would dedicate a page to it on your store - it can live in the footer, but it gives visitors a chance to build their own if they so desire.
- I would also turn it into a video. This sort of process is primed for video content, which would let you demonstrate how to make it. Again, with a page dedicated to building lanterns, you could direct traffic to this page with links to the products used.
- On that note, it may be a fun idea to bundle items that are already in sets for building lanterns. I know that’s not all your products can be used for, but since that’s what you’ve featured in your testimonial, it’s going to be a popular choice. You could sell bundles of products that are prepared for lantern making, which again lets you promote it through your video and on social media.I know you have one kit, but it may be good to have different versions with a corresponding video.
Footer
- Shipping Policy: Link your email address.
- Contact Us: Make sure the email address is linked.
- Newsletter: Add some value here! Invite them to join your community rather than newsletter, and throw in a discount - like 10% of their order (whatever makes sense for your business model). By adjusting how you’re promoting the newsletter, you’re helping visitors decide that they do want to become part of this community! I would also suggest using a poll that is triggered by their engagement with your products to invite them to join your community. It’s the same concept as your footer subscription form, but it’s based on their interactions rather than a generic invitation. If they’re engaging with your products, they will be more primed to join your list.
Main Navigation
- Something needs to change, but I don’t have the answers. It is very long - it really should be across one line rather than two.
- That being said, use visitor behavior to see where people are clicking and think about how to regroup the collections as a result. While I initially think that making general categories like Tissue Paper, Structure, Adhesives, etc. would be easy to navigate, your visitors may have a different idea. I would see where they are clicking and watching recordings to see how they move to better understand what you can do to make that experience better.
Collection Pages
For reference, I’m on the accessories page.
- This is where filters would be very helpful. You have an assortment of products, colors, prices, etc. Letting people filter through your options will help them land on just the product they are looking to buy.
- I wouldn’t separate your accessories into different categories at this point; if I want to look at all of your accessories, I can’t!
- Looking more about your products, there are a lot of opportunities for you to consolidate products to make it easier to go between like products of different colors. For example, instead of eight colors of cellophane, you could offer one cellophane product that has multiple colors in purchase options. That goes for other collections as well. Instead of four different white wet strength tissue paper products based on quantities, you could offer one product with the option to adjust quantities from the product page.
Product Pages
For reference, I’m on the cellophane 508mm by 4.8m roll - Yellow page.
- Add shipping information here! Link to your Shipping Policy page for more information.
- Instead of a black Buy It Now button, I would change it to orange to match your brand colors. It’ll also help it stand out.
- There’s nothing wrong with this page, but it’s also not easy to use. If I need to buy yellow, red and orange cellophane, I have to go to three different product pages to complete it. If you consolidated it all, I could order all three without leaving the page.
- Encourage those reviews! I know you’re just starting out, so it’s hard to generate reviews. That being said, I would encourage you to include a review invitation in your post-purchase confirmation emails.
You’ve carved out a great niche for your product, and I can’t wait to see how your business grows. Using visitor behavior is going to help you see what’s stopping your visitors from converting and find out what you can do to improve their experiences. Lucky Orange has heatmaps, session recordings, polls, live chat and more with a free trial (no credit card needed) and plans that start at US $10/month.
I hope this helps, Aidan! Good luck!
Cheers - Danny
