Website Review and Suggestions

**littlemoomin** · 10-27-2010, 09:58 AM

Hey,

Would love you guys to take a look at a site I'm launching and give any feedback you have.

Site is at - www.carbuzz.co.uk

Would be interested if you can work out what the site does and what features it has within a few seconds of landing on it.

The big ugly grey boxes are just templates for where adverts are. They will be gone soon!

Thanks a lot,

Alexandra

**littlemoomin** · 11:32 AM

Sorry if anyone tried, has been down for the last hour or so...

**TWD** · 10-27-2010, 12:10 PM

Looks pretty darned good, I think.

**Crazyhunk** · 10-27-2010, 12:52 PM

that sir, is a really good design.. simple, neat and does what it need to.

though I might add... if you can have subtle gradient to the top blue bar... it could stand out even more...
but spot on...

**kcmartz** · 10-27-2010, 01:31 PM

I like it! great job! but two ADs near the top doesn't look very good. I would put the top bar one only, that seems enough.

**littlemoomin** · 10-27-2010, 03:33 PM

Thanks for the reviews guys!

Will mock up in photoshop with the gradient in the header.

Homepage has to have two adverts unfortunately as it's prime 'real estate' for them, so could be quite lucrative.

If the site didn't have adverts it would be so much better, they're such a pain!

**edgray** · 10-27-2010, 05:57 PM

Very good indeed. Really nice soft feel to it, very friendly and welcoming. Nice structure, easy to use and clear what it's about. 10/10!

**littlemoomin** · 10-28-2010, 05:02 AM

Thanks very much edgray! I'd like some recommendations on how to make it better, even if it's tiny little things. You must be able to see some things you would change?!

**vickiehoo88** · 10-29-2010, 04:08 AM

i think there is no any other advice,just a question,why "New car choosing made easy!"is empty.

**ContentArcade** · 10-29-2010, 05:06 AM

Your website is very cool, i suggest you should have option like "Google Instant" that is as you type you should get various models of cars. For example if i write Honda then it should suggest all Honda models in drop down list and i will be able to choose easily this way.

Cheers!

**emjim** · 10-29-2010, 05:16 AM

Hi.

I understood what carbuzz meant when I saw 'New car choosing made easy' (which is not easily found by the eye, being on the right hand side). So I didn't immediately know what the site was about. Hey, minor thing. It looks very functional and professional.

Jim

**littlemoomin** · 10-29-2010, 05:36 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by vickiehoo88

i think there is no any other advice,just a question,why "New car choosing made easy!"is empty.

Hi Vickie, sorry, don't quite get what you mean?!

**littlemoomin** · 10-29-2010, 05:37 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ContentArcade

Your website is very cool, i suggest you should have option like "Google Instant" that is as you type you should get various models of cars. For example if i write Honda then it should suggest all Honda models in drop down list and i will be able to choose easily this way.

Cheers!

Which browser were you using? It does have this feature!

Anyone else not had this showing up?

**littlemoomin** · 10-29-2010, 05:38 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by emjim

Hi.

I understood what carbuzz meant when I saw 'New car choosing made easy' (which is not easily found by the eye, being on the right hand side). So I didn't immediately know what the site was about. Hey, minor thing. It looks very functional and professional.

Jim

Thanks emjim. I think it is an important thing that people know what the site does as soon as they land on it.

So I think I'll suggest putting the tag-line under the logo.

**RichKorea** · 10-29-2010, 11:32 PM

It was pretty easy to figure out the site is related to information on cars. I was momentarily confused by the search box. I clicked my mouse in the area of the box (over the little blue car icon) and started to type, but nothing happened. It was after that I realized I had to click in to the Enter a car make or model portion. It might be better to allow the user to click anywhere in the white search box area.

I started to type lotus, and when I had “lo” entered, I noticed the display was showing BMWs and Fiat Doblos. Any chance the automatic completion can assume I’m typing from the start of a word, rather than the middle or end?

After I select a model in the drop-down list, I still need to click search (or hit enter). Could it go ahead and search based on the mouse click selection?

After I click in the drop-down box to select a model to look for, the mouse then triggers the drop-down menu, which was a little annoying. What about putting the Browse by above the search box, so the menu won’t be behind the drop-down list?

For the reviews, do you need to say “0 people” when just no one’s looked at the review and commented yet? What about either leaving the statement off until someone has said the review is helpful, or a request line like “If you found this review to be helpful, be the first to let others know” or something.

What about making the Browse by cumulative, so that if I select a make of Ford, then Type will just show my types of Fords. You would probably need to add a display to show what category is selected (All or a specific type) and maybe a reset button.

**davemies** · 10-30-2010, 06:13 AM

really nice!

lots of coding errors
increasing text size 2 increments breaks the layout e.g. New car choosing made easy! box

no visual feedback for links! no focus no hover and your links are same as text colour

looks like you need a print style-sheet

missing alt attributes

**littlemoomin** · 10-30-2010, 06:55 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RichKorea

It was pretty easy to figure out the site is related to information on cars. I was momentarily confused by the search box. I clicked my mouse in the area of the box (over the little blue car icon) and started to type, but nothing happened. It was after that I realized I had to click in to the Enter a car make or model portion. It might be better to allow the user to click anywhere in the white search box area.

I started to type lotus, and when I had “lo” entered, I noticed the display was showing BMWs and Fiat Doblos. Any chance the automatic completion can assume I’m typing from the start of a word, rather than the middle or end?

After I select a model in the drop-down list, I still need to click search (or hit enter). Could it go ahead and search based on the mouse click selection?

After I click in the drop-down box to select a model to look for, the mouse then triggers the drop-down menu, which was a little annoying. What about putting the Browse by above the search box, so the menu won’t be behind the drop-down list?

For the reviews, do you need to say “0 people” when just no one’s looked at the review and commented yet? What about either leaving the statement off until someone has said the review is helpful, or a request line like “If you found this review to be helpful, be the first to let others know” or something.

What about making the Browse by cumulative, so that if I select a make of Ford, then Type will just show my types of Fords. You would probably need to add a display to show what category is selected (All or a specific type) and maybe a reset button.

Hi Rich, thanks for the amazing feedback! That's exactly the kind of things we wanted to know.

Will show everything you suggested to the team and get their opinions. Really like the idea for the review section, great idea.

**littlemoomin** · 10-30-2010, 06:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by davemies

really nice!

lots of coding errors
increasing text size 2 increments breaks the layout e.g. New car choosing made easy! box

no visual feedback for links! no focus no hover and your links are same as text colour

looks like you need a print style-sheet

missing alt attributes

Thanks dacemies, will show this to the developers.

Agree the links need a hover, have added it to our list!

**gsmedia** · 10-30-2010, 07:51 AM

Hi,

I like the design a lot - very simple and clean which is good

. The website is easy to understand when you first visit the site. On your contact form these is no validation of fields - http://www.carbuzz.co.uk/contactus.aspx

**littlemoomin** · 10-30-2010, 09:13 AM

Thanks gsmedia. We must have missed that completely.

Will get it added!