Bass specialty store = horrible website

anyonefortennis · #1 09-27-2010, 10:51 PM

The Perfect Bass = Pretty good

Bass NW, Bass Central, Chicago Bass Bass, the Bass Place = Awful. Not even bad. Plain awful. F-. Bass NW looks like it came from Geocities. The color contrast on Bass Central kills your eyes after 10 minutes browsing.

Anyone else notice this trend? Spending a few bucks on a good site can have BIG returns IMO.

If the same bass was available from 2 sites at roughly the same price, I'm certainly buying from the one that took the time to showcase their product better.

Selta · #2 09-27-2010, 11:07 PM

I don't even visit the BassNW or Bass Central websites anymore. In fact, I don't even visit BassNW physically anymore, even though they're just down the road. But that's another thread.

bassteban · #3 09-27-2010, 11:12 PM

Really? BassNW? I've bought & sold several basses & a coupla amps from them(& they were good then but it's been awhile)- sounds like maybe they've slipped a bit.

bongomania · #4 09-27-2010, 11:14 PM

I made a 3.5 hour road trip from Portland to Seattle just to visit BassNW.

It was so lame that I actually wished I could get my gas money back.

The website accurately reflects the business, IMO.

McHaven · #5 09-27-2010, 11:23 PM

Bass Emporium has a decent website. Some photos get scaled down to the point of distortion, and its sometimes just hard to navigate the blocks of links they put up, but its fairly updated and has most of their inventory.

Nappa · #6 09-27-2010, 11:30 PM

I am taking a class on XHTML and its coding. One of the chapters focused on layout, navigation between pages and media.

I love The Perfect Bass' layout and use of media.

bmc · #7 09-28-2010, 12:03 AM

I judge a store by its product lines, prices and customer service.

Strange, isn't it?

Selta · #8 09-28-2010, 12:04 AM

Well, yeah. The first thing you should do before even starting to code the website is design it, make it easy to use and flow.

Nappa · #9 09-28-2010, 12:26 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ray Salamon

Well, yeah. The first thing you should do before even starting to code the website is design it, make it easy to use and flow.

That is what was recommend. For navigation they gave the example of writing the names of all the pages you wished to have on sticky notes and arrange them in a an order that would allow the user to be able to find any page they were looking for within 3 clicks. Being neat and orderly. Some of the websites like Bass Central are set-up like the examples in the book for a beginners website.

Jay Ralston · #10 09-28-2010, 12:30 AM

While I can't say to much about most of the stores mentioned, I personally don't have any issues with Bass Centrals site. I also know that their customer service is excellent! In fact, I will only buy my Music Man basses and many other products from them because they have treated me so well.

elgecko · #11 09-28-2010, 01:05 AM

It's not just bass stores. Here's a legendary guitar shop with a horrible website.

http://www.normansrareguitars.com/

MIJ-VI · #12 09-28-2010, 01:50 AM

A freelance opportunity for a budding webmeister/bassist?

Just contact the most modest of the on-line eyesores and offer to spruce up their site in exchange for some strings and their permission to use said makeover as advertising for one's services as a web site beautician.

Jefenator · #13 09-28-2010, 03:19 AM

I don't go to the BassNW site to admire the cutting edge of web design.

I do like to check in every Wednesday and see what's new in their used inventory. (Been doing that since 1996, found something worthy - my Ampeg V4-B - as recently as this summer.)

Jim Nazium · #14 09-28-2010, 04:40 AM

I agree with the OP, some of those sites are horrible. It doesn't stop me from shopping there, but let's face it, the more pleasant the shopping experience is, the more time people will spend shopping, and therefore the more money they will spend. Marketing 101.

The Perfect Bass has an exemplary web site, IMHO.

whatiswhat · #15 09-28-2010, 04:52 AM

bass central's site looks like the first one i designed in the 90's, and doesn't give me the impression that they are committed to quality.

L-A · #16 09-28-2010, 05:07 AM

I'm a web designer, and I approve of this thread.

jp58 · #17 09-28-2010, 05:08 AM

Website quality can say a lot about store quality.

L-A · #18 09-28-2010, 05:19 AM

FWIW, a complete website design and development can set a store back way over 30k. It's probably the case with ThePerfectBass, and it shows they're dedicated to online sales and service.

Many stores will try to see who can make them a whole website for 500$. Obviously, the person who ends up doing it has quite a bad idea of how to do it. It means that often, the sites with a thousand text links and no visible layout also lack a content management system. On such a website, everytime a new products goes online, every time information has to be modified on an existing item, someone from the store has to dive in the website's code and make their own page about the new/updated product, incidentally breaking any kind of design that has happened before. It's not just wrong, it's unacceptable.

David1234 · #19 09-28-2010, 05:34 AM

I like Bass Central's site because - quirks aside - I can find things I'm interested in on it any time I care to look.

Basscentre.com.au is a bit easier on the eye, mind you.

Kwesi · #20 09-28-2010, 06:54 AM

the Bass Place's website is pretty sweet compared to the other two you listed.