visualgui

Not So Lovely

Unlike shopping, don’t settle for cheap when you want to choose an agency to design your business web site. You really do get what you paid for. Lovely Nails & Spa is an example. Instead of hiring a web designer to create a professional looking web site, the owner, who was a high-school acquaintance of mine, chose to go with an amateur design.

Right on the homepage, the looping Flash animation is annoying. The first thing catches your eyes is the text effects that says, “Explorer the possibilities.” The justified paragraphs below the Flash piece is hard to read. The slap-on logo is disconnected with the layout. Under the hood, the codes are way outdated. Font tags for texts and tables for layout are still being used.

From time to time, potential clients who shop around for a web design agency would send me proposals from another company who offers similar services that I do, but only with a third of my price. I often explain to them the differences and let them decide.

5 Comments

  1. To start with, the site designer might consider changing “Explorer the possibilities” (which makes no sense) to “Explore the possibilities.”

    Comment by HmL — 1 December 2009 @ 2:53 pm
  2. Is it the site designer’s fault or the content’s provider? I think it’s the latter. The site is filled with copy errors, but hey “Smooth your tired and feet with Lovely Nail Care Services…” is very catchy!

    Comment by donny — 1 December 2009 @ 3:17 pm
  3. By the way anh Hai, Dung and I will see Sonny Rollins tomorrow at the Kennedy Center. If you’re free, come and join us. Tickets are half price at Goldstar: http://www.goldstar.com/events/32229.html

    Comment by donny — 1 December 2009 @ 3:43 pm
  4. Doanh,

    Not sure whether it’s the site designer’s or content provider’s job to fix the msg, but it does not look right, which further cheapens the site.

    Re. Rollins: man, I envy you. I rarely get out of work before 7pm these days. Life put on hold (at least until the weekend)! Enjoy for me. My best to Dung and my lil’ man Duke, please.

    Comment by HmL — 1 December 2009 @ 5:28 pm
  5. Totally agree: “further cheapens the site.”

    Dung and I try to escape every once in a while to rejuvenate ourselves. Lil Duke makes us work way too hard. You know how it is :)

    Let me know the next time you come to Eden. I’ll drop off the tool bag for you.

    Comment by donny — 2 December 2009 @ 10:24 am