IndieCommerce Site Critique

In the spirit of our IndieCommerce Institute Advanced Seminar, we would like to offer and online venue for bookseller-to-bookseller critiques.

To participate, please provide the URL of your bookstore, as well as any specific areas you would like critiqued.  Also, be sure to return feedback for other booksellers that have requested input.

In your critique, approach the site as a customer: what appeals to you, and what information are you seeking that you can't find?  In particular, please make some brief notes about:

• Your first impression of the site:
• Strengths — Things the site does well, visually, organizationally, or otherwise:
• Weaknesses — Anything you found confusing or distracting:
• Opportunities — Some suggestions to improve the site:

GUIDELINES
For those of you who have participated in a creative writing workshop, this workshop will run along similar lines.  Here are a few guidelines for those new to the practice:

• Remember that examples of what works well can be every bit as useful as suggestions for improvement.
• In all cases, provide concrete examples, not just general impressions.  If you feel that a site is too "plain", indicate a few visual elements that gave you this impression.  If you feel that a page or product was too hard to find, let the owner know where you had expected it to be.
• The most useful feedback you can give is your reaction as an informed, but impartial observer.
• Review others' feedback on each site.  Are any of the same issues in evidence on your own site?  Are there effective elements of this site you could make better use of?
• Often, issues people identify in critique are most useful as pointers to broader problems.  For instance, if someone remarks that they "can't find" your staff picks, it might indicate a larger issue with clutter on the site.

We hope that you all receive helpful feedback!  Should you have any questions, please feel free to contact us at [email protected].