New Website Suggestion:

**caonimaxuebi** · 08-10-2005, 10:23 PM

Some people I met these days asked for catalogs and then never responded. It's normal but the thing is the catalogs get updated almost every month when new frames coming in. I gave out the catalogs but seemed quite useless..... The company's website was out of date since they fired the guy who did the web stuff 3 years ago. When they know I can do the website too they ask me today if I can make a new one later. here I'm just wondering: If catalogs didn't work well, will the website work better even though it's much more economical?

**Snitgirl** · 08-10-2005, 10:43 PM

I feel both are real important. Although, I do enjoy being able to go to (for example) the safilo website so that I can see all the current frames that are available vs having to wait for a rep to come into show me. When I can spend 5 mins on the net & place and order vs a possible 30 mins with a Rep for the same exact thing make my life a lot easier.

So, maybe create a site that will allow you to view the current frames and also allow you to place an order.

**Chris Ryser** · 08-11-2005, 02:57 AM

Originally Posted by caonimaxuebi

Some people I met these days asked for catalogs and then never responded. It's normal but the thing is the catalogs get updated almost every month when new frames coming in.

A catalog can cost you a fortune, updating also.

A website cost's you $ 600.00 for a good server or less. You only cost is the upkeep. You can update it on a daily base. Any customer that call me for a catalog I tell them that it is right at their fingertip on their desk. Just put the address into the computer and you got a full 350 page catalog right there.
Printed catalogs are a thing of the past.

**Lewy** · 08-11-2005, 03:06 AM

Quite agree, we are inundated with frame catalogues! Hardly ever look at the darn things. What's the point, first you have to find the right one, hope it's current and then look up say what colours a particular frame come in. Then the Px says but I want it in Red with green stripes!! A website with pictures and info is an excellent idea, quicker too and looks more impressive to the Px, you are seen to be doing more than rummaging out the back for an out of date catalogue.

Lewy

**caonimaxuebi** · 08-11-2005, 12:37 PM

Then what style would you prefer? the flash one or the simple one? my company used to have a flash website, but I feel it's not easy to find what people want. (when someone adds animation or stylish stuffs in the web, the key point is likely to miss) it's nicer but sometimes not practical for us. also, some old version browsers can't even see the flash things. what would you think?

**rsandr** · 08-11-2005, 01:18 PM

Originally Posted by Lewy

Quite agree, we are inundated with frame catalogues! Hardly ever look at the darn things. What's the point, first you have to find the right one, hope it's current and then look up say what colours a particular frame come in. Then the Px says but I want it in Red with green stripes!! A website with pictures and info is an excellent idea, quicker too and looks more impressive to the Px, you are seen to be doing more than rummaging out the back for an out of date catalogue.

Lewy

Obviously it only works if they are keen at updating.
My website is little more than a hobby but I suppose it would be different if I thought business relied on it.

Have you seen Optical Services catalogue? Las time I looked it hadnt been updated since 2002.

Rick

**For-Life** · 08-11-2005, 01:58 PM

Yeah, I like websites. Check out www.visionoptical.ca

I think that is an ideal optical website.

Also, hire a University student or someone to do it. They are not too expensive and like playing around with that stuff. Of course if you know how to do it then do it.

**Chris Ryser** · 08-11-2005, 02:05 PM

Originally Posted by caonimaxuebi

Then what style would you prefer? the flash one or the simple one? my company used to have a flash website, but I feel it's not easy to find what people want.

Never go for flash in a commercial website. People get very impatient when having to wait while the flash loads which often can take a lot of time.

The faster the site appears, the better. Look at my optical website listing which now has over 300 websites listed. Under the first best 10 visited sites there is only one that is flash. All the others with flash have not the best ratings..which means they do not get much traffic, which you want. This means with flash you have one chance in 10 to have a successful site.

You have to learn and work hard to do all the things to get you into the search engines, to promote your site on on top of their listings. If your name pops up when somebody makes a search you have won half the battle.

http://optochemicals.com/web_ratings.htm

**spartus** · 08-11-2005, 09:28 PM

Flash does some pretty wonderful things, but it's a complement to HTML, not a replacement. Unless it's a silly look-at-it-once graphic or something with sound, I keep the (very few) Flash movies I make under 50k at worst, and 20k if I can.

Plus, the horribleness of trying to dramatically make over a Flash-heavy site versus just changing a couple things in the stylesheet gives me nightmares.

**Mikef** · 08-12-2005, 06:16 AM

Originally Posted by caonimaxuebi

Some people I met these days asked for catalogs and then never responded. It's normal but the thing is the catalogs get updated almost every month when new frames coming in. I gave out the catalogs but seemed quite useless..... The company's website was out of date since they fired the guy who did the web stuff 3 years ago. When they know I can do the website too they ask me today if I can make a new one later. here I'm just wondering: If catalogs didn't work well, will the website work better even though it's much more economical?

In New England less than 1/2 of the accounts I see are on-line.(In Store) I get about 2 Calls a week for catologs. Catologs are much faster when you are selling! Also many stores only have one computer! One customer at a time!

Catologs done't lose power of go off-line or crash.

Don't get me wrong on-line is great but I think both is best.

**Chris Ryser** · 08-12-2005, 08:15 AM

Originally Posted by Mikef

In New England less than 1/2 of the accounts I see are on-line.(In Store) I get about 2 Calls a week for catologs. Catologs are much faster when you are selling! Also many stores only have one computer! One customer at a time!
Catologs done't lose power of go off-line or crash.
Don't get me wrong on-line is great but I think both is best.

You can go on the web even if you have only one computer. I have stopped sending or faxing any product informarion for over 3 years.

Whe we hae a telephone requesting information, we tell them that it is at their fingertips on their desk. First time in 2 years yesterday I had somebody saing that they had no computer to go on the web, but would go to a friend and look on his computer.

**caonimaxuebi** · 08-12-2005, 09:40 AM

Originally Posted by Mikef

In New England less than 1/2 of the accounts I see are on-line.(In Store) I get about 2 Calls a week for catologs. Catologs are much faster when you are selling! Also many stores only have one computer! One customer at a time!

Catologs done't lose power of go off-line or crash.

Don't get me wrong on-line is great but I think both is best.

It's similiar here. somebody would tell me that they don't usually get online. actually no more than 1/5 of them said they would get online often.

**Chris Ryser** · 08-12-2005, 09:48 AM

Originally Posted by caonimaxuebi

It's similiar here. somebody would tell me that they don't usually get online

A decent catalogue will cost $ 50,000 to 10000,00 or more for distribution in the USA. (and it can not get updated instantly)

As 8 out of ten people can get on line and 100% can get on line with friends or family is worth spending all this money?

**For-Life** · 08-12-2005, 12:35 PM

I think several great points have been brought up here:

- The expenses of a printed catalog are extreme
- For some stores a printed catalog is a necessity, because of lack of opportunity to use a computer

Because of that printed catalogs are still needed, but maybe the company can force them out, and maybe only come out with one a year. The website would do the rest.

The website needs to be easy and should work for the even most basic computers. No flash, no art. With front page you can make a very attractive, nice page. You want it so the stores can easily and quickly go to the website, and find the colours and sizes available for the model.

**Chris Ryser** · 08-13-2005, 04:04 AM

Originally Posted by For-Life

You want it so the stores can easily and quickly go to the website, and find the colours and sizes available for the model.

Good post but need slight correction......................If you go the the trouble of having a website you have one major hurdle to climb.

You dont want just the stores looking at your site. You want the public looking at it too. You want to sell also the public to ask for your products at the optical stores.

Therfore do some studying how to make your site popular on the web and maybe even directed to a certain territory. If the spiders dont look at your site you will not be indexed, and no indexing is no listing..............and no listing nobody will find you and you wont get the traffic you are aiming for.