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Top Mistakes You Don't Want to Make.....
We all make them right? Of course we do. So please keep these things in mind as you start to set up your website. The vast majority of problems we see in the helpdesk stem from user error. Hopefully this list will highlight potential problems for you and will save you a lot of work in the end.
Things To Watch Out For (click each one for more info) .....
- Not following the documentation step by step
- Graphics not named properly
- Graphics not loaded into the correct folder
- Using backgrounds that make it hard to read the text
- Using 'homemade' graphics that are not optimized
- Product images uploaded before optimizing and resizing
- Product images not named correctly
- Product descriptions full of spelling or grammatical errors
- Product descriptions that are too long, or not broken into paragraphs
- Using HTML code in areas not intended for HTML code
- Adding HTML code incorrectly in the template
- Using sloppy HTML coding practices
Not following the documentation step by step
We recommend that you print out the documentation for your website and follow it step by step. Understandably, most new store owners are excited and want to see their store looking like a store fast! You might think that if you skip around to do a little of this, and a little of that, that it will happen, but more often than not, new site owners end up confused and discouraged. So stay on track, and go step by step. You will see your store pulling together much quicker than you thought!
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Graphics not named properly
DIYeStores have their template layouts designed in such as way so that when you upload your graphics, if they are named according to our guidelines, they will slot right into place. This is to aid in quickly setting up your store.
DIYeStore graphic designers must send your graphics to you named correctly. If they haven't, you can contact them to request they send them again and have them named according to our guidelines.
If you purchased graphics from a different designer, you can rename them yourself. While they are on your computer, right-click on the image and select Rename. Now type in the required name of the image. So for instance, if you need webtopper.gif, then just type in 'webtopper' (no apostrophes) - leave off the .gif part.
Now that they are named correctly, you can upload them following the documentation instructions.
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Graphics not loaded into the correct folder
So, you uploaded all your graphics but only some are showing? If you are sure that they are named correctly(see above), then they probably were just uploaded into the wrong folder. Go to File & Picture Utilities and in the top section for Upload Utilities....
- Use option 4 for your backgrounds and logos
- Use option 1 or 2 for all other graphics
Once you have used this guideline for uploading again, you will need to refresh your page, possibly a few times, to see the changes. If that doesn't do the trick, then try clearing your temporary internet files, close your browser and try again. If you don't notice a difference right away most likely your ISP just needs to update the changes you made, so you will need to be patient.
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Using backgrounds that make it hard to read the text
Be sure that your visitors can read your content! Too many times I've seen dark backgrounds, or backgrounds with a pattern that clashes with the text. Stay on the safe side and use solid colors for content backgrounds, and use font colors to make your text easy to read. A light background with dark text is best and easier on the eyes.
Using 'homemade' graphics that are not optimized
There is nothing worse than waiting for a page to load when you're browsing the net. Most times you probably just leave the site right? So why expect your visitors to wait around for your site to load?
Be sure to use an optimizing tool to make your graphics load faster. You can usually find these in the program you are using to make your graphics, or, try a free on-line image optimizer. Although your images might be the size you want them, an optimizer will compact the file size, which makes the file size smaller without affecting the dimensions of the image. This will make your page load much quicker.
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Product images uploaded before optimizing and resizing
This falls under not wanting to wait for a website to load too. If your images are too large and take a long time to load, then your site will run slow. Your site will be on a shared server too, which means that not only are you making your site run slow, but this can also have an effect on other sites you share the server with.
So optimize and resize BEFORE uploading. Once the photos are uploaded, you cannot change them on-line. So you will be doubling your work by not addressing this issue beforehand.
If you do not have a program on your computer to do this job, there are two different tools in your store you can use before uploading those images. You can find them under File & Picture Utilities at the very bottom: Optimize Sizes and Advanced Optimizer. Test them out to see which one you prefer using.
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Product images not named correctly
Your product images 'can only have alpha-numeric characters and may not have any spaces or special characters (symbols like ! = + " / @ ' # $ % ^ & , are not allowed).' You should also aim to keep your filenames to no more than 12 characters, and do not use spaces. Here are some incorrect ways to name a file:
- largequilt.jpg.jpg ( Extension should not be in there twice. )
- doll&blanket.jpg ( Special character should not be in filename. )
- 2008_the_quilt_festival_photo_128523679.jpg ( Filename TOO LONG, can cause problems later. )
- prim doll .jpg ( Filename has spaces! A definite no-no. Use the underscore character for a space instead of just leaving a blank. )
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Product descriptions full of spelling or grammatical errors
Make sure you are portraying yourself as a serious and professional business owner. Be sure to use a spell check for your descriptions, and any other write-ups in your store. You can even ask someone else to have a look over what you have done.
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Product descriptions that are too long, or not broken into paragraphs
You don't want product descriptions that are too short, but you don't want them too long either. Not using natural breaks in sentences, or having one long paragraph do not make for easy reading. So be sure to use that SPACE BAR to break up your description, and make your description concise and to the point. Avoid writing your life story!
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Using HTML code in areas not intended for HTML code
Do not use HTML in your product titles. This might look nice in the store, but the actual invoice will show the codes. The customer is emailed this, and well, it just looks messy and unprofessional.
Also avoid using it in Reusable Drop-downs and Reusable Text Boxes. As a good rule of thumb, if it is a large box to enter your text, then you can use HTML code. If it is a smaller short text box, then do not use iHTML at all. There are only a couple you might be able to get away with, and these would be <b> </b>, <i> </i>, <u> </u> , and any other similar ones that do not have double quotation marks in the code( " ).
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Adding HTML code incorrectly in the template
If you are not sure where to add some code, then please submit a support ticket. We can get it added for you and you will not have to worry about messing up the store.
If you are thinking that you want to learn it, then your best bet is to start small. Practice by sprucing up your splash page, or your 'enter' page. Download an HTML editor to your computer and practice there first before trying it in your store.
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Using sloppy HTML coding practices
Whether you are going to be making changes to just your splash page with a little HTML or thinking big and changing your template, you want to be sure to do a thorough job. This means that you are using closing tags when you should, using some of the special characters in the code where you are suppose to, and if you are deleting portions of the code, that you remove all the code that you should and nothing more.
Too many problems can result when things are left in or out, that should or should not be there. It's not always easy scanning through the code manually to find out exactly where the problem is. More times than not when I have to do this I find I am fixing more than just the one problem.
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