I was reading in another thread about how a large percentage of site visitors
click on the "buy" tab and then don't go anywhere else. I got to thinking
that maybe a list of parts categories is just overwhelming for some people especially
non-AFOLs.
I could envision the first page after clicking "buy" about the same (although
the "sets", "parts", etc. links could be enhanced with images) but once a visitor
clicks on "parts" I think it would really be helpful to have an image for each
parts category showing some of the more common parts in that category. This
way visitors can get a basic idea of what it means to be a "brick, modified"
or a "container" even if the part they're looking for is not on the category
image link. It would certainly take up more space but at the same time I think
it would make it easier (especially for a new visitor) to browse to the correct
category.
I'm a very visual person (I suspect maybe a lot of my fellow AFOLs are also),
and I think this could help retain site visitors. You could even have a link
at the bottom with something like, "Still can't find what you're looking
for? Ask in the forum," that takes the user right to a guest account for posting
in the forum. This would also introduce them to the community which is one of
BrickLink's major assets that sets us apart.
I'd even be happy to provide some images for the various categories.
I was reading in another thread about how a large percentage of site visitors
click on the "buy" tab and then don't go anywhere else. I got to thinking
that maybe a list of parts categories is just overwhelming for some people especially
non-AFOLs.
I could envision the first page after clicking "buy" about the same (although
the "sets", "parts", etc. links could be enhanced with images) but once a visitor
clicks on "parts" I think it would really be helpful to have an image for each
parts category showing some of the more common parts in that category. This
way visitors can get a basic idea of what it means to be a "brick, modified"
or a "container" even if the part they're looking for is not on the category
image link. It would certainly take up more space but at the same time I think
it would make it easier (especially for a new visitor) to browse to the correct
category.
I'm a very visual person (I suspect maybe a lot of my fellow AFOLs are also),
and I think this could help retain site visitors. You could even have a link
at the bottom with something like, "Still can't find what you're looking
for? Ask in the forum," that takes the user right to a guest account for posting
in the forum. This would also introduce them to the community which is one of
BrickLink's major assets that sets us apart.
I'd even be happy to provide some images for the various categories.
-Chris
Hi Chris-
I think that Alex at BL is heading up this project. The notes from the Chicago
roundtable mentioned that the plan was to put an extra level of "global" categories
above the current level of categories. I would maybe contact Jaclyn through
the help desk...she may be able to pass on your offer of help directly to Alex.
I was reading in another thread about how a large percentage of site visitors
click on the "buy" tab and then don't go anywhere else. I got to thinking
that maybe a list of parts categories is just overwhelming for some people especially
non-AFOLs.
I could envision the first page after clicking "buy" about the same (although
the "sets", "parts", etc. links could be enhanced with images) but once a visitor
clicks on "parts" I think it would really be helpful to have an image for each
parts category showing some of the more common parts in that category. This
way visitors can get a basic idea of what it means to be a "brick, modified"
or a "container" even if the part they're looking for is not on the category
image link. It would certainly take up more space but at the same time I think
it would make it easier (especially for a new visitor) to browse to the correct
category.
I'm a very visual person (I suspect maybe a lot of my fellow AFOLs are also),
and I think this could help retain site visitors. You could even have a link
at the bottom with something like, "Still can't find what you're looking
for? Ask in the forum," that takes the user right to a guest account for posting
in the forum. This would also introduce them to the community which is one of
BrickLink's major assets that sets us apart.
I'd even be happy to provide some images for the various categories.
-Chris
BL is thinking along the same lines. They have been arranging the categories
into larger groups and will have representative images for each one. The current
categories are not changing, they will just be putting related ones together
to give people a simpler overview of how things are organized.
I was reading in another thread about how a large percentage of site visitors
click on the "buy" tab and then don't go anywhere else. I got to thinking
that maybe a list of parts categories is just overwhelming for some people especially
non-AFOLs.
I could envision the first page after clicking "buy" about the same (although
the "sets", "parts", etc. links could be enhanced with images) but once a visitor
clicks on "parts" I think it would really be helpful to have an image for each
parts category showing some of the more common parts in that category. This
way visitors can get a basic idea of what it means to be a "brick, modified"
or a "container" even if the part they're looking for is not on the category
image link. It would certainly take up more space but at the same time I think
it would make it easier (especially for a new visitor) to browse to the correct
category.
I'm a very visual person (I suspect maybe a lot of my fellow AFOLs are also),
and I think this could help retain site visitors. You could even have a link
at the bottom with something like, "Still can't find what you're looking
for? Ask in the forum," that takes the user right to a guest account for posting
in the forum. This would also introduce them to the community which is one of
BrickLink's major assets that sets us apart.
I'd even be happy to provide some images for the various categories.
-Chris
Voted YES, and I agree with Chris. As much as we like to see the lists of stores
to buy from, maybe we need the "BUY" tab to have less of the stores and more
of the items for sale. Move the store statistics to a different tab.
I was reading in another thread about how a large percentage of site visitors
click on the "buy" tab and then don't go anywhere else. I got to thinking
that maybe a list of parts categories is just overwhelming for some people especially
non-AFOLs.
I could envision the first page after clicking "buy" about the same (although
the "sets", "parts", etc. links could be enhanced with images) but once a visitor
clicks on "parts" I think it would really be helpful to have an image for each
parts category showing some of the more common parts in that category. This
way visitors can get a basic idea of what it means to be a "brick, modified"
or a "container" even if the part they're looking for is not on the category
image link. It would certainly take up more space but at the same time I think
it would make it easier (especially for a new visitor) to browse to the correct
category.
I'm a very visual person (I suspect maybe a lot of my fellow AFOLs are also),
and I think this could help retain site visitors. You could even have a link
at the bottom with something like, "Still can't find what you're looking
for? Ask in the forum," that takes the user right to a guest account for posting
in the forum. This would also introduce them to the community which is one of
BrickLink's major assets that sets us apart.
I'd even be happy to provide some images for the various categories.
-Chris
This exact idea was presented in a mock-up by Alex on the BL team at the Chicago
roundtable. It looked *very* good, and is a huge step to reinventing that first
Buy page. This upgrade is still a little ways into the future, but it is definitely
being actively worked on. Only patience is required.
I was reading in another thread about how a large percentage of site visitors
click on the "buy" tab and then don't go anywhere else. I got to thinking
that maybe a list of parts categories is just overwhelming for some people especially
non-AFOLs.
I could envision the first page after clicking "buy" about the same (although
the "sets", "parts", etc. links could be enhanced with images) but once a visitor
clicks on "parts" I think it would really be helpful to have an image for each
parts category showing some of the more common parts in that category. This
way visitors can get a basic idea of what it means to be a "brick, modified"
or a "container" even if the part they're looking for is not on the category
image link. It would certainly take up more space but at the same time I think
it would make it easier (especially for a new visitor) to browse to the correct
category.
I'm a very visual person (I suspect maybe a lot of my fellow AFOLs are also),
and I think this could help retain site visitors. You could even have a link
at the bottom with something like, "Still can't find what you're looking
for? Ask in the forum," that takes the user right to a guest account for posting
in the forum. This would also introduce them to the community which is one of
BrickLink's major assets that sets us apart.
I'd even be happy to provide some images for the various categories.
-Chris
Thanks for the responses, it sounds like this is already in the works, excellent!
USA, Minnesota
