Help needed - Please Rate My Site

[TheCandleMan]

I've had my site up and running for several months, with over 400 visitors total. And yet not a single sale. The bounce rate is around 60% and I can not seem to improve it. I've tried a few different arrangements and the current one seems to have the best results, but still no sales. I would really appreciate any advice. Thanks in advance!

www.scentedcandlesdirect.com

[roban]

First of all get rid of the Google Ads. Your visitors are probably going to your competitor's sites and buying.

Your navigation font is so small I can hardly read it and if I go to a product there are grahics like natural Soy Blend Candles that take me away from your site.

Your first keyword is 'scented candles' but that isn't in your site's title and it should be.

Unfortunately I'd have to say that your site is poorly conceived and does not engender trust. I would not take the chance of buying from you. You need a professional overhaul especially with the competition you have such as HERE.

[TheCandleMan]

That's good stuff, thanks for your input. Please keep the ideas coming. Is there anything inparticular that makes it seem not trustworthy or just the whole feel of it?

[roban]

There are several problems with the trust factor. Pay Pal while being a decent payment gateway when you first start, needs to be augmented with something like Authorize. Net which says to the customer that this merchant has passed some scrutiny.

I'd also get rid of the links page. It's not doing you any good because the majority of the links are not relevant to your site and again only serve to take your visitors away from your site. As it is now you have more reasons for people to leave than you have for them to stay with your Google Ads and other links.

Your design needs some professional help as well. Your main colors are drab and not very appealing. Gray is not a welcoming color.

Your logo needs professional help as well. take a look at a site I designed HERE

[researchstan]

As Roban noted earlier - Get rid of the Google ads.
Why buy from you when your competion google ad offers candles at wholesale.
Is your site a dummy site to to make money off the google ads?

[TheCandleMan]

I blocked other candle sites from the Google ads, I've changed the color scheme, made the navigation font larger, and am working on a merchant account.
The ads are just an attempt to recover some of the money put into this, since I'm not making it up in sales. They haven't done anything worthwhile yet, so if it's really that big of a deal, they can be removed...

[TheCandleMan]

Ok, I've made some more changes and I think I've addressed everything except for the merchant account.
Am I making any progress or should I start from scratch?

www.scentedcandlesdirect.com

[roban]

You are doing better and there's a lot more to do.

• Why do you need 2 Pay Pal logos. Wouldn't just 1 do?
• Put more information in your About Us page. Tell me something about your candles. You can use your manufacturer's information to your advantage here. In your Contact page you say "ScentedCandlesDirect.com is owned and operated by HollowTreeGifts." Yet you don't mention them at all.
• As a designer I would either make your logo consistant with your site colors or make your site colors consistant with your logo.
• Can you make your Contact page a contact form?

That's enough for now.

[TKaz]

You are doing better and there's a lot more to do.

• Why do you need 2 Pay Pal logos. Wouldn't just 1 do?
• Put more information in your About Us page. Tell me something about your candles. You can use your manufacturer's information to your advantage here. In your Contact page you say "ScentedCandlesDirect.com is owned and operated by HollowTreeGifts." Yet you don't mention them at all.
• As a designer I would either make your logo consistant with your site colors or make your site colors consistant with your logo.
• Can you make your Contact page a contact form?

That's enough for now.

I agree 100%.

Also - is your site safe? I see no SSL seal or anything letting me know it's safe to shop with you. When someone buys from you and they are checking out, do they have to leave your site to do so? or can they pay via PayPal right on your site? you don't want them leaving, it takes so much to get them there the last thing you want hem to do is leave, even if it's just to pay, many will just leave and not continue checking out. I had this problem some time ago and when I got rid of PayPal and went with another service that was not only better, more liked but they stay on my site to check out and my sales sky rocketed. You should be displaying the number to call and the free shipping add, be proud and let them be seen.

REMEMBER: the easier it is to find things, like information and such the better chances they will buy, even if they have no intention on calling you they just want to see it, it builds trust showing out there right in front in big easy to read letters.

I mean no disrespect but I just don't like the layout, I was looking for the category menu on the left where almost always is and I couldn't find it and instantly I was turned off. My wife and I always shop online and never go in stores, she loves candles so i went and just asked her to come look at your site and said I found this site that sells candles, asked if she was interested in anything, she liked around your home page for about 5 seconds and said "Eww no thanks" and walked away. Sorry my friend, that right there says it all.

Keep at it my friend, you'll get there I'm sure.

[davemorkal]

Designing of any site matter the most to attract the visitors. The design of your site seems cheap. try to redesign your site and do some seo work. i am damn sure, you will get buyers..