Slogan/Brand Positioning for My Shopping Site

[accelerator]

Hi Guys

I am considering changing the slogan/brand positioning for LowPrices.co.uk from

"Find low prices at top stores"

To

"Internet shopping experts"

The reason I'm thinking about this is because I think some brands wouldn't necessarily want to get involved in the site because it seems downmarket. It's not downmarket, it's "smart", because its intention is to buy a given item at the best price.

What do you think of the slogan change and what are your thoughts on optimum brand positioning?

Thanks

Chris

 

[Murray]

You had a dozen people comment that your site needs a redesign on a thread the other day

Aren't you more worried about that then choosing a new slogan?

 

[accelerator]

You had a dozen people comment that your site needs a redesign on a thread the other day

Aren't you more worried about that then choosing a new slogan?

I'm worried about both.

 

[accelerator]

you seem like a nice bloke, but one that needs a reality check !!

take a step back and be honest with yourself, thats the best way forward for you.

Hi

I've taken the reality check, taken a step back, and am working on all the issues!!

I'd still like to hear people's thoughts on the slogan though.

Cheers

 

[mojoco]

Hi

I've taken the reality check, taken a step back, and am working on all the issues!!

I'd still like to hear people's thoughts on the slogan though.

Cheers

Thoughts on the slogan...

a) I don't like it.

b) Its irrelevant anyway until you redesign your site.

 

[accelerator]

Thoughts on the slogan...

a) I don't like it.

b) Its irrelevant anyway until you redesign your site.

a) Any reasons why? Did you like the old slogan?

b) I am going to redesign at some point, but first I'm going to sort the site map and put proper pages to all major shopping categories in place. Then I'll try and apply a redesign over the pages that list the best shops for particular items. Redesigning the price comparison part is harder because it's just Awin's ShopWindow solution and I find the code hard to modify.

Thanks and rgds

 

[DaveP]

Does a name like this even require a slogan? The name itself makes it crystal clear what it's about.

 

[WalkinDude]

I can't remember why but was having a look at the website Hotukdeals.com

Remember looking at the website, design, layout and thinking this don't look like any great shakes. Simple style blog format and up go the posts.

Then I read of the about us page. Here's a summary:

Founded in 2004.

Now Online:
26,783
Guests: 24,666
Members: 2,117
Record Users:
60,104
Total Members:
1,139,949
Threads:
1,630,419

And the most depressing part of all for any wannabee competitor 19 MILLION POSTS. 19 MILLION!!!

Over a million members for a website up until a month ago i'd never even heard of. So if this the competition several orders magnitude below the truly big boys like Amazon then all I can say is just wow!!!!

TheY now run a network of half a dozen other sites.

I'm a believer that anything can be done and everyone has to start somewhere but I think you're going after too much too early. You got have a niche, simple manageable product or service you can build up into something cos as HotUKDeals can attest, they've been at since 2004 and that's a sobering thought.

Every bit of advice coming out at the moment encourages niche approach in the beginning.

As for your website. Where's the impact when you first click on. They say average web surfer gives a new website about 3 seconds and if they don't like what they see they off looking for another site mostly never to return.

But I bet if your homepage said in huge letters 50% off [whatever product it is you're focusing on in the main], with slightly more up to date design and layout, that would be a starter.

In fact If I were you I wouldn't even have any products on the homepage but do a convincing write up as to why low prices are important and why your website finds them [prices] lower than anywhere else then invite people to view more.

 

[denchomsky]

b) I am going to redesign at some point, but first I'm going to sort the site map and put proper pages to all major shopping categories in place. Then I'll try and apply a redesign over the pages that list the best shops for particular items. Redesigning the price comparison part is harder because it's just Awin's ShopWindow solution and I find the code hard to modify.

Thanks and rgds

Why would rebuild all the pages, then re-design, you are better off working out your new design first as this will surely effect layout and product placement?

Also, if you are seriously considering spending a decent chunk of time doing work on the site, then you should try to make it responsive.

As for the slogan, if it is your <h1> then I would keep what you have as at least it has your keywords in it, but as Mojoco said, it's irrelevant really.

 

[accelerator]

Every bit of advice coming out at the moment encourages niche approach in the beginning.

As for your website. Where's the impact when you first click on. They say average web surfer gives a new website about 3 seconds and if they don't like what they see they off looking for another site mostly never to return.

But I bet if your homepage said in huge letters 50% off [whatever product it is you're focusing on in the main], with slightly more up to date design and layout, that would be a starter.

All good points.

 

[accelerator]

Why would rebuild all the pages, then re-design, you are better off working out your new design first as this will surely effect layout and product placement?

Also, if you are seriously considering spending a decent chunk of time doing work on the site, then you should try to make it responsive.

First job I want to roll out pages for all major product categories, e.g. this one on beds. That's because I can create pages quickly like this by linking a product type to merchants in my database. So quickly build these, db configs are done, then apply a new design.

Agreed about the responsive thing.

Rgds

 

[ChrisMM]

 

[scottmccloud]

First job I want to roll out pages for all major product categories, e.g. this one on beds. That's because I can create pages quickly like this by linking a product type to merchants in my database. So quickly build these, db configs are done, then apply a new design.

Agreed about the responsive thing.

Rgds

I don't really get it, because your site seems to be giving out mixed messages. What's the compelling reason why I should use your site?

 

[mat]

I agree with the above, to me it is just like any other "price tapestry" style site and I am sure it has been in this form/design for over 5 years now??

The most annoying thing about sites like this is that when you search for an item such as "dell laptop" you are presented with hundreds if not thousands of pages of accessories with no way of narrowing down the search.

The only way sites like these succeed is if you really can make finding products easier than simply using google and/or alternative sites. Apart from that you rely on search engine traffic, but the site as is just won’t rank for much and the categories you are adding the unique content to are such big terms that there is almost no hope of seeing any real traffic to those pages.

By all means keep at it for another 5/10 years or why not try focusing on smaller niches you are interested in, where creating a useful site with pages of expert content will actually start bringing in meaningful traffic that will convert and make you money.

 

[bonusmedia]

My honest (but maybe harsh) advice

Worrying about your slogan is pointless.
You could radically improve the design and still get nowhere.

Your model needs rethinking from the bottom up. The site doesn't offer anything new or useful over a thousand other (mainly failed) sites. I can find what I want far quicker using Google alone.

For a general shopping comparison site, people like Kelkoo have been going for 15 years and had many millions invested - you aren't going to beat them at their own game.

I think it's really unlikely that anyone could build a successful general shopping site using an Awin script. The scope is too broad and the quality/functionality isn't there.

The domain is quite strong but too general to get anywhere without a real USP - you're not offering lower prices than anywhere else. If anything deals and voucher sites are going to be cheaper.

Have to echo others in this thread and suggest starting with either a smaller niche where you can focus on quality or some sort of unique angle.

I'd also focus on mobile users - that's where the traffic growth is.

 

[accelerator]

I don't really get it, because your site seems to be giving out mixed messages. What's the compelling reason why I should use your site?

Fair point. I am aware of the necessity of a "compelling reason" and I accept there isn't one at the moment.

I am keeping LowPrices.co.uk going (but pushing social media) whilst thinking of switching to a completely different niche.

Rgds

 

[accelerator]

By all means keep at it for another 5/10 years or why not try focusing on smaller niches you are interested in, where creating a useful site with pages of expert content will actually start bringing in meaningful traffic that will convert and make you money.

Good point. Considering doing this. Probably will.

Rgds

 

[accelerator]

My honest (but maybe harsh) advice

Worrying about your slogan is pointless.
You could radically improve the design and still get nowhere.

Your model needs rethinking from the bottom up. The site doesn't offer anything new or useful over a thousand other (mainly failed) sites. I can find what I want far quicker using Google alone.

For a general shopping comparison site, people like Kelkoo have been going for 15 years and had many millions invested - you aren't going to beat them at their own game.

I think it's really unlikely that anyone could build a successful general shopping site using an Awin script. The scope is too broad and the quality/functionality isn't there.

The domain is quite strong but too general to get anywhere without a real USP - you're not offering lower prices than anywhere else. If anything deals and voucher sites are going to be cheaper.

Have to echo others in this thread and suggest starting with either a smaller niche where you can focus on quality or some sort of unique angle.

I'd also focus on mobile users - that's where the traffic growth is.

All good points which I agree with.

 

[retired_member36]

I just dont get it.... i really dont!

I find it difficult to understand why you wont listen to everyones advice and correct the main stuff first.

You can create the perfect sitemap,product category pages etc etc but its not going to solve the main issue! Your visitors ain't going to take this website serious. I mean your even thinking of running a competition, i wouldn't enter in to it because your site doesn't come across as trust worthy enough!

I sent you a PM yesterday where you can buy a ready made shopping / voucher site theme and have it all looking 1million % better in about 20 minutes!

Im starting to think you make these posts to simply get a backlink to your site or somehow enjoy people telling you the same things over and over.

Please don't take offence to what i've said, because i certainly didn't intend any

 

[nick-harper]

Is this a ShopWindow clone? Doesn't this limit you to just AW or are you using more than one agency?

What is the difference between this :

http://www.shopwindow.com/product.php?p=752484850

AND

http://www.lowprices.co.uk/product.php?p=93366510

The duplicate content will be being used all over the place so you will struggle to get the inner pages ranking well.

Are you caching all of the products locally on your server or relying on the API? You will find that you will start to get a bottleneck and everything will slow down once you get traffic, if you have all of the data on your server in a database you can manipulate it a lot easier.

I am biased because I have a site a bit like this with a new version being released within the next couple of weeks but I have been in your position where I just installed Shop Window and expected to get shed loads of long tails, it didn't work Even with a sitemap, decent on page you are never going to rank well on one of the product pages.