COMPANY: Team One Newport, Inc.
WHERE TO FIND IT: www.team1newport.com
CRITIQUE
This Newport-based vendor of sailing gear has a new site that falls short of its reputation for quality merchandise. What makes a good first impression – with its colorful home page and J. Crew-like product shots – can be frustrating.
NAVIGATION
The site (viewed on Netscape Navigator version 3.01) is a snap to navigate so long as you’re only interested in getting from the home page to the online store.
An example: It takes three clicks to get to the place where you can order gloves – or anything else. Click on the “gloves” thumbnail and arrive at three choices: “cold weather gloves,” “performance gloves” or “safety.” The last is a monkey wrench, as safety gear is a category in and of itself. Click on “cold weather gloves” and arrive at six thumbnails under that sub-category. Click on “new improved Cape Horn glove” and you arrive at the option to add to your shopping cart. However, by then the picture has disappeared.
Only “gloves” appears to lack pictures where it matters most. Elsewhere, an enhanced image of the product accompanies its description. A drag of the mouse results in an even larger image.
Back on the home page, buttons trumpeting “embroidery services” and “our team & more” result in, well, more than less. In fact, a click on either keeps you on the home page.
CONTENT
Contentwise, there are no surprises or extras. This is an online catalogue, period.
USABILITY
Team One Newport set out to supplement its retail and mail order businesses. It has done just that.
The index is the most helpful feature, with simple hyper-text linking prospective buyers to each and every item available.
Other nice features are sizing charts to accompany product descriptions and cross references to brands and products.
DESIGN
The site is definitely colorful and vibrant. However, there are inconsistencies.
A rollover feature on the home page results in a string of words, phrases and brand names.
Also, annoying is the haphazard use of “new” icons in places they link to new items. In others, they are merely decorative.
Where most businesses refer to a site map, Team One Newport has used the universal symbol for information (like at a mall or tourist attraction) to guide users to the index.
WHO CREATED IT
Fleming & Roskelly (www.adresults.com)
