http://www.threadsence.com/index.php – ME

The site that I chose for my in-depth aesthetic analysis was my E-Commerce website, ThreadSence. This is a clothing site which sells Indie and Urban articles of clothing and accessories. They find the best designers which fit this mold, and bring their products to this one site. This makes ThreadSence a one-stop shopping site, where you can get a wide range of designers.

Aesthetically, it is very appealing with its color scheme, font, and picture slide show. The fonts that they chose are easy to read due to their coloring. I would recommend that they enlarge the font size slightly on the left item chart.

I have personally purchased items from this site and it was very easy and straightforward. I made an account with them, which was a one page process, with very clear steps. Their cart is very simple and all of the prices (and tax) is made clear, with no hidden costs. Now that I have an account, I can click on a button and easily log into my cart.

http://www.carnival.com/ – Megan Kever

I also chose to analyze Megan Kever’s E-Commerce site, Carnival. My first reaction when I saw this site was that there was too much information. My eyes didn’t know where to look because there was so much text. The homepage has an image slideshow which shows deals and advertisements.

To the left of the screen there is a quick search box, which is what I would use to conduct my search, but there are also seven tabs above it, with another search bar. Not to mention the four advertisements that are below the slideshow. Below this are even MORE advertisements and text. The font that the company chose to use was black, red and blue, which were easy to read on the white background. The font was a good size and easy to read, it was just an overwhelming amount of content.

http://www.freepeople.com/ – Katelyn Sheree

I LOVED this website at first glance. The images and pastel colors were aesthetically pleasing and you knew quickly that this was a female clothing site. The majority of the screen is filled with an image, but above it is a row of apparel search options. At the bottom of the page you can find their company’s contact information and follow them on twitter, YouTube, Pinterest and more.

Free People’s site was easy to navigate. But, when I went to look for a shirt, I noticed that the sidebar which appears on the left with more detailed options has very small font. The style of font that they chose combined with its small size actually hurts my eyes.

http://shop.nordstrom.com/ – Wilhelmina Giese

This is the only site, other than mine, that I have purchased something through; and Nordstrom remembers me. On the top of the screen it says, “Hello, Alyssa,” which takes this site to the next level. Nordstrom has a level of excellence that makes someone want to shop there, which is shown by the black and white color scheme.

Their site has a lot of great information, but it isn’t overwhelming. The main advertisement, which is a picture, is about prom. Above this is the typical tabs which help you distinguish your search. If you want something more specific, there is also a search bar. On the top right, there is also an icon, which shows that this company offers free shipping. It is just big enough and has red font, to catch people’s attention, which could make-or-break if they shop there.

SIMILARITIES/DIFFERENCES:

All of these E-Commerce sites had a main image on their homepage along with an options bar and search bar above it. The main distinguishing factor was the color choice and amount of word content on the homepage. I was slightly overwhelmed by the amount of content on the Carnival site, but the three clothing sites weren’t this way. Free People had a pastel color scheme. ThreadSence had a bright and neon color scheme. Carnival was mainly blue, white and red, while Nordstrom was mainly black and white. I realized that the biggest difference between these sites is their purpose: what they are selling and whom their audience is.

Overall, I think that all of these sites have an effective visual design. They all have different aesthetics which make them unique but also brand-able. Their design seems appropriate for the desired audience. Free People and ThreadSence are designed for young women ranging from a teenager to a young adult. That is why they can get away with having a small font because that age group has good eyesight and cares more about appearance than being practical. On the other hand, Nordstrom is for men and women. Carnival is for most likely for a middle-aged man who is looking for a trip for his family. This site gives a lot of detail and has many user options which would be appealing to someone in this social standing.

URL: http://www.eonline.com/

Site Description: This website displays breaking entertainment news and the latest celebrity gossip.

Audience: The audience for this website is people who care about the entertainment world, and want to know the news about their favorite celebrities.

Business/Site Goals: E! Online’s business goals are to get viewers on their website, including their Facebook and Twitter accounts.

Technologies Used: HTML, CSS, Javascript

Homepage Screenshot: E! Online Screenshot

 URL: http://thevow-movie.com

Site Description: This site is dedicated to the new movie, “The Vow.” It includes the movie’s trailers, pictures, cast, and show times. You can follow the movie updates on Facebook and Twitter. There is even a quiz to discover how far you would go for love.

Audience: The audience for this site is women, especially geared for those who are looking for a romantic movie for Valentine’s Day.

Business/Site Goals: The goal of this site is to create buzz about the movie release and generate a fan base.

Technologies Used: HTML, XHTML, CSS

Homepage Screenshot: The Vow Screenshot

URL: http://cure.org/

Site Description:  The “About” tab on Cure’s site says it best; “More than 80 million physically disabled children in the developing world can be cured through surgery. These children have conditions like clubfoot, bowed legs, cleft lips, untreated burns, and hydrocephalus. Without care, they won’t go to school, will have little hope for a future, and many will die from their condition.”

Audience: The audience for this website is people who are looking for information about the cause, and those who are interested in donating to the Cure.

Business/Site Goals: “CURE’s mission is to bring 100% physical and spiritual healing to these children. CURE is a non-profit organization that operates hospitals and programs in 20 countries around the world where patients experience the life-changing message of God’s love for them, receiving surgical treatment regardless of gender, religion, ethnicity, or ability to pay.”

Technologies Used: WordPress, XHTML, HTML, CSS

Homepage Screenshot: Cure Screenshot

URL: http://blogs.america.gov/

Site Description: This site was created by “U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of International Information Programs, which engages international audiences on issues on foreign policy, society and values to help create an environment receptive to U.S. national interests.”

Audience: The International Information Program “communicates with foreign opinion makers and other publics through a wide range of print and electronic outreach materials.” These materials are in English, Arabic, Chinese, French, Persian, Russian and Spanish.

Business/Site Goals: Its goal is to engage “international audiences on issues on foreign policy, society and values to help create an environment receptive to U.S. national interests.”

Technologies Used: WordPress, HTML, CSS, XHTML

Homepage Screenshot: America.gov Screenshot

URL: http://www.threadsence.com

Site Description: This is a website of indie-urban clothing and culture for women. Their company says, “We scour the planet for the indie designers, artists and aficionados. More importantly, we bring what they have to offer right to your doorstep” (Facebook).

Audience: The audience of Threadsence is women looking for a one-stop shopping site, where they can find all of their favorite indie-urban articles of clothing.

Business/Site Goals: Their mission statement is, “To be your primary purveyor of fine, Indie-Urban apparel and accessories” (Facebook). 

Technologies Used: HTML, XHTML, Javascript, CSS

Homepage Screenshot: Threadsence Screenshot