Does the name imply that it's biassed ?

Re: Does the name imply that it\'s biassed ?

[ QUOTE ]
If you want me to give a freebie trial, let me have log on details by pm, and I'll take a look.

[/ QUOTE ]

Thanks B , can I e mail it to you rather than PM ? , I can give you access to behind the scenes I think ( if I can remember how /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif )
 
No1_Moose not holding back.......

Here are my thoughts on sailroom as a humble prospective user, sorry if you don't like them but hey ho it's only what I think, nothing personal.

I won't use Sailroom simply because I don't trust it. I don't use e-bay anymore but that's beside the point. I don't trust Sailroom because not only is it small (a problem I trust you want to resolve!) but it doesn't give the impression of having any 'meat' behind the scenes. At least I can rant and rave to the e-bay people if I get conned on e-bay and (maybe wrongly) I think they will be able to do something about it. I very much doubt Sailroom will sort any problem out simply because it won't be able to. I imagine the email sailroom would send to a 'non-payer' would be along the lines of...
"Dear whatsyername,

N1M tells me you haven't paid him, please do give him the money you owe him because we at sailroom rely on our users being honest and trustworthy and we really think you are letting us down very badly.

Ta
The sailroom team"

Now that might be unfair and completely wrong but it's the impression I get and the impression I get from the site makes up my mind.

Secondly, I hate the way the site looks. It looks like a theatre lighting design program. It's all sqaure and grey and techy looking with capital letters and numbers everywhere, uuurggghhh. I want nice big rounded buttons with a 'smooth' font to make me feel comfortable with the site like this ( I know that site is a completely different thing but at least it looks friendly). I don't like the "welcome to sailrrom" bit at the top of the page, it takes up loads of room and doesn't say anything I want to hear. It also says "a warm welcome" and as I said above the site is all cold and techy so I don't believe the "warm" bit!

erm, I'll leave it here for now because it's 2:20am!
 
Re: Does the name imply that it\'s biassed ?

Is he wrong to help us all out?

If we bring customers to him, he helps us and we split the charge rate 60/40, in his favour because he has the knowledge.

We all win. I get some extra money and he gets to teach us on some real projects.

I have started him some good contracts to date, and when I get qualified he will give them back to us when we work for him.

I
 
Re: No1_Moose not holding back.......

Ross , could you do me a big favour and e mail your thoughts please , if you think that way maybe others do too , so thanks
 
Re: Does the name imply that it\'s biassed ?

if he is charging for this, and you are getting little back, then move on, and find another instructor
 
Re: Does the name imply that it\'s biassed ?

If your "instructor" is charging you for a service additional to the course, he may be in breach of his contract with the government agency that is paying him.

Do you have a formal written agreement with him ?
 
Re: No1_Moose not holding back.......

Been lurking on this thread but now have to chime in ...
I hope Sailroom works - I liked it when I first saw it and I put a link to it from my site (one of them) I want to see a good sailing auction site as an alternative to Ebay. Incidentally Ross, I am guessing you've never actually had a problem with Ebay? I have and they are far from helpful. So much so, I doubt I will ever use them again.
I do not think there is a problem with the Sailroom layout but it could really do with more stuff to sell. How do you do that? ... I have no idea. I check it every week or so for new adverts but I'd be surpeised if many others do.
Having said that, I think it's a real challenge to get it to the next stage and my guess is that it will cost a bit of money one way or another.
 
Re: Does the name imply that it\'s biassed ?

Sailroom is vaguely nautical but I would say it does not really matter what the website is called. Folk will come to a website whatever it is called as long as it is useful. Ebay, Amazon and Google are not exactly descriptive of what they do.

I would respectively suggest that your biggest problem is NOT the name (or even a Google ranking), it is the fact that you have next to b#gger all for sale on the website!

I appreciate that it is a catch 22, no punters = no items and vice verce. And I am sure I am not telling you what you don't know already.

If it was me doing the website I would try and tackle this in 2 ways, firstly adding content (articles and advice) about boats, especially to newbies to help attract punters to the site and build trust and secondly by acquiring items myself for sale on the site (possibly even under a few different names).

I appreciate that this will require more work, possibly a reason for yours truly not doing something similar /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

My comments are meant to be constructive.....(BTW I haven't clicked through the site, but it looks very presentable)
 
Re: Does the name imply that it\'s biassed ?

What I dislike about Sailroom is mainly the layout and ease of use. That layout is sort of fiddly and the essential bits are sometimes hidden among the clutter. For example on a Buy-it-now item its not that obvious where you should click to buy.

The categories are a bit complex as well, especially now when there's only a few items. It would work better for example if clicking on "Boats for Sale" immediately gave a list of all items in all sub-categories, but with the option to narrow down.

None of this would stop me using Sailroom, and I have bought from there in the past. I'd just use it more if it was a nicer web site to use.

At least there aren't any animated adverts!
 
Re: Does the name imply that it\'s biassed ?

I would change it. The name should instantly convey what you offer.It sounds more like a website for second hand sails if you didnt know.

best of Luck with the venture.
 
Re: No1_Moose not holding back.......

OK Dave. Read through all that.
Name is fine.
Lack of sale items a real issue.
Don't pay for traffic. Whilst Google could fetch you 100,000 a day they (cynically) could be sending you people who had used "room" in their search criteria. Defensible, but damn all use to you.
Get lots of small dealers and suplliers on your site (SaltyJohn for instance), but keep in mind it doesn't want to become a dealer's directory with no pay off for you. Get reciprocal links from them as this is major driver in search engines at the moment.
Search for all the small boatclubs and single-make boat owners asscoiations who have sites (think Westerley, Norman, Folk-boat, Mirror, etc etc.). They always have "dead" secondhand items lists. Either offer to put them on your site or approach each advertiser and get them on your site. The advantage here is that those same one-make owners may start to use your site as a resource if they know that it's kept up-to-date (which owners sites rarely are) It'll be a cheap and eeffective way to fill the saleroom (sic) and get returning browsers. Again, reciprocal links.

You will have a hell of a task, but short of a media advertising campaign in the boating titles it'll be difficult to get advertisers or buyers to your site.

Worry less about the feel of the interface than the content. You can revise the graphics piecemeal. (My own site has been a 4 year work-in-progress (the things-to-do pages took forever), people love the informal approach, especially compared to a lot of power-designed guest-house sites, but there again people are looking to chill out and relax here, not be blinded by efficiency. www.stockghyllcottage.co.uk)
On the other hand when I had a membership shopping mall site we spent £400 on the graphics for the front page (this was before clever software could do chrome effects)

dept-x2.jpg


and our straightforward shopping mall used the same database but different graphics

sexxyshopper1.jpg
sexxyshopper2.jpg
 
Re: Does the name imply that it\'s biassed ?

I'm beginning to think there is a troll going on here..... but maybe not.... cant make up my mind

???

Richard
 
Re: Does the name imply that it\'s biassed ?

koolie ,maybe I am missing something here but if you are taking on work which you need your instructors expertise to learn how to do then I cant see a problem with the arrangement.

You are gaining valuable experience and contacts and earning some money.

I would make the most of the learning experience at the end of the course you will be out there on your own.
 
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