Home > Recent Ecommerce & Presentation Website Projects
Below are two highlighted projects developed by 9Ball Design. > View full client list
Web Design, Web Development and .NET Online Ecommerce Development
MikesTools.com sells Woodworking Tools, Metalworking Tools, Power Tools, Tool Parts and Accessories. This site was first developed in 1998 and featured a small offering of products from Delta, Gross Stabil, Forrest Saw Blades, Olson Blades, CMT and JessEM Router systems.Late 2002, the website was upgraded to a new ecommerce application. While performance increased and product offerings grew, the website lacked customer usability and the overall "feel" of a woodworking website.
In the summer of 2005, design and development began on this 3,000+ category ecommerce store. The product offerings grew to 45 major brand names and the website needed help.
The new store design was developed around the primary interests of it's customers. Wood! Earth tones and well placed wood grain highlights create a sense of the work shop for any customer browsing MikesTools.com
9Ball Design paid strong attention to the category and bread crumb trail to consolidate this 3,000+ category store into a usable, scannable, well presented website. Upon launch, Mike's sales and search engine rankings skyrocketed as his indexes grew from 3,000 to 27,200 indexes in two months. Search engine submissions and marketing is attributed to the combined efforts of 9Ball Design and Resposio. Product formatting and additional help was provided FitsMeDesigns.com
Comments From MikesTools.com:
9Ball design was recommended to me by my web hosting provider CNCWebNet and I am very pleased with the work that has beendone.
I am not new to the .com business. I have had a web site that I built myself for years. The problem was the site looked like I made it and customers often commented to that fact, some even rude about it, nevertheless it worked.
My limitations were very apparent as the software became more advanced. There were no marketing capabilities and the check out of the shopping cart was unreliable. I spent almost a year changing all my categories for all the 3000 products I had listed. It was then that I realized I needed help.
A lot of programmers and designers would not have been able to work on my site and put up with me as well. Matt was always upbeat and positive about what needed to be done. The suggestions and layout were just what I needed. Matt was able make a large site easy to navigate and now I get compliments on how professional the site is. Matt?s professionalism and creative talents are displayed on every page. He is not just my designer, we have become good friends. He takes great pride in his work!
Presentation Website Design
Silver Light Editions is located in Christiana, Pennsylvania, in Lancaster County, and the heart of the Old Order Amish community. The original SLE website was launched in February of 2004.The website provided the presentation side of the SLE Antique Furniture and Bathroom Vanity Catalog. Product Specifications, Product Details and ordering information was provided and SLE enjoyed an increase in customer interest and the addition of several new dealers for the catalog.
An expansion to the existing lines of Bathroom Vanities as well as the introduction of Custom Antique Kitchen Design & Construction warranted a revisit to the entire design of SLE. In an effort to introduce the new line, my job was to revamp the entire website.
There is a story that comes with any antique piece. Creating that visual story throughout the entire site was the goal of the new website. In addition to new visual elements, careful attention was paid to the overall usabilty and scannability of the websites' content.
Clearly highlighing the Antique Bathroom Vanity Line as well as the visual story of what SLE focuses on (highlighted by Barn and inserts of shop with furniture being hand made), the original homepage (left) conveyed the very meaning of SLE; handmade, custom, antique furniture, antique finishes, antique wood.
The new homepage (right) keeps this story intact however the introduction of the custom antique kitchen design & construction services overtakes the original barn pictures. The vanities have remained clearly highlighted, various color and layout changes were made to guide the users eye as well as the integration of SLE's additional line of Hand Forged Hammered Hardware to the homepage.
Below are various screenshots of the improvements and changes made to SLE. Products enjoy more "screen estate" for better text description and visual representation. Large groups of text are better spaced for an easier read. The introduction of a left navigation on all secondary pages drastically increases the usability of this website. In addition to this redesign, SLE enjoys search engine submission services, a highly Search Engine Optimized website as well as additional marketing services from 9Ball Design.
This project also included the development of HammeredHinges.com, a full retail website showcasing SLE's new line of Hand Forged Wrought Iron Antique Hinges & Hardware. This site was launched 2/27/2006.
Comments From Silver Light Editions:
9Ball Design has done an outstanding job for Silver Light Editions. The design work for our site is creatively and artistically superior. At the same time the site maintains the easy functionality and interactivity necessary on a superior web site in today?s competitive Internet environment. I could not be happier with the end product. And, the proof for me is that my customers constantly compliment me on the look and flow of my site!
In addition to building two exquisite sites, Matt is 110% responsive to both my input and to my questions. He is so involved in my business that I consider him a member of our team, one I could not do without. He understands my business, is quick to action, and is extremely attentive to the detail required to build a great site. Almost as important, Matt accomplishes all that in the most positive, genuine, and professional manner. The entire experience has been a pleasure and I would recommend 9Ball Design to anyone building either an ecommerce or informational website.
** Content of site does not reflect the personal/ethical views and opinions of 9Ball Design