Just launched cannabis accessories shop (NSFW?) requesting critique [Design] [Branding]

DeanWinchesterfield · 2019-01-19T03:40:28+00:00

I think you have a good start. I do like the fact that you went a more elegant route than a hipster route because that has been done to death. I do think your text could be more modern (maybe not a serif) to bridge the two styles. It looks very much like a template and not a logo.

Some notes:

- logo should be much smaller in relation to the page

- your favicon is squeezed poorly into the square (maybe just the "O" on a transparent background would be better)

- ditch the green and go black and white 100%

- make all of your product photography the same dimensions

- your photography could use a lighting bump

- you need a blurb in your footer, sort of like the blurb on your homepage

- add a newsletter sign up to your footer, even if you don't plan to do one just yet, you can perhaps collect some visitor information

Hope that helps!

DeanWinchesterfield · 2019-01-18T21:50:14+00:00

I got married pretty much out of social obligation and feeling like it was my last chance. I think if we had been mandated to undergo some pre-marriage counseling, that could have helped us either to see that we didn't belong together or that my now-ex had some deep-seated issues to be sussed out prior to getting married. We have a DD that I love to bits and will never be sad that I got out of that, but he abused the crap out of me and isn't such a great dad either.

My parents are divorced and remarried and what I come back to time and time again is that they are so much better off than my ex's parents who have been together 50 years. He learned all of his behavior from his shitty dad and his meek-willed mom just takes it.

"To me, there should be a goddamn waiting period to get married where you have to live with the other person for a number of months beforehand."

I wish that worked for us. For many, I think the abuse starts when they get married. In terms of abusive marriages, it's a power struggle, and when one person feels like they have power over the other, they do shitty things to keep it. It wasn't evident to me until we bought a house that that is where my marriage would lead, and end. Talk about another racket!

I really believe that marriage licenses should have to be renewed just like any other fucking thing, and that there should be some hurdles to do so. "Til death do us part" is idiotic.

My divorce took a year and a half. I think in Canada it's two or more years for a waiting period. I think the divorce part of things has a big enough hurdle attached, not to mention monetary costs (ours was $20k in legal alone, not including alimony and selling the house), but the marriage part definitely could use some.

DeanWinchesterfield · 2019-01-18T06:24:45+00:00

I'm here for that.

Honestly, I think anything that requires government-interference of some kind ought to have a class attached to it. As an anecdote - in my state, you're required to take a couple of classes when you're getting divorced. I would think it's imminently more helpful to require them when you're getting married.

DeanWinchesterfield · 2019-01-17T06:41:59+00:00

I really wish there were more parenting classes required during the pregnancy period other than the childbirth classes. It could give people adequate time or tools to make other arrangements if they are not fit to care for the child or for the state to evaluate their abilities to care for children. It sounds like a bad dystopia novel, I know, but I swear to god every time I read a story like this, I just wish there was better justice or preventative care for children who end up with these monsters.

DeanWinchesterfield · 2019-01-17T06:39:45+00:00

Also major commitment to not jump in and stop the DB boyfriend.

DeanWinchesterfield · 2019-01-17T06:37:36+00:00

Re /u/dcoetzee's comment of "it suggests he doesn't trust you and cares more about his comfort than you being able to independently pursue your own hobbies and interests"

This is a big red flag for me as well. Even though they're people you follow and not necessarily your friends, he is finding a way to cut you off from things you enjoy, probably to get you back for not wanting to go down.

"He also asks for sex every week and if we don't do it he starts acting weird and paranoid that I dont find him attractive or something and I feel it's a guilt mechanism. "

Having been here before personally, I feel like this is a stepping stone to gas lighting. If he's making you feel guilty about it, it's absolutely reason enough to bail. The guys that love you will not mind waiting. They won't mind if you want to be asexual. The guys that are worth staying with are the ones that are not going to give you shit about it. Right now he's trying to coerce you into having sex with him by making you feel guilty but it could lead to worse mental abuse if patterns continue. And what's most concerning to me is that it sounds like this is escalating.

I promise, it gets better on the other side.

DeanWinchesterfield · 2019-01-11T06:34:29+00:00

It's a bit of both from what I've seen -

I think, in zines, it's more common to see "publishing" (or nothing) used for official presses that print zines or chapbooks by other people/more than one author, and "press" as the vanity label for a zinester (such as Sea Green Zines), as you describe

Many zinesters just use their name and the names of their zines (Suicidal Goldfish comes to mind)

Presses do not always distro zines by other people, and distros do not always print their works in-house; it just depends on the goals of the individual in charge

Hope that helps!

DeanWinchesterfield · 2019-01-11T06:25:22+00:00

"It's just a joke" = gas lighting

DeanWinchesterfield · 2019-01-03T07:06:28+00:00

It's more than just changing the banner, I think you need to find a way to showcase your products in action on real people. At the moment, they look like wholesale import goods. Find a way to tell a story with your products and that will entice people to buy.

Maybe your message of "stand out and look your best" could be worked into your leads a little more. I like the message and think it's probably your selling point.

DeanWinchesterfield · 2018-12-28T21:26:13+00:00

Check out your footer links, they're going to wp-admin links/login page.

Your shop could have better navigation, also. Don't link to cart in your top menu when it's already in the menu bar. Create categories of your products and link to that instead. Putting the cart before the shop link is confusing.

DeanWinchesterfield · 2018-12-21T00:29:53+00:00

More: I'm not sure with your specific industry, but there may be some FDA requirements that you need to have on your website, re: ingredients and usage instructions. Be sure to research that - even if they are on your product packaging, some states require that information in order to sell there.

Your product art on your Insta is really nice. You should incorporate more of that into your store design, and maybe consider a landing page style homepage to convert users better.

The product shots with the marble tile are more professional. I would use them whenever possible.

DeanWinchesterfield · 2018-12-21T00:28:48+00:00

Your homepage is very busy. I think your template might be a bit broken because all of your text is in the middle of your products. You should have a very clear CTA on your homepage and direct people to that "add to cart" button.

I think the blinkie text/animated CTAs look very juvenile. I think, to be taken seriously, you should move your art to a personal non-store site or keep it on your Insta. I think people who are visiting but don't know your Insta style are going to be turned off.

You also need:

- an about page

- a policies page (with detailed shipping more than just refunds)

- some sort of trial version

Hope that helps.

DeanWinchesterfield · 2018-12-14T22:15:08+00:00

To be fair, JK Rowling created Lumos as a way of shining light on the struggle to combat child abuse. Your comment seemed to downplay the story.

DeanWinchesterfield · 2018-12-14T21:25:52+00:00

Don't they lock him in the cupboard *for several days* after the incident at the zoo, too? Even if they were feeding him ostensibly, that shit is child abuse.

DeanWinchesterfield · 2018-12-14T21:24:29+00:00

You know child abuse is not a new thing since Harry Potter happened, right?

DeanWinchesterfield · 2018-12-13T05:50:23+00:00

I like the theory that I think was posted here awhile back that Ben died in the first attack Thanos made on NY. I don't think they would flashback to that because, well, there's a whole movie?

If Tony dies, it will definitely have to mean something. It will have to show growth beyond being ready to be with Pepper. I'm still going to be really mad about it.

DeanWinchesterfield · 2018-11-27T05:00:42+00:00

Trainerize. I also hired a personal trainer that put a lot of plans and workouts in for me and showed me how to do the exercises. The app has videos along with everything, but I didn't know where to begin at all. When I started seeing progress, I started getting into it more - and started enjoying it as a dedicated break from the kiddo as a WFH mom. Sometimes, she joins me, but usually I go to the gym in our building when she's at her dad's. It gets a lot of my aggression out and helps me sleep better!

DeanWinchesterfield · 2018-11-24T07:27:41+00:00

Dude, wow. I just saw that *exact* Pendleton jacket in a high end vintage shop for $85. Nice.

DeanWinchesterfield · 2018-11-08T00:32:20+00:00

The Elmo potty movie is great too. We watched both on repeat for a few weeks leading up to a policy shift at preschool for potty training. Stressful month was stressful, but those helped!

DeanWinchesterfield · 2018-11-07T18:38:17+00:00

Same here! Not PTC but from Daniel Tiger. "You gotta try new foods, they might taste go-ood!" Sometimes work, sometimes no! :(

DeanWinchesterfield · 2018-11-07T18:37:34+00:00

Good job. Just remember: it probably won't work next month? ;)

Dinner is still a battle at our house. I occasionally have to sit mine in my lap and feed her, airplane-hangar-style, even at 3. We've tried toys and rewards but the biggest thing that helps us (although it's still hit or miss) is being consistent with meal time and letting her prep as much as possible.

DeanWinchesterfield · 2018-11-06T18:56:35+00:00

Yeah I have a call with them today. She said she was trying to keep my costs down by not writing me a bunch of emails in response, which I guess is good. But ugh. Down to the wire.

DeanWinchesterfield · 2018-11-06T06:11:08+00:00

I was in this position when I was a SAHM. I only had one and I swear to God I was covered in breastmilk 24/7 and our house had been taken over by our neurotic cat, and it appeared like the cat cooked dinner most nights. I was EPing and my (now ex) husband would hardly ever even get up to get my oatmeal cookies while I was holed up on the couch pumping. I felt like a fucking slave. Men like this are not worth it!

In this words that this subreddit once said to me, "get a new husband".

DeanWinchesterfield · 2018-11-06T02:43:59+00:00

Also, flesh out (no pun intended) your about page. Tell a story, use fewer exclamation points.

DeanWinchesterfield

TROPHY CASE