Making sites "mobile compatible" now seems vital

Design75:

You are not the only one :hug: I am also almost always switching to the desktop version. What annoys me is when a site doesn't give me the choice between which version I want to use and forces me to use the mobile template.
But like Ray said, it may be just a very few thinking this way. :laugh:

Always switching me too !

its all about the thumb for us younger members

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A1Rc4MDmr8o

bn

bn17311:

its all about the thumb for us younger members

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A1Rc4MDmr8o

bn

Saw the video. So, do you prefer mobile/responsive templates or desktop template on your phone?

Design75:

You are not the only one :hug: I am also almost always switching to the desktop version. What annoys me is when a site doesn't give me the choice between which version I want to use and forces me to use the mobile template.
But like Ray said, it may be just a very few thinking this way. :laugh:

It is begining to sound like people would PREFER the standard desktop view if possible, and the mobile/responsive views only when the desktop view breaks-down in their app. One apparently does not get a choice with the responsive template I'm playing with.

It also sounds like modern phones can handle standard desktop views pretty well, and hopefully that will only continue to improve.

SPH:

It is begining to sound like people would PREFER the standard desktop view if possible, and the mobile/responsive views only when the desktop view breaks-down in their app. One apparently does not get a choice with the responsive template I'm playing with.

It also sounds like modern phones can handle standard desktop views pretty well, and hopefully that will only continue to improve.

It's not really important what I want, but what my customers want. They eventually are paying my rent and (many) cups of coffee :laugh:

SPH:

One apparently does not get a choice with the responsive template I'm playing with.Of course, this is the point of a responsive template.. It responds to the devices screen resolution and renders appropriately..

SPH:

It also sounds like modern phones can handle standard desktop views pretty well, and hopefully that will only continue to improve.

Views and behavior are two different concepts.. As schoolboy aptly point out most sites will VIEW just fine on the latest generation of smartphones.. this doesn't mean they FUNCTION or behave the same on these same devices.. There are screensize and form factor gaps (especially on touchscreen devices) which may never be fully closed.. Even if technology continues to improve. Unlike desktop machines standards amongs smartphone and tablet manufactures will impact usability..

Even if one offers a mobile template with the option to view the full web site, this still doesn't resolve some of the usability issues that will be an issue with using full sized websites on mobile devices (particularly smartphones where the screen size is the biggest factor in usability)

My plan with my clients is to evaluate a mobile template with a full size option. We will then be testing the user experience on both. We will be working on getting some customer engagement in this process. This way we are not GUESSING or making decisions based on what WE think or what WE want.. (who CARES what WE want, if customers aren't happy)

DivaVocals:

Of course, this is the point of a responsive template.. It responds to the devices screen resolution and renders appropriately..

What do you prefer: responsive templates or mobile templates?

Design75:

It's not really important what I want, but what my customers want. They eventually are paying my rent and (many) cups of coffee :laugh:

True. But as webusers we also have input and an opinion on what likely works and what doesn't. But if one can contact every user of their site for their opinions, that would also be great. How is this best done? A poll of some kind? How are you coming up with what your customers prefer?

SPH:

True. But as webusers we also have input and an opinion on what likely works and what doesn't.
Usability is ALWAYS from the POV of the end-user, not in the eyes of the developer or the site owner.. Thankfully my client realizes that his own opinion doesn't matter as much as his customer's opinion.. Which is why he has let go of his PERSONAL habits/opinions about things such as social-media or even mobile technology. And yes he and I are both webusers, but we are NOT his customer's so we have to try and view his site through their POV regardless as to our own opinions or viewpoints.. I also know first hand in my work as a Business Analyst/Project Manager that my own opinion will not matter if my end-users aren't happy..

SPH:

But if one can contact every user of their site for their opinions, that would also be great. How is this best done? A poll of some kind? How are you coming up with what your customers prefer?Be creative.. Think outside the box.. Contact customers and ask for their opinions.. Conduct a poll.. Small businesses can also enlist the help of friends/family. All I know is that my client plans to put me in touch with customers to help us test mobile usage on his site and get what we hope will be useful feedback.. I have NO IDEA what criteria he used to select these customers.. I am just happy that we are getting input from outside sources so we can make a better informed decision on which direction to move in that is not based on our own PERSONAL preferences..

SPH:

What do you prefer: responsive templates or mobile templates?No particular preference right now.. We are concentrating on which method will provide the best user experience for this site.. I think what's MOST important is that the site is usable regardless as to the method selected..

DivaVocals:

I have NO IDEA what criteria he used to select these customers

That's the potential weak point, but hopefully he did a good job and it all works out great for you.

But I'm thinking that this usability issue can become very complicated, especially if a site expects customers from all age groups. Our customers are typically females age 15 - 25, often older. I suspect all use web-capable phones...and know how to use them. In fact, one just replied to an order update on prommart.com on her Smartphone.

But even if one knew that all of their customers used phones, there would still be the issue of responsive template, regular mobile template, or leaving it the standard desktop template. In that case, knowing they all were using phones, providing a choice might be best.

SPH:

That's the potential weak point, but hopefully he did a good job and it all works out great for you.Well he and I don't think so.. He and I came up with the criteria for this testing, and he spoke to customers he felt would help us gather the data we need.. He KNOWS his customers and he KNOWS his product.. I think that if he's smart enough to turn nearly $1.5mil in sales with this one site, I think he's smart enough to know which of his customer's he should speak to.. Unlike that other "test" we will develop a specific set of tests for our clients to conduct, and we will do this on a development site. We will make a final decision after THOROUGHLY reviewing all the variables..

SPH:

But even if one knew that all of their customers used phones, there would still be the issue of responsive template, regular mobile template, or leaving it the standard desktop template. In that case, knowing they all were using phones, providing a choice might be best.You will never KNOW ALL of the devices being used before hand. Knowing whether or not to go with a responsive template or a mobile template is based less on the device and more based on HOW USABLE IS YOU SITE FROM A MOBILE DEVICE. The only way to know which is best is to TEST your site and see which works best on iPhones, iPads, Androids (phones an tablets).. My client and I are going to take the time to do this because we want to make a good decision for his site..

We've been on the fence about implementing a mobile template and this thread has helped make the decision.

I just wish that the makers of the mobile templates mentioned in this thread would respond to requests for more information in what I consider to be a timely manner, but maybe my expectation of a reply within 2 days is unrealistic. We value customers and potential customers and would never take that long to answer a question. Personally, we're not overly thrilled with the responsive templates but they could grow on us.

RixStix:

I just wish that the makers of the mobile templates mentioned in this thread would respond to requests for more information in what I consider to be a timely manner, but maybe my expectation of a reply within 2 days is unrealistic. We value customers and potential customers and would never take that long to answer a question.Ultimate Zen Cart has been pretty responsive with us thus far, so that's a PLUS in my book..

RixStix:

**Personally, we're not overly thrilled with the responsive templates but they could grow on us.**Yes we're on the fence about this too.. We're hoping that the testing we plan to do will help us decide..

I guess we'll just wait to see if we ever receive a response. No response prior to a sale doesn't give much hope for a response if there is a problem after the sale.

DivaVocals:

Well he and I don't think so.. He and I came up with the criteria for this testing, and he spoke to customers he felt would help us gather the data we need..

Okay. I thought you said earlier, "I have NO IDEA what criteria he used to select these customers".

You will never KNOW ALL of the devices being used before hand. Knowing whether or not to go with a responsive template or a mobile template is based less on the device and more based on HOW USABLE IS YOU SITE FROM A MOBILE DEVICE. The only way to know which is best is to TEST your site and see which works best on iPhones, iPads, Androids (phones an tablets).. My client and I are going to take the time to do this because we want to make a good decision for his site..

I assume, from what you've said so far, that in the end it will really be the customers who decide what is best?

I think I've also come to a decision: wait it out for awhile longer with just the standard desktop template. And I've also decided on which one, a Picaflor Azul template I've been working on and like the best. And it is the easiest to "change", with just the header and footer pic being changed making a dramatic difference in the site look. Yet the code and everything will be the same to Google.

torvista:

I've always thought that to be the wrong approach...I consider the standard template as only a demonstration of the various stock options of how data may be packaged, and certainly not as an example of design.
A template should be designed in a graphics program as a coherent whole, not by making minor changes to an outdated style.

By standard template I meant all of the current free template offerings. I meant "standard" as opposed to "responsive". Even with the newer generation standard templates such as the one by Picaflor Azul on my site in my signature, I tinkered with the header and footer pics, several bg pic versions each making a dramatic difference. Turns out this is about the easiest "tinkering" I've been able to do with a template. I freely admit I'm not a template designer with little artistic talent. Mostly, I try to somewhat copy a look I've seen on another site somewhere, as inspiration.

And IMO, just because one can code and make a template doesn't necessarily make them an artist. I think that having both talents - coding and artistic talent - are rather rare.

Since I, and from what I've seen over the years, most zenners have little or no artistic talent whatsoever, it is best to stay as close to the template we choose as possible. Because the designer probably did a better artistic job than we can do.

SPH:

Okay. I thought you said earlier, "I have NO IDEA what criteria he used to select these customers".I absolutely did say that.. and I still have NO IDEA what criteria he used to decide which one of HIS customers to reach out to. For my purposes I don't care as much about who/how he selected to participate.. I do care that they are able to help with testing based on the TESTING criteria we decided upon.. Is that clearer now??

SPH:

I assume, from what you've said so far, that in the end it will really be the customers who decide what is best?Umm yeah.. that's the whole point of this exercise.. We certainly aren't going to make this decision based solely on what WE think/believe.. We will go with what the results of our test (and the feedback we get) to help us decide what the best possible solution is..

RixStix:

I guess we'll just wait to see if we ever receive a response. No response prior to a sale doesn't give much hope for a response if there is a problem after the sale.

I hope this post does not get thrown out because it is outside of the main subject of the thread. My apologies if I have not respond to anybody's email in particular. The reason for the lack of response is the number of emails that this thread has produced. And I do take care of customers after the sale. Until now, most of my customers were through word of mouth since I don't pay for advertising, at least not yet. Couldn't build that kind of relationship by ignoring customers.

Oh yeah, this post is going to get thrown out.

SPH:

Saw the video. So, do you prefer mobile/responsive templates or desktop template on your phone?

on iphone i like a proper mobile template, all that zooming in on template to see the part of the page you want properly and to create an account is terrible,

i must take a look at the responsive template demos online over weekend on ipad / iphone see how they look

on ipad size device i like proper template.

at the minute we dont sell online as we moved our shop to larger premises but since adding the mobile template 2 people have mentioned it and said far easier to browse now using mobile device.

im not sure what our mobile template looks like on other phones as everyone in our house is iphone.

if you use a mobile device go to my site onyourbike.co.uk and create an account, then go to your own site and create an account, see what you think

that is open to anyone in the thread at the minute if they want to compare creating an account etc

i personally like mobile site better but would like a switch so the customer can decide. i would like the customer to be able to also go back to mobile site if they need to as some sites ive been on if i click desktop site it seems hard to get back to mobile site

bn