First up we have the website of one of my most favourite brands, Oliver Bonas. The website has a clear layout that isn’t cluttered or filled with any flashing banners along the top that can be distracting. The pages are clear along the top with each of the categories so it’s easy to jump to what you want. The icons in the right hand corner are easy to find without being too big and their simple design makes them easy to identify what they each mean.
There’s the option to change how many products the user can view at one time, for slightly quicker browsing. The drop down menus that appear when you hover over a page at the top are also clear and easy to read and don’t mislead you into clicking something you didn’t want.
The page is very responsive and has a drag function to move the images of the products along at your own pace. At the bottom there are customer photos from Instagram showcasing the products with the option to click through to the product from the image.
The sections at the bottom are clearly laid out with everything listed rather than having lots of the option within on of the other topics, this makes it as easy as possible to find information on what you’re looking whether it be student discount or returns.
The colour scheme isn’t over powering and it appeals to the target audience of the brand, usually using 3 shades of the same colour to create a pop. It has a clean aesthetic and isn’t messy or confusing to look at or to navigate.
Next up we have travel booking website, Expedia. This website has a clean, clear almost basic looking site with crisp black, blue and white colour scheme. At the top of the page is the main search bar which pre-populates with the destination as you begin to type. My favourite feature on the website and one that make me choose this site over competitor sites like Booking.com is the ability to choose how many people are in each room, rather than assuming there’s the same amount of people in each. This function is fast allowing you click on the option you want rather than clicking something else by mistake which happens on slower loading sites. Just under the search section are big clear buttons for the most searched for queries such as refunds and changing/cancelling trips. There’s a function available for an online chat but it doesn’t automatically pop up which I much prefer.
The site isn’t full of photos which makes it less overwhelming to look at but still keeps the interest of exciting destinations. The sleek design of the main results page is simple and clear with all the functions and filters you’d expect from a hotel comparison website such as price, star rating, proximity to landmarks with the map feature included too.
Clean front page with grid layout with each city presented with a location photo. When user hovers over the city they want the font turns bright white to show one is being selected. The menu at the top of the page is static and doesn’t have drop down options which I prefer for ease of use and stops accidental clicks on the wrong option. Once clicked through to the desired city, there’s a video auto-playing on loop at the top of the page to show the activities and atmosphere. Banners for different events eg. brunch, food & drink, book a bar table or host an event are on the front page with simple and responsive click throughs.
On the location page, there’s a photo of the bar along with the booking form which has a simple format which is easy to use and look at. There’s also the bar opening times, a map of the area, photos side the actual location and a live dart counter – for a fun and quirky element.
At the bottom there’s a button for subscribing to the newsletter but this isn’t a pop up which makes for much nicer usage of the website. Along with the icons for the social media platforms and other links, such as careers, contact us or FAQ’s.