4 ms·

I don't want to rub salt in the wounds here, but that design is extremely mediocre. The primary mistake here imo was to think you needed professional web design

by kypro 4y ago

I don't want to rub salt in the wounds here, but that design is extremely mediocre. The primary mistake here imo was to think you needed professional web design in the first place. You didn't. Professional web design is best suited to companies with a strong brand or websites with complicated UX/UI that needs wireframing. You're just a small business selling KVMs D2C. That doesn't need anything fancy. There are some really good (free) AI logo generators out there you can use to generate logos very similar (perhaps even better) than this. In recent years I've used them almost exclusively to generate some initial logo ideas then either made minor alterations myself (where needed), or paid someone a little to do it for me. Similar things can be said for web templates. There are some really good customisable templates for simple sites like yours out there today. I don't know why you'd pay someone for something so simple, especially when the design is so generic and forgettable (no offense). I don't mean to be so critical. The design isn't bad. The site looks clean and it's pleasant to use. It's just insane to me that your main takeaway here was that you should have hired a freelancer instead of an agency.

ThalesX 4y ago
If you have more money than time, you’re not going to start shifting through templates, configuring stuff, dealing with bugs, updating it, generating strange AI logos etc.
- ls15 4y ago
  Even if the alternative is dealing for months with a design agency that is creating a three-page website?
koshergweilo 4y ago
> There are some really good (free) AI logo generators out there you can use to generate logos very similar (perhaps even better) than this. How have I never heard of these. Which ones are good though? I couldn't find any free ones
- theden 4y ago
  This one looks good https://logomaster.ai/ https://logomaster.ai/ not free but you can make one for < $50
  - romanows 4y ago
    Probably worth $50 when time is money but all I got were results I could have duplicated in GIMP, as someone who doesn't have a lot of experience with GIMP. It looks it just picks a font and an icon?
- barbecue_sauce 4y ago
  There aren't any good ones. Everybody who recommends these must not have any sense of branding or design whatsoever.
mtlynch 4y ago
Thanks for reading! >There are some really good (free) AI logo generators out there you can use to generate logos very similar (perhaps even better) than this. In recent years I've used them almost exclusively to generate some initial logo ideas then either made minor alterations myself (where needed), or paid someone a little to do it for me. I've tried AI logo generators and didn't like the results. Last time I tried was 3-4 years ago, so maybe they've gotten better. >Similar things can be said for web templates. There are some really good customisable templates for simple sites like yours out there today. I don't know why you'd pay someone for something so simple, especially when the design is so generic and forgettable (no offense). Even with a template, there's still a lot of work. Someone has to sift through all the templates to find a good one. Then I still have to pay developers to adapt my existing content to the new theme. And in my experience, template code tends to be pretty bad. Tons of inline style rules so that the page looks good in exactly that configuration, but it's not flexible. If I had to do it again, I'd still rather work with a freelancer than search for a template and adapt it to my site.
- knubie 4y ago
  I'll rub a little aloe in that wound. I actually like the redesign. The illustrations are great, and overall it's a big improvement over the original. Worth the price? Perhaps not, but at least you have a better website now, and more experience dealing with agencies.
  - mtlynch 4y ago
    Thanks for the aloe! Yeah, that's how I feel as well. I was expecting people to not like the new design but it's been surprising to hear how many people prefer the old design and logo. I think the new one is way better, and it's not even close. Not perfect, but certainly an improvement.
    - javier2 4y ago
      I also think the redesign is way better, especially the product page and «buy frame» with prices.
javier2 4y ago
I am gonna disagree, this looks like ok money spent. A bit expensive, but I know for sure I am unable to do that UX and design myself.
deleted 4y ago
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galaktus 4y ago
Highly disagree. Usually developers are utter crap in design and cannot do it appropiately in context (he makes <40k per month with the website). The design is okay and due to the inefficiencies he spent too much. But with a better process in place he would have gotten a very good deal from that agency.

by kypro 4y ago

ThalesX 4y ago

If you have more money than time, you’re not going to start shifting through templates, configuring stuff, dealing with bugs, updating it, generating strange AI logos etc.

ls15 4y ago
Even if the alternative is dealing for months with a design agency that is creating a three-page website?

koshergweilo 4y ago

> There are some really good (free) AI logo generators out there you can use to generate logos very similar (perhaps even better) than this. How have I never heard of these. Which ones are good though? I couldn't find any free ones

theden 4y ago
This one looks good https://logomaster.ai/ https://logomaster.ai/ not free but you can make one for < $50
- romanows 4y ago
  Probably worth $50 when time is money but all I got were results I could have duplicated in GIMP, as someone who doesn't have a lot of experience with GIMP. It looks it just picks a font and an icon?
barbecue_sauce 4y ago
There aren't any good ones. Everybody who recommends these must not have any sense of branding or design whatsoever.

mtlynch 4y ago

Thanks for reading! >There are some really good (free) AI logo generators out there you can use to generate logos very similar (perhaps even better) than this. In recent years I've used them almost exclusively to generate some initial logo ideas then either made minor alterations myself (where needed), or paid someone a little to do it for me. I've tried AI logo generators and didn't like the results. Last time I tried was 3-4 years ago, so maybe they've gotten better. >Similar things can be said for web templates. There are some really good customisable templates for simple sites like yours out there today. I don't know why you'd pay someone for something so simple, especially when the design is so generic and forgettable (no offense). Even with a template, there's still a lot of work. Someone has to sift through all the templates to find a good one. Then I still have to pay developers to adapt my existing content to the new theme. And in my experience, template code tends to be pretty bad. Tons of inline style rules so that the page looks good in exactly that configuration, but it's not flexible. If I had to do it again, I'd still rather work with a freelancer than search for a template and adapt it to my site.

knubie 4y ago
I'll rub a little aloe in that wound. I actually like the redesign. The illustrations are great, and overall it's a big improvement over the original. Worth the price? Perhaps not, but at least you have a better website now, and more experience dealing with agencies.
- mtlynch 4y ago
  Thanks for the aloe! Yeah, that's how I feel as well. I was expecting people to not like the new design but it's been surprising to hear how many people prefer the old design and logo. I think the new one is way better, and it's not even close. Not perfect, but certainly an improvement.
  - javier2 4y ago
    I also think the redesign is way better, especially the product page and «buy frame» with prices.

javier2 4y ago

I am gonna disagree, this looks like ok money spent. A bit expensive, but I know for sure I am unable to do that UX and design myself.

deleted 4y ago

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galaktus 4y ago

Highly disagree. Usually developers are utter crap in design and cannot do it appropiately in context (he makes <40k per month with the website). The design is okay and due to the inefficiencies he spent too much. But with a better process in place he would have gotten a very good deal from that agency.