Located in the UK, B&Q is a DIY (do-it-yourself) home improvement and garden store. The B&Q website is a good example of what a retailer should strive for on the Internet.
Branding
The B & Q brand is exceptional. It is evident that this company has taken a great deal of time to create an effective color scheme and image for, not only the company, but the website as well. Overall, this type of branding works well for the home improvement and do-it-yourself retailer.
Design
The design of diy.com is very clean and effective. Categories are nicely placed with complimenting design elements and separated into respective areas. (fig. 1) The color scheme, predominantly shades of orange and white, is enhanced by the addition of color such as green and blue. These color additions bring in and attract interest to a variety of products and areas throughout the website.
The three-column design of this website works well and divides information in a way that the user can easily navigate beyond the home page. In general, the form of this design gives the user the image of professionalism and comfort needed in an online environment.
Navigation
The navigation of this website is very clean and concise. At first glance, I was impressed at the amount of navigational options presented. The tactful use of multiple navigational elements caters to many different types of users. These elements display products and links in many different ways to attain user interest, whether the user migrates naturally to the search area, the left or top navigation, or straight to the body.
In addition to the multiple options, the navigational categories are also divided up into sections – those relevant to products and services, and those relevant to the company. This makes it extremely easy for the user to find his or her way around without having to hunt down what is needed.
Advertising/Promotion
The advertisements and promotions on this website are definitely noticeable and, above all, they are not offensive. Tactfully, diy.com has placed most advertising elements in the right hand column while various color deviations bring the offers the attention they need.
The top navigation also includes a “Special Offers” section that leads to a page dedicated to discounted merchandise, making it convenient for the user to view current deals.
Conclusion
Overall, this website has been well planned and organized. B&Q has successfully given the user an easy to use and aesthetically pleasing interface. As an online presence, diy.com shows strong branding, design – both layout and navigational, and really knows how to indulge the user.
About the Author
Leslie Fredericks-Leamon has been in the web design business for 8 years. During that time she has freelanced as well as taken full-time in-house design positions. Currently Leslie runs a freelance operation under the name of Muz Media, located in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. What started out as primarily a web and graphic design studio, Muz Media has turned focus onto other aspects design and development, such as multimedia, SEO and online marketing, and integrated them into the business, bringing many important elements of web-presence to our clients without the politics of a large advertising agency.http://www.muzmedia.com/This article is published in Sitecritic.net - Web Reviews, Design Ideas and Articles. You may reproduced this article only if this section remains intact.
