deskthority

Muirium wrote: They're definitely a consumer company too, or why else sponsor DT's very own awards?

http://deskthority.net/dta-news-f76/win ... %20company

I do like the Keyboard Company for quality customer service and being the UK's definitive keyboard dealer, models wise. But their site is just awful.

My understanding is that they are primarily a business supplier: if you look at their product range, it's primarily business, although the consumer side has grown a lot in the last year or so. The reason that they have the wrong model numbers down for products (and presumably the same goes for the vague and internal product codes) is to deal with stupid business practices by customers that would break if they dared to actually switch to correct model numbers.

Don't forget that it's not been that long since their only options besides Cherry G80 and G84 were the world's first ISO Filcos that they'd had specially imported.

I don't know if you've ever worked for small business, but it could easily be a huge upheaval and expense to roll out a new website for consumers. Unlike a big business where you just throw money at the problem (and can afford to hire a company who will get the new website right, instead of completely stuff it up), small businesses don't have the same range of options available, but at the same time, you at least get to be a human being with a purpose instead of a worthless cog in a machine.

For B2B, it's normal to use ex-VAT prices, and their clean cookie-free site doesn't have any way to present the correct view to the user. They could show the retarded EU cookie warning and set a cookie that remembers your VAT preference, of course.

Daniel Beardsmore wrote: They could show the retarded EU cookie warning and set a cookie that remembers your VAT preference, of course.

or simply use localstorage.

I get the feeling that Keyboard Co. is quite like Unicomp. We want them to do better, and get a bit Stockholm about defending them and their obstinance from obvious criticsm. Yet it's not our job to save them. They can only get better by their own effort.

Of course, Unicomp actually manufactures stuff as well as runs an ugly site. But that's the perfect US vs. UK analogy. We make nothing here any more, except that persistent, entitled, needy whining you can hear all over Britain, on the wind.

Uhm, I suppose I ought to shut up now.

As a note, I work for a small business (six employees). I don't how large Keyboard Company is, i.e. whether there are more people than the six listed on the website.

I suspect that's the whole lot. But I know a few one-man shops with better webstores. It's easier now than ever:

http://www.shopify.com/online
http://squarespace.com/tour/shops

To name just two turnkey platforms that didn't exist 15 years ago when they last designed their site.

It's probably not just the website but the whole backend and workflow that would change a bit. So I can understand why they are afraid of change. If the page is written as it looks you would want to trash it whole.

they need to make a doubleshot set for the minila!

And a decent spacebar