HN Explorer

I NEED AN HONEST OPINION FROM SMART PPL PLEASE:(

4 points by mark12 ↗ HN
So i made this angular.js webapp(biryanionline.ca) but everyone seems to hate it! Im trying to sell an Indian dish online i make it and customers pick it up at my house. I really need to understand why would a person not buy. I do not understand the gap, I HAVE PAID 50 for ads and only 5 ppl visited . ALL I NEED IS HOW TO MAKE IT BETTER? THIS IS NOT ADVERTISEMENT ALL I NEED IS HELP FROM REALLY SMART PEOPLE

11 comments

[ 0.29 ms ] story [ 29.5 ms ] thread
ColinWright
OK, here's what I see:

    I'M SHOUTING AT YOU ALL AND DEMANDING THAT YOU HELP ME
    BECAUSE SOMETHING IS WRONG AND I DON'T UNDERSTAND IT
    BUT I'M SURE THAT SHOUTING AT EVERYONE WILL GET LOTS OF
    SMART PEOPLE TO GIVE ME THEIR TIME WITHOUT PAYMENT AND
    WITHOUT ME TELLING THEM ANYTHING I'VE TRIED OR WHAT I'VE
    DONE OR WHY THEY SHOULD HELP ME OR HOW MUCH EFFORT I'VE
    PUT IN OR WHAT RESEARCH I'VE DONE OR ANYTHING USEFUL.
Go and read this: https://mikeash.com/getting_answers.html

Now, I've gone to your site:

* I can't read the white text on the pale background without highlighting it.

* When I do highlight it, it says

    "Order in 2 minutes and it will be ready
     hot and fresh!"
What does that mean? Where will it be ready? How do I collect it?

* I go through some of the process, and then:

    It will be ready in no time, hot and fresh.
    Pickup at our Mississauga heartland location
    Precise location will be given at the time of checkout!
Screw that. How can you expect people to order stuff when they have no idea where you are?!?

It's lunacy! And if it's not lunacy, then you need a complete overhaul of your web flow to make it clear WTF's going on.

mark12
Thanks Colin for your honest opinion, I'm a chef and I just started to learn making websites etc. And I am not located in a commercial space. I am gonna do from my house and i really don't want random people knocking at my door unless they have already bought it online. Thnx
ColinWright
So here I am, I've visited your web site, I've thought "Hmm - tasty" - I've gone through the process, PAID - note that - I've PAID - and then I discover that you expect me to collect?

From England?

Added in edit ...

You need to turn around and think of this from the point of view of a potential customer. They visit your site, look at the pictures, but there is no indication of how they will get the food. How many people do you think there are in your catchment area? You really need geographically targeted advertising, such as leaflets through doors. And when people have bought it, why should they then come to collect? You need some sort of incentive - "By the time you get here, it will be ready!"

Just as an after-thought, I didn't see how to order for 4 or 6, either. It might be there, but I don't remember it.

Also, how do I know your place is hygienic?

Addendum: Business is hard - that's why for someone who will meet the challenges, there are profits to be made.

mark12
Well I only expect people to collect it from my location, Mississauga, Canada. I really wanted to create a replica of Domino's online ordering system. I order online pizza from them all the time, its quick, cheap and attractive which i think this app lags. I don't think I have even built anything close to it, but from such feedback I think there is a mere possibility.
loumf
1. It wasn't obvious to me where you are located.

2. I have about 3 places that make very good biryani within a 5 mile radius of my house (in a small town in Massachusetts) -- when I stay in NYC, the number is astronomical -- does anyone really have a problem getting biryani delivered?

3. People who order biryani online will do it from the restaurant they know or something like seamless (that has ratings)

So, stop advertising. Find 10 people to buy it buy networking to them -- ask friends -- friends of friends, etc. Make them unbelievably happy -- then get them to recommend others to you. Eventually, you might be able to bootstrap that to a business worth advertising, but it's not even close yet.

yitchelle
Dude, some simple things are missing from your site. From my 3 minute viewing of it... * What area are you delivering to? * How do I know you will actually delivery the food once order? * Only 3 choices? * How do I know your food is good?

By the way, STOP SHOUTING!!!

jqm
Can you explain a little more about why you think people hate your app?

What gives you that idea?

krapp
Other people have given better general opinions but here are mine:

You should make it more clear up front what the scale of your business is - so that when you say "Order in 2 minutes and it will be ready hot and fresh!" right on the front page, I can tell immediately where you serve (like a general radius) and whether you deliver, or intend pickup in person only.

Also, I would like to know that the pictures I see of the food are actually pictures of the food you prepare, and represent what I can expect to receive. People are going to want to know you're not just selling microwave dinners or something. The stock images you have are nice but they don't communicate much about you or your business, specifically. This is one of those places where a bit of personalization helps. The "about" page is practically nonexistent.

Also, if you're concerned about the way people react to the site, perhaps you need some way for customers to leave feedback, and build a reputation.

Finally, since you're essentially a local business with an online presence, maybe you should focus on advertising locally?