Hi everyone!
We've been busy at work on a site redesign.
We love the general appearance, so we're not looking to change the appearance all that much. Pretty much every designer tells us our colors are "all wrong", but we've gotten a lot of input from clients that the existing colors work for us.
The goals will be a better shopping cart integration, and more efficient searching facilities.


For example- right now when you click on "diamond rings" you get 17 subcategories.
My idea is to have a side bar allowing selection of color, and stone shape. Where the subcategories not reside will be three "sliders" allowing users to refine searches by color intensity, size range, and price

We'd value any ideas you guys have.

Greeneyedbass makes a great suggestion. At the very least, a tutorial about "anatomy" will open the door to better communication when describing what someone may be looking for, or what the design and mounting options may be.

Also, I would like to see the gemstones easier to find. Right now they are a subset of "Loose Diamonds." Maybe change the main header from "Loose Diamonds" to "Diamonds and Gemstones" or separate the gems out from under the diamond heading altogether.

great suggestions guys!

GEB- I like that idea a lot!
We can add a "build your ring" section, like a lot of the more traditional sites have- but they never really look like a "real ring"- more like some sort of "virtual ring"

Trink- another great idea!

What I thought was to add a choice to the menu bar - (new jewelry, search, diamond rings, loose diamonds etc...that menu will stay)- called "gemstones and gemstone jewelry"


bloocat- awesome idea about "sold"!!!
Keep'em coming

Wow, you guys are creative!  These are all good ideas, and I definitely agree that we need to make gemstones easier to find.

Mikla

The one thing I find useful ( speaking as a UK customer ) is when websites show the price of items in different currencies. There`s usually a little drop down menu showing the price in 3 currencies which are US dollars, UK sterling and Euros. Of course the exchange rate varies from day to day but it gives an appoximate idea of how much things cost. I recently purchased something from NZ and the site had such a drop down menu and it helped me know approximately how much would be charged to my credit card and whether I was getting a good deal or not.

Great point Trink
We need to figure out where to put this page
Maybe a new photo gallery
Or maybe a sub- category in the sold section
One of our biggest challenges in this redesign is that we need to build something unlike any other site so creative thinking is called for.....

Lynne- that IS a great idea
Do the sites that have this feature have active currency calculation ( changing with fluctuation)- or is it fixed

D, for a site like Blue Nile that has a huge inventory, that would work. Since you deal mostly in Fancies, that might be limited in that someone might miss a diamond of another cut that they might find appealing if you don't have what they're looking for.  I didn't like cushions or Daussi's initially, but now I do, thanks to not limiting my search.  It's just an idea - but I LOVE  looking at all of your diamonds.

David
The NZ site I used seemed to have some kind of converter which changed the cost into UK sterling, US dollars or Euros, depending which currency you clicked on.
Having said that I`ve also seen sites where the item is listed in US dollars and by the side it says " approx so and so £`s or Euros " which basically gives people a rough idea of cost. Ebay sellers do this a lot.
Also have you thought about having a gift voucher buying option for those people who maybe aren`t sure what to buy as a gift or which can be used towards larger purchases by the receiver. Many a wife doesn`t like their husband`s taste so would rather choose their own !
Also at the checkout to give a gift wrapping/gift card option for people who want to send a gift directly to someone or who wants the item all dressed up ready to give.
Also some sites have an "email to someone else " option or a wishlist option which can be sent to someone showing the things they like on the site but giving the other person the opportunity to choose what to buy which doesn`t spoil the element of surprise.

My only suggestion is to keep the criteria as flexible as possible, and mostly linked by logical OR (so more checkboxes/options than sliders - for example enable people to pick Radiant OR Asscher and see both, rather than having to look at Radiants first and Asschers second)

So long as we're blue skying, here.... another thing I've enjoyed elsewhere is the 'wish list'.  I would assume that would require additional overhead since folks would have to sign in to a DBL account, but you can track your favorites quickly.  And just think, if DH (or DW) wanted to surprise you, (s)he could call DBL, they could check your wish list and match to the required price points(when possible) , and voila!  Great, happy day! 

half moons set backwards?
who would do that

This!  No really, this is a must.  It puts the site miles above "internet sellers".  You already touch on it in the semi-mount section, how the consumer can choose anything from a wax custom design right down to cast parts.   Show off! 

It also gives us not so creative types lots of ideas to play with and tweek to our own preferences. Like that flower cocktail ring....

I like to compare things side by side.  Is there anyway to put two items on one page?  Maybe designate two photos of each item that are comparable, such as the profile and a straight /front photo.

Also I would appreciate some standard measurements for the rings.  Length and width of the top of the ring and height off of the finger.  Address how these  standard measurements are taken in the area of construction/description of rings that has already been recommended.  I would list these measurements in the description of the ring, not the statistic section for the stones and gold/platinum.