Functionally, it’s no different than before… but I just didn’t want a page with only 4 links be quite so boring, so I added some icons. No biggie, but I feel if I change enough little things like this, the site as a whole will be more usable and attractive.
In another effort to increase the usability of our web site, I have added a notification that appears at the top of the product page when you have added the product to your cart. Before, the cart simply updated, but provided no obvious feedback that this was done successfully. I believe this makes it much more clear.
Just a little note to let you know I’ve made some tweaks to the layout on the product pages. This all started with an intention to make the price and “Add to Cart” more apparent, and visible without having to scroll. However, as I started redesigning the layout I also decided to tweak a couple of other things.
Basically I made everything generally more compact and easier to see most of the content at once. Along with this, I have decided to not show the main product image at full size by default, but rather allow the user to click the thumbnail to see the full image if they so desire. This will help the pages load up faster.
With 95% of our products this is a definite improvement over all. The full decorating kit pages (having more content within the product description) were compromised slightly in that one area. However I believe the change, as a whole, is a great improvement.
If there are ever any usability issues that you experience on our site, please let us know.
Because of the unexpected store closure and upgrade, we were closed for the busiest Halloween sales week! Bummer! BUT– here’s the really great news for you: This unexpected blip in our plans has left us with a surplus of Halloween products that we can still get into your hands by Halloween, and it’s all ON SALE!
Hooray for a good sale! Nearly every Halloween product is now on sale at 25% OFF! To expedite service, all Halloween product orders will be sent via USPS Priority Mail at our regular flat rate price of $6.95. This means that if you place your order in the next couple of days (by Friday, October 24th) it will be in in the mail by this weekend and on your doorstep by the first part of next week.*
Have a happy and safe and cookie-filled Halloween!!
*Estimated delivery time for all Priority Mail packages is 2-3 business days. Orders sent from our facility on Saturday, October 25th should arrive at any given location in the continental U.S. by Wednesday, October 29. This is not guaranteed, but very likely. If you need a guaranteed option, please contact us and we can discuss your options.
Ok, I think the biggest issues were resolved. There are some more minor things to address, but I think it’s safe to open our doors again.
Just a note, at no time has the security of orders been an issue. Through our Secure Socket Layer certificate, and running orders through authorize.net, everything in the payment process is securely encrypted. Perhaps this goes without saying, but just wanted to assure anyone that may wonder if our store being “fixed” meant that any security issues needed to be fixed.
Ok, so here we go… again let us know if you experience anything that is confusing or doesn’t make sense. Thanks!
- Mike
Suppose she’s right… considering when a customer places an order, the system sends an email to SOMEBODY ELSE!… yeah, I’ll try and get that one worked out 
Thanks again for your patience and understanding!
- Mike
WE’RE OPEN AGAIN
Thanks so much for your patience! Looks like generally the site is back to it’s former glory, minus a few things I’m still working out - mostly broken links and cosmetic items.
You may notice things here and there. If you’d like to contact us and alert us to any abnormalities you experience, it would be most appreciated.
Thank you again for your understanding and patience as we made these necessary upgrades.
- Mike
Ok, “web site issues” is the understatement of the year here at Karen’s Cookies. I thought it was pretty weird that the orders just dropped off to nothing over the weekend. Turns out that our server was upgraded to the latest version (or whatever! I’m not going to pretend to understand it!), which is completely incompatible with the version of Cube Cart (our shopping cart system) that we are using. SOOOOO… we are going to have to upgrade our shopping cart to the latest version over the next couple of days. This is actually a good thing, because it will make the ordering process run more smoothly, and our site will function better than it has. BUT it’s terrible timing! I know there are so many of you out there in need of your Halloween cookie supplies and you’re not able to order. Please, if you need anything just give us a call and we can still get an order out to you. If you get our voice mail it is because we are working feverishly to get this issue fixed, but leave a message and we will call you back just as soon as we’re able. 1-800-934-3997. Thanks! Karen’s Cookies customers are the best!!
My sister’s cousin-in-law (so what would that make us?? Cousins-in-law-in-law?), Christie, sent me pictures of this great cookie bouquet she made. Here is her explanation:
“My sister wanted a Tool-Turn-About (from Pampered Chef) for her birthday, but it seemed like kind of a boring present to unwrap. I turned it into a cookie bouquet and it was a darling gift! Of course I didn’t have any cookie cutters, but I just traced templates on card stock and cut around them. “
Here are the cookies before assembly
And here is the finished product.
So cute, Christie! Thanks for sharing! I think this would make a cute bridal shower gift, as well!
Hooray! It’s good to see some familiar names in the comments! Thanks to everyone who is still with me after my absence. We’ll have to see if we can round up the others and bring them back!
Sorry, no video of the drawing this time. You’re just going to have to imagine the dramatic moment in your minds…
Are you there?
Picture me with bowl in hand, names inside…
You with me?
Ok, reaching in…
Pulling out folded piece of paper… unfolding
Waiting for a little tension to build
And the winner is…
Anna!! Congratulations, Anna! I’ll email you your gift certificate info shortly.
Thanks again to all my faithfuls who have hung in there with me through the dry spell. You guys are the best!
