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This month The Cybercritic shops for beauty supplies like a pro by visiting three b-to-b salon sites.
CameoBeauty.com
May 15, 4:30 pm, Explorer 5.0
The Cameo Beauty Supplies Website reminds The Cybercritic of Frenchy, the beauty-school dropout from the musical Grease. But after a few minutes on the site, I wish I had bagged high school for a career in cosmetology.
Clips, curlers, haircolor, and brushes! The Cybercritic is impressed with Cameo's breadth of salon products, including spa and skincare potions, towels, waxing gear, hairstyling equipment and accessories, furniture, and appointment books. And while the product photos are a little grainy, the site design is clean, with white space that makes what looks like a 14-point type even more readable.
Products are neatly organized by category in a sidebar to the left of the home page — a feature consistent on most pages throughout the site. And once I click on a category — say, Manicure — up pops a long list of subcategories that includes Nail Gels, Files, and Kits. The product selection is also organized by manufacturer, which simplifies shopping for salons that purchase supplies only from select vendors. A navigation bar at the top of the page allows shoppers to search for products, check their accounts, and view their shopping carts.
But the copy is minimal. For example, the description of the Andre Wash & Cut Kid Size Cape ($3.89) reads in its entirety: “Vinyl cape in fun, multi-colored print; Kid size 28" × 36"; Velcro closure.” Unfortunately, the photo is too fuzzy for me to determine what the “fun, multi-colored” print actually is — are those alien larvae or dragonflies?
On the ordering side, Cameo offers volume discounts: 5% off orders of $75-$195, 10% off orders of $195.01-$395, and so on. The site accepts payment via Visa, MasterCard, or check — giving customers an option to enter the check number during the checkout process.
Cameo falls short on privacy matters, with no mention of the company's policy or information-collection practices anywhere. Well, if that scares off salon professionals, at least the home page gives an option to request the latest Cameo catalog.
rating
Overall rating:
6.5
Brand identification:
10
Fun quotient:
7
Graphics:
5
Copy:
3
Depth/assortment:
10
Navigation:
9
Ease of ordering:
9
Overall ease of use:
8
Timeliness:
8
Loyalty efforts:
7
Information collection:
0
Search capabilities:
9
Privacy policy:
0
Nailco.com
May 15, 2:30 pm, Explorer 5.0
Where am I? The URL is Nailco.com, but the site is called TheIndustrySource.com. And nowhere on the site does it say “Nailco, a division of The Industry Source,” or anything to that effect.
So right off the bat, The Cybercritic feels Nailco's branding could use a little polish (though on the home page you can request a free Nailco Beauty Book catalog). The home page is also a little overwhelming — icons and thumbnails for product categories and other features crowd the page. What's more, the graphics are fuzzy, and some of the links aren't live. What frustration! Worse yet, the site requires shoppers to register — supply their name, address, salon name, phone number, and e-mail — just to browse the products on the site. Tsk.
Once you register, though, navigation is easy enough, and you can search items by description, name, vendor, or item number. But when I search by name for the Aussie Mega Shampoo — an item I had already found searching by description — the search turns up nary an Aussie product. And when I click on the icon for the Vecco All-purpose salon chair, there is no photo to accompany the description.
But the site scores points for its “50 Reasons to Shop with Industry Source,” which details such benefits as multilingual sales reps and two-day delivery. And the site's privacy and security policies are precise, with a feature that allows you to opt out of receiving promotional information.
The order page provides a currency-exchange table and international shipping rates for 13 locations. And all the information I entered during registration appears in the billing and ship-to fields, simplifying the checkout process. What's more, the company accepts a variety of credit cards as well as COD payment — a nice option if the site's branding issues leave you wary as to whom you're ordering from.
rating
Overall rating:
6.7
Brand identification:
4
Fun quotient:
4
Graphics:
5
Copy:
4
Depth/assortment:
10
Navigation:
5
Ease of ordering:
9
Overall ease of use:
6
Timeliness:
8
Loyalty efforts:
9
Information collection:
9
Search capabilities:
4
Privacy policy:
10
AmericanProHairCare.com
May 16, 3:00 pm, Explorer 5.0
The well-groomed American Pro Hair Care Website is highly organized and easy to read, with clear graphics and a vast product selection. Products are categorized on the left side of the page (American Pro brand products, Pro Tools, Accessories, Salon Furniture, and Body Care). While each category includes links to subcategories — for example, Accessories features links to Wood Combs, Wood Brushes, and Attachments — the home page also features large icons and descriptions for the subcategories.
Navigation is easy — each subcategory links to a page of products with good-size photos and an option to add the items to the shopping cart. And some products come with a free gift. For example, when ordering a hair dryer or a flat iron, customers can receive free foot lotion and scrub or a hair diffuser.
On the downside, there is no search option — a major Web gaffe — and some of the links, such as Be a Member, aren't live. I presume that the link would have explained the benefits of being an American Pro Hair Care member, but I guess I'll never know for sure.
Ordering and service policies are listed in great detail. Billing and ship-to information can be filled out on one page; payment options include check/money order, major credit cards, and certified check. Or, you could check the “call for credit card number” box, and the company will call for your credit-card information, rather than have you submit it online.
Customers might be wise to do that, as searching for a privacy policy proves to be fruitless. The return policy is also hairy: “All products must obtain written approval via e-mail prior to return or refund.” Though American Pro Hair Care looks pretty good, its privacy and return policies could sure use a makeover!
