After the last version of the website was uploaded, the one that was a year in the making, we all patted ourselves on the back and said ‘job well done, and this version should last us a good long while!’.  Okay, ‘we all’ is really ME.  However, that is truly what I thought…that the site as it is right at this moment is beautiful, functional, and as close to perfection as one can get.

And then I noticed that I didn’t include some very important keywords.

And THEN I noticed that it didn’t display properly in Safari or Firefox.  Not a huge deal, as not that many people use those browsers.  I could fix it a little at a time and that would be that.

THEN came the iPad.

Lynne’s husband, Chuck, is a textbook low-tech fellow.  He just started using a computer a few short years ago, and up until that point couldn’t imagine why people wasted their time doing such things when instead they could be gardening.  This Father’s Day, Lynne’s gift to him was an iPad.  

You know that person who always runs for their computer/internet device when someone asks a question that no one can answer?  That person, in their house, is now CHUCK.  He’s fast on his way to becoming an information junkie, and I applaud that.  Since I am and all.

So, after much mulling and teeth grinding and cookie eating,  I told Lynne I thought we needed to redo the whole site.  Again.  She saw my new ‘draft’ and agreed.

I aim to have it done before the 2011 catalog comes out, and it will be FULLY COMPATIBLE with Safari and Firefox.  So many of you are using mobile devices, and we need to keep up with you!  It’s pretty, will have all our ‘social media’ stuff easily viewable via some very cool widgets, and we’ll be shooting video of all the new items for 2011.  Do you know how long I’ve been trying to get Lynne on camera?!? 

Suggestions are welcome, and I’ll keep you updated as I go.  I may even TWEET about it.  Scary!

-Amy

Over the years we’ve carried several garden totes, most of which we liked and thought were well done…and we’ve seen many more that we just didn’t think were useful enough to carry.  Much to our dismay, the vendor of nearly every tote we’ve tried has either stopped making them or gone out of business altogether.  Word around the office is that we have the proverbial ‘kiss of death’ when it comes to garden totes…once we decide to carry it, its days are numbered!

Since we’ve never really been THRILLED with any tote we’ve carried, this year we decided to stop looking and instead have concluded that we can make our OWN tote that will have all the features we want it to have and none of the features we think are useless.  We would LOVE your input on the matter and have crafted a survey for our current customers to complete…and all of you that take some of your precious time to do so will be entered into our drawing for a FREE pair of Joyce Chen Unlimited Scissors! 

You will need to fill in your name, your phone number AND your DBS account number in order to complete the survey and enter the drawing.  If you don’t have your account number, you can find it on any invoice.  If you still can’t find it, call us toll free 888-712-3239 and we’ll be happy to look it up for you.

Make  your voice heard…and help us create a GREAT new product!

CLICK HERE to take the survey.

Okay folks, finally I have bested what was starting to seem like my nemesis…the new version of www.dorothybiddle.com.  It’s  uploaded, tested, and it all seems to be working just fine.  The categories in the shopping cart portion now match the main site so it should be a much more user friendly experience.  I will be doing more work on the cart portion, and we’ll be adding new items very soon.  I hope you like it, and that it makes things easier.  Your thoughts are welcome! 

Just a note to let you all know that I’m working on reorganizing the shopping cart categories, so if you see double you are NOT imagining it.  Hoping to be done with it today, and thanks for your patience whilst I work on it. 

 And, by the way, the new version of the website is DONE and I’ll be uploading it once I’m done with the shopping cart updating.  YIPPIE!!!!

Really, and this time I MEAN it!  I’m on the very final stages of getting the new and vastly improved (well, I think it is and I sure hope YOU do too!) version of www.dorothybiddle.com up and running.  It should be ready and uploaded with in the next few weeks, just in time to showcase the new items we’ll be adding. 

I posted back in September 2008 about the project, and thought I’d have it done in a month.  I actually said ‘I’m hoping to have all the website revisions done by then [October], too.  In case I don’t (goodness knows things always take longer than ya think, don’t they?)’.  It took longer.  Much longer.  I wound up completely redoing some other web work here that needed attention in time for the holidays, and then, it was spring and you were all kind enough to send us order after order.  THANK YOU!

This month was the first ‘spare’ time I’ve had to really focus on the redo, and I am just tickled pink that it’s almost ready for you to see.  It is by far the most complicated project I’ve ever taken on, and every single item will now have its very own page with extra photos and details…we hope to add some video too, at some point.

Another thanks for your patience with the old site…things are there that are no longer available, and I apologize for not updating comprehensively and regularly while working on the new version of the site. 

I’m off to hyperlink land again now…hope you’ve had a GREAT spring season!

Best,

Amy

Nope, I’m not talking about all of us here in the office, though it kinda applies…that of which I speak is the strangeness in the ‘cart’ portion of the website.  The gurus who own the cart have been upgrading features, which is nifty…but in the process, the code translated portions of text into some non-English characters that are odd and making reading a challenge.

Amy, do I really have to care about this?  Not at all.  I’m working to fix it on my own by manually editing stuff and have contacted said gurus about fixing it on a ‘global’ scale for me.  In the meantime, please pardon the awful way it looks and know that it still works just fine. 

There ARE 350+ items to fix, so it may take me longer than a day or two…apologies for that.  We’ll be sure to stock up on cookies and candy over the weekend so I have fuel.

Hope spring is treating you well…we’re in the middle of a raging thunderstorm here, but APRIL SHOWERS BRING MAY FLOWERS after all, so lay it on me Mother Nature!

Well folks, I’ve done it…every single DBS account number has been uploaded and is ready to use.

What that means is…if you have ordered from us before, be it online or off, all you have to do is enter your DBS ACCOUNT NUMBER as the USERNAME and PASSWORD and you can access the shopping cart, pricing, etc. immediately.  No more ‘add me to the database please’.  Instant online access…woo hoo!  Your account number can be found on any invoice, or you can email or call and we’ll be happy to provide it for you.  The entry is case sensitive, so be sure to use caps where applicable.

For folks new to us, send along your business info and we’ll get a temp login to you right away.

Now I’m going back to eating my Lousianna Crunch Cake…we like to have a Fat Tuesday celebration here in the office at least once a week.  Or twice.  Or thrice.  Mmmm…yummy!

Ah, it’s a beautiful day in the neighborhood…despite the miniature glacial formation that is our driveway here at DBS.  Why, you ask?  Well…I have discovered a new program that will allow me to upload all of your account numbers AT ONCE for use as a website login. 

So what, you say?  Oh, this is like a MIRACLE!  Once I have this done, all you’ll ever need to know is your DBS Account Number and you’ll be able to get into the wholesale ordering section without having to ASK TO BE ADDED TO THE DATABASE.  And I can put all SORTS of things on our server that I can password protect that you can have access to.  Woo Hoo!

I know, I get too excited about these things…but this program automates a process I used to do by hand (see the login page up there for details) and if the server ever loses my data, all I have to do is click a button.  Problem solved.  I’ll still eat cookies though…a gal needs her 3 PM sugar fix, after all.

Stay tuned…I hope to have the site uploaded to reflect this change within the next two weeks.  I’ll let you know when I’m done.

Bless your hearts, folks who made this fine software…and you, our patient customers. 

Have a great Superbowl weekend!

Amy

Hi folks!

I just finished uploading the new items page reflecting our fall additions, and all the items are ready to add if you order online, too.  Plus all the prices that have changed since our January 2008 printing are changed there, too…and if you want us to send you an Excel file of the July price list just let me know, amy@dorothybiddle.com. 

We’re still targeting mid-October for the 2009 print catalog, and I’m hoping to have all the website revisions done by then, too.  In case I don’t (goodness knows things always take longer than ya think, don’t they?) meet the deadline I figured I’d get these online so you don’t miss out and we don’t miss out and…so your customers don’t miss out, of course!

Hard to belive it’s the 17th of September already…time sure does fly!  You may remember when I was out on maternity leave a while back…well, the ‘baby’ turns FIVE this month.  FIVE!  I swear, it seems like only a few months could have gone by.

But I digress (which is the norm, as everyone in the office can attest to)…hope you’re well and that business is holding up…if you need anything, have questions, etc., don’t hesitate to get in touch with us.  We love talking to you!!

Best,

Amy Keane, manager & internet specialist

Hope you like the new look of the Biddle Blog…I’m in the middle (well, the first third, anyhow!) of a major website overhaul and thought the blog needed a facelift too.  I love the way this one has lots of color yet is very easy to read…your thoughts are welcome!

The new website will have some great features, including a blog widget (I know, no one cares but WOW I had fun making it and it’s really called a blidget, so that’s fun too!), a click-to-call button, and an improved all-text menu (so it will work with any browser across the board and you don’t have to deal with the fly outs) as well as *drumroll please*…individual pages for every item!

On those item pages will be UPC codes, case pack info, measurements, country of origin, detailed images and, eventually, videos of item demonstrations.  Seems kooky, maybe, but I just got in a new fax for the office and this was our first ‘combo’ machine…I had no clue what I was looking for, whether or not to go with a laser or thermal, or if the darn thing would even do what I needed it to.  Know what sold me on the one we got?  Buy.com offered a video review and demonstration of the sucker in use… so I bought it without ever stepping foot out of the office.  I had already WANTED to do videos for our stuff, but this experience made me positive it would be a GREAT sales tool.  And with YouTube it’s free…think about adding it to your site, too! 

Back to working on the website…my target date for finishing is October.  Hopefully the beginning of October.