Donatello Doors – Wrought Iron Doors

7 thoughts on “Donatello Doors – Wrought Iron Doors”

1. 1) Look around the home page – what is your initial impression of what you see?

   The black/dark background has a nice feel and gives the site a classy, upscale feel. I like the whole top part of the main page. The text and image choices and compnay logo all go well together and give the image of a compnay that has its act together. But the lighter box below the picture has a completely different feel – very commercial and not in the same mood.

   Having the quotes is great. Again, I think with a dark background they would come across and more serious and real. The blue text on this part, doesn’t match the feel of the above section and also gives it more of a Amazon review. Which is not what I think you are going for here.

   2) Think of something you want to find on this website. Now try to find it. Did you find what you were looking for? Was anything confusing?
   I searced for a front door for my house. I found what I was looking for, but I think the search choices could be improved. The ones there were fine – but I wanted more practical titles like single door entry, double door entry, gate,…..

   3) Imagine you are on the market looking for “double arched entry door”. Are you encouraged to buy from DonatelloDoors.com? Can you tell us why (or why not)? Yes. You have tomes of options and the choice to customize. I like the section under “The Donatello Difference”. You seem to be experts in the field, offer free shipping, not tax and good pricing.

   4) Go to search engine of your choice and find one other company that offers a similar service. Compare the two companies. Which on do you prefer? Why?
   I went to Cantera Doors. https://www.canteradoors.com/
   There were aspects of both that I liked and didn’t.
   They had a similiar look – dark background – classy
   I liked that they showed the doors on actual buildings – Donatello did some but not as many.
   I liked their product categories better – one it was easier to find what I was looking for. And two, it let me know of the other products that I wasn’t aware of that they sold.
   I did like that the Donatello site/company seemed more friendly and personable. This came across in the About section.

   5) Please share any additional feedback/comments you may have.
   You could cleanup your banner line by dropping the “info” on “options info”
   I like you tag line “forged with vision….” It encompasses you business well.
   The BBB symbol and other symbols on the main page could be smaller. I think they are important – but they overshadow the beauty of your doors in the main picture.

   I hope my comments have been helpful, thanks for giving me the opportunity to review your site.

2. 1) Look around the home page – what is your initial impression of what you see?

   My initial impression is this website looks very professional. It looks like a trusted and well-known brand because of the logos/ratings/badges I saw there. It gives me a feeling of security and assurance that this website and product will be worth my time and money.

   The homepage is attractive. I think the doors are very well highlighted and the design appeals to me.

   The free shipping in big letters in front sounds good to me. It means a lot of savings if ever I will be making a purchase, especially since this is the first time I’m going to check out door designs online. I want my experience to be good, no hassles.

   2) Think of something you want to find on this website. Now try to find it. Did you find what you were looking for? Was anything confusing?

   I am definitely going to look for a door. I would like to see a glass mosaic designed door. Unfortunately, I did not see it. No nothing was confusing, all I needed to do was scroll down. And it was very quick because I was looking for something specific. It might have taken me a longer time if I was just going to browse the designs and see what I like.

   3) Imagine you are on the market looking for “double arched entry door”. Are you encouraged to buy from DonatelloDoors.com? Can you tell us why (or why not)?

   Alright, this time I tried looking for a double arched door, I scrolled up again because I always want to start from the top, for me it means those are the best and nicest things available. This has been really difficult for me because there were a lot to choose from! Each door has a unique design and it’s hard to make a choice, that some I even wanted to touch. This is in a good way for me, because I do love knowing I have all the best options and choose everything I want, then undergo a filtering process later on. Yes I am encouraged because they even have the option to create a door, I imagine one created from my own imagination.

   4) Go to search engine of your choice and find one other company that offers a similar service. Compare the two companies. Which on do you prefer? Why?

   I have found another site like this, selling doors too. https://www.masonite.com/ and I liked what I saw there. It was exactly what I was looking for – the door’s label right at the bottom of the item. The doors look good there shown already attached to houses, different types like on the porch or in different rooms inside the house, and not just the door itself. The doors looked way more attractive this way.

   Donatellodoors are more of architectural designs for me, maybe gothic,and what appeals most is that doors are customizable. It does look pretty expensive and admirable. But I believe most people are modern now and would choose modern designs, and would definitely like browsing pictures of homes to get a preview of how it would look like in their own home.

   Though I cannot compare the prices because the masonite website is not so user-friendly with this. I have to click on a lot of stuff and things to specify before I can get a price quote. I want to see upfront prices to know if I would go on browsing the website.

   5) Please share any additional feedback/comments you may have.

   I would prefer the doors to have a unique name right below it and not only when I hover. How would I remember it and get back to it later on if it doesn’t have this. Or it could probably be in a different view, a place to check categories like single or double doors so it would be more organized.

   I just browsed through Donatello’s again and I found the page where the prices and descriptions are listed, I had to click preferred designs on top. It was barely noticeable unless I was really comparing with other sites and trying to find the information, which I was asked to do in the previous question.

   I do wish your website well and see a more flashy and appealing website soon!

3. 1) Look around the home page – what is your initial impression of what you see?

   I see the website name is Donatello Doors, and when I saw the large door picture I thought it to be a website selling doors. I was right, and the website creators have done a great job by making me or other consumers see what kind of website it was right from the start. I am impressed by the details of what a door can have – Lifetime Warranty, Polar Shield Insulation and Certified Hurricane Doors. It looks like a business serious about its product. The front page is simple enough to convey a user-friendly look, and it utilizes the drop down screen on About Us, Options Info and Technical Info well enough not to clutter the main page. I like the motto “Forged with Vision and Integrity”, but I thought the logo could use a change for the better – it did not connect me to a company that sells doors. Overall, an impressive modern look.

   2)Think of something you want to find on this website. Now try to find it. Did you find what you were looking for? Was anything confusing?

   When I was viewing this website one term caught my attention – Certified Hurricane Doors. When I clicked on the link, all the information I thought I needed was there, and it was all on one page and not scattered. Everything looks legitimate and it is cemented by the Notice of Product Certification picture on the right side of the web page. There is even a Hurricane category field shown below published by the Office of Homeland Security. It was confusing on the first look, as the information was packed and took a while to read and digest.

   3) Imagine you are on the market looking for “double arched entry door”. Are you encouraged to buy from DonatelloDoors.com? Can you tell us why (or why not)?

   The lack of a search bar in the web site may be off-putting, and as a frequent internet user I use it whenever I wish to search for something specific. A double arched entry door that I can customize is a great catch, plus the protection benefits like one I mentioned (Certified Hurricane Doors and Lifetime Warranty) makes me want to buy from this website. I am a person that would prefer protective features first, then design second, so the additional protective features of the doors appeal to me.

   4) Go to search engine of your choice and find one other company that offers a similar service. Compare the two companies. Which on do you prefer? Why?

   When I searched Google for “Doors” I found two other similar websites. The one I did a comparison on is http://www.masonite.com. I did a comparison, and found many things. It looks like Donatello Doors are working more with metal material, and go with their products having a lot of protective features, as compared to Masonite’s wood-like and aesthetic design. The name of the door design and base price can easily be seen on Donatello Doors while Masonite’s hide them from plain sight. I like Donatello Doors more, because in my opinion protection and features weigh more than design. In terms of website design comparison, Donatello Doors is simpler and more straightforward with its products than Masonites’.

   5) Please share any additional feedback/comments you may have.

   I like how Donatello Doors differentiates itself from other competitor products by highlighting the said protective services like Certified Hurricane Doors and Polar Shield that make them seem independent and unique. The website is nothing so fancy and it has a look that they take their door business seriously.

4. 1) Look around the home page – what is your initial impression of what you see?
   First impression is that it is bold and eye catching. The white on black for the banner area is easy to see. The pictures of the doors are attractive and make me want to learn more about your company. The brief synopsis about the company is descriptive without boring you. I like the seals for the accreditation that your company has received. This is something I look for especially when I’m looking to purchase a service that will be an investment and long term product.

   2) Think of something you want to find on this website. Now try to find it. Did you find what you were looking for? Was anything confusing?
   When mousing over the “tabs” it was nice to have a list of options to peruse. The listings seemed to have logical categories yet wasn’t overly in depth.. The first thing I would want to find out is what kind of doors your company provides. Under the Shop tab – The Preferred Designs and Inspirations Gallery were not totally clear as to how the two options worked; it may help to use different terminology. Once I clicked on Preferred Designs, it made sense though. I like having the option of determining how to search for the perfect door; something I have discovered when doing research is that my husband and I take different approaches to determine what we like, but typically come to a similar conclusion. I like the step by step approach; he prefers the visual approach.

   3) Imagine you are on the market looking for “double arched entry door”. Are you encouraged to buy from DonatelloDoors.com? Can you tell us why (or why not)?
   Yes, I would be very interested in purchasing a door from Donatello. I like the ability to customize something that makes a statement about my home reflect my taste and personality. There appears to be a lot of options that would produce this result. Since I’ve not done door research in a very long time, I don’t know how competitive the prices are, but the customization features caught my eye right away.

   4) Go to search engine of your choice and find one other company that offers a similar service. Compare the two companies. Which on do you prefer? Why?
   I chose to review Cantera Doors Handforged Iron because it appeared to be the closest in comparison. Firstly the home page is not as engaging. The colors are okay but not bold, and there is too much about the doors specifically making the home page long and tedious. I see right away that I have to request a quote which would probably cause me to move elsewhere. When I click to review doors the page is slow to load and has pictures of each door, There are no prices anywhere which I was hoping there would be. If I’m just starting out on research, I want to have the prices readily available instead of giving out my personal information to companies when I may not even do the project in the first place. I also noticed that the instant quotes information is in the blurb on the search page, that alone would cause me to check out your company. I much prefer your website and your company’s approach.

   5) Please share any additional feedback/comments you may have.
   Your website should draw customers in. The dual approach to choosing a door should help all customers not be intimidated by the multitude of choices available. Good job, and I wish you luck.

5. 1) Look around the home page – what is your initial impression of what you see?

   – On the home page of the website, my initial impression was too vague. Even though it had colors and images I felt that more should have been on there. Maybe the history of the doors could have been added and more images of example door. It was too short and the homepage should capture the readers attention.

   2) Think of something you want to find on this website. Now try to find it. Did you find what you were looking for? Was anything confusing?

   – Even though the homepage was very vague, the website as a whole was very easy to navigate through. It had a lot of drop down menu options and the categories were specific. Nothing was confusing, it was to the point and clean cut.

   3) Imagine you are on the market looking for “double arched entry door”. Are you encouraged to buy from DonatelloDoors.com? Can you tell us why (or why not)?

   – Yes I would be encouraged to buy from Donatello Door because they had beautiful images and different styles based on what the customer liked and usually when there is a high variety of options the customers tend to stay and look around and be more encouraged to buy from the company.

   4) Go to search engine of your choice and find one other company that offers a similar service. Compare the two companies. Which on do you prefer? Why?

   – Based on my search inquiries I would prefer Donatello Doors because they had more styles and actually showed images of the style. Verse the other company provided one example of each door and I would rather see a bunch of options as opposed to one.

6. 1) Look around the home page – what is your initial impression of what you see?

   I like the photo. It really shows off your products.

   And, I think, having all your certifications, ratings, etc. does provide credibility. However, it is a little “in your face” or my face. I didn’t even notice the other tabs at first. Maybe a slider would be more appropriate or a video—one that doesn’t block the photo.

   You might want to reconsider the use of orange. It blends beautifully with the photo, which is both a blessing and a curse. It looks great, but the eye doesn’t pick it up very well. Even though the “VIEW DOORS” button is nice and big, I didn’t notice it. I saw the “See Doors” link at the bottom of the “Shop with Confidence” tab. This is also orange, but on a white background.

   The orange is also problematic on the navigation bar. This might be solved by using a light shade of orange.

   I would also change the orange for the “Login/Register” link or put it on a white background. Additionally, I can see the “Call” (next to the “Login/Register” at the top of the page) nice and clearly, but not the phone number itself. This is because I, along with millions of others, use Google Voice/Plus to make phone calls and it turns phone numbers blue. I can’t see it on the black background.

   2) Think of something you want to find on this website. Now try to find it. Did you find what you were looking for? Was anything confusing?

   I looked for information about shipping, in addition to it being free. What is the turnaround time? How is it shipped? If I don’t want to install the doors myself, does Donatello contract with any door installers in various parts of the US and Canada?

   I didn’t notice anything confusing.

   3) Imagine you are on the market looking for “double arched entry door.” Are you encouraged to buy from DonatelloDoors.com? Can you tell us why (or why not)?

   I would be encouraged to include it as one of the 3 or so companies I would research before making a determination which company to buy from.

   4) Go to search engine of your choice and find one other company that offers a similar service. Compare the two companies. Which one do you prefer? Why?

   I went to http://www.irondoorsunlimited.com.

   I think your site is far more attractive.

   However, http://www.irondoorsunlimited.com has some advantages that you do not. Evidently, they have many outlets where people can purchase doors (i.e., Home Depot), as well as clearly stating that doors are in stock and ready to ship in 1-2 days. Additionally, it allows for customization.

   If you have either of these, it is not clear without spending time exploring your website in more depth.

   5) Please share any additional feedback/comments you may have.

   The photo on your home page creates a very high-end feel. I suggest that you find ways of carrying that feel throughout your site.

7. 1) Look around the home page – what is your initial impression of what you see?
   I like the home page. I think the picture of the brick wall with the doors is a nice touch, I do think that the dark background blends in with the black doors a lot so they don’t pop out at me very much. I think the home page is nice and simple, it does not over whelm me and it tells me what your company does. The home page looks very easy to navagate. I also like how at the bottom of the screen there are reviews posted and different accreditations that the company has earned.

   2) Think of something you want to find on this website. Now try to find it. Did you find what you were looking for? Was anything confusing?
   I decided to look for a new front door. My first thought was to go to the Shop drop down, I then choose Preferred Designs. On the Preferred Designs page, nothing grabbed me. I need a single door not a double door and all of the doors on the Preferred Designs page are double, I also have a hard time picturing what the finished product would look like when I am presented with just metal designs.
   I choose to leave the Preferred Designs page and move on to the Inspirations Gallery. I love the way the doors are shown in the Inspirations Gallery, I can actually picture some of the doors on my house. I like that I am looking at a picture of what a finished door would look like.
   I noticed when I returned back to the Preferred Designs page that there was an option for me to select to see single doors. I never would have noticed that the option existed had I not gone back to the page in hopes of being able to copy and paste the words Preferred Designs. The single door selection was not in my line of site and it was by pure luck that I noticed it.

   3) Imagine you are on the market looking for “double arched entry door”. Are you encouraged to buy from DonatelloDoors.com? Can you tell us why (or why not)?
   The doors on the site are real nice and you offer a lot of options for designs and glass and finishes. Before I would purchase a door from your company I would want more information as to my final cost. I want to know what the typical instillation would cost and my shipping charges. I am also very hesitant to purchase something so expensive without being able to touch it and see it up close first.

   4) Go to search engine of your choice and find one other company that offers a similar service. Compare the two companies. Which on do you prefer? Why?
   I am split between the two companies. I really like how all of your product prices are listed and you have a large assortment and good reviews. However, the other site that I looked at has great YouTube videos telling about their doors and showing the pressure testing that they have been through. So I would probably check out the other site before yours because the site is more cheerful, they have an E-Catalog and I think the coloration of the site gives me a warm and welcoming feeling.

   5) Please share any additional feedback/comments you may have.
   I was frustrated that I was not able to find a way to go to the home screen. I wanted to find out if you had any shipping information listed on the home screen but once I had gone into the web site there was no way back home. I think that the coloring of the site is a bit dark so it does not give that warm feeling.

Comments are closed.