Well WE DID. The Digi-labs Web Development team made some changes and added a new look to the online web service galleries. The gallery changes have been updated, implemented & are LIVE! Our Programmers have been working quite hard to get these changes going & I for one can say I am happy with the results. Here is the LAUNDRY LIST of what we we changed:
1. A New Slideshow : the slideshow is entirely new! I love it! Some of the improvements include a set frame size (fitting the largest image included in the slideshow), smooth image transitions (OOH fancy), display of the category & image number, and control of speed as well as ability to move forward or backwards. We still kept the buy print button so that customers could easily exit & order from your slideshow. GO look & bask in its glory!
2. One Click Favorite-ing: but you say that is not english, and I agree. Now from the Thumbnail view you can click multiple images to designate favorites. In the thumbnail view you’ll notice that next to each image number is a heart plus meaning you can just click it to add to favorites. Once you click on the heart plus the image number now has a star to the left and a heart minus to the right make an cute simple icon sandwhich. To remove the image from the favorite selection you can click the heart minus. I love love love this feature & I think your clients will too!
3. Menu Clean Up: So fresh & so clean….We cleaned up the menus in 2 places:
a. the menu in the top right has been adjusted. The goal was to keep the functionality but to compact everything and make it more user-friendly as well. So “Create New Folder” and “Submit Folders” have been placed in the “Folders” drop-down menu, which had its appearance altered to appear more like a traditional drop down menu. The Categories menu also was given this change, and now shows the current category being browsed. The Shopping Cart link was nudged up (next to the search area) to reduce the horizontal crowding of the menu.
b. the menu for a zoom image has been changed so that the scroll tool is above the zoom image. Below the zoom image there is the image number followed by filters and then buy print, compare image, add to favorites (or remove), email image (if this feature is enabled) and add to folder. This makes it much easier for your customer to scroll through their gallery.
4. Removeal of Redundant Text: In a Web 2.0 world, it didn’t make sense to add clutter and use vertical real estate to put obvious instructions in the galleries.
5. Other minor changes: related to navigation were made, so that when returning from a “zoom image” page to a thumbnail page places the user where they’d expect to be rather then at the start of the category.
Overall, an attempt was made to reduce redundant controls and text, resulting in putting all (or more) of the images on the initial screen, and to make important controls immediately viewable and more user friendly. I think the Programmers did a great job & I am sure you’d all agree!
What’s next for Digilabs online web services you ask? Photographer defined and fulfilled products allowing customer to offer any product they’d like in the pricelist, even when digilabs reguarly fulfills online orders. For example you’ll be able to offer digital files, books, etc.
Feedback is always appreciated! Go check out the major changes HERE or in your own galleries & tell me what you think!
Kate
Account Manager
kate@digi-labs.net
Digilabs Pro Photography Blog 
Nice job! When’s the date set for adding any product to the price list?
We all hope that it will be by the end of Fall, fingers crossed! Glad you’re happy with the changes.