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Show HN: Designing Web Applications

nathanbarry.com

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Re: Show HN: Designing Web Applications

#101

Post by bdunn »

jongold wrote: post #83

Couple of things: - Get rid of the MailChimp, Facebook logos etc. On scanning it's shady. - The whole site comes across as a bit of a skeezy sales letter. You're a designer, you're better than that. I realise this is the favoured approach from Kalzumeus etc but I find it really cringey. - Make the bundles more easily comparable. I was about to buy but got bored scrolling up & down & up & down comparing the packages.…

The whole site comes across as a bit of a skeezy sales letter. You're a designer, you're better than that.

And this is why many designers are horrible at making websites that sell. When I sold my first book, I tried a short-form, nicely designed landing page. I even thought about doing it with my second book. But I always come back to the sales letter, because it works.

Re: Show HN: Designing Web Applications

#102

Post by nathanbarry »

javajosh wrote: post #96
nathanbarry wrote: post #71

Earlier quoted context omitted.

That would be very expensive. Looks like at least $30 per copy.

>That would be very expensive. Looks like at least $30 per copy. How do you reconcile this with your previous comment[1] in this thread: My target market is people who are serious about web applications. In an industry where it isn't hard to charge $100-250 an hour for design or development work, $200 for everything included doesn't seem like a lot. [1] http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=4910124

$31 in expenses is a lot for a book that I am selling for $29. I'm not into losing money on every sale. Even if I bumped up the price to $50 for the printed book that is still a crummy margin when you factor in carrying inventory, shipping, and everything else.

Re: Show HN: Designing Web Applications

#103

Post by uptown »

nathanbarry wrote: post #102
javajosh wrote: post #96

Earlier quoted context omitted.

>That would be very expensive. Looks like at least $30 per copy. How do you reconcile this with your previous comment[1] in this thread: My target market is people who are serious about web applications. In an industry where it isn't hard to charge $100-250 an hour for design or development work, $200 for everything included doesn't seem like a lot. [1] http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=4910124

$31 in expenses is a lot for a book that I am selling for $29. I'm not into losing money on every sale. Even if I bumped up the price to $50 for the printed book that is still a crummy margin when you factor in carrying inventory, shipping, and everything else.

Why not bump the price up to what you'd consider a non-crummy margin, factoring in those additional prices?

Re: Show HN: Designing Web Applications

#104

Post by jongold »

bdunn wrote: post #101
jongold wrote: post #83

Couple of things: - Get rid of the MailChimp, Facebook logos etc. On scanning it's shady. - The whole site comes across as a bit of a skeezy sales letter. You're a designer, you're better than that. I realise this is the favoured approach from Kalzumeus etc but I find it really cringey. - Make the bundles more easily comparable. I was about to buy but got bored scrolling up & down & up & down comparing the packages.…

The whole site comes across as a bit of a skeezy sales letter. You're a designer, you're better than that. And this is why many designers are horrible at making websites that sell. When I sold my first book, I tried a short-form, nicely designed landing page. I even thought about doing it with my second book. But I always come back to the sales letter, because it works.

This sales-letter style seems more prevalent in eBook/video downloads than SaaS (though we've all seen 37signals' A/B tests). Reeks of a 'PAY $200 TO SEE HOW TO LOSE 100LBS IN 2 WEEKS'.

edit: actually, with no offence intended - your book's website is one of the ones I was thinking of. I was seriously considering buying it from the HN title but was totally put off by the website. I'm sure it's a fantastic book and I'm sure I'd benefit from it, but the website left a bad taste in my mouth.

Re: Show HN: Designing Web Applications

#105

Post by mnicole »

mattmanser wrote: post #32
nathanbarry wrote: post #23

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Some initial feedback was that people didn't know what I meant by web application. So they asked that I provide examples.

Seriously? I mean seriously? You're supposed to be a UX designer. And you honestly can't see how that looks like social proof, that you are visually implying that these companies use your product? I want this book so bad. But your contact form is awful. You can't design the simplest form on the web. You don't actually seem to have any actual experience in designing web apps, working for one unidentified startup. I'm…

Don't know why people are saying you're an ass for calling out glaring design flaws in a $200 book about design. I felt similarly about Sacha's book on UI, but it was only $6-$12 so it didn't seem worth complaining about. If people want to drop two coffees on something they think they'll get value from, that isn't a big deal. Additionally, the app he designed for actually exists.

This is a little different from Nathan's offering because as far as I can tell, there is no end product, nor are the examples provided good indicators of good visual design or UX.

Re: Show HN: Designing Web Applications

#106

Post by gabewallace »

bdunn wrote: post #57
Draiken wrote: post #43

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I agree, $200 is way too much to pay for content from a person I've never heard of, and couldn't find any easy reference in the page. With that kind of money you can get a lot of good content in a lot of places. I just don't see the differential that would make me spend that much money on this. No known clients, no big companies in the past. It makes me hesitant to even consider buying this.

Disclaimer: I was interviewed for the book and just finished skimming through my copy. First off, Nathan generously offers a full money back guarantee. If you don't find the book's value outweighs the cost, ask for a refund. Second, yes, you can wade through hundreds of blog posts or whatever else to find a lot of what Nathan presents in the book. But I value my time, and the overhead of doing that filtration vs. hav…

Well said bdunn!

Re: Show HN: Designing Web Applications

#108

Post by cschmidt »

nathanbarry wrote: post #71
aoporto wrote: post #59

Earlier quoted context omitted.

On-demand printing may be a good option for you: http://www.lulu.com/

That would be very expensive. Looks like at least $30 per copy.

Ingram's standard color is meant to be cheaper

http://www.ingramcontent.com/MRKNG/2012/52856-29853/29853.ht...

Don't know about the quality.

Re: Show HN: Designing Web Applications

#109

Post by daem0n »

Hi Nathan,

I was following the release of this book and will probably buy it shortly. I think the reason that a lot of people are being so critical is that it's UX. I work in UX and everyone is (or thinks they are) a UX "designer". I looked at your sample pages and web site and thought I could learn some things from you. I also thought it looked great, so I don't think you have anything to worry about.

No one is going to do things exactly the same and your book doesn't come-off as being a forceful entity on rulesets, which is nice.

I would also like to see some other pricing options - mostly because I want the book and PSDs only, but I don't see anything wrong with your pricing model. It scared me at first but I didn't see/notice all of the extras that you had for sale with the book.

Anyhow, good luck, I can tell you spent a lot of time putting the material together. This is a tough crowd but in the end most criticism, even if harsh, will hopefully be constructive.

Enjoy the sales and focus on the real UX designers/developers ;)

Re: Show HN: Designing Web Applications

#110

Post by gerasini »

gerasini wrote: post #47

All the page design is about setting the expectations up (200$) and then showing the, only 29$, book as a no-brainer buy.

Now the designer of the page validates my point with his post about pricing strategy http://thinktraffic.net/most-common-pricing-mistake
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