Small Businesses With Bad Websites

Some businesses, often manufacturers of products, seem to only have a website because everyone else does, and they think they should too. They put up a short “about” page, some contact information, and, if we’re lucky, a PDF of their print catalog. Very frequently, there isn’t a single bit of pricing information available, requiring potential customers to call them instead, guaranteeing their salespeople will have a chance to talk to the interested party.

This is an old-world way of thinking, and they’re trying to stay in it, because it seems safe and comfortable. But they don’t seem to realize that many people will leave a website without inquiring further if they can't find what they want. In an age where information can reach most of the world instantly, and it’s tremendously easy for a business to keep a website updated with accurate information, a business site lacking any information about their products screams of intentional manipulation of customers or, worse, a scam.