Web Pages That Suck - learn good web design by looking at bad web design

Submitter’s comments: So this isn’t really about website design. But not all suck is about design. Sometimes it’s about information.

A search engine has suggested to me that I might be able to buy one of these items from Walmart. But this page responds, “Not available online” and “Not available in stores.”

Well, is it available via ESP?

Why bother listing it? Maybe to drive search engine users to your site just to frustrate and annoy them?

And then there’s the list of “accessories for this item.” Accessories for a wireless phone jack that include an external hard disk, a USB webcam (did I mention that this is a wireless phone jack? Something that you might use with, oh, I don’t know, a phone instead of a computer?). Or “similar items,” which are all 802.11 wireless routers (big hint: Just because something is 2.4 GHz doesn’t mean it’s WiFi).

To be fair, there are pointers to similar products in the “other items people browsed when they browsed this thing” section. But there’s something rude about putting a page up for an item you don’t sell where you don’t give the people who stumble in any hope that it might be available in the future, or from anybody else. See also: The Monty Python “Cheese Shoppe” sketch.

Vincent Flanders’ comments: Actually, the submission is about web design and about the most important aspect of web design — usability. If you don’t think usability is important, read The $300 Million “Continue” Button. It reminds me of my recent experience trying to buy a generator from Sears. I couldn’t order unless I typed “Post Office Box” instead of “PO Box.”

Here’s a screenshot of the Walmart page in case they fix it.

Walmart Dual Jack 2.4GHz Wireless Telephone Jack Connection