Breeder websites?

[Equanimity]

Ok hopefully this doesnt come across snarky. I wonder though why do breeders have such poorly designed websites that are ugly and cluttered? It makes it so hard for me to research breeders because I want to run when I see poor quality websites. It doesnt instill much confidence in a breeder and giving them a chunk of my money. Maybe its the artist in me, but come on people pay a couple grand and get a website redesign! :lolbangtable:

 

[musicdeb]

I've heard some breeders do not even have websites, they operate on word of mouth.

 

[Equanimity]

In a world thats so web connected it seems strange that they don't have websites at or poorly designed ones. I own my own business and I know that my websites are the face of my company and impart credibility to me. I swear ever every time I go to a bad website I want to email them and offer to redesign their sites, LOL!

 

[Cody]

It depends, some smaller breeders operate word of mouth and do not breed enough or sell to strangers to justify having a website.

 

[Equanimity]

I think that even if you only sell one puppy a year if you breed and show you owe it to the breed to have a nice website. A breeder could literally have a free website that would be stunning and easy to read and it makes it a lot easier for peoPle researching the breed to understand.

 

[ruthcatrin]

But why should they show off their dogs to strangers? They show enough to be known, that knowing gets them enough puppy buyers, they don't need more, they don't want more.

 

[Equanimity]

I thought the point of breeding and showing was to better the breed and for education as well. Why would you breed and show dogs if you didn't want to show the world your and the dogs achievements?

Even the breeder I am looking at right now who is supposed to be reputable, but she sells her dogs for 3k each, has an icky website.

 

[ruthcatrin]

You don't need to be known outside of the breed world in order to work to improve the breed. Considering the problems that have cropped up in and with almost every breed once they became popular I find it hard to criticize a breeder who wishes to keep their dogs less well known outside of that breed's world.

 

[Equanimity]

No I'm not trying to criticize those that choose not to advertise, but just pointing out that those who are selling puppies on their sites have not very well done sites.

 

[ruthcatrin]

But many of them aren't really. They're posting the pups so that the folks who've expressed interest can see the pups, but they don't really care if you find the site un-appealing cause being appealing to the masses isn't their goal. They aren't trying to draw in new customers, or get to the top of the search engine searches. Yah, some of them are so badly done they're painfull to navigate, but they aren't trying to sell their pups via their websites. Not really. If they were they'd have already put the money into making them better.

 

[ruthcatrin]

I'm not saying that a well done site is a sign of someone trying to make money off their dogs, but honestly alot of the poorly done sites, they just don't care. They aren't really trying to sell their dogs online, its not their goal, and therefor they don't see the point.

 

[marti1357]

Here are my 2 cents:
Indeed, many - (perhaps the majority of) breeders have very poor websites. I can understand that some may not want or need a website. That is OK. But keeping websites that were updated last time in 2008 its really bad. More ridiculous is that breeders keep their kennel address and location undisclosed!
That said, I have a guess: with the recession, many breeders downscaled their operations and breeding program to bare bones or below. They prefer not to publicize this fact and keep potential customers in the dark. As for not disclosing location, they prevent visits that may reveal the truth. Also someone who heard of the breeder may not consider them if out of state. This way they may still be relevant even if on the other coast.
Last week I emailed such breeder and they responded immediately. When I asked where are they located, they responded by asking what kind of dog I am interested in. The communication ended swiftly when I insisted to know in which state they are.

 

[BlackShadowCaneCorso]

I'm not saying that a well done site is a sign of someone trying to make money off their dogs, but honestly alot of the poorly done sites, they just don't care. They aren't really trying to sell their dogs online, its not their goal, and therefor they don't see the point.

See up here I see the opposite a lot of times, a poorly done site that they have done off a build your own site just to keep throwing up when they have litters, we have a bad one here and the only time that site is updated is when they are going to shove some more litters of pups out. Now perhaps this is in response to the fact that my breed can't be sold on Kijiji anymore. But I also see people that rely entirely on Facebook to sell their puppies now as it is easy to update. In the end even good sites can be built by people that are more concerned about the money than anything else. If their dogs are worth it I will overlook the bad site, but I don't often that to be the case.

 

[ruthcatrin]

Here are my 2 cents:
Indeed, many - (perhaps the majority of) breeders have very poor websites. I can understand that some may not want or need a website. That is OK. But keeping websites that were updated last time in 2008 its really bad. More ridiculous is that breeders keep their kennel address and location undisclosed!
That said, I have a guess: with the recession, many breeders downscaled their operations and breeding program to bare bones or below. They prefer not to publicize this fact and keep potential customers in the dark. As for not disclosing location, they prevent visits that may reveal the truth. Also someone who heard of the breeder may not consider them if out of state. This way they may still be relevant even if on the other coast.
Last week I emailed such breeder and they responded immediately. When I asked where are they located, they responded by asking what kind of dog I am interested in. The communication ended swiftly when I insisted to know in which state they are.

Thats a completely different sort of problem frankly. But assuming the breeder meets the rest of my requirements for the breed I don't really care if the site is up to date. As long as they give me the information I need to look into their dogs (and the good ones are more than willing).

See up here I see the opposite a lot of times, a poorly done site that they have done off a build your own site just to keep throwing up when they have litters, we have a bad one here and the only time that site is updated is when they are going to shove some more litters of pups out. Now perhaps this is in response to the fact that my breed can't be sold on Kijiji anymore. But I also see people that rely entirely on Facebook to sell their puppies now as it is easy to update. In the end even good sites can be built by people that are more concerned about the money than anything else. If their dogs are worth it I will overlook the bad site, but I don't often that to be the case.

There is that aspect, but those are generally pretty obvious too once you start looking. Or at least to me anyway....

 

[BlackShadowCaneCorso]

There is that aspect, but those are generally pretty obvious too once you start looking. Or at least to me anyway....

You would think as it is to me too but as they are still breeding and having several litters a year it doesn't appear to

 

[WalnutCrest]

If you post you actual address online, the probability of having dogs storm goes up dramatically.

Don't be too quick to jump to conclusions of a particular breeder doesn't want to tell a complete stranger where they live.

 

[Equanimity]

If I was a breeder I would never post my home address online. That's inviting dog theft. I work at home and my address is not online I don't want everyone knowing where I live.

 

[northernmastiff]

I wouldn't post my home address on the site. I have my own writing site and my personal information is not on there outside of my name, skype and email. You do not need my address. Also, people steal puppies and flip them. Very common and it is becoming more of a problem. Why invite the crazies in so completely?

On another note, it pisses me off when they don't edit their site. If I need a Little Orphan Annie Secret Decoder Ring to decipher what their site is saying, then I won't even both. In fact, I want to take my Red Rider BB Gun and do a little target practice. When I am not working, I will be lax on spelling and editing but with a website, it is a business. If you mispell your breed and common words, I doubt the intelligence behind the kennel. Once I doubt the intelligence, I begin to wonder if you have the mental capacity to raise a litter properly. Huge pet peeve.

I even came across a breeder's website that wrote in dog "speech". It took everything in me to keep from emailing the breeder and blasting her. Messy website, I can live with. Poor editing, I may let you pass on some things. Music, I will never purchase a dog from you. Don't get me started on the music.

 

[Equanimity]

I think your right. If your going to have a website do it right instead of an ugly outdated mess that detects from your credibility

 

[Equanimity]

Of course my no so smart phone makes me look dumber than a box of rocks lol