Seeking Feedback: Website live for 1 year but no sales yet – Any advice?

[Maisonfleurant]

Hi everyone,

I recently launched my website using Square in January 2025, but I haven't made any sales yet. I'm looking for some honest feedback from fellow sellers on what I might be missing or what I could improve to start converting visitors into customers.

• My Website: www.maisonfleurant.com

• What I Sell: Second-hand vintage home goods and fashion

• What I've Tried: Facebook Ads, Square Marketing, Organic Content via Instagram and TikTok

I’m specifically curious about:

1. Is the site easy to navigate?

2. Do the product descriptions and photos look professional?

3. Are there any "red flags" that would make you hesitate to buy?

I would appreciate any recommendations or tips you have for a new seller!

Thanks in advance for your help!

[LukeNieuw · Accepted solution]

I started writing out my thoughts but they were a bit scattered so I had AI help me deliver it to you. Here's what it says:

Overall Critique

Your site has heart — it's clear there's passion behind curating unique, vintage luxury items, and the resale model is smart in today's market where buyers want authenticity, sustainability, and value. However, brutally honestly: it currently feels more like a general vintage eBay store than a polished luxury resale destination. The hero image of sparkling diamonds (or jewelry-like sparkle) is generic stock imagery that screams "trying to look expensive" but doesn't show actual products or evoke aspiration. It misses the immediate "wow" that sites like The RealReal, Vestiaire Collective, or Fashionphile deliver.

The value proposition isn't front-and-center: visitors might not instantly grasp that they're getting authenticated pre-loved designer pieces at fractions of retail. Navigation appears limited (no visible categories in the header from what I can infer), forcing users to scroll or guess where to go, which kills conversions. Product listings mix high-fashion (e.g., Karl Lagerfeld dress) with tableware and home decor, diluting the luxury fashion focus and making the brand feel scattered rather than curated.

Photos are decent but inconsistent — some items lack multiple angles or lifestyle shots, and condition details (critical for resale) aren't emphasized enough. Trust signals (authenticity guarantees, returns) are buried or missing on the homepage. Overall, the design looks like a basic template without the elevated, minimalist aesthetic luxury buyers expect. This is costing sales — people land, don't immediately see something desirable or trustworthy, and bounce.

Your ideas are spot-on and would make a massive difference. Let's build on them.

3 Key Suggestions to Boost Conversions

1. Revamp the Hero Section for Immediate Impact Ditch the diamond/sparkle header image entirely — it's abstract and unrelated to your inventory. Replace it with a full-width carousel or single high-quality lifestyle image/slider showing your best apparel pieces: models (or styled flat lays) wearing standout dresses, with overlaid text like "Curated Pre-Loved Luxury Apparel – At a Fraction of Retail". Make this the bold H1 headline. Change the main CTA button to simply "Shop Now" (clear, urgent, no fluff). Add a subline: "Authentic Designer Pieces, Expertly Curated & Verified." This instantly communicates value, builds trust, and drives clicks. (Pro tip: Use real photos from your inventory, not stock — it feels more exclusive.)
2. Add Prominent Category Navigation and Homepage Sections Your navigation is too bare — add a clear menu with dropdowns for top categories (e.g., Dresses, Bridal, Jewelry/Accessories, Designers A-Z, Home Decor if you keep it). Right below the hero, create a clean 3- or 4-column grid with large, aspirational images linking to your best-sellers: e.g., "Designer Dresses," "Bridal & Evening," "Jewelry & Accessories." Each column gets a hero-style product photo, overlay text (e.g., "Shop Dresses"), and a "View Collection" button. This makes browsing intuitive and surfaces your highest-margin items immediately. If apparel/bridal drives most sales, prioritize those and consider moving home decor to a sub-section to sharpen the luxury fashion focus.
3. Build Trust with Authenticity Highlights and Social Proof Luxury resale buyers are paranoid about fakes — lean into that. Add a dedicated section below categories: "Why Shop With Us" with icons/columns for "100% Authenticated," "Detailed Condition Reports," "Easy Returns," and "Sustainability Impact" (e.g., "Give Designer Pieces a Second Life"). Include a founder note or quick video if possible. Embed recent customer reviews or Instagram feed showing happy buyers/unboxings. On product pages, mandate multiple photos (front/back/details) and bold condition/authenticity notes. This reduces hesitation and cart abandonment.

Implement these, and you'll see quicker add-to-carts and higher average order values. Start with the hero and categories — those are low-hanging fruit for big lifts. If budget allows, hire a Square expert for custom tweaks. You've got unique inventory; the site just needs to sell the dream better. 

Hope that helps!

[Getonthebus]

Wowza! What a spot on response from @LukeNieuw. The category navigation is imperative to help shoppers. Anyone looking for a vintage piece of china is not going to want to look at a vintage piece of lingerie. Help streamline and make it easier to shop and YES! Let shoppers know on your home page - Vintage Luxury at a Discounted Price.

[Maisonfleurant]

Thank you so much! We greatly appreciate it.

[Maisonfleurant]

Wow! Amazing suggestions. Thank you so much!

[Traderandco]

Yep, I agree. When you first go to your page, it looks like it might be a fashion label, which is ok if that's what you are. but your USP (unique selling proposition) isn't that your a designer fashion label, you are selling 'vintage designer', which is great, and i'm sure there is a market for it, but the website doesn't make it clear. and really, if it's not clear in the first 3 seconds, you've lost the customer!

also, how do people know about your website or your brand? what is your marketing strategy?

[perkits]

Great suggestions! I would also look to pick up some social media influencers.

[mitin]

Hi @Maisonfleurant 
@LukeNieuw explained it great details, but my suggestions are in-line with those.

It’s clear you’ve put a lot of work into this, and while I’ve got some detailed thoughts below, the one-word takeaway is BRANDING. I know how tough the grind is for a new business, especially when you’re waiting for the traffic and sales to catch up to the effort.

First, a few "must-dos" for visibility:

• Get Indexed: Make sure the site is indexed via Google Search Console.

• Data is King: Get Google Analytics running. It’s the only way to actually see what people are searching for and where they’re dropping off so you can optimize.

• Performance: I ran a Lighthouse check—your metrics are solid, but speed is the outlier. You need to trim that down.

Since attention spans are tiny and most of your traffic will be on mobile, you have to capture them instantly. Here’s how I’d tighten things up:

1. Elevate the Aesthetic: To hit that "luxury" mark, swap the static hero image for a cinematic video of the floral process. Make the headline punchy and local, like "Exquisite Floral Artistry Delivered to [City]."

2. Mobile-First UX: Since mobile is king, implement a "sticky" Add to Cart button and use WebP images to keep your load speeds under two seconds.

3. Remove Friction: Add filters for "Shop by Occasion" or "Color." Crucially, move the delivery date picker to the product page so people don't get frustrated at the very end of the checkout.

4. Social Proof: High-end buyers need trust. Add an Instagram feed showing real arrangements and a visual "Size Guide" (Standard vs. Premium). Also, put some photos of the designers on the "About" page to give it that boutique, human touch.

Hope this helps!

[ehflower]

Great site.  Very responsive.  I was told you also need to add (possibly under the drop down about us) a faq (frequently asked questions page)  I did make one of these in CHATgpt  for our shop.  Apparently google likes that.  best wishes