The resurgence of the swing dancing fad during the mid-’90s has now faded away. Chances are, you will not see Big Bad Voodoo Daddy perform at another Super Bowl, or hear catchy swing tunes play in the background of TV commercials for cleaning products. Yet, thankfully for thousands of dancers across the country, swing dancing has not simply drifted away, as the movies Swingers and Swing Kids have drifted to the back shelf at video stores.
The popularity of Dancestore.com is proof that this joyous dance has not yet died. In fact, it is probably the most prominent on-line dance store among swing dancers. When arriving at the main page of the site, you are welcomed by the bright, colorful announcements: “Clothes, shoes, CDs, Videos, books, accessories and fun stuff.” There is not too much more that you can ask for from an on-line swing dancing store. To better understand the site, one must understand its target audience. This site targets swing dancers, focusing mainly on the Lindy Hop, a dance dated back to 1930s Harlem. Being a Lindy Hopper, I was able to evaluate this site from a personal perspective.
Halfway down the welcome page, there is a link that says, “Visit dancestore.com click here for directions.” The page gives detailed directions and outlines the hours of operation. By providing the directions to office and contact information, Dancestore.com makes itself both approachable and accessible.
There are excellent, comprehensive product descriptions. There is a color photograph of each item, along with a detailed description of price, size and washing details. Sometimes, for example with hair flowers, they even include a durability test and results to prove the product can stand up against the dancer’s sweat.
There is a broad on-line catalog, or list of products outlined in their “site map.” It provides a quick reference to see all of the products offered, from cufflinks to socks, along with direct links to each of the products listed. These thorough descriptions serve as wonderful examples of the clothing.
A 20-year-old swing dancer named Kristin selected the women’s shirts. By identifying the demographics, this serves as a form of customer testimonials. Dancestore is attempting to show that their products will satisfy dancers in the same age bracket, since most dancers range from teenagers to those in their mid-20s. For instance, when trying to load the whole site in a “scrolling screen,” they explain that there might be a long download time. Hence they suggest to, “go finish college.” This helps clarify who their audience is. The only visible testimonial quote is about the work ethic of a member in management: “He is, in the words of a fellow Lindy Hopper ‘a rather resourceful fellow.’”
There is a section for Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ). However, this section is not clearly marked in the navigation bar or in the site map. It is listed under “contact us,” which is not the first place people might expect such a feature to be located. While they don’t provide the actual FAQ, they do state the answers to possible questions regarding such things as return policy, size chart, “secure online form,” printable fax form, e-mail situations and international orders.
Under the “contact us” link, there is an outline of when an operator (“a real live dancer”) will be available. They explain that they are no longer able to answer questions through e-mail, due to influx of e-mail queries. Hence, they urge customers to call during office and “extended” office hours. They really try to stress that they are flexible and readily available for customers to contact them.
There is an “order” bar next to each item description that links the customer to the official order form, which can be submitted online, by fax or through the post. For a limited time they are charging only $3 for shipping, to promote ordering on-line. The regular shipping costs are also listed, according to your total purchase cost and whether you prefer to ship it normal delivery, UPS or FedEx. While there aren’t user surveys or follow-up requests, you can find a type of general feedback that asks you to send in requests for items not offered.
The navigation bar remains on the left-hand side with almost every page to which you are linked, making navigation very easy. They also provide options to simplify the process even more. You can make the entire text available in one scrolling page, or choose a “site map” which outlines the menu of products available. Because of the format, the shopper can be directed to the products available and how to find them. It is clear what is available and what isn’t (listed by noting, “sold out” or “out of stock”). This eliminates possible frustration.
The swing community is very tight-knit. Therefore, Dancestore already has the advantage of attracting a set of people who are already loyal and socializing in a dance forum. Yet, there isn’t a particular section that ensures repeat business or a group atmosphere. However, on non-sale items, Dancestore indicates that they are happy to take returns because, as they explain, they want their customers to be satisfied “dancing in the best.”
Throughout the site, they make it clear that operators are available to help. By having a “contact us” section and providing information about the whereabouts and telephone numbers of the establishment, Dancestore creates a feeling of comfort, knowing the customer order will not float off into the air, stealing their credit card numbers and never delivering the products.
Dancestore.com has done an outstanding job of fulfilling the requisites to a legitimate site. While the site is comprehensive, the amount of information does become overwhelming at times. I would suggest that they develop new iconography to represent their items, especially on the welcome page that states “Clothes, shoes, etc.” in text format. It would be effective if there were icons representing these words. Icons would be easy to produce.
It would also be nice to see Dancestore attempt to create even more of a community through such features as discussion boards and personalization. Yet, this might stray from the main purpose of their site and compete with the other swing sites. I also think it would be a good idea to offer a membership that entails discounts. This would be a way to create more personalization for site visitors so they don’t feel like a “cookie cutter” client.
Overall, Dancestore.com is a reliable, effective site. I tested their promises by ordering a pair of shoes online. I received them two days later and was surprised to find that I was only charged $3 for shipping.
The site is set up in a casual manner that makes it easy and fun to read. The content isn’t too wordy or extravagant. It uses plain English and caters to its audience.
After taking a look at the Web site, it is easy to understand why Dancestore.com has such a good reputation among swing dancers. So, if you are planning to take up swing dancing, already dance, or simply want to be dressed head-to-toe retro, swing yourself over to Dancestore.com (and leave the cheesy cliches behind).
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