PlanetPastel.com is an information and services portal targeted primarily at the business user. The portal`s stated aim is "to provide all the relevant news, information, advice and services that the business community may require on a daily basis".
Developed and backed by Pastel International, the portal allows business users of Pastel software to obtain a presence on the Web in one of three ways - a free listing in the Business Directory, a store in the consumer-oriented Shopping Mall or in the Business Park, which tends more towards the business-to-business end.
Unfortunately, this means that the range of choice at this portal is limited by the various types of businesses using Pastel software - and it shows. Many of the categories have few or no listings.
Appearance
The portal is colourful, well designed and carries a sense of energy and vitality. These elements are carried through to the various sub-categories very well - but click through to the actual shops and the aesthetics take a nosedive.
This may be attributed to the fact that Pastel users basically create their own storefronts using the plug-in software in conjunction with Pastel Partner or Pastel SOHO accounting software. So, while this makes creation of the store and integration of orders into Pastel a breeze, I assume it must place significant limitations on the look and feel of a storefront.
This means shops are very utilitarian in their appearance and functionality, and they can sometimes be the victims of badly chosen background and text colours which hamper visibility.
Functionality
Although the site is very simple to use from the homepage, functionality drops the deeper into the site you venture. Using the shops themselves isn`t too bad - as long as you`re not a newbie. Experienced e-shoppers will be able to think laterally enough to use the very vague sections within shops.
Another gripe is that the search engine doesn`t work - on a page featuring a shop that is described as selling CDs and DVDs, I tried a product search using the string "CDs" - nothing found. It works better as a store finder, which is another option.
Content quality
The site features news and feature articles sourced through a content partnership with Acuity Media Africa. News is fresh and regularly updated.
Navigation
Navigation through this site is simple enough - provided you`re a patient enough browser not to mind having to continually come back to the homepage to get from one place to another.
What also burns me is that one can never tell just where in the sub-categories you are unless you cast your eyes across the very chunky URL which more often than not looks like this: http://www.planetpastel.com/Edge/PlanetPastel/Search.asp?BusinessMode=Business&CategoryCode=FurnApp&SearchType=Stores
Surely PlanetPastel.com`s developers can muster up the energy to refine this aspect of the site.
Litmus test
The purchase process is run of the mill - go to a store, add a product to your basket, and check out. However, useful information is very hard to come by.
To determine whether I`d be paying for shipping, I had to go into the Help section of one of the shops - and from the very disjointed paragraph, realised that I would only be able to find out the cost of delivery when I chose a courier option during my purchase process... that`s assuming I was actually going to buy anything at all.
This site is a great way to get hold of businesses using Pastel accounting software, and even though it`s not too attractive in some places, holds a degree of value for e-procurement managers and even the odd browse-by consumer.
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