Web Site Design
Clearly a matter of taste for sure but for a business selling a product or service we think there are some key things any such website should be. First impression - clean and visually pleasing. There are some that have a great deal of images and flashing on the page that still seem to work ok. Generally though we'd start with something much more orderly where less can mean a better understanding and focus of what is there. One or two good pictures can add a great deal to communicating a concept as well as making the page look very good.
How much of your web site is actually going to get read? Well, the press may well study the MP's expenses pages in very great detail but we think it unlikely for the average site selling mobile phones or vending machines to get such thorough viewing. Generally a visitor is coming for some specific things and they look to the web for a fast and efficient way to get the information they want quickly and directly - that's one of the advantages over a library after all. So if you are offering cars for sale or lease they should be looking at the car they are interested in with just one or two clicks and not a lot of time downloading. Now from here we can (like Google Wheels) spread out the extra information they may want - MPG, bhp, extras etc. This is great Web Site Design.
Web Site Design liabilities
You can hit a downside from the above at this point. Should you put in your cost for the product and if it is one that's very available from many suppliers it is very easy for a potential customer to copy a description or part number at the point and just Google it to get a list of other websites selling the very same product and some may be cheaper (or appear cheaper and so effectively steal your lead. Very frustrating after all the time and effort you put in and doubly so if it isn't even true. There are things you can to mitigate against this.
If you really are as cheap as they come - just say so with the time worn (yet still effective) 'We will beat any like for like quote'. You could improve your Web Site Design with some caveats and warnings on sites appearing cheaper than they really are - testimonials from your customers. It may make sense to drop part numbers unless your customers would really need them to order online - that way they can't get a comparative quote so easily.
Finally I'd look to add some things that would defeat this problem and force the all necessary contact with Sales before they can really know or compare. This can be as crude as just not putting any prices on to adding a bonus feature than can be perceived as much more valuable than it costs you - two nights stay in a UK hotel, flights to Spain or a months supply paper - whatever fits. And don't do a 'Hoover' and offer something that would ruin the profit if it goes well. There are hundreds of good offers available that you can get cheap and are valuable to your customers, it just takes some inventiveness on your part - or some help from the professionals.
