In this episode of Boozy Browsing, Matt and Meeky step back from live site audits to talk about what it actually takes to prepare your platform for 2026. From shared monitoring mishaps to outdated workflows and reactive decision-making, they introduce the 3E Framework for building platforms that are resilient, fast, and ready to scale.

🍺 Featured Drinks: Tears of Our Enemies Scottish Ale (Westfax Brewing) & Orange Blossom Honey Pilsner

We dive into:
✅ Why relying on a single analytics or monitoring tool creates blind spots
✅ The 3E Framework: audience, creator, and developer experience
✅ How legacy systems quietly drag down velocity and revenue
✅ Why proactive monitoring beats firefighting every time
✅ What platform readiness really means heading into 2026
✅ How to plan quarterly priorities without over-engineering
✅ The role AI, automation, and modern DevOps play in scaling responsibly
✅ Why “good enough last year” won’t work this year

Links & Resources Mentioned
• Platform Strategy Playbook: https://www.ndevr.io/choose-the-right-platform-strategy/?utm_term=strategy&utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=social&utm_content=Meeky&utm_campaign=boozy-browsing
• Boozy Browsing: https://www.boozybrowsing.com/
• Submit your site: https://boozybrowsing.com#submit
• Matt Dorman on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/matthewdorman/
• Meeky Hwang on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/meekyhwang

🎯 Want help building a platform that’s resilient, scalable, and ready for 2026? Download the Platform Strategy Playbook or submit your site for a Boozy Browsing audit at https://boozybrowsing.com#submit

Matt sets out to do a real-world shopping test by going all the way through checkout, but the buying decision starts to unravel fast. In this episode, we browse e-commerce sites the same way real customers do and unpack the small UX, navigation, and trust issues that quietly stop people from purchasing, even when they’re ready to buy.

🍺 Featured Drinks: Buck Shack Cabernet Sauvignon (aged in bourbon barrels) & Psycho Penguin Vanilla Porter

We dive into:
How outdated visuals and cluttered layouts create instant doubt
Why inaccurate product photos confuse buyers and break trust
The breadcrumb and navigation issues that make shoppers lose products they already found
Missed upsell opportunities that leave revenue on the table
How strange URL structures and checkout layouts feel “sketchy” to users
Why customers default to Amazon the moment confidence drops

🎯 Want us to audit your website for quick conversion wins? Submit it at https://boozybrowsing.com#submit

Links & Resources Mentioned
Platform Strategy Playbook: https://www.ndevr.io/choose-the-right-platform-strategy/?utm_term=strategy&utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=social&utm_content=Meeky&utm_campaign=boozy-browsing
Submit your site: https://boozybrowsing.com#submit
Boozy Browsing: https://www.boozybrowsing.com/
Matt Dorman on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/matthewdorman/
Meeky Hwang on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/meekyhwang

Matt and Meeky are auditing real websites over Mexican Hot Chocolate Stout and Sweet Baby Jesus Porter, breaking down quick wins ANY site owner can implement—no developer required. From unclear CTAs to cluttered homepages, we're showing you exactly what's killing your conversions and how to fix it fast.

🍺 Featured Drinks: Left Hand Mexican Hot Chocolate Milk Stout & DuClaw Sweet Baby Jesus Porter

💡 WHAT WE COVER:
✅ Why "Learn More" buttons get ignored
✅ The contrast problem killing your CTA clicks
✅ How to know if your homepage has too much content
✅ Broken links hiding in forgotten corners
✅ Missing alt text hurting SEO and accessibility
✅ Outdated promos still showing months later
✅ Heavy images slowing page loads by 4+ seconds
✅ The 5-second test: "Do visitors know what to do?"
✅ Why competing offers confuse customers
✅ Hover states that signal clickability

🚨 THE REALITY CHECK:
We found 404 errors, 500 server errors, failed tracking scripts, and outdated Labor Day sales in November. These aren't edge cases—they're common problems costing real money. The good news? Most fixes take minutes, not months.

📊 QUICK FIX CHECKLIST:
- Run a link checker (or use SEO tools that auto-check)
- Compress images (switch PNG to JPEG for photos)
- Swap animated GIFs for MP4 videos
- Clean up outdated content and promos
- Add hover states to all clickable elements
- Test your site with tools like Hotjar to see user behavior
- Ask: "Can I see the main CTA in 5 seconds?"

💰 WHY THIS MATTERS:
Users form opinions in 50 milliseconds. Broken links signal neglect. Slow images cause bounces. Unclear CTAs mean lost sales. These aren't "nice to haves"—they're conversion killers. Small fixes = immediate impact.

Perfect for small business owners without dev teams, e-commerce managers improving conversion rates, marketing teams optimizing landing pages, site owners frustrated with low engagement, and anyone who doesn't need a full redesign—just quick wins.

🎯 Want us to audit YOUR website for quick wins? Submit at https://boozybrowsing.com#submit

🔗 CONNECT:
Matt Dorman: https://www.linkedin.com/in/matthewdorman/
Meeky Hwang: https://www.linkedin.com/in/meekyhwang
Subscribe: @boozybrowsing | https://www.boozybrowsing.com/

#WebsiteOptimization #CTAOptimization #ConversionRate #QuickWins #UXDesign #BoozyBrowsing #WebsiteFixes #EcommerceTips #BrokenLinks #PageSpeed #HomepageDesign

Meeky and Matt are back for Lightning Round Part 2, auditing 8 more e-commerce sites over sake and cider and this time, most sites actually impressed us! From Vuori's flawless 5/5 performance to accessibility fails and checkout quirks, we're breaking down what separates elite e-commerce from mediocre. Plus: why micro-interactions matter, the pop-up strategy that works, and what happens when your first site sets the bar too high.

🍶🍺 Featured Drinks: G Sake & Snow Capped Medium Dry Cider

🔍 WHAT WE COVER:
✅ The "Vuori Effect" (when one perfect site ruins your expectations)
✅ Red-green colorblind accessibility failures
✅ Voice-activated search UX (Cotopaxi's AI feature)
✅ Cookie consent disasters that break pop-ups
✅ "Quick Add" vs "Add to Cart" confusion
✅ Mobile vs desktop cart drawer differences
✅ Micro-interactions that create luxury perception
✅ Why checkout flow details matter more than homepage design
✅ Pop-ups that minimize to corners (the right way)
✅ Hover vs click navigation pros/cons
✅ When outdated design still converts

💡 KEY INSIGHTS:
-The Vuori Standard: After seeing instant performance, every "fast" site feels slow
- Accessibility isn't optional: 8% of males are red-green colorblind
- Micro-interactions = perceived luxury: Small animations elevate the entire experience
- Homepage simplicity wins: Less content overload = better scores
- Checkout deserves MORE attention: Small bugs here kill conversions
- Pop-up persistence problem: Sites that keep attacking users scored lowest
- Limited navigation reduces overwhelm: Fewer options = easier decisions

🚨 THE BIG TAKEAWAY:
This round proved e-commerce CAN be done right. When sites prioritize speed, clean design, and thoughtful UX over flashy features, users notice. But one perfect site (Vuori) reset our entire scoring system—proving how powerful good UX really is.

Perfect for e-commerce owners benchmarking performance, Shopify developers optimizing speed, web designers studying best practices, UX specialists evaluating checkout flows, and anyone who wants to see what "good" actually looks like in e-commerce.

🎯 Want YOUR site audited in our next lightning round? Submit at https://boozybrowsing.com#submit

🔗 CONNECT:
Meeky Hwang: https://linkedin.com/in/meekyhwang
Matt Dorman: https://www.linkedin.com/in/matthewdorman/
Subscribe: @boozybrowsing | https://boozybrowsing.com

#LightningRound #EcommerceAudit #VuoriPerformance #WebsiteSpeed #UXDesign #Accessibility #CheckoutOptimization #BoozyBrowsing #MicroInteractions #ShopifyOptimization #WebDesign #ConversionRate

Matt Dorman takes the mic solo in this lightning round of e commerce site reviews, but not before making one very on brand mistake. He recorded the whole thing without turning on screenshare and had to redo everything from scratch. But that is besides the point.

Once he recovers, Matt speed runs through a lineup of online stores, breaking down what works, what is weird, and what absolutely sends customers running for the exit. From sluggish site speed to checkout chaos to “why is this layout fighting me,” he points out the moments where brands build trust and the moments where they lose it in under three seconds.

It is fast, punchy, and a full tasting flight of UX wins, performance flops, and drink worthy design decisions.

If you care about conversion rates, user experience, or the pure joy of watching Matt roast a broken checkout flow, this episode is for you.

Takeaways:
• Slow sites lose sales
• Layout affects trust
• Consistency keeps people clicking
• A messy checkout is a drink worthy mistake
• Always turn on screenshare
#BoozyBrowsing #EcommerceReview #SiteSpeed #UXDesign #UserExperience #CheckoutFlow #ConversionRate #DigitalCommerce #ShopperJourney #TechTalk #WebDevLife #BrandTrust #WebsiteDesign #EcommerceUX #performancematters

🎯 Want us to audit YOUR website? Submit at https://boozybrowsing.com#submit

🔗 CONNECT:
Meeky Hwang: https://linkedin.com/in/meekyhwang
Matt Dorman: https://www.linkedin.com/in/matthewdorman/
Subscribe: @boozybrowsing | https://boozybrowsing.com

In this episode, Meeky and Matt pour a glass and dive into the chaos and charm of multi-team collaborations. Before they even get into the topic, Matt has to fight off a very determined fly: a perfect metaphor for the tiny, unexpected distractions that somehow derail entire projects.

Once the fly surrenders, they unpack why communication sometimes feels like a group text gone wrong, why alignment is basically the north star of any project, and why context is the secret ingredient everyone forgets to add.

They swap stories about what really happens when too many teams jump into the same kitchen, the messes that follow, and how a little transparency and trust can save the whole recipe.

Most importantly, they chat about leadership not as managing every little thing, but as setting the vibe, keeping the rhythm, and making sure everyone feels comfortable saying “hey, something’s weird over here.”

It’s teamwork with a twist and the fly didn’t stand a chance.

🎯 Want us to audit YOUR website? Submit at https://boozybrowsing.com#submit

🔗 CONNECT:
Meeky Hwang: https://linkedin.com/in/meekyhwang
Matt Dorman: https://www.linkedin.com/in/matthewdorman/
Subscribe: @boozybrowsing | https://boozybrowsing.com

#TechWithATwist #FlyBattleChronicles #FridayLunchAndLearn #CheersToTeamwork #BoozyBrowsing #WebDevTalks #TechTalk
#TeamCollaboration #WorkingTogether #ProjectManagementTips
#LeadershipInTech #DigitalTeams #TechCulture #CommunicationTips #BehindTheScenesTech #WorkplaceVibes #TechPodcast #DeveloperLife
#EngineeringCulture

We go through a detailed audit of the Benchmade knives website. They explore various aspects of the site, including user experience, performance issues, and the checkout process, ultimately providing recommendations for improvement. The discussion highlights the importance of user-friendly design in e-commerce, especially for premium products.

In this conversation, the speakers discuss various aspects of website design and user experience, reflecting on outdated technology and the nostalgia for the 90s and early 2000s. They identify areas for improvement in current websites, particularly focusing on technical challenges and the user interface.