I still have to disagree. You only get a a generic, template-looking site if you use a website builder that uses pre-designed templates.
OK, then...
One of the website builders I recommended before - Exai.com
Oh, so this isnt a "generic template" kinda things. So I signed up to the free trial.
I was asked for a business name(test company), my businesses expertise(ecommerce)and a tagline(this is a tagline)
the next step was to decide between 6 absolutely horrible templates.
so I chose one, and then I could edit my site.
I had to change the menu to another of around about 30 different choices for my menu. I suspect its all images, but you know, that isnt important. It looks better now, and I chose it from the list therefore I customised it. I also played with the fonts a bit, I'm sure you can spot where I've been.
I was sold on the premise of not having to worry about my "mobile site" EXAI was going to take care of that for me. phew what a relief. unfortunately my android phone makes it look decidedly unhappy. and that header size is massive! oh well, its out of my control.
please one and all I invite you to grill the life out of my made in 10 minutes EXAI website.
test-site.exai.com
I'll leave the judgement up to others but my own opinion on exai.com 1/10
lets hope the next 13 days of my "free trial" convert me.
I mean I told them I wanted E-commerce straight up. first question.
wheres my options for payment gateways? shopping carts? product lists even? anything?
it felt gimmicky and not at all intuitive. I have to essentially delete every thing they have generously placed in for me using their "dynamic templating" (read AP divs.) to even have some sort of "blank canvas" to work from or I use the generic, template-looking site variant offered up to me. I'm limited to having to change fonts using <font> which is ironic considering they are using the html5 doctype and <font> is I'm afraid to say deprecated.
editing in "design" mode felt like MS paint. no fine control.
forget about jquery integration. it aint gonna happen.
an every single component essentially looks like this in the source.
HTML:
<div class="tm-background">
<div id="i1048656"
class="tm-item tm-background-item tm-site-headerBackground "
style="top: 0px; bottom: -75px; display: none "
data-label=""
data-binder=""
data-item-type="tm-background-item"
data-view=""
data-view-options="{}">
<div class="tm-style-box backgroundtheme-4bs399aoag grouped"
style="" data-aspect-ratio="0">
</div>
</div>
</div>
ok at least its not a table. points for that, but its a bit of overkill dont you think? and occasionally you see a bit of this.
HTML:
</div>
</div>
</article>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
when using HTML5 why on earth would you need 13 levels of nesting!!!
Again you are still designing within the parameters the site builder gives you. That is the main constraint, frustration and hesitation still. As a "designer" I can think of nothing worse.