Website Design

Bad Websites – The 40 Worst Websites on The Web

Rushik Shah User Icon By: Rushik Shah

Ever clicked on a website that had you gasping in disbelief? Maybe it was jarringly outdated, had unreadable fonts, or simply failed at being user-friendly. Let’s break down how this actually messes with business owners:

1. Lost Revenue: Visitors click away in seconds, costing you money. Each click is essentially a burned dollar bill.

2. Reputation Damage: Think about it. A poor website design is like showing up to a business meeting in your pajamas. No one takes you seriously.

3. SEO Nightmares: Google hates it too. Bad user experience equals lower rankings.

4. Time Drain: Constant troubleshooting, instead of focusing on sales and strategy.

5. Frustration: It’s like having a bad employee you can’t fire.

6. Lost Opportunities: Kill those big client opportunities.

7. Customer Complaints: Your inbox is flooded with not-so-nice comments.

8. Low Conversion: Potential leads never materialize into actual customers.

9. Competitor Edge: Your rivals are scooping up your frustrated visitors.

10. Emotional Strain: The gut-wrenching feeling of knowing your website is a roadblock, not a gateway.

 

The Shocking Reason Your Website Sucks

Ready for the curveball? It’s NOT because you’re bad at tech or design. And it’s definitely not because you’re unlucky. The shocking root cause is often Information Overload. Yes, we’re swamped with so many design options, SEO tips, and user experience design best practices that we lose sight of what’s important. And the irony? Most of that information is out-of-date or irrelevant to your specific industry. That’s where hiring a skilled UX Designer in India can make all the difference in streamlining your approach and focusing on what truly matters.

Why Most Solutions Fall Flat

You’ve tried revamping, you’ve hired freelance designers, heck, you’ve even considered deleting everything and starting from scratch. But these are Band-Aid solutions. They’re not tackling the main issue—cutting through the noise to figure out what your business actually needs and avoiding common web designing mistakes.

Bad Websites – The 40 Worst Websites on the Web

Searching for the crème de la crème of web design? Brace yourself—you’ve veered off course! Today, we’re diving headfirst into the murkier waters of the internet to explore the 40 worst websites out there.

But hold on, we’re not talking about obscure web pages no one’s heard of. No, we’re spotlighting high-profile sites that are shockingly bad, considering their popularity or significance. If you’re a web designer in India or a connoisseur of fine design, you might want to look away—this is going to be a bumpy ride!

1. Craigslist

Why it doesn’t work: So popular and so in-demand, one can only think if the overt simplicity of the site is rationally intended.

Craigslist Website Design

Craigslist Website Design

2. Berkshire Hathaway Inc.

Why it doesn’t work: Its austere design is woefully inadequate for a multinational conglomerate.

Berkshire Hathaway Inc. Website Design

Berkshire Hathaway Inc. Website Design

3. Yale School of Art

Why it doesn’t work: While aiming for artistic flair, it ends up sacrificing functionality and straightforward navigation.

Yale School of Art's webpage showing a bad web design.

Yale School of Art’s

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4. University of Advancing Technology

Why it doesn’t work: Its outdated design is a poor match for an institution focused on advancing technology.

University of Advancing Technology's website.

University of Advancing Technology

5. Suzanne Collins

Why it doesn’t work: For someone who crafts stories for a living, her website fails to tell any.

Suzanne Collins' website

Suzanne Collins

6. Budgets Are Sexy

Why it doesn’t work: The casual tone and design seem out of place for a site focusing on serious financial matters.

Budgets Are Sexy

Budgets Are Sexy

7. Internet Archive Wayback Machine

Why it doesn’t work: A great utility hampered by a user interface that feels like a relic itself.

8. Interrupt Tech Corp.

Why it doesn’t work: Ironically, the design itself becomes an interruption to the user experience.

Interrupt Tech Corp.

ITcorp

9. Dollar Tree

Why it doesn’t work: The clutter mirrors its brick-and-mortar stores but detracts from the online user experience.

Dollar Tree's website

Dollar Tree

10. Toronto Cupcake

Why it doesn’t work: The whimsical design undermines its own professionalism.

Toronto Cupcake website

Toronto Cupcake

11. Agents of America

Why it doesn’t work: Lack of aesthetic appeal and confusing navigation make it unwelcoming.

Agents of America

Agents of America

12. Illuminati Exposers

Why it doesn’t work: Its design distracts more than it enlightens, fittingly.

13. Rite Aid Pharmacy

Why it doesn’t work: The site’s complicated interface doesn’t inspire confidence in their healthcare services.

Rite Aid Pharmacy

Rite Aid

14. Exelon

Why it doesn’t work: Overuses corporate jargon while under-using good design principles.

Exelon

Exelon

15. Vortex Technology

Why it doesn’t work: The design pulls you into a vortex of confusing navigation.

Vortex Technology

Vortex

16. CashNetUSA

Why it doesn’t work: The chaotic layout doesn’t inspire confidence in their financial services.

17. UPS

Why it doesn’t work: For a logistics company, the site itself is a logistical nightmare to navigate.

UPS website's homepage

UPS

18. Paul Graham

Why it doesn’t work: As a thought leader in tech, the website is embarrassingly behind the times.

Paul Graham

Paul Graham

19. Turner Construction Company

Why it doesn’t work: Poorly constructed web design that doesn’t reflect well on a construction company.

Turner Construction Company

Turner Construction

20. Pacific Northwest X-Ray Inc.

Why it doesn’t work: It’s as transparent as lead, fittingly for an X-ray company.

Pacific Northwest X-Ray Inc.

Pacific Northwest X-Ray Inc

21. American Axle & Manufacturing

Why it doesn’t work: Mechanically sound maybe, but digitally not so much.

American Axle & Manufacturing

AAM

22. Begley Living

Why it doesn’t work: The design doesn’t live up to the modern standard of web aesthetics.

Begley Living

Begley Living

23. Paulo Coelho

Why it doesn’t work: It lacks the mysticism and allure that his books have in abundance.

Paulo Coelho

Paulo Coelho

24. Connection

Why it doesn’t work: Ironically, does a poor job of connecting with its audience due to its subpar design.

Connection's Website

Connection

25. ACME Laboratories

ACME Laboratories

ACME

Why it doesn’t work: Looks like it was designed for a Saturday morning cartoon, not a real audience.

26. USA Real Estate

Why it doesn’t work: Makes the American Dream look more like a nightmare.

USA Real Estate

Propertybuyusa

27. Maverick Industries

Why it doesn’t work: The design tries to be a maverick but only succeeds in being confusing.

Maverick Industries

Maverick Industries

28. Stephen Fry Heroes

Why it doesn’t work: Fails to do justice to the legendary figures it aims to highlight.

Stephen Fry Heroes

Stephen Fry

29. Riverside Art Center

Why it doesn’t work: Its layout and design are more abstract than the art it showcases.

Riverside Art Center

Riverside Art Center

30. Roadside America

Why it doesn’t work: A poor travel guide for the digital age.

Roadside America

Roadside America

31. JPMorgan Chase & Co.

Why it doesn’t work: Surprisingly unrefined for a company that deals with finances.

JPMorgan Chase & Co.

JPMorgan Chase

32. James Bond 007 Museum

Why it doesn’t work: Neither shaken nor stirred into anything visually appealing.

James Bond 007 Museum

007 Museum

33. United Airlines – Investor Relations

Why it doesn’t work: Does little to lift up investor confidence.

United Airlines – Investor Relations

United Airlines – Investor Relations

34. Empire Metal Products

Why it doesn’t work: More like an empire of poor design choices.

35. Atari Best Electronics

Why it doesn’t work: A throwback to an era of design best left in the past.

Atari Best Electronics

Best Electronics

36. Plains All American

Why it doesn’t work: As dull as the plains it’s named after.

Plains All American

Plains All American

37. 4chan

Why it doesn’t work: Its design is as chaotic as some of its threads.

4chan's website

4chan

38. Internet Archeology

Why it doesn’t work: Should be excavated and redesigned from the ground up.

39. The One and Only Sparkella

Why it doesn’t work: The colors are so overly vibrant that they detract from the content.

The One and Only Sparkella

Macmillan

40. Bob Saget

Why it doesn’t work: A comedian of his caliber deserves a website that doesn’t feel like a joke.

Bob Saget

Bob Saget

Conclusion:

Poor website design isn’t just an aesthetic issue; it’s a functional one that can undermine a site’s purpose and alienate its audience. Our list of the 40 worst websites serves as a cautionary tale for anyone in the digital space. It’s clear that no matter how big or reputable the name behind the website is, bad design can significantly impact user experience and overall effectiveness. May these examples serve as a wake-up call for much-needed updates and improvements in web design practices.

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