Never rely on the online help to solve your users' problems. It is best to assume that users will never look at the help. Clutter is bad. When in doubt, err on the side of simplicity. A clean look and feel typically get much higher satisfaction scores than a crowded look with a lot of things going on.
Some animation is good.
Animated images and other techniques to add movement to the site can add to the users' enjoyment. Don't overdo it. We saw a grocery site once with a delivery truck that drove back and forth across the top of the page throughout the site. It drove people crazy after only a few minutes. The Mom Factor.