I just read the latest AW review of auctions.com and did want to make correct one obvious flaw.
The review said:
[quote]Accessing auctions that are closing soon remains more difficult than it should be (to do so, you must use the advanced search tool)...[/quote]
This is just not true. There are a variety of ways to access auctions that are to close soon.
First, the default display of all searches -- even the basic keyword search -- is in order of closing.
Additionally, all auction categories show the items in order of closing first (unlike eBay which shows the items most recently listed). This means that you see exactly what you suggested would require an "advanced" search to see by default.
Click on one of the categories there ... say Barbie, Bears or Diecast and the default "auctions in order of closing first" view will appear.
But there is more!
You will notice that under each category is a clickable icon that says "Auctions Ending Today."
There is one for each of the 19 top level categories. Clicking on this will bring up the listings of the items in that major catgory ENDING TODAY.
The page it displays, BTW, is this one:
As you can see, this "simple search" page lets you view just those items ending in one hour or just the BidSafe Items or just the new items... all without going to the "advanced search".
Finally, and this is one of my favorite navigational tools, there is what I call the magic blue button.
Here's what it looks like:
It appears on every Category listing page and will show all items from the categories listed on that page in order of closing.
To illustrate, lets say you're in Jewelry and fashion.
If you click on the magic blue button here, you'll see all items from gemstones to clothing displayed in order of closing.
But what you're interested in are watches. So you first click on the jewelry and watches category.
There you'd see a couple of dozen categories besides watches (bands, bracelets, etc.) You could click on the magic blue button there and see all these jewelry and watch items listed in order of closing.
But again, you're only interested in watches.
So you click on watches.
That next page shows you categories for childrens, womens and mens watches. But also spy the Magic Blue Button. If you click on it to see all the watches in the Mens, womens and childrens categories available in order of closing.
BTW: It uses the general simple search page above that lets you view just those items ending in one hour; just the BidSafe Items or just the new items... all without going to the "advanced search" as suggested in the AW review.
Since last minute bidding/buying is the norm in this industry, this error in your review was significant because it suggested that it is difficult to view auctions ending today.
The fact is, it is EASY to view auctions closing soon as it is the default view in virtually every search or category listing!
I would hope the review will be amended to correct this error.
I would also hope that the next reviewer would be at least observant enough to notice that auction listings, by category, are almost always in the order of closing first ... obviating the need to go to "advanced search" to find auctions in order of closing.
