posted on June 21, 2000 11:21:54 PMI HATE IT
I LIKED the site the way it was - it was very easy to find stuff from the home page, they let you know up front how many items were listed in each category - so it wasn't broke, but they fixed it anyway - AAAARRRRGGGGHHH -Rosalinda
posted on June 22, 2000 10:31:31 PM
Everyone who objects to the new listing page "format" with photo and description at the bottom, the elimination of the category listing "count" from the home page (and from the entire SITE, as far as I can tell), or to any other changes Yahoo has made, PLEASE let them know what you think at:
posted on June 24, 2000 04:56:16 PM
Hi radh,
Since Sep 99 this is the first really major revamp. They have changed/added/deleted a few things, but this is the biggest overall change, and I really think not for the better. I agree the site map is a bit helpful, but it is far from comprehensive. I feel the changes have made the site less navigable and more fragmented. As someone who visits the site at least daily, it is a royal pain. I also HATE when a site hides their numbers from me - it makes me a bit crazy -Rosalinda
TAGnotes - daily email synopsis about the Online Auction Industry
http://www.egroups.com/group/TheAuctionGuildnotes
posted on June 24, 2000 05:26:33 PM
I think instead of wasting time on changes like this one, they should concentrate on important things, like improving the categories! Is it just me, or do you guys think their categories are VERY inadequate! I really have a hard time finding where to list some things that should be more obvious. For example, for collectible porcelain dolls... they are under the TOYS & GAMES>DOLLS category? Should be under the collectible section. And Porcelain bone china stuff? Under ANTIQUES & COLLECTIBLES>HOME & GARDEN>PORCELAIN>CHINA. Should be under Antiques and collectibles in it's own section (home & garden??) I'm not really complaining, every site has improvements it could make but if you're going to spend that much time in planning to re-vamp something, make it worthwhile on something that REALLY needs to be done... you know?
posted on June 24, 2000 05:53:11 PM
It's not so much that they make changes it's that they never solicit input about what members want changed and have never alerted us beforehand.
Last week (for the first time) they wrote members but only told us they were changing the sports card category. They have made numerous changes daily far beyond sports cards and I'm not sure they are done yet.
We'd love to see an Announcements Board and have begged for it for years. Many members have sent suggestions over the years for what changes we DO want with no results. It really seems that they don't listen to us, just proceed with whatever they think is a good idea. All we can do is keep submitting our input and hope.
posted on June 24, 2000 06:11:24 PM
It is funny, but in a way I like the fact that they remain aloof, and strictly maintain that true VENUE only stance. It at least makes us all equally ignored There is something robotlike about using Yahoo auctions, no personality, no interaction, but it truely feels like a level playing field. I send my input, but never expect an answer, just hope SOMEONE there is listening and that the changes will eventually show up! I too wish they had an announcment board, but only because it would make writing about them in TAGnotes easier :lol -Rosalinda
posted on June 24, 2000 06:42:07 PM
Rosalinda, you might be right that Yahoo might have the right idea with its robotic-like interface. Like heygrape, I've never been able to get my password from an old email account, I quit trying to get it from them about two years ago, lol.
Well it seems it is 9 months since the last changes. I don't think any of the websites have any idea how much the actual users of the site dislike CHANGE.
posted on June 25, 2000 08:46:18 PM
I can't imagine WHY Yahoo's hiding the listing numbers NOW---when the auction keeps growing. (Unlike ebay, who froze dropping listing numbers the entire day when they instituted the reserve fee, and now just states over four million items).
I agree with porcelaingirl that they should put their efforts into revamping the LISTING CATEGORIES and leave the rest alone. As the categories are, they're both inadequate and bizarre.
There are BARELY ANY antiques-and-collectibles subcategories, yet they have NINE categories under "homebrewing" (do they really NEED separate categories for homebrewing books, caps & corks, containers, crushes & presses, fermentors, ingredients, kegging systems & supplies, kits, and testing equipment??????) Most of these categories are almost empty, and half the listings there don't really BELONG in homebrewing, but there's no place else to put them because they're alcohol-related).
Craft supplies has 5667 listings, with everything from lace and patterns to torches and hydraulic presses. You'd think creating some subcategories for craft supplies would rank high on their list. Handcrafted Arts is in almost the same shape.
Then there's Birding Software, Bellringing, Origami, Camping Cookware (7 subcategories), Rock Climbing (13 subcategories), Home Services (14 subcategories like Pavement Sealing, Snow Removal, Roofing, Pool Cleaning, Hauling)---all empty/near-empty, USELESS categories which should be replaced with hundreds of MUCH-NEEDED listing categories for collectibles and antiques.
You have to wonder how they came up with their categories to begin with, and who else actually APPROVED them!!!!
posted on June 26, 2000 04:47:50 AM
Wow, granee!! I knew from the categories I've looked at that they were very inadequate, but I hadn't looked at a lot of the ones you just described, and had no idea they were THAT pathetic! wow... I know from my own experience, I have often gone to eBay to shop over Yahoo because I find the categories very frustrating to navigate when looking for something... So if I go shopping elsewhere, how many other potential buyers do?? Do they ever read suggestion e-mails from sellers or is it a waste of time to send one? (or two, or a million... )
posted on June 27, 2000 01:34:40 PM
I haven't even been there to look. Why? Yahoo is not my idea of an easy-access site.
I always lose my id or password because I never go there. I listed a couple of auctions but they never went anywhere. I hate their pic uploads. I prefer html. So shoot me. But, I'm going there right now. Maybe I should give it another try because I do buy there sometimes. And there are many sellers who've left other sites and are doing well there now.
May have to rethink this. But I'd have no problem just letting something sit there til sold, but have totally ruled out zshop mentality. I haven't the patience for it.
posted on June 27, 2000 01:39:54 PM
Me, too, millicent. I'm still thinking about it. Nonetheless, I wanted to make sure you learned about this liddle oasis over here at this AW Forum, with lotsa familar faces, and actually, some true success stories.
posted on June 27, 2000 01:43:39 PM
I like it radh. I really do. Rosalinda outdid herself with TAGS today or yesterday. I always get mine next day. When is the millionauctionmarch begin? Does anyone know, is it real, is it true? I'd love to participate.
posted on June 27, 2000 02:21:49 PM
Yep, it's true, toyranch has posted a buncha info at other boards, and he wants the whole thing orchestrated and operative on September 1.
posted on June 27, 2000 02:30:47 PM
I have looked at the website. It says it is under construction. Any idea when it will be live? And will there be ample time to decide which auctions to post, etc.?
Although I'm sure there will be lots of info as the day gets closer. I hope!
posted on June 28, 2000 07:34:44 AM
I think that's a great idea, browse4stuff.
Any idea where the exodus is going to? I don't really see any other sites out there that can even compare to eBay right now, including Yahoo!
I had a friend of mine who had told me another auction site was coming to seriously compete with eBay, but he wouldn't tell me any more... He is big into investing, however, so I am sure that has something to do with it.
If he tells me anything, I would be more than happy to let you all know.
-Rosalinda
Most of these categories are almost empty, and half the listings there don't really BELONG in homebrewing, but there's no place else to put them because they're alcohol-related).
)
