Audiogon's New Facelift...

[Audioseduction]

New site looks real nice! I think it's about time they revised it. What are your thoughts? Seems to function pretty good so far.

 

audiogon.com

 

[esldude]

Well not sure it is good to discuss here rather than there. It looks slightly prettified. It seems to carry no info it didn't have before and what it has is in a slightly different place. I had hoped they would do something better with the forums especially.

 

So I am not one crying out against change, I wish there had been more change. For what little cosmetic difference I see, I don't think it was worth their bother.

 

[losingmyreligion]

"For what little cosmetic difference I see, I don't think it was worth their bother."

 

after a brief review, I agree

 

Search has gone backwards, unless I'm missing something, and that is the most basic feature for buyers. Now it returns every post that contains the search word, even if just i the description, e.g. if I'm searching for Devore in ad listings for Speakers, it returns listings which has Devore in the text, as opposed to the previous search results of listings with the word in the ad heading only.

 

Without a decent search, it's basically a glorified, and expensive craigslist, IMO.

 

Can't login yet to see if perhaps one can save a search (for auto notifications of new listings, such as ebay and elsewhere), but if they didn't add features such as this, I'll continue to use it as I have in the past, which is rarely, if ever.

 

clay

 

[Audioseduction]

Audiogon seems to be down since yesterday.

 

[wgscott]

 

By the way, do you know anyone in Nigeria with $20 dollars to invest in my bank account, or know where I might pick up some on-line sunglasses, green laser pointers, or viagra?

 

[catastrofe]

I like the changes I saw prior to them taking the site down. Search functionality is always going to be in question. I would prefer too many results rather than too few. I've seen plenty of ads where the seller can't spell, or leaves out important information that would result in a "no hit" if all that's searched is the title.

 

Unless they change it, we'll just have to be more specific with our search criteria.

 

[wdomeika]

Why is it that already excellent services like Audiogon and Gmail feel the need to take their simple, user-friendly, functional sites and screw them up in the spirit of "new and improved"?

 

I'm a long-time user of Audiogon on both the buy and sell side and IMAO these "improvements" have made their classifieds and auctions harder to search, harder to browse, harder to retrieve important information on a particular item you may be interested in and just plain slower.

 

If you go to their blog, it seems like there are nine "thumbs down" for every positive feedback. I wonder if those in control of Agon will wake up and go back to the format that has worked for them effectively for years.

 

Probably not...

 

 

my two cents.

 

 

 

[wgscott]

Now that I can see it, I think the appearance at least is a major improvement. I haven't tried to navigate anything yet.

 

[rancew]

Just went on the site today. I was thinking of listing something. I've sold a number of items on Audiogon over the years.

 

Unable to place an ad.

 

Navigation is awkward.

 

Searching for items returns a list of items, many of which are in no way related to the searched item.

 

What a mess...

 

[Melvin]

The search function is just terrible. I hope they can get it together soon. Lot's of unhappy people. The site was never pretty, but it was informative and functional.

 

[SoundQcar]

with the rest of you. I don't like the changes, especially the search function. I find myself going to the site much less as a result. Sad.

 

[Turboglo]

The worst thing about the search function is that you can't tell what category of item each result falls into. For example, used to be if I typed in "Cardas" I would get every item with Cardas in the title, grouped according to category: interconnects, speaker cables, power cords, etc. Cardas has its Golden Reference line in all three categories, so now I have to open each item to see which it is. I sure hope that changes.

 

[tubes59]

I agree with others...I'm also a long time user on both the buying and selling side and agree the new site is a total mess. I give it a total thumbs down.

 

[realhifi]

Surprisingly bad implementation. I'm not sure what they thought they were accomplishing but to redo a website and have LESS functionality and a MORE difficult interface? Wow.

 

[4est]

Agreed with the above. I was going to list some things, but I think I will wait. If I could not find it, I am sure others would have trouble too.

 

[Shibui]

AgoN has just gone from user friendly and a little dated to updated but eBay-cheap-looking and decidedly UN-user-friendly.

 

As someone who bought over 25K worth of kit on Agon just before the re-launch (if one can call this ongoing multiple-birth-process yielding one idiot child a real re-launch and not peg it as an ongoing catastrophe), I can not see doing further business there, as the site is now un-navigable!

 

The 'Search' function is non-existent except by selecting one of the 'Categories', and the results there are a jumble of everything! Even if one selects those, the results do not match the category at all as reported above and elsewhere, and are still a very numerous - pages, in fact - jumble of manufacturers and kit types (ie T/Ts, amps, music, cables etc)which does not narrow or focus one's search much at all.

 

AgoN has been rendered completely useless as a communal and commerce platform. I surmise that after the vendors, tradesmen and industry big kahoonas return from the CES and THE Shows there will ensue some turmoil and, hopefully, some regressive changes.

 

One can only hope that some sanity prevails, or Agon's community and commerce will be history.

 

I know I cannot spend good money there until that time arrives. I mean, you can no longer check feedback of the person or company you are sealing with - except as a generic score. (You cannot see the comments posted any more for more detailed and transaction-specific insight, as you sould before).

 

And the Audiogon staff are spending time deleting posts, replies and open queries on their own blog and elsewhere instead of taking care of business. That is juvenile and counter-productive to say the least. And might be characterized as a fatal error at some point, even when cooler heads analyse this ongoing fiasco - which began it's 'launch' in December, it should be noted.

 

We are well into the Labrynth here. Anyone got any string?

A truly sad state of affairs...

 

[Shibui]

TURBOGLO, or anyone with info, actually:

 

Where are you accessing the AgoN search function? Please, clue me in!

I cannot find a search window or button anywhere on the new AgoN site. On any page on the site.

Is it a trick or gimmicky thing, because I can't find ANY way to search.

AgoN has not answered any query re this, and without search funcionality the site is worthless.

 

Thanks.

 

[Guest Caner]

The prior version was easier to navigate, more simple and user friendly. With this, you can not see the pictures of the units sold unless you click on the specific ad.

 

Thumbs down for me.

 

[AudioDoctor]

you can not see the search window right there?

 

 

[jackfish]

No improvement as far as I'm concerned.

 

[Shibui]

Audiodoctor,

 

Yes, I can see the window right there, even without viewing the attachment. Be reassured that I am neither blind nor looking for fault.

 

However, I have not seen that utility on ANY of the pages I have viewed since the relaunch. Thank goodness there is one somewhere out there...

 

I see your browser is Firefox, but for us AOL users, and some other browsers too from posts I have read - including Mozilla/IE links - there are different results. EXACT SAME HOME PAGE with perpetual same featured listings, just NO SEARCH BOX!

 

My pages do not show the top-right 'Search' window, on any page at all on AuGOn. I have accessed AgoN via my bookmark, then avoided it and accessed via Google search and other routes, but still the same result - no search box visible or active in that position on the page.

 

FYI Thanks, because that is the 1st search window I have seen since the relaunch. (And I have just received another AgoN robo-reply instead of an answer ... and you answered first try! Bravo!).

 

Thank You

 

 

 

[AudioDoctor]

on any browser.

 

Safari, Chrome, or Firefox (which is Mozilla) or IE on any platform, Mac, Linux, or Winblows.

 

 

[losingmyreligion]

 

"My pages do not show the top-right 'Search' window, on any page at all on AuGOn. I have accessed AgoN via my bookmark, then avoided it and accessed via Google search and other routes, but still the same result - no search box visible or active in that position on the page."

 

I've never used this phrase before, but this, combined with the lack of any discernible improvements (with the facelift), calls for:

 

Epic Fail!

 

clay

 

 

PS, Shibui, love the alias.

 

 

[wdomeika]

Gee, I thought all 6 of you had passed away. How's that dial-up modem working for you?

 

 

hardy-har-har...sometimes I just kill myself.

 

[Shibui]

Now, Now, no hi tech snobbery, lads!

 

That's how we got here in the first place re this subject AgoN fiasco, after all. 'Progress' for 'progress' sake, instead of sane, organic and orderly growth. And the results to prove it!

 

And that's why I am staying with simple but good 2 ch audio and a hard copy music collection that I can hold in my hand, which, like my library of books, which will live on unchanged regardless, and not someday be 'deleted'. Or 'updated'. That does not mean, however, that I am not trying to learn and stay as aware as I can of current trends and technologies - which is why I am here on your computer audio site.

 

I have a pair of Emerald Physics CS 2.7s with a modded Behringer xover, but have not yet opted for the Spatial Tech Mac-based music server-room eq-speaker position eq system as I am not yet literate or informed enough for my comfort. If I am going to try the server lossless route, I want to make sure that I give it a chance, and make no judgement errors - as my bias is for hard not soft wares.;0

 

Clay,

I agree. This is an 'epic' AudiogoN mistake, regardless of what the techies and IT gits think. They may be in an untenable position. That seems to be dawning on AgoN since the bigwigs and heavy hitters got back from Vegas and started paying attention and raising hell. Several have written to me that they will only give it a short time before they take steps. We are talking megabucks here, and after all, this is America, where money talks. And votes!

 

BTW 'Shibui' is the name of my LaFitte 44 sailboat;0

 

Audiodoctor,

If you try and access AgoN through an AOL browser you will see that there is no space at all between the 'sign in or register' line and the yellow banner containing the 'Home, Buy, Sell, Learn' tags (above which the search box sits in your screenshot. I could not get a screenshot to work for me or I would post one here without the search window just like I am getting).

 

Thanks Guys