Feedback for New Forum Design Part III

Dear Forum Members,

thank you very much for the feedback you've provided so far! Hopefully, by this point I've squashed nearly all of the bugs that may have appeared in the new design of the forum.

Since the initial launch of the new design, I've made many changes based on your feedback.

Please give me your continued feedback here. I'm looking for bugs, annoyances, suggestions. If you don't have any specific feedback in mind, it would be wonderful for you to give me a brief description of how you typically use the forum.

Thank you very much!

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I like all the changes, and posted that opinion earlier. I do have one suggestion - currently, when you go to an MSC's page showing all the discussions for that MSC, you have a link to that company's website. Clicking on the link does not open the new site in a new window. Instead, the new site opens in the same window, meaning that we leave this forum. Having some websites myself, I know it's a PITA to go back and change each of these links so that clicking on them opens in a new window, but as a user I think that's better, and as a website admin, it's better for you because it doesn't take us away from this site.

Keep up the great work!
@nutmegstategirl -- that's a great suggestion. I probably should have already thought of it! And, it is actually very easy to do. I just need to change the "template" for that type of page, and not each link. Which I just did.

Thank you!
I have no issues with the site layout. My only two comments are:

1.) If possible, have it so when Poster A quotes Poster B (let's say Poster B quoted a Poster C), Poster A's post will only show Poster B in the quote and does not include Poster C's post that Poster B quoted. I'm sure you're aware with what happens when a poster quotes a poster who quotes a poster, etc. It definitely gets quite ugly and difficult to read.

2.) Also, it would also be nice to be notified when we're specifically quoted or "mentioned," if this is even possible on this kind of forum platform.

Very infrequently shopping the Greater Denver Area, Colorado Springs and in-between in Colorado these days.
I love the design and the new forum, I always wished the job board was broken up into states or at least regions to make looking for jobs close to me easier. I can search on state but sometime they are listed with just the city. I can search on city but then there are many smaller cities and towns also near me.

I know 50 some boards would be cumbersome, I don't know the answer. smiling smiley

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 07/15/2015 10:51PM by JulieJ.
@JacobJ wrote:

Dear Forum Members,

thank you very much for the feedback you've provided so far! Hopefully, by this point I've squashed nearly all of the bugs that may have appeared in the new design of the forum.

Since the initial launch of the new design, I've made many changes based on your feedback.

Please give me your continued feedback here. I'm looking for bugs, annoyances, suggestions. If you don't have any specific feedback in mind, it would be wonderful for you to give me a brief description of how you typically use the forum.

Thank you very much!
I use the forum to see it on the forum because it is far better to see it than step in it and have to clean it off your shoes. I also, because I have been shopping since 2006, attempt to alert newbies with my "look before you leap" posts I frequently post. about the dangers suburbanites face in urban areas. In the urban area nearby the theft of tires, rims and whole cars are not even investigated as the police force was cut due to budget cuts and "shots fired" calls are given priority.I patrolled a different urban area in the state when I was a Sheriff's Officer but I was a volunteer first responder in 1968 in this urban zone when they had riots and shots were fired at ambulances. It gets real down there. Recently shots were fired, bullets entered a home and a baby was killed while it slept. Schedulers should note on shops that "suburbanites should not apply..Danger zone"
I really love the new design and find it much easier to read and find what I am looking for.

Judy Davis
Independent Scheduler
judyschedules@gmail.com
@JulieJ wrote:

I love the design and the new forum, I always wished the job board was broken up into states or at least regions to make looking for jobs close to me easier. I can search on state but sometime they are listed with just the city. I can search on city but then there are many smaller cities and towns also near me.

I know 50 some boards would be cumbersome, I don't know the answer. smiling smiley

Maybe require schedulers, MSC reps, etc. to post in a standard format for at least their thread title. Maybe rather than listing every single state, maybe have a forum standard for "regions" that'll include certain states per region?

Then again, that might complicate things and make things harder on the schedulers / MSC reps.

Very infrequently shopping the Greater Denver Area, Colorado Springs and in-between in Colorado these days.
What's there is helpful. An enhancement would be to be able to search for replies by state--to see which companies are active in my state and what feedback is being submitted for my state.
Looks a lot easier to navigate. I agree with opening links on a separate page. Thanks for this great forum and your efforts for continued improvement.
I sometimes get the "You Already Like This" message when I try to like a post. Is this because I've liked the original post and then I try to like a post that was in reply to that post? I can't really tell the difference between new posts on a thread and a reply to a post on the thread. Is there a way to make that display more noticeably?

It's possible that this isn't the reason I'm getting the "You Already Like This" message and I've just misunderstood.

Shopper in California's Bay Area
I like the new design, and thank you for the effort in putting this forum together. As a mystery shopper I value everyone's input and feed back is always important. Thank you for keeping this interesting and informative.
I like to jump between MS Discussion and MS Companies Discussion, but with the new set up I have to go back a few steps to switch easily. In other words, it was easier for me to do it the old way. Unless I'm missing something, like a link at the top of the page to switch forums, it was easier the other way. I find myself not checking in as often as I used to because it's annoying. However, thank you Jacob for doing such a fine job with the forum. It has provided a source for shoppers to find answers to all sorts of MS problems and concerns. The reading is usually enjoyable for the most part.

*****************************************************************************
The more I learn about people...the more I like my dog..

Mark Twain
Also it would be cool to look at a users profile and see what state and possible city they are in. I see some people asking about certain client's shops and sometimes I have those shops but I have no way to know what state they are in so I don't know if I can help.
The new forum is clear and informative. I do not know one other mystery shopper so it is good to hear about other mystery shoppers' experiences. I would like to know the sponsor of this forum. Does a company sponsor it and pay you, Jake. Do any mystery companies pay for gas? I would do more out of town shops if the gas was paid by the companies. It is good to hear about the companies that go out of business and the companies that merge. I can't remember the name of the company that closed the U.S. office and opened a mystery shop in Spain. My debt on the Visa card was forgiven when I closed my Visa card related to how that company paid the shoppers because that particular company went out of business here in the United States but is still listed on the MSPA.

One more thing I have to say. One company said I was identified as a mystery shopper and couldn't go to another location ever again so I have to go across town to do shops for this company. I have to wait for the end of the month bonus to make it worth my while. Has this happened to other shoppers?

Keep up the good work, Jake. I faithfully read your emails.

LSU Fan
I enjoy reading what other shoppers post. I find I learn different things reading the forum.

Thank you.
When do we get paid for all these shops that we do??
I've done several and have had decent scores such as 7/10 to 10/10 and still no blessings..
What is the schedule for payment..
Hi Jacob,

For me, the new design is a success, especially as it displays on my cell phone. There, it is easier to read and access threads. I use the forum to read topics or threads that interest me. I research new MSPs. I learn about mystery shopping and post to contribute what I can to the community.

Keep up the great work. smiling smiley

Happily shopping Rhode Island and nearby Massachusetts and Connecticut
@CaliGirl925 wrote:

I sometimes get the "You Already Like This" message when I try to like a post. Is this because I've liked the original post and then I try to like a post that was in reply to that post? I can't really tell the difference between new posts on a thread and a reply to a post on the thread. Is there a way to make that display more noticeably?

It's possible that this isn't the reason I'm getting the "You Already Like This" message and I've just misunderstood.

I like the site but I also wish that replies to a post would actually come right after the post.
I like the new format, easy to read and see. I like the context. Always like to read from other people who are doing what I do.
I do like the layout of the website. It is upfront, to the point. I have no feedback as of now. Shellyfran
Jacob,

I like the new design of the forum. I find it easier to read than the last format. I frequent it at least once weekly as I'm still new to the business and value the comments of "seasoned" shoppers. Because I'm still new, I copy some of the questions/answers posted on the forum and keep in a file on my computer so I can refer to it for future reference.

Keep up the great work. This site is invaluable!

GZot36sy
The changes are good, it seems much easier to navigate, it does not seem so crowded on the pages. I would like the ability for the page to open in a different window, so I don't lose the location I was at. Thank you!
I like the new format - easier to read for my old(ish) eyes.

MissChele - Shopping KY, IN & OH
Thread Killer
Bug report: When a signature has three or more lines, the auto-hide feature makes hitting the "like" button a game of hide and seek for me. When I move my mouse over the sig, it expands, but then when I get to the "like" button, it contracts and the like button goes up the page with it. I have to sneak up on the like button from below to click it. Since it is intuitive to be moving down over the post and sig to the "like" button, this feature is more of an annoyance than an enhancement IMHO.

Options: Remove the shrinking sig feature and/or limit sigs to two lines.

judyschedules above had a post that exhibits this behavior.

AndrewTX
Certifiable
Other than the disappearing signature, I love it! The look is fresh and modern. At first I didn't care for the button with "new participant" or "5k", but I found that when I click on it, it gives me the more precise information that I was missing.

Thanks again for all your hard work on this!

AndrewTX
Certifiable
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