I am out!
I will not be using NAM market place any more... It is not inovative at all. It's a big soup pot with everything in it. No pictures any more, no subforums... Mess...
Nice thing, I will save some $$

NAM, next thing you need is to rework the rest of the site and f*** up what is left...

 

Actually, after exploring a bit more the new Marketplace is starting to grow on me.

The new search process is certainly not immediately intuitive, but works *much* better once you click on the "Advanced Search Options" and select the particular model (e.g., R53, R56, classic, etc.) you want. I think, if anything, this feature should be more prominent than it is, perhaps appearing just above the Category field?

I'm willing to give it some more time and see if I continue to warm up to it....

 

NAM had the best Mini marketplace on the internet, now it is just a forum with keyhole searches.

Cool air intake gives me “94 95 FORD CROWN VICTORIA PASSENGER SIDE HEADLIGHT RH R” on eBay?

If you want a used Mini you need to scroll down the car list just to find Mini?

Just put it back the way it was, it worked great!

 

I just noticed that Marketplace listings are now showing up in "New Posts" (parts for sale, at least). This is a HUGE improvement over them not showing up there. I still prefer the old marketplace browsing experience, though.

I just bought a three spoke first gen steering wheel for $50.00 today, and it looks immaculate in the photos. Where else am I going to find that part at that price? No, like it or not, I need the NAM marketplace. Hopefully some of our concerns can be addressed, and it will get better. But in the meantime, I, for one, will need to make the most of it.

 

i agree with everyone about how searching for specific gen parts is a lot tougher. now we have to click on every post to see. but maybe if people just posted what gen it goes with in their posting it would solve some of the problems.

 

The previous marketplace was well organized, easy to navigate and saved time by allowing the user to look directly where he wanted. There is a learning curve but after a few visits anyone can get proficient.

The new marketplace has no learning curve, but it is not organized, wastes a lot of the user's time and increases the chance of missing a good ad. Essentially, it is just like Craigslist.

Verdict: Big thumbs down on the new marketplace.

 

I agree with the general sentiment regarding the new marketplace. Not nearly as good as the previous version. I posted a reply to an add in the old marketplace and now I can't even find that add. Much more difficult to simply browse and find ten specific parts with the new marketplace.

I vote to revert to the previous version.

 

I was thinking the same thing. I'm quite certain that's about the most negative comparison someone could give. And also rather accurate.

 

What were you thinking? To much effort navigating.

 

The new marketplace is unintuitive and provides no initial affordances toward navigation. Without entering the advanced search feature, it's very difficult to search by category.

It seems like a lot of time was spent on coding the new marketplace and little to no time was spent mapping a new experience with better usability.

Personally, I would revert the marketplace back to the old format and hire a User Experience Researcher or someone with a degree in Human Computer Interaction to fix the huge number of problems present in the new marketplace experience. It's not at all ready for prime time.

-Clint

 

I agree Clint. No offense to the folks here at NAM.

But as a user experience professional with a focus on user interface, the marketplace is a fail. It wasn't the best before, but you could get around the marketplace. But now, I don't even bother. The removal of categories is one of the worst errors in my opinion.

It looks like the changes were made to give the marketplace the same look/feel as the forums.

It's a marketplace, an entirely different user experience.

I hope NAM will look at rolling back the UI to the old version and revisit a new UI to roll out at a later date.

Just my $1.00 worth.

 

I agree with the posters above. While the new Marketplace may be more robust and allow for more detailed specific searching, the old system was superior for browsing. The ability to come in to the Marpetplace and with two clicks (one on Marketplace, one on the R##) see a list with photos of recently posted items for sale that fit my car was great. Now I have to spend a lot more time entering search criteria and clicking around just to get the same result. I suggest making the system easier to sort by model type (R50, R53, etc) with a minimum of clicks, like it was before. Lots of users prefer that. The photo thumbnails were also appreciated, and I miss them. I think the Craigslist analogy above is a good one, and unfortunate. We need to move away from that format for the new Marketplace to be as well accepted as it was before.

 

i seach tires nothing wheels nothing
How is that helpful.
go back to the old format!!!!

 

Did you by any chance happen to see the forum based marketplace that was put up before the new marketplace product was installed over it? Would you be able to compare those Generation separated forums, with prefixes, yet all other aspects being exactly the same as posting a thread, to the current product that is installed on NAM?

And for those insisting this was just my way of attempting to randomly members, I'd like to ask how these following threads demonstrating recurring issues should be addressed when staying with the same system, means roughly 11 months before IB is convinced to pay for an update, then an update is installed and introduces a dozen more problems, while partially fixing a fraction of what was hoped to be addressed?

https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...-feedback.html
https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...rketplace.html
https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...fic-users.html
https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...subforums.html
https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...rketplace.html
https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...se-issues.html
https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...rketplace.html
https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...ing-an-ad.html
https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...ns-errors.html
https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...d-removed.html
https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...not-by-me.html
https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...d-missing.html
https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...ing-an-ad.html
https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...e-of-name.html
https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...st-a-sale.html
https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...ce-issues.html
https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...cancelled.html
https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...e-posting.html
https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...aaaay-off.html
https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...t-sellers.html
or emails chronicalling the following common repeating issues


Or anonymously posted contact us emails from the last few days, that arrived within 24 hours of each other

followed by
We have no way of sorting out legitimately sold ads from ones the software bug following the last update to solve a laundry list of problems (that didn't get fixed, and some made worse mind you), installed and added these new problems. If it were even possible (I seriously doubt that it is) to revert to even older Marketplace software, there would still be a whole host of complaints, many of which I linked to earlier in this very post. And I don't receive one of those sets of emails per week, I'm getting that between 5 and 50 times per week, and it's the same 20 or so issues and about 5-10 of them repeat themselves quite frequently. I can only go back to March before my email counter stops giving me a number of marketplace issues and just says "156 of many" If the photopost system is such a good interface then how come that list of common problems includes emails of "How I post an ad?" "I thought I posted an ad but I can't find it?" "How do I edit an ad?" When those operate the same as posting, that's a whole lot more intuitive for board users, this cuts down on those types of questions. And why should the marketplace be so foreign to the boards? Don't we want the marketplace to benefit those those who are here on NAM? Don't we want the users here on NAM to contribute to those forums? Isn't that part of what separates the marketplace from somewhere like ebay? NAM has 3,398,985 posts roughly 563 of which are so far today with (several hours left to go on the West coast), with only 461 ads in the Marketplace (none of which can be older than 90days thanks to a photopost update); wouldn't it stand to reason that if the forums are more active and we can help tie that activity in with the marketplace, and make it less of a headache to list things and less of a pain to find them (I've been assured that fixing the search function is a top priority), then more people would be willing to buy items that are listed, and may even want to sell you some of their extra stuff? Doesn't finding ways to make it easier and more reliable to post and browse serve the end goal? If you're missing out on an average of 10 new people every week that won't deal with the photopost marketplace because it's such a pain to use when they try it, then being 14 weeks into 2012, we've already turned away more than 140 possible listings. Now I know that the usability of the new system isn't 100% there yet and I am for those reading my posts actively seeking input for ways to make that goal of being as easy to list and browse a reality, and consider for a moment the fact that photopost may not be getting the job done for everyone, and is more akin to a well polished (one may even say chromed) turd.

If we were looking at complaints of advanced features I may understand it a little better, but when such basic fundamentals bring in complaints in the hundreds if not thousands; I can't really buy into the fact that this works well for the vast majority, when 28 people have responded to this thread, and some of the specific comments and points of feedback have been integrated already (like I said before we now look at days instead of months of turnaround with a much higher success rate of troubleshooting), and several of the comments are made by people who have fully failed to read my initial post as well as the 2nd post I've made to this thread, and I doubt they'll be reading this third one, but concrete suggestions, modifications and features added or removed are welcome, and I'll gladly broaden it to those who think I'm some sadistic buffoon deliberately scheming to make people change their bookmarks in some evil plot to take a look at the issues raised about photopost earlier in this thread and offer a solution to all those problems without making any changes.

 

Drew,

Thank you for taking time to point out something I did not address in my post earlier, namely your efforts and NAM's efforts to move the marketplace to a more stable and manageable system from the backend. Thank you and NAM for doing the best you can to provide services to visitors and members like me.

I've read through all of the links you posted. Yes, I did take time to see the common complaints and also the odd requests made of you and the NAM team to either upgrade, tweak, or program into the marketplace system.

While I'm not a fan of the new interface, I fully understand the reasons for moving to the new system. As as UI/UX designer who works within the boundaries of IT infrastructure constraints, I know first-hand there is only so much you can do to improve the interface while rolling out a new backend system. Sometimes, getting the backend running properly and working out the bugs will take priority over improving the UI.

I say these things to offer my own apology for jumping to conclusions regarding the new marketplace. Yes, I would like to see the UI improved, but I'll be the first to say I'll work with the present system as you continue to improve it.

Folks are not keen on change, especially when it affects the UI. But I fully understand the scope of why the change was made. +1 for the decision to move forward.

Thanks for taking the time to address my earlier post Drew.

If it helps, I'd like to volunteer some of my time to help out, if you and NAM are open to any assistance.

James

 

James, no need to apologize; and understand it wasn't all directed at you, your post just provided me a good starting point to address many things raised in this thread some of which I had addressed once or twice in this thread already (and I am reading every word). The more we can do to make the UI better on a stable platform the better, so if you have ideas now, or think of something on your morning commute or something like that, please feel free to return here to offer them. This is a transition phase, and I'm willing to work with people to find out what they want to add move or subtract, and then take that to the tech team to see if we can make it happen as people are getting used to the system.

I understand that once the search function is fixed (I'm really hoping tomorrow, but I know it's being worked on I don't know how close the tech guys are to having it fixed), that's going to make a huge improvement on the usability, and the layout has already been filp flopped so it's easier to get right to generation selection points, and we'll be adding links, to help further integrate with the forums making the resource more seamless for forum users.

There's still about 400 or so as a rough estimate ads, that people haven't dual listed to try out the new system, as time goes on and those people check up on their ads, this thread and dual list, the listings will populate more increasing the amount of results on hand and generate even more opinions.

 

I read these posts and what I see is the Administrator trying to substaniate a problematic site that was good, but then someone got smart and tried to fix it and missed completely. Mr or Ms Administrator (aka Motor On) your readers are expressing themselves to you. They don't like the reformatted Marketplace. I agree with them. Don't try to defend a position that is a complete failure. Your core readers who express themselves all over this site on a regular basis are giving you feedback and you are not only ignoring it you are arguing about it.
What if Baskin Robbins went from 36 flavors to only one flavor and that flavor was dog crap? Would you try to tell people it tasted good when they were all telling you it was crap? That's kind of what you are up against. Your readers are telling you the "new marketplace" is not working for them and you are trying to force them to like it. Sorry Motor On, that won't work. Best of luck to you and NAM. I will go elsewhere where the site administrators may appreciate their readers and not tell them how wrong they are.

 

IMHO, the new format is the result of selling out. People spend more time hunting for ads, thereby increasing exposure to advertisers. Not to mention the new non-forum member ads from outside advertisers. I'm guessing an outside company bought the classifieds section of the forum and is running it. Good for NAM owners, inconvenient for forum members. It will probably succeed well enough to not need change it back to the way it was.

 

I agree with the person who said

"IF IT AIN'T BROKE DON'T FIX IT" I can not even find my own item i have for sale.

 

You may add my name to the list of others who liked the old system better. It was so easy to see what was recently added (also with pictures) in any catagory. There are times that I end up interested in something that I had no intention of buying. In your new format I have to be looking for something. Sorry but I liked the old one much better.
Steve

 

I sure hope you can do better then this.. when i search for R53 parts, i get parst for NIssan, honday etc..

WTF?????????????????????????????????????
?????????????????????????????????????????????????

 

I just tried to find MINI parts for sale and MINI cars in the new marketplace, but I couldn't find anything related to . Now, after a couple of weeks of this, I am not a fan of this "new" marketplace. It is pretty much useless to me. Sorry NAM.

 

So am I to understand that you see none of the 95 ads posted here: https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...-for-sale-387/
And none of the 12 ads posted here: https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...-for-sale-388/

That have all been posted within the last 8 days, and that if you click on a generation of MINI in the search bar on the left


You are unable to see any ads display?

Can you tell me if either of these:
https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...nvertible.html
https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...-cooper-s.html
Or either of these:
https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...il-cooler.html
https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...om-2010-a.html

Links are working for you?

 

I have had no issues navigating through the new marketplace. I still like the thumbnails in the old one, but if I want to save money and buy used parts, either system will help.

I have a couple questions to be cleared up: If I go to the marketplace under 'Minis in General', do I see all the ads? Similarly, if I go to the marketplace under '2nd gen minis', is it limited to the ads that are specific to 2nd gen? Is the R** number used to determine what subcategory?

Thanks, and keep up the effort. This remains the best MINI forum.

Mike

 

Going through MINIs In General, will show everyingthing and if you want to narrow, you may run a search to do so, going through 2nd Generation MINIs (or one of the other equivalent forum links) is essentially a search of that generation already having been run for you, so if you have a 2nd gen and regularly want to seek out just those parts it's a few less clicks for you, and it's tied right in with the forums so it should be a little easier to get to them from the discussion sections. It's a suggestion that was brought up just before we made the change and something we thought would help those who just keep tabs on their generation and the marketplace.