Are you people trying to kill RFD?

[eldiablo]

Stop screwing with the something that has worked for years. The new look truly sucks and is very confusing.

[dirkpitt]

LOL... I was thinking the same thing--this new format isn't working so hot...

[0xffff]

RFD is the new Facebook. The userbase will complain, but they'll double their users within the year.

[mbg]

Please elaborate on your complaint?

Does it have something to do with the white flag in the "red"flagdeals logo?

Or the fact that there's no longer a Canadian double-entendre?

[Mykester]

Stop screwing with the something that has worked for years. The new look truly sucks and is very confusing.

As-aalamu alaykum my brother

[Lucky0810]

Stop screwing with the something that has worked for years. The new look truly sucks and is very confusing.

What's worse is their mobile app for the iphone. It's even slower than before, the main "home" page is a bunch of deals, rather than the different sections like "Forums, Group deals, etc.'' To get to the "forums" you have to click in the corner and choose from that rather than it being available with one click..gahh. and when I press the "home" button, it goes back to the random pop-up deals. lol :(

I don't like the website redesign either...I doubt our complaining is gonna make a difference though..They're not going to care

[dirkpitt]

Please elaborate on your complaint?

Does it have something to do with the white flag in the "red"flagdeals logo?

Or the fact that there's no longer a Canadian double-entendre?The page seems a lot slower to load today... twice I've had partial loads with hotlinks for each of the forums subsections instead of the full graphical interface, I've seen quotes without the grey background and " marks... etc, etc.

It seems better now, but it was not a smooth introduction to the new format.

And--it's change. I was used to the old format... :|

[JohnB]

The new look SUCKS in all regards.

[Ojam]

Update is almost as bad as when futures hop updated their site last year and nothing worked for months. I see text in the text box is still light grey. WTF is wrong with black? :facepalm:

[grimplin]

Stop screwing with the something that has worked for years. The new look truly sucks and is very confusing.

+1
Dislike:
The New logo
The general cluttered feel on the front page with unexplained large blank spots (probably for future advertising)
The New logo
The lessening of meaningful content displayed in each section
The new logo
Loading is definitely slower
The location crap - I don't want them to sort my deals based on location - I can figure that out for myself thank you very much!

[WeaponXXX]

+1. On this layout stuff. Usability and effectiveness has gone out the window


My Scores:
Overall Look to this layout: 10/10
User friendliness compared to the old layout: 1/10

Comments:
I can clearly see the regular sales promo's stuff which is good but its hard to navigate through the different categories of hot deals now. It wasn't great on the old page but it worked out.

I see that every page I navigate to, you have sponsor ad which is fine but could you make an entirely new section that houses each category of the hot deal and also show what has recently been added? top 5 would be great

| |
| SPONSOR AD | SPONSOR AD
| |
| |
| |


MOST RECENT HOT DEALS | MOST RECENT HOT DEALS BY ELECTRONICS <== Hyperlink to drill in(apply to all)
|
X | X
X | X
X | X
|
__________________________________________________ ______________________
MOST RECENT BY COMPUTERS | MOST RECENT HOT DEALS BY HOME<== Hyperlink to drill in(apply to all)
|
X | X
X | X
X | X
|
__________________________________________________ ______________________

[daveybuoy]

The main way I used this site is to hit refresh, glance at it, quickly, skimming the "Most Popular Deals", and the vetted deals that updated all day on the bottom of the page for new stuff.

Now you're forcing me to click all over the place. The redesign has destroyed the core function of the page, which was for dealseekers to take a quick glance at what's new.

Force feeding the deals community (a very, very technically agile user base) your sponsored deals with several clicks before they get to the meat will force us elsewhere.

Bad move.

[grimplin]

The main way I used this site is to hit refresh, glance at it, quickly, skimming the "Most Popular Deals", and the vetted deals that updated all day on the bottom of the page for new stuff.

Now you're forcing me to click all over the place. The redesign has destroyed the core function of the page, which was for dealseekers to take a quick glance at what's new.

Force feeding the deals community (a very, very technically agile user base) your sponsored deals with several clicks before they get to the meat will force us elsewhere.

Bad move.

100% agree
The main page was a great source of information before. Now it is awful. I don't see myself visiting as often or as regularly because the information I want will take 5 times longer to find. And frankly the idea behind the site should be to find the information you need quickly.

Instead the idea behind this new site is to force you to click through as many pages as possible, see as many ADS as possible and SPONSORED links as possible.

So - What other deal sites do people use?

[Lucky0810]

100% agree
The main page was a great source of information before. Now it is awful. I don't see myself visiting as often or as regularly.

So - What other deal sites do people use?

s m 4 r t
c 4 n u c k s

but it's not THAT much better

[ferkel]

s m a r t c a n u c k s w i n s

[grimplin]

s m a r t c a n u c k s w i n s

SO am I deduce (from the odd font of the previous two posts) that RFD doesn't allow you to post the names of other deal sites.

Let me try:
www.************.ca

WOW! That is lame RFD. Be confident in the product that you are offering! Throw it right out there and say hey, we dare you to compare! But blocking it - sad sad sad

[MrDisco]

SO am I deduce (from the odd font of the previous two posts) that RFD doesn't allow you to post the names of other deal sites.

it's been like that for years, well before any of the site redesigns.

[grimplin]

it's been like that for years, well before any of the site redesigns.

Still kind of lame isn't it?

[retrothing]

The main page of RFD used present a lot of information in a useful manner. The redesign doesn't. It provides four groups of six deals, along with a bizarre "Latest Deals in <Town>" heading that wastes space, because most of the best RFD deals are internet based.

I'm most interested in tech deals, but when I click the See More Computers & Electronics Deals link on the front page, it takes me to an expanded list that looks like a blog and I have to scroll slowly through irrelevant deals.

I could go on, but I doubt RFD staff are reading these threads. The design is far less useable than the old site. Period.

[MrDisco]

Still kind of lame isn't it?

there are some things just not worth fighting for. like the logo, these type of decisions do not involve the member base.

[grimplin]

there are some things just not worth fighting for. like the logo, these type of decisions do not involve the member base.

Frankly, judging by the comments, the logo seems to be just a pet peeve that people dislike. The real concerns center around lack of content and useability on the homepage.

[esq05]

Frankly, the only improvement over the older design would have been to make it work like slickdeals.net.

At least on my computer, it seems that the CSS is broken and things have just fallen whereever...

[yao416]

why they hide the +mulitquote thingy fffffffuuuuuuu

[PatrickTou]

This new web page design is the worse thing I've seen yet. You take something that works then change everything about it. I have bought thousands of dollars worth the stuff because of rfd
this now looks and feels like one big corporate ad site. It is at best confusing and i feel they have made a big mistake in changing it, i for one will most likely not continue in using it as it hurts my eyes trying to filter through all the crap.

[Hangman]

Not sure I like the new look either but I'm sure it'll grow on me.

However I am rather upset with the fact that the site currently does not keep me logged in even though I have it checked to do so.

Logging in on each visit is a minor annoyance but none the less it's an annoyance that I hope to see rectified soon.

[mrsandman]

Screw the complaints about the new logo, I'm still tryin' to figure to easiest way to get to Computer and Electronic Hot Deals in Forums.....:mad:

[zoro69]

Still kind of lame isn't it?

that site blocks rfd, other competitors and bloggers. When that site started they lifted tons of content from here and their owner was posting here, rfd wasn't going to give them free advertising

if people are thinking of switching sites, there are very few here who would be happy with the way that site is run/modded...very amateur hour.

[boblepp]

I keep getting logged out.

This is a mess.

[bridonca]

s m a r t c a n u c k s w i n s

Thank you for the heads up. I just opened an account. Not the disorganized mess redflagdeals is.

[bubble.tea]

it's been like that for years, well before any of the site redesigns.


Still kind of lame isn't it?

what's more lame is that you've been here since '05 and never realized this sooner LOL.

WHO THE HECK IS RESPONSIBLE FOR THIS MISERABLE *UPGRADE*????

[Derfel]

Force feeding the deals community (a very, very technically agile user base) your sponsored deals with several clicks before they get to the meat will force us elsewhere.

Bad move.

DINGDINGDING

Bingo. There are a few of us that have already started a competing site based on the "values" of the original RFD. I'm sure we aren't the only ones...

[richardvoyageur]

I dislike this new design very much. The logo sucks but I couldn't care less really. What will really keep me from the site as much is the front page. What mess of sales and local deals and white space and stuff I don't want to see.

The whole point was to see a bunch of deals all compressed into a nice area to quickly scroll through. Now I have to click all over the place just to look for the same thing (I feel like I'm just a big advertisement-looking idiot to them). I don't want to see local deals, that's why I'm on the INTERNET.

Oh, and the top 1 inch of every screen is completely wasted. I can really do without a blank line and the "Yellow Pages Group Company" thank you very much.

What a disaster.

[duckdown]

i don't mind the looks, it's a forum for discussion, i don't care what it looks like in that aspect at all. let them change logos, phrases, looks, thats all fine with me.

missing multiquote is a peculiar decision

what gets me though is the super annoying ads and popups and sponsored deals, those are no good.. luckily I haven't seen that mega-annoying blue "deals of the day" one yet since they upgraded though

[miss_swan]

I'm finding this new layout more frustrating than inviting.

I feel like i'm being spoon-fed ... just don't like it. Too little information, big blocky imaging and placing ... just don't like it. Takes longer where I want to go ... takes longer to find the information that I want. I know that's vague but hey, whatever.

I'll give it some time I suppose.

[archer23]

This new web page design is the worse thing I've seen yet. You take something that works then change everything about it. I have bought thousands of dollars worth the stuff because of rfd
this now looks and feels like one big corporate ad site. It is at best confusing and i feel they have made a big mistake in changing it, i for one will most likely not continue in using it as it hurts my eyes trying to filter through all the crap.

This new web page design is the worse thing I've seen yet. You take something that works then change everything about it. I have bought thousands of dollars worth the stuff because of rfd
this now looks and feels like one big corporate ad site. It is at best confusing and i feel they have made a big mistake in changing it, i for one will most likely not continue in using it as it hurts my eyes trying to filter through all the crap.

This new web page design is the worse thing I've seen yet. You take something that works then change everything about it. I have bought thousands of dollars worth the stuff because of rfd
this now looks and feels like one big corporate ad site. It is at best confusing and i feel they have made a big mistake in changing it, i for one will most likely not continue in using it as it hurts my eyes trying to filter through all the crap.

This new web page design is the worse thing I've seen yet. You take something that works then change everything about it. I have bought thousands of dollars worth the stuff because of rfd
this now looks and feels like one big corporate ad site. It is at best confusing and i feel they have made a big mistake in changing it, i for one will most likely not continue in using it as it hurts my eyes trying to filter through all the crap.

[archer23]

I dislike this new design very much. The logo sucks but I couldn't care less really. What will really keep me from the site as much is the front page. What mess of sales and local deals and white space and stuff I don't want to see.

The whole point was to see a bunch of deals all compressed into a nice area to quickly scroll through. Now I have to click all over the place just to look for the same thing (I feel like I'm just a big advertisement-looking idiot to them). I don't want to see local deals, that's why I'm on the INTERNET.

Oh, and the top 1 inch of every screen is completely wasted. I can really do without a blank line and the "Yellow Pages Group Company" thank you very much.

What a disaster.


x2500

I bought for thousands of dollars of RFD and participated in deals and such, it's a disgrace to impose this mass publicity stunt, force fed adds on a nice viable forum that's been running great, so many sites have gone wrong using this filling stupids brains with high volume adds route and all they do is get on ppl nerves and make them unhappy, this is bad

[masterhapposai]

Update is almost as bad as when futures hop updated their site last year and nothing worked for months. I see text in the text box is still light grey. WTF is wrong with black? :facepalm:

if I agree with Ojam, then something is seriously wrong and the site needs to be scrapped

[umop]

Give it two weeks and no one will care anymore.

[inferno_gn]

Hi there,

Personally, it's ok, but it is slower. It really lags alot with this new layout. :( I don't like the new logo, it doesn't feel "Canada" anymore... They should leave the Maple leaf back...

Ju Leon...

[Shaner]

Give it two weeks and no one will care anymore.

There's a difference between not caring, and realizing that the complaining is falling on deaf ears so there's no point in continuing to voice our displeasure. We voiced it last time much more so than this time and it accomplished nothing, so what's the point?

[Shaner]

Can you please at least get rid of that giant sponsored The Brick ad that pushes all the forums down?

And what on earth is with the grey text in text boxes? What is wrong with black?

[eager beaver]

x2500

it's a disgrace to impose this mass publicity stunt, force fed adds on a nice viable forum that's been running great, so many sites have gone wrong using this filling stupids brains with high volume adds route and all they do is get on ppl nerves and make them unhappy, this is bad

Like everyone else complaining, I don't like the changes one bit. What makes me believe the people who instituted these changes don't know what they are doing is that this was introduced now, just at the beginning of the biggest shopping/advertising season of the year. It would have been wiser to slide this in during the sleepy days of summer. I'm taking a break from RFD.

[MrDisco]

DINGDINGDING

Bingo. There are a few of us that have already started a competing site based on the "values" of the original RFD. I'm sure we aren't the only ones...

This sounds interesting. can you pm the link?

[canuckles]

RFD,

This site is so unfriendly to the RFD community!! I used to go this site daily.... multiple times. I may not be the most avid poster but certainly appreciate what others had to say.

Where is my electronics hot deals forum???? And my computers hot deals forum??? All mixed together with other forums.

thanks but no thanks...I will look for a site that is much easier to navigate.

Normally I love change as there are normally huge advancements but you have taken steps backwards.

I will from time to time poke my head back here to see if you have reverted back to your old format or made some much needed changes!!!

Signing out, Canuckles (Chris)

[dollarsign]

RFD,

This site is so unfriendly to the RFD community!! I used to go this site daily.... multiple times. I may not be the most avid poster but certainly appreciate what others had to say.

Where is my electronics hot deals forum???? And my computers hot deals forum??? All mixed together with other forums.

thanks but no thanks...I will look for a site that is much easier to navigate.

Normally I love change as there are normally huge advancements but you have taken steps backwards.

I will from time to time poke my head back here to see if you have reverted back to your old format or made some much needed changes!!!

Signing out, Canuckles (Chris)


You're not the first person to mention this, but I still don't understand entirely what you're referring to.

As far as I can tell, nothing has changed in the forum's layout with respect to categories. There's still a link to each individual prefixid on the main forum page:
Comp hot deals (http://forums.redflagdeals.com/hot-deals-f9/?prefixid=Comp9)
Electronic hot deals (http://forums.redflagdeals.com/hot-deals-f9/?prefixid=Elect9).

[mikka1989]

did RFD fix the mess? it seems back to normal on chrome on my computer, but i bet the mobile iphone app is still 'wonky'! all i want on that app is to SHOW the hot deals forum once i OPEN IT, very annoying to have to click so many times just to get back there! please any RFD admin, take notice of that!!! i know you want more clicks for 'advertising' purposes right

[Cheap_Scotsman]

Definitely on side with the naysayers in this debacle. The redesign is pretty awful but it's nothing totally unique to RFD. Most sites are taking on confusing, ADD-like formats right now with horrible link organization and lots of bugs. It's seemingly part of the drive to look "web 2.0" (3.0?)-friendly and hip like Facebook.

I'm definitely not a fan and have already been frequenting the main deals page less often as it gives me an instant headache.

[Kaitlyn]

What's worse is their mobile app for the iphone. It's even slower than before, the main "home" page is a bunch of deals, rather than the different sections like "Forums, Group deals, etc.'' To get to the "forums" you have to click in the corner and choose from that rather than it being available with one click..gahh. and when I press the "home" button, it goes back to the random pop-up deals. lol :(

I don't like the website redesign either...I doubt our complaining is gonna make a difference though..They're not going to care

Stay tuned - the iPhone app will address your one-click concern :)

[Shaner]

Definitely on side with the naysayers in this debacle. The redesign is pretty awful but it's nothing totally unique to RFD. Most sites are taking on confusing, ADD-like formats right now with horrible link organization and lots of bugs. It's seemingly part of the drive to look "web 2.0" (3.0?)-friendly and hip like Facebook.

I'm definitely not a fan and have already been frequenting the main deals page less often as it gives me an instant headache.

I don't even go to the main deals page anymore. It changes to Toronto all the time, so I have to change it back to my city, plus it has a total of one deal on the entire page before I have to scroll down. I don't know how anything that chases people away can be considered a success. Just blows my mind.

[bpopd]

The new look is completely hideous...and confusing

You guys need to make it easier to use, and more functional.

[Derek]

I don't even go to the main deals page anymore. It changes to Toronto all the time, so I have to change it back to my city, plus it has a total of one deal on the entire page before I have to scroll down. I don't know how anything that chases people away can be considered a success. Just blows my mind.

That shouldn't be the case. Online deals, and we post lots of them, everyday, are viewable by everyone. Can you send a screenshot to dszeto@redflagdeals.com?

[dirkpitt]

I don't even go to the main deals page anymore. It changes to Toronto all the time, so I have to change it back to my city, plus it has a total of one deal on the entire page before I have to scroll down. I don't know how anything that chases people away can be considered a success. Just blows my mind.+1 ... I just come straight to the forums, and never bother with the main page.

...and now that the multi-quote is back I'm used to the new format. It's kinda plain (red, white, black--and that's it other than the emoticons and user's posts). Not a fan of the bubble-style red flag, but meh...

..and I haven't had anymore loading problems since day one--so I'm over it.

[DaMooli]

:megusta:

[bigdavediode]

So until this mess of a redesign I hadn't tried s m a r t c a n u**s before, but I don't like the fact that they want to narrow my choices down by geographical location too.

Which makes no sense. I seems like RFD has opened an opportunity for a third Canadian website to move in.

(RFD -- note -- if you say "But things are still there!" when someone says they aren't, that MEANS NOBODY CAN FIND ANYTHING.

[MrDisco]

Which makes no sense. I seems like RFD has opened an opportunity for a third Canadian website to move in.


i have to agree. s*canucks has a nice community, but the way their categories are broken down is just mind numbing. but if it works for them more power to them.

i think it's time for an open source approach for a new community. something that is:
-lean. that means no silly sidebars, active menu drop downs, and nonsensical geowhatchamacallit 'features'.
-legible. contrast is the name of the game where links follow established web design methodologies.
-customizable. if a user doesn't want red and wants white on black, offer the templates
-focused. instead of engaging in feature creep, go back to basics and focuses on getting deals/freebies and talking about deals/freebies.
-a community driven approach. rather than having a handful of people control and dictate operations (and worse yet completely ignore and remain silent on issues), perhaps something which places the community first might work. the logo is a good example of where a community based contest to design a replacement would probably come up with some creative and interesting ideas.

unfortunately unless a significant # of content generators (that would be you and I) agree to post exclusively on another site a new competitor is bound to fail.

[Surrey-T]

i have to agree. s*canucks has a nice community, but the way their categories are broken down is just mind numbing. but if it works for them more power to them.


Agreed, didn't know about that site. I also hate the redesign, I wish they would focus on usability not bells and whistles that are largely unwanted. Sometimes success takes you away from what made you successful..

SD

[Shaner]

So until this mess of a redesign I hadn't tried s m a r t c a n u**s before, but I don't like the fact that they want to narrow my choices down by geographical location too.

Which makes no sense. I seems like RFD has opened an opportunity for a third Canadian website to move in.

(RFD -- note -- if you say "But things are still there!" when someone says they aren't, that MEANS NOBODY CAN FIND ANYTHING.

This right here!!! Seriously, to anyone that has any power over this site (whoever the hell that is these days), read this post and think to yourself, how is it a successful re-design when you're chasing people away to a competitor? I now go to both sites, whereas before I didn't go to any other site. I don't like either site right now. I find both painful, but don't think for a second that if your competitor puts up a more visually pleasing and more functional site, that people won't flock there from here. The fact that people are going there already should be alarming and should make you consider the fact that just maybe you made a mistake.

[bubble.tea]

This is so annoying.

Every page., I have at best 3 threads of viewing space. The upper half of each page is A WASTE.

3" of emptiness, to accomodate the 1cm empty grey banner., another cm for the grey banner housing the 'a yellow pages shameless plug'

then four cm for the weirdly fonted RFD banner, then 2 cm for the red banner with the home button etc etc.

then...then..then...

WHAT IN GOD'S NAME IS THE MEANING OF THIS???

I open a page, and I see 3-4 threads...THAT'S IT??? What ist he point of buying my twin 23" c/o RFD hot deals DDOD promos., if they only dispaly THREE THREADS???????

I can only shrink my font down so much. My eyes will complain if I shrink it anymore.

I would like to request that the person who made this decision be smacked.

[bubble.tea]

http://img85.imageshack.us/img85/9333/wtfgds.png


why so much blasted wasted spacing???? For GOD'S SAKE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

three threads??? Really?????????????? three????

[MrDisco]

why so much blasted wasted spacing???? For GOD'S SAKE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
three threads??? Really?????????????? three????

at first i didn't get what you were saying but your screen shot made things much more clear. it does look pretty horrible from that perspective lol. can you imagine if you were on a 13" netbook?

anyway it helps slightly if you use RIP and strip out those grey bars (and the TrU logo for good measure). might be able to squeeze one more thread in your view.

this is a perfect example of why i think a new community-driven site should be created where such nonsense is abolished and the valuable content which users generate is more accessible and legible. the aim of any content-driven website imo should be towards ease of use and getting rid of the pretty gimmicks.

[Shaner]

This is so annoying.

Every page., I have at best 3 threads of viewing space. The upper half of each page is A WASTE.

3" of emptiness, to accomodate the 1cm empty grey banner., another cm for the grey banner housing the 'a yellow pages shameless plug'

then four cm for the weirdly fonted RFD banner, then 2 cm for the red banner with the home button etc etc.

then...then..then...

WHAT IN GOD'S NAME IS THE MEANING OF THIS???

I open a page, and I see 3-4 threads...THAT'S IT??? What ist he point of buying my twin 23" c/o RFD hot deals DDOD promos., if they only dispaly THREE THREADS???????

I can only shrink my font down so much. My eyes will complain if I shrink it anymore.

I would like to request that the person who made this decision be smacked.

Be thankful, I only have 1 thread I can see before I have to scroll down.

[dirkpitt]

LOL... I hadn't even noticed the limited number of threads that are viewable, and can only see 8 (including stickies, since the number will vary) on a 24" running 1920x1080... maybe RFD is secretly trying to wear out the scroll wheel on our mice!! :confused:

[Troy_McClure]

is there anyway we can switch back and forth between new and old sort of like how google does their updates?

[aw04yha0tw]

The "hot deals" section per forum (e.g., hot deals forum for travel, hot deals for apparel, etc.) are much harder to access and was the only thing I really cared about. I now have to hover over "forum", click "all forums", then click hot deals travel, etc. The general hot deals section isn't really useful as there is too much clutter.

[Kaitlyn]

is there anyway we can switch back and forth between new and old sort of like how google does their updates?

No, there is no option to "switch" back and forth. The redesign is actually built on a completely new foundation and so there is no way to switch between them (the content, deal posts, etc. does not go into both systems)

We posted about the preview a little while ago with screenshots and then the beta website for people to try out. Now that it has launched, we are addressing bugs and user concerns - if you have any issues, please let us know!

[Celtics87]

No, there is no option to "switch" back and forth. The redesign is actually built on a completely new foundation and so there is no way to switch between them (the content, deal posts, etc. does not go into both systems)

We posted about the preview a little while ago with screenshots and then the beta website for people to try out. Now that it has launched, we are addressing bugs and user concerns - if you have any issues, please let us know!

My concern is how poor the layout functions. I'm not usually a bad guy, but someone should lose their job for this terrible roll out.

[canadiantj]

I don't know if I'm doing something wrong but each time I choose a forum or a forum topic, I have to re hide the task bar. GRRRRRR... very annoying. Please tell me I missed some setting to keep it hidden.

Like the new logo, but miss the old site too like all others.

[us3r]

please go back to the old layout!! thanks

[MrBurns]

Agree with the general sentiment of this thread; the new version sucks and the last two versions suck squared.
Page load times slower with all the unrelated crap filling every square pixel.

[Kaitlyn]

Page load times slower with all the unrelated crap filling every square pixel.

Actually, the pages should load faster and we're still working to make it even better!

[boblepp]

It popped up 12 times telling me about the same private message being unread, even after reading it the first time.

[PatrickTou]

It has been 1 month since the redesign. I must thank rfd i have not spent i penny since the change. Twice i almost bought stuff, o' wait the $700.00 projector that was on sale for 299.00
showed up on the hot deals front page the day after the one day sale. Nice going. The other sale was today, again on the front page of the hot deals and was the [US] Kindle Fire @ WM/target $$$123 1,. sold out even before it posted and 2. why is an American sale on the front page in the hot deals section when this is suppose to be RedFlagDeals Where Canadians Save. The hot deals on the front page is such a mess it just keeps rotating deals from the forums page. does anybody even check this stuff or is it just a bot. Well at least i will have a few extra bucks to take with me this xmas vacation down south.

[Kaitlyn]

It has been 1 month since the redesign. I must thank rfd i have not spent i penny since the change. Twice i almost bought stuff, o' wait the $700.00 projector that was on sale for 299.00
showed up on the hot deals front page the day after the one day sale. Nice going. The other sale was today, again on the front page of the hot deals and was the [US] Kindle Fire @ WM/target $$$123 1,. sold out even before it posted and 2. why is an American sale on the front page in the hot deals section when this is suppose to be RedFlagDeals Where Canadians Save. The hot deals on the front page is such a mess it just keeps rotating deals from the forums page. does anybody even check this stuff or is it just a bot. Well at least i will have a few extra bucks to take with me this xmas vacation down south.

We have the editorial deals section which exists on WWW.redflagdeals.com and the community-drive deals on FORUMS.redflagdeals.com

I believe that Kindle Fire deal only existed on FORUMS.redflagdeals.com. US deals are regularly posted - some can be shipped and others require what many call an "amerifriend". Generally these are indicated as US-only - but again, it's community-driven content.

The forums, especially, saw the smallest change. It was much more a "reskinning" than any sort of functionality change.

I could be wrong, but I believe the projector is exactly the same case. This seems to have nothing to do with the redesign...

[Kaitlyn]

It popped up 12 times telling me about the same private message being unread, even after reading it the first time.

Hmm, that's obviously not the intended functionality! :)

Have you gotten other PMs since the redesign? Any issue with those? I am regularly receiving PMs but have only received a single notice about them.

What did you do about these PMs? View them each time? Dismiss?

Sorry to hear about your frustration :(

[Tijuana]

I'm just curious... what was the rational behind the new design? Did you feel like the old format was outdated?

[bmedicky]

I don't have a strong feeling about either the old or the new layout, but here's a possible solution to the recent complaints: allow registered users to create a customized "landing page" when they access the site. They'd be able to control, to some degree, which elements will show up on the front page: perhaps links to a couple of forum threads, a list of current deals from a favourite forum, etc. The position of each element on the page would be user-selectable.

If memory serves me correctly, sites like Yahoo used to (or maybe still do) allow you to customize their front page to display the current weather, news feeds by category, email messages in inbox/other folder, and so on. It wasn't infinitely customizable, but was useful enough in allowing you to organize things in a basic way, displaying what you wanted to see and hiding things you didn't. You were allowed to choose from a canned list of elements and choose the positions for those you wanted to see.

Could RFD implement such a feature? I suspect it wouldn't be that hard to do. Maybe it could even be done by setting a browser cookie, instead of requiring a user login.

Worth thinking about, I'd say. It would appease the power users that dislike the site's new layout, and give them a measure of control in configuring their browsing experience.