Usability Poll

[BADFISH II]

OK, I had some jerk whose name and business I won't mention tell me BoatXchange (http://www.boatxchange.com) is not user friendly at all and hard to navigate. He also said the technology was not good. I want you guys to tell me and be honest - YOU WILL NOT HURT MY FEELINGS! Just be straight and vote what you think.

Rate BoatXchange (http://www.boatxchange.com) compared to BTOnline (http://www.boattraderonline.com) Boatsville (http://www.boatsville.com) Buyandsellboats (http://www.buyandsellboats.com) and Boats.com (http://www.boats.com)

What I'm looking for is how easy is it to navigate around and find what you're looking for compared to the other sites from a boaters perspective (YOU GUYS). Some of you have already checked it out and the other sites and can vote from experience, but if you haven't checked it out ... Check it out http://www.lasvegashotboats.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/smile.gif

[BADFISH II]

Oh yeah, keep in mind it's only been live since October, and there may not be inventory in every category - just disregard that and think in terms of the actual navigation and search features.

[Dusty Times]

I guess I'm your first vote. I just get tired of looking through listings (on other unmentioned sites) to find one boat of my interest. Boat Exchange works better than all the others for me. Can't wait till the word gets out.

[BADFISH II]

Thanks Dusty!

[kc0000]

Greg, love you and I'll do anything for you, including constructive observations....

Home Page
too much visual noise.... it shows up and I am overwhelmed and bombarded by text.... very little "white space"

Consider changing the style of the "browse used boats" to match the style of "boating links and resources".... the "browse..." just lays there and does not draw me in.... the "boating links...." with the clearer text and the little arrow does draw my eye to the information. Unfortunatly, my primary reason for coming to the site is to "search" and "shop".... Swap the "browse...." and "boating links..." on the page. "boating links is sitting on PRIME REAL ESTATE and is not the focus of the website.

As a current shopper for a used boat, I want to get into the site and find a large selection of boats that I might be interested in - in a hurry and with ease. Having said that, I want to see all of the "Hot Boats" within my $30,000 to $60,000 budget, over 25 feet..... I don't care about the age of the boat because bigger and older might be of more interest to me and my budget. Simplify the "step down into other pages" to be less steps by asking for price range and length range after I have selected "Hot Boats" and then SHOW ME THE MONEY!! Too much structure works great for those of us who are computer minded and anal retentive, but that get tossed aside when I WANT TO FIND SOMETHING IN A HURRY.....

Again, love you babe! KC

[BADFISH II]

Good info KC (you're sleeping in the doghouse Saturday night) http://www.lasvegashotboats.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/laugh.gif http://www.lasvegashotboats.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/laugh.gif http://www.lasvegashotboats.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/laugh.gif Just kidding - that's all good info and I need to hear it - it helps as we shape the site and make it work better for boaters.

Keep the 411 coming!

[BADFISH II]

KC, I just checked some of the comments and you're exactly right - I thought that same thing about swapping the resources section and the browse categories around from the start! We should be able to do that. I'm actually going to cut most of that links section out opting for a links directory I'm working on- I'll still leave the important ones - loans, insurance, Dealers (a self inputing feature for dealers), books, events, and then a general "Boating Directory" so the 12 that are there now will be reduced to 6 to simplify things.

I'm also toying with the idea of ditching the "Quick Links" section and opt for one link called "BoatXchange Tools" and going to a separate page, but I'm not sure yet.

We can chat some more about this this weekend - I'll be picking your brain some more.

[BADFISH II]

Ok, how would one want to search by length? Are the ranges I have good or should it be shortened?

[BADFISH II]

KC, click the boat search button at the top, check that out and let me know if that's what you're looking for, because you can search categories by price there.

What's more important after price, length or year?

[OutCole'd]

The only other site I have searched on is Boat trader. I like the way their site works. Easy for me. The only search functions I use, is maybe a "key word" (Deckboat), and Manufacturer. The rest is not as important, age, length etc.
Maybe narrow the location down also. I would not be traveling to New York to check out any boat.

Just my measly 1 1/2 cents.

(Passed) OutCole'd

[BADFISH II]

Thanks Bill, I like .02 cents... because if you get enough .02 cents it adds up to a buck http://www.lasvegashotboats.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/laugh.gif

[BADFISH II]

OutCole'd, just out of curiousity, did you try typing in deckboats in the blank box at the top right of the home page that says search used boats? Â*Did you try the "Boat Search" in the navigation bar - we request a keyword there too. Â*Granted, as I mentioned the inventory is slim right now. Â*It's still not even 4 months old.

I'm just curious, because I need to know how long it takes someone to find what they are looking for (even if I don't have that many listings).

I'm just wondering if the browse categories makes everyone lean to that instead of the searches where they could really find what they want. Â*I need to know. Â*fire the votes and criticism at me - I need AND appreciate it! Â*Because I do truly want to make it a great place for boaters like us.

BTW, you can vote as negative as you want and I'll still love you guys - just be HONEST! Â*I've had other comments on the side that it's super easy to navigate. Â*I think the disconnect is actually people who know "something" about the net vs. "nothing or not much at all" about the net. Â*The people that know something expect things, but the people that don't don't expect things, and they think it serves it's purpose and works fine.

Any opinions??/ Â*Fire away !

[OutCole'd]

In the beginning I was using the boat search function. That is the page I do not like. Way to much verbage. Less would be way more there. I now use the blank box on the home page, that is how I found the Conquest the other day. The main criteria I use is Manufacturer & Location, and maybe key word.

I realize the inventory is low, It will get there with time & the season coming.

[jkpruitt]

With all due respect, I have to side with some of the others; there are to many options/choices.

[BADFISH II]

It's going to be fixed soon http://www.lasvegashotboats.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/wink.gif Thanks for the input! I'll let you all know when it's done so you can check it out again for me http://www.lasvegashotboats.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/smile.gif

[duckbutter]

The whole thing sucks http://www.lasvegashotboats.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif if you can't sell a super Blazer like mine in a week the site is pointless http://www.lasvegashotboats.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif

[BADFISH II]

You're a nut! I'm taking out all subcategories. You will see the boat categories at the top right in place of the search box function. In the navigation bar I'm taking out boat browse, and leaving the boat search.

You'll ONLY have two ways to look at listings - clicking on a boat category on the top right of the homepage will bring up ALL listings in that category, they will not be separated by length or year AT ALL. So this way you'll get ALL HOT BOATS, or whatever.

OR, if you want to search specifically for a listing, you'll have to click boat search in the nav bar. This way you'll be able to put in the keyword (you can put anything in there, like 25ft. 2000 deckboat etc.) and you could narrow it down by location and price as well.

OK, NOW GIMME FEEDBACK ON THOSE CHANGES http://www.lasvegashotboats.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif

[OutCole'd]

Sounds much better. Remember, we are boaters, so we are not the brightest stars. It needs to be simple. http://www.lasvegashotboats.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif

(Knocked) OutCole'd

[LV-Advantage]

</span><table border="0" align="center" width="95%" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="1"><tr><td>Quote (Lakemead1 @ Jan. 24 2003, 08:38 am)</td></tr><tr><td id="QUOTE">You'll ONLY have two ways to look at listings - clicking on a boat category on the top right of the homepage will bring up ALL listings in that category, they will not be separated by length or year AT ALL. Â*So this way you'll get ALL HOT BOATS, or whatever.

OK, NOW GIMME FEEDBACK ON THOSE CHANGES http://www.lasvegashotboats.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif[/QUOTE]<span id='postcolor'>
If you do this could you make it a user option to list them in order of length, year, or price?

I thought it was pretty easy to navigate but i would be in the "Doesn't know much about the net group" http://www.lasvegashotboats.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/smile.gif I usually just click on Hot boats and go from there, I never really used the search functions.

[BADFISH II]

Check out the simplicity now! Look at the boat search button, and check out the categories. Tell me what you think! The home page is being adjusted as well, it's not done yet, but the search box will be gone, and the categories will be up there instead. The boat browse button will disappear. The links will go down underneath the featured boats.

I think this is about 100* easier, as requested fellow hot boaters!

[OutCole'd]

Greg, I check it out and the only thing left for me is, The "serch criteria" field does not need to be there and the location field , who is going to go out of this country to buy a used boat?

The rest looks good. Much easier to use. Less is more for me.

Great Job,
Bill

[BADFISH II]

with the search criteria, you can sort boats by price, I thought some people may like that feature?http://www.lasvegashotboats.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/confused.gif? No?

Also, with the out of country stuff, I've already got listings from Canada, and I'm adding european and other worldwide links to the link directory soon, so I may just leave that open for now, for grins. Links work, and I need them to have some connect. But I'll keep it in mind for later.

Thanks!

[OutCole'd]

That makes sense. I did not know you had interest from Canada. Just my narrow minded thinkin http://www.lasvegashotboats.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif

Talk to you soon.
Bill

[HolyMoly]

I think it is an excellent site. It does seem a bit noisy. It is not super easy to navigate, but I was able to figure it out.

Things that seem to make it difficult to navigate are all the catagories of boats, and some could almost be combined - like Classics, Daycruisers & Runabouts, and Hot Boats. I have a classic runabout high performance custom.

But, the advance search works well for specific searches.

Hope that was helpful.

[BADFISH II]

Hey bud, glad to see you over here again http://www.lasvegashotboats.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif It's all helpfull, we've made a lot of changes in the last week or two. It's better now, and giong to be even better!

[HolyMoly]

</span><table border="0" align="center" width="95%" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="1"><tr><td>Quote (Lakemead1 @ Feb. 02 2003, 11:32 pm)</td></tr><tr><td id="QUOTE">Hey bud, glad to see you over here again http://www.lasvegashotboats.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif It's all helpfull, we've made a lot of changes in the last week or two. Â*It's better now, and giong to be even better![/QUOTE]<span id='postcolor'>
Glad to be here. I broke my HB addiction and am making use of the other, much cooler, forums.

By the way, I have also been promoting boatXchange verbally to everyone that talks about boats, including Jim Wilkes. He said he would check it out, but he is not real internet savvy. I think with a little time, you will get the traffic needed to make boatXchange flourish. I don't think that boattrader online is very succesful overall - I think the brunt of their success lies in the actual plublications. I don't like their site - I think e-bay may sell more boats?

I am gonna try eBay for the first time ever this month. That is why I changed my listing on boatXchange to a classified instead of an auction.

[kc0000]

WAY BETTER!!!

Now I don't need a map to find my own arse!

Good job! KC

[BADFISH II]

Still a few more little things coming, but overall those are the big changes. Glad you like it! If there are any other suggestions or comments, please let me know http://www.lasvegashotboats.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif