Aftermarket.com - WEAK user interface

[ksinclair]

I never understand why websites make things hard to navigate. Aftermarket.com is a good example.

They are running an auction which ends today. So you have to hurry on up and get over there if you want to bid.

So you go to their home page. I see nothing about the auction. So I login. Still nothing. Hit the Home button; NOTHING - I get a page with zero listings. Even if you dont put up the auction listings, put up SOMETHING.

Ok, I think: look for a link on this home page. I search the page for words like 'auction', there is NOTHING.

Ok, go to the bottom nav area. Surely, they will have it there. I see Domain Listings, and under that Ending Soon. I get my hopes up! A bunch of domains! But they are not the auction. So its USELESS.

Kevin

P.s. I did eventually find it, but I had to start outside the website. If you want people to bid, why make it so hard?

[TZDomains]

Hi Kevin, I apologize for the difficulties you had finding the Aftermarket.com auction area. As I'm sure you're aware, the site is currently in Beta mode and we're still making upgrades where necessary. When you login to your account there is a purple box on the lower right-hand side. This takes you directly to the auction list, but it must be accessed from the Home screen. Overall, you are correct and we're making improvements to the auction bidding area so that it is easier to find in the future. If you have any other questions feel free to ask me here, on Twitter @aftermarketcom or email us at support@aftermarket.com. Hope this helps.

-AMcarron

[ksinclair]

I will look for the box; thank you for the reply.

But I think overall there are problems. In order to have a good user interface, you simply need to do is ask, for each page, "Where might people want to go? and is it easy to do so?". Just asking that one simple question, for each different page you have, will solve most of the problems without needed focus groups or beta or anything. Just that one simple question.

Let me give you another example. Lets say someone finally gets to the page listing all the domains for auction. You cant see them all; you have to scroll (and hope you dont miss one), but then you see a search box, so you think - "oh, a search box! i can just search; cool." Search: one of the basic metaphors of the internet; except your search box (upper right) does not pull up the domains in the auction, even though you can see some of them right on the page. Right in front of you; yet search does not find them.