New category system = FAIL

**randomo** · 08-17-2009, 09:01 AM

I just tried to add 3 domains to my sedo account, and I encountered the new system for picking categories.

First observation: it didn't work at all in Firefox.

Second observation: using Internet Explorer, I chose a category by using the cascading menus ... but then decided to look at some other categories. But I couldn't reactivate the first level of categories; I had to cancel the category selection altogether, then reopen it.

Why do companies insist on using software that clearly isn't beyond the beta stage?

Grumble, grumble ....

**SedoCoUk** · 08-17-2009, 11:00 AM

Hello randomo,

We were unable to replicate the issue mentioned in your post. Since the new categories and Auto Categorization Tool went online this morning, you may have encountered temporary issues. Please send us a PM if you continue to experience difficulty with the new features.

-Carolyn

**Acro** · 08-17-2009, 11:48 AM

New feature? How did I miss it?

Now I will have to test it out.

**randomo** · 08-18-2009, 09:06 AM

Still encountering problems; PM sent to SedoCoUk.

**Acro** · 08-18-2009, 09:51 AM

The new system is definitely confusing; I was looking for the Tourism section and it's hidden as a subcategory that does not make sense.

**randomo** · 08-18-2009, 09:58 AM

Originally Posted by Acro

The new system is definitely confusing; I was looking for the Tourism section and it's hidden as a subcategory that does not make sense.

All the different domain categories (3-character, 4-character, etc.) are gone; there's just one sub-sub-category called Domain Industry into which all "domain domains" must go.

Of course, sedo also kindly auto-categorized many domains that I had previously categorized by hand, so I need to go spend time repairing the damage ....

**Acro** · 08-18-2009, 10:36 AM

I guess this happened due to the re-indexing of the category structure. Bad programming. New categories should have pointers to existing (old) structure. I guess they just deleted the old pointers. I'll have to check and see what is going on in my account.

**SedoCoUk** · 08-18-2009, 11:21 AM

Hello everyone,

Thank you for those who have provided their feedback, we will pass it along to our Product Management Team.

The new categories allow you to better target your domain, which benefits sales as well as parking. Along with the expanded category tree, you now have the ability to search for specific terms. For example in the "Find a Category" box you search for the word travel. The Master Categories of Business, Recreation, Shopping and Sports are then bolded. Each of these has a sub-category of travel and you would then choose the one you feel best fits your specific domain. In the past you would have had only one choice.

All domains were mapped into the new expanded category tree. Of course we suggest ensuring that you are happy with the new categorizations. If you feel as though your domain has been categorized incorrectly please let us know.

If you have any questions PM us here or contact Customer Care at www.support.sedo.com

Regards,

Lisa

**Acro** · 08-18-2009, 11:25 AM

The problem is the remapping should not have occurred automatically. So now I have to check my entire portfolio for categorization.

**PRED** · 08-18-2009, 01:07 PM

does anyone even search like that
i would be very surprised if more than a small percentage did
surely people search for exact names?

**SedoCoUk** · 08-18-2009, 02:30 PM

Originally Posted by randomo

Still encountering problems; PM sent to SedoCoUk.

Hello Randomo - PM sent.

Lisa

**Poohnix** · 08-18-2009, 02:44 PM

I would say the category mapping of our domains failed miserably... at least 75% of the names are put in categories having nothing whatsoever to do with the name. The incredible thing is that this is at least as common for dictionary words as for others...
But I also agree - I have never searched for names via categories... partial name match, minimum.

Some examples of Sedos category mapping...

Interdicting = "Financial planning" ???
AHT = "Agricultural Produce" ??
alphadotcom = "Respiratory Disorders" ??
budgettobaccos = "Software" ???
jeopardous = "Chemicals" - well... no
foeti = "Humor" ??? - That's a real joke...
katabolism = "Motorcycles"...
kinswomen = "Primary and Secondary Education"...???
massacrers = "Motorcycles"... That shows what sedo thinks about Motorcycles!

minoroffenses = "Health/Education" ?????????????

**randomo** · 08-18-2009, 03:08 PM

They seem to have gotten the Firefox issue fixed; I'm still corresponding with them about the categorization and category-structure weaknesses.

**Poohnix** · 08-18-2009, 03:30 PM

Originally Posted by randomo

They seem to have gotten the Firefox issue fixed.

I was about to post that they still hadn't fixed it - I had to use IE to at all understand how the selection was supposed to be made, but after several reloads of the page it seems to work in FF too now.

**Acro** · 08-18-2009, 03:46 PM

The main issue is that the auto-categorization kicks in without our choice. I mean, WTF.

**fuelcells** · 08-20-2009, 02:30 PM

TWO of my adult names are currently categorized as non-adult by sedo and I haven't received help yet. Because of this, none of the links work on one site and irrelevant information is displayed on both. Currently losing revenue; one site has between 70-100 visitors a day.

Originally Posted by SedoCoUk

Hello randomo,

We were unable to replicate the issue mentioned in your post. Since the new categories and Auto Categorization Tool went online this morning, you may have encountered temporary issues. Please send us a PM if you continue to experience difficulty with the new features.

-Carolyn

It was acting up on me yesterday when I tried to manually set relevant links for my site and it didn't save- it just went right to an automatic keyword again. It especially acts up in the last few spots out of ten for some reason. Still haven't been able to manually set my "related links" right. Just doesn't save and goes to autmatic.

**Acro** · 08-20-2009, 02:39 PM

sedo needs to offer a switch to turn auto off. I haven't been able to find that yet.

**dodo1** · 08-20-2009, 03:36 PM

To give positive feedback, I like the new category system much better than the old one. Finally there are more categories to choose from and the process of assigning categories goes faster, too.

**randomo** · 08-20-2009, 03:54 PM

Originally Posted by dodo1

To give positive feedback, I like the new category system much better than the old one. Finally there are more categories to choose from and the process of assigning categories goes faster, too.

True - it does have its good points. However, by deleting some desirable old categories and auto-categorizing our domains without giving us a choice, sedo partially spoiled what could have been a nice success.