New Interface is Live

[Lee_Owen]

Originally Posted by loquax But it's not bugs... it's useability! Surely you could have just added the "new features worth a mention" into the old system? That would have been great and definately fallen under "improvements" and "enhancements". It's like you've taken a car that just really needed some go faster stripes and fluffy dice to make it top notch, stripped it down and turned it into a Robin Reliant without a steering wheel! And why didn't you talk to affiliates first before going from the best interface to now one of the most dire? You did talk to affiliates first... ? Jason

To see some of whom I presume to be the bigger affiliates who contribute to this forum, react the way they have and not even consulted, does seem a bit astonishing to say the least. I don't understand why they changed a perfectly great and useable layout to this one, the best of all the networks, when the old one just needed a few bits of tweaking with the new additions rolled out. But people have already said that.

Plus I feel sorry for the recent Daddy on here, not only has he got to do nappy changing and see the effects of, he has to log into to TD to do work and see the same colour. Sorry but that's what I thought. Continuity has been completely thrown out.

[renegade]

I totally agree with Jason - I had my whinge over in the other thread so I'll leave it at that.

[ChrisM]

Another bug for you - the total on the front page (once logged in) hasn't changed all day (I've also tried logging out and in again), but theres commission showing on todays report. On the Account Balance Breakdown Report the overall commission total is different again, but not the total on the front page plus the commission today. Not sure which to go on

[Rich]

Originally Posted by TradeDoubler Finding all Programs: You can now find all merchants by using the search feature. Simply leave the search empty and run the report. It will then list all our merchants. However, if you want to see more merchants on a page simply change the row length.

When I try that it shows "The search result is too big and has been truncated.". It does include Yves-Rocher, so I don't think it is actually truncating things, but it doesn't fill me with confidence.

Is there a list including the small introduction to programs like it was before? E.g. Say I wanted to find all merchants that sold books? In the past I would go to the entertainment category and look down the program descriptions and would probably do the same for the shopping category. Now I can do a search and limit it to shopping or entertainment, but that gives me a list of 200 programs that it then takes 2 clicks to get to a description.

[Lee_Owen]

And in tangent with that, when clicking on the balance on the front page (can't anymore), you used to be taken to an account balance page which also showed compensation amounts and other 'ouside the system' changes, now you just get the account breakdown balance page.

[km8]

Originally Posted by TradeDoubler Hi Guys, We released the new interface because we wanted to make your life easier and introduce some new technology that can help you generate more commission. The last thing we wanted to do was to frustrate you with bugs.

We do appreciate that and, by and large, it's not bugs we're complaining about - it's less intuitive/less functional usability.

I'll make some comments based on how I personally use TD.

Originally Posted by TradeDoubler Getting links: I can see this has become a big issue. One of the major reasons why we did this is because we now have thousands of creatives, on the network and the site and links page will loads much faster ...

I don't get this one.
Usually, I get links for a single merchant on a single site at a time. Granted, I may not be typical but that would mean I was looking as a dozen (say) of merchant x's links at one time. The speed saving from not showing me a preview of those 12 images is insignificant to me.

Originally Posted by TradeDoubler Finding your programs: This report is still available. You can use this to find the merchants you have relationships with. This has not change, but is now under 'other reports'.

... or 'Special programs' if you're not in the UK (why the change of terminology?)

Originally Posted by TradeDoubler Finding all Programs: You can now find all merchants by using the search feature. Simply leave the search empty and run the report. It will then list all our merchants. However, if you want to see more merchants on a page simply change the row length.

OK, gotcha! - guess we'll get used to that.

Originally Posted by TradeDoubler Reselecting a site: When you use the search function simply type in part or all of the merchants name and select your site. Then hit run. On the results page you can quickly do another search with the same site. Previously the process was much longer. You had to click choose program, then narrow down by category and then select the advertiser. Now you can just search for the merchant.

OK, I don't get that one. Before, I would click 'Your programs', scroll down the list to the site I wanted to work on and click the merchant. Seemed easier and more intuitive to me.

Originally Posted by TradeDoubler ------------------------------------------------------ Delete a site You can now delete an existing site you no longer use. I received this request many times and I thought you would really like this. Simply go to ‘settings’, then site info and you can delete an old site.

OK, I'll go for that. Haven't tried it but i sounds good.
It would be good if we could also delete merchants. I joined some, never did any business with them and don't intend to any more, but they're still there with no way of getting rid of them.

Originally Posted by TradeDoubler Change username It is also possible to change your username. This was also high on the request list (settings, account information, change username)

OK, I'll go for that too. Haven't tried it but i sounds good.

Originally Posted by TradeDoubler Commission from each site The Account balance report now shows how much each of your sites have generated.

OK, I'll go for that too. I've had a look and can't find that, but that could be me.

Originally Posted by TradeDoubler Change country You can easily navigate between countries. Prior to the release you had to click on change country and then select your country.

Yep, thumbs up, that is an improvement!

Originally Posted by TradeDoubler And finally……..AdTool The AdTool is a tool which enables you to easily build your own ads with products feeds even if you have limited programming skills. You can design and optimize the template, unlike many other units in the market.

Yep, that too looks like it could be really good. Haven't had a chance to play yet but it definitely has potential.

Originally Posted by TradeDoubler Once again I would like to say thanks to everyone for your feedback. Your feedback has been noted and you will see a few changes within the next month.

Thanks for the explanations Andy - you knew it would be traumatic, didn't you?

This is intended to be constructive, not knocking for the sake of knocking.

I'm a daily user of TD who uses all the reports provided daily. I think that, even when I get used to the new interface, it will still take me longer to do the daily maintenance and reporting stuff. While I appreciate the new tools, I'm disappointed that the daily tasks will take longer and the single most requested upgrade (go on, guess: 'stats last updated') seems to have been missed.

[Mogga]

Someone needs to convince me that having to reclick what site I'm on to get the right code for the link when the top of the list of the page shows the right site isn't a complete waste of my time.

Yes things are hard to find - I'll get used to that - but having to repeatedly change site value is unneccessary.


"Commission from each site
The Account balance report now shows how much each of your sites have generated"

That sounds useful - can't find that either.

[drivetowin]

Originally Posted by TradeDoubler We released the new interface because we wanted to make your life easier and introduce some new technology that can help you generate more commission. The last thing we wanted to do was to frustrate you with bugs.

So why not release it on a different url first, that way we could all have had a look and given you feedback on what didnt work without it affecting the day to day profitability of our businesses

Originally Posted by TradeDoubler Getting links: I can see this has become a big issue. One of the major reasons why we did this is because we now have thousands of creatives, on the network and the site and links page will loads much faster if the image details are shown. You can also search for images instead of having to click through to categories. However, we will look into this in much more detail and we will try to make this user friendly. Please be patient with us on this. We will try showing the graphical elements without having to click on them. So you will have the new search benefits and the old benefits.

Frankly I would rather wait an extra few seconds for the old page to load than the current incredibly slow process which the majority of the time doesnt work at all - I cannot run my screen at higher than 1024x768 resolution as thats the limit on my graphics card on my laptop so I cannot obtain the code for any banners which are 768x90 - go on set your monitor to 1024x768 and try it - it cant be done - grrrr.

Even for smaller resolutions it now takes me at least 10 minutes to get the code for one banner or to create a text link (since the link matrix is unavailable at launch - whose bright idea was that!! - I'm glad you guys didnt build the space shuttle, the countdown would be down to 2 and you'd all be asking around to see who had a match to light the ignition!!)

Originally Posted by TradeDoubler Finding all Programs: You can now find all merchants by using the search feature. Simply leave the search empty and run the report. It will then list all our merchants. However, if you want to see more merchants on a page simply change the row length.

But am I getting them all - I'm uncertain since I get an error message saying "The search result is too big and has been truncated"

Originally Posted by TradeDoubler Reselecting a site: When you use the search function simply type in part or all of the merchants name and select your site. Then hit run. On the results page you can quickly do another search with the same site. Previously the process was much longer. You had to click choose program, then narrow down by category and then select the advertiser. Now you can just search for the merchant.

You're totally missing the point, its not in the search that the problem is its when getting links

Example

I use the 'Your merchants' report.

I select the merchant I want - for example Jackpot Joy (but who I am not subscribed to with the 1st Site on my list)

I now click on 'links'

Then on JackpotJoy Bingo - because they're the links I want

Now the site name in the search box at the top of the screen has reverted to the first site on my sites list, so not the one I want, and therefore the website status column in the list of graphics says 'Apply'

I now select the correct site - but the screen doesnt change so I have to click on search but now I dont get a list of just the bingo graphics I wanted, but every Jackpot Joy graphic on your system (well in fact not every graphic because yet again I get "The search result is too big and has been truncated.")

At this point the only thought in my head is expletive. - Its just taken me at least 5 minutes to get this far and now I cant find the graphic I want to promote the merchant

Originally Posted by TradeDoubler Link Matrix: The Link Matrix is being developed and will be available from Tuesday 24th of May. I believe this will be on the right hand side (one click away)

Please put it on the left - I dont want a menu thats scattered all over the screen so my mouse ends up doing more running about than Anneka Rice on Treasure Hunt (ok so I'm showing my age now!)

------------------------------------------------------

Originally Posted by TradeDoubler Some new features worth a mention: Search by category If you leave the search empty and select the category you can run the report and it will list all the merchants in that specific category. (Again, change the row length to show more advertisers)

Errm - unless I'm missing something isnt that what I used to be able to do by going Show All Programs and then clicking on the category.

Also whats happened to the nice little descriptions of each program we used to get on the Show All Programs report - it was kind of nice to know what each merchant did in one easy to read report.

Originally Posted by TradeDoubler Delete a site You can now delete an existing site you no longer use. I received this request many times and I thought you would really like this. Simply go to ‘settings’, then site info and you can delete an old site.

Cool - if things dont improve I hope this feature has been load tested

Originally Posted by TradeDoubler Change username It is also possible to change your username. This was also high on the request list (settings, account information, change username)

Oh - you tease! - that really makes me feel that the four or five hours I've spent today trying to work around your system has been worthwhile.

Originally Posted by TradeDoubler Commission from each site The Account balance report now shows how much each of your sites have generated.

Now that is actually useful - I like that one.

Originally Posted by TradeDoubler Change country You can easily navigate between countries. Prior to the release you had to click on change country and then select your country.

Fair enough

Originally Posted by TradeDoubler And finally……..AdTool The AdTool is a tool which enables you to easily build your own ads with products feeds even if you have limited programming skills. You can design and optimize the template, unlike many other units in the market.

This does look nice - and pretty useful.

Originally Posted by TradeDoubler Once again I would like to say thanks to everyone for your feedback. Your feedback has been noted and you will see a few changes within the next month.

Its the next month bit that worries me, if a) you'd said a lot of changes and b) said the next few hours or even the next couple of days I'd feel moderately happy - a few changes within the next month simply does not cut the mustard - if it is going to take more than a day or two to sort out - give us the old interface back until you have sorted the issues out (you have got a backup of the old interface havent you?!?!)

Oh and can we have an answer on when our bank details will be back on a secure server please.

Sorry if all of this sounds a bit negative but the whole upgrade has just been typical of a TD release, I remember similar hassles when your product feed system was 'upgraded' - I must go out and buy an English to Swedish dictionary in English 'upgrade' and 'improvement' mean better, obviously in Swedish they mean something different......

[DanielCoe]

Hi,

Just to add I don't like it much either.

Can you rollback the old version tonight while I'm asleep, then I'll think it was a bad dream when I awake..

The problems do seem to be getting to links, and finding things in the menu.

Daniel