It looks like it would be easier for people to find a category they are interested in reading about, but I miss the "recent reviews" section.  The new "recent activity" section includes everything that has been contributed to the site recently, including: friends being made, comments posted pictures uploaded, etc...and I am only interested in the reviews.

I also miss "the latest reviews".  I havent looked around too much but, is there a link to get to this?

Did some looking and can't find any "latest reviews" link.  Perhaps if we could filter the "community activity" page, that would be cool.  I would filter it to find ppl who just signed up so I can say Hi to them :)  And then filter it by new reviews.

We're sneaky huh?! :) Yep, we made changes to the home page to make it look more clean and simple. Please do continue letting us know what you think here.

RE: this2shallpass & vivasuzi...

We're working to bring back the full feed of Latest Reviews on the Community tab: http://www.viewpoints.com/recent_reviews

You can access the link above from the Community tab now, located in top, left hand corner of page.

We made the decision to feature highest rated reviews from the home page instead of recent reviews. We want to make sure the highest quality content is showcased up front.  You can click on the "reviews" link below "Featured Reviews" to access all Top Rated Reviews. 

This change places more of importance on voting! We encourage everyone to use those buttons to vote on "Helpful" or "Not helpful" when reading a review.

Thanks for noticing our new look and keep the feedback coming!

Thanks!  I knew the link had to be somewhere but I didn't think to look at the community tab.  It would still be cool to be able the filter the community activity page though :)

I was wondering the same thing suzi - thanks for starting the thread.  I have been on late and night and thought I would wait and see how things panned out.  I too missed the recent reviews link that helps so much to keep track of my friends recent reviews!

I thought something was different! 

Yeah, I really like the new layout.  I wish the link to my friends recent reviews was easier to access, though.

I wanted to give it a few days before commenting but I am unhappy with the new home page. Since the change, I am getting far fewer messages/comments and nearly no rates on my reviews.

With the previous home page -- at least how it worked for me -- new comments that people left were prominently shown. It was immediately obvious to me when someone left a comment on a review or on my profile page. Now, I have to dig a little to see comments. Since the change, I've left several comments on people's reviews and have not gotten a peep back... nothing. I don't always expect a reply, but you'd think that at least one of those comments would have elicited a "Thanks!" However, since it's now harder to see new comments, most of those people probably don't even realize they have comments.

Also, there are fewer opportunities for new reviews to be featured on the new home page. It used to be that a new review of mine was on the front page, if only briefly. This usually led to a rating or two. However, my most recent reviews are sitting there with almost no rates. Of my two most recent reviews, there is just one "Helpful" rating.

(I'm not begging for ratings. However, I am complaining that ratings of new reviews seem to be down with the change in the home page.)

As for the revised home page featuring better content, there were three reviews listed under "Featured Reviews" when I looked a moment ago. One of the three was excellent, one was average (had some useful content but not a lot) and the third was nearly devoid of anything helpful about the product. It had perhaps one sentence where the reviewer mentioned an important point about the product, and it was just one point. Most of this brief review was about how uncomfortable it is in Louisiana in the summer, and not about how the air conditioner being reviewed made it more comfortable. I can't see how this review was chosen as a "Featured Review," although it was at least grammatically acceptable.

Anyway, as far as I'm concerned, the revised home page makes it harder to get to the things that I enjoy about Viewpoints, such as the discussion forums, new photos and comments. I realize that I'm not the target audience for the home page, but I thought I'd chime in with my thoughts.

--Bob

Thanks for chiming in, Bob, but I don't really know what you are talking about.

I'm still getting the same amount of comments, if not more, and they are still exactly where they have always been -- in my inbox.  I don't recall ever having been able to find them anywhere on the home page before.  As for Helpful Votes, we can see once again how easily these factor is manipulated by what is in the "Most Helpful" queue now.  "Helpful Votes" will never mean much until outsiders who read our reviews don't have to join up just to cast a Helpful Vote and/or are prevented from joining up just to orchestrate all-out calculated review and vote campaigns for a specific product or organization. 

Since it's not likely that the Helpful Vote policy will or can be changed,  maybe the important thing should be the quality of our reviews and their importance to others -- NOT the glory and personal attention we receive for them.

The home page is now redesigned to appeal to whom it should have been appealing to all along -- consumers who enter ViewPoints to research products which they want to buy.  (It is their home page.)  It is still easy for us to see our own comments, helpful votes, and stats.  We can do that in a minute and we shouldn't be worried too much about whether the other reviewers can see how wonderfully (or not) we are doing.  I am glad when other reviewers read what I have to say, but I also respect what they have to say and I don't expect them to make me feel like a hot shot.

Bob, I do see what you mean about the comments... you were talking about the little box that said you have XX comments right?

As for hits and rates, I guess I never really noticed it before, but you do write more than I do.  I think more people are getting recognized though as there is that "featured members" box with the pictures now that is a little more prominent. Also the scrolling thing in the middle still features new reviews as well.

Personally I think it's more new user friendly as someone new isn't going to be automatically hit with some of the junk that comes through the recent reviews and sometimes the most helpfuls too. 

Yes it does look different. . . however, what I did notice is that we got horribly spammed by Travel Partner, USA, LLC, Fort Lauderdale, FL from June 14-16,!!  I'll be happy to review them with a NO STAR rating!!!

ATTAGIRL!  Go, Granny, go!

I think the home office is aware of the situation and is working on it though.

How are you doing today, were you able to pick up a pack of that Jell-O 100 Calorie?

Catch ya later!

lilsquibb said…

Bob, I do see what you mean about the comments... you were talking about the little box that said you have XX comments right?

---

Yep, that's what I miss. As soon as I arrived at Viewpoints, I knew if I had new comments. I really liked that feature.

I also liked the product photos on the home page and often stepped through those. If I saw an interesting photo, I'd click through to that review. Now, there are no more product photos on the home page. I expect that will mean fewer people clicking through to my reviews.

I'm not the target audience for the home page. Still, I'm a reviewer and have opinions about things. I can't be the only one.

--Bob

I respect the different opinions here.  I think the thing is that I hardly ever used the home page to begin with.  When I turned on, I would go immediately to MyHome and into my inbox for comments.  I also used MyHome to get to reviews and other friends' activity, also Community to get to the boards or other friends.

AnnaBanana said…

ATTAGIRL!  Go, Granny, go!

I think the home office is aware of the situation and is working on it though.

 

How are you doing today, were you able to pick up a pack of that Jell-O 100 Calorie?

Catch ya later!

 

---

I'm going shopping today AnnaB~ and one the list. . . the Jell-O 100 Cal's . . . [big happy chocolatey smile]!  I'll check in once I've tried one, or two or three, lol!  I won't be on much today, we're still cleaning up after one HECK of a cluster of severe thunderstorms in WNC and upstate SC!!  No trees down but we're still looking for our lawn chairs, LOL!  Catch you later!  :)

Oh I'm so sorry about the weather problems.  Yah, there have been problems lately all over the place but they were saying that you guys especially were hard hit.  Glad you are okay!

I may not be on much today either, going out to do some errands.  I won't keep pestering you about if you buy the stuff or not, maybe you'll surprise us with a review! 

Take care and be careful!

GrandmawsOpinion said…

Yes it does look different. . . however, what I did notice is that we got horribly spammed by Travel Partner, USA, LLC, Fort Lauderdale, FL

from June 14-16,!!  I'll be happy to review them with a NO STAR rating!!!

---

Hey there, Ms. Grandmaw! :)

We're on top of the Travel Partners hoopla. Will have this situation resolved. There was abuse of the voting system so we'll be removing those votes. Feel free to email me with questions, I can give you the run down. (meredith@viewpoints.com) We take abuse and spamming very seriously.

Enjoy your weekend in sunny NC! I visited home in Asheville last week. Had a much needed dose of mountains, hippies, biscuits, family, and hiking. Not necessarily in that order.

Thanks,
Meredith

Thanks for the continued feedback everyone! We're listening and taking notes!

Annabanana does bring up a good point - we are primarily designing for the consumer who visits Viewpoints looking for product answers. We will also rotate the featured content boxes to keep up with seasonality and searches. For example, lots of people are shopping for Grills and Air Conditioners right now so we want to showcase our content in those areas.

Your comments and thoughts are ALWAYS welcome as they help us make decisions so keep 'em coming!

I also miss the little photo scroll at the bottom.  It was always fun to see a random photo and wonder what they are reviewing!  Then click through to find out.

Perhaps all problems would be solved if Logged in users had a different home page then Non-Logged in (i.e. consumers).  Although I must throw this out there: Reviewers are also Consumers. I always read reviews here and elsewhere before purchasing anything big. 

vivasuzi said…

I also miss the little photo scroll at the bottom.  It was always fun to see a random photo and wonder what they are reviewing!  Then click through to find out.

Perhaps all problems would be solved if Logged in users had a different home page then Non-Logged in (i.e. consumers).  Although I must throw this out there: Reviewers are also Consumers. I always read reviews here and elsewhere before purchasing anything big. 

---

Yes we agree reviewers are consumers. I didn't mean to sound like I was discreditting the "review writer" as if they are not consumers as well. Maybe I should have said new visitors/shoppers coming to Viewpoints for the first time?

We can look at variations of logged in vs. logged out views. Also, we like the idea of filtering community activity like you can filter the Inbox and Latest Friends' Activity from your My Home page.

Yes, I wonder if everyone knows that they can ask for just a list of the reviews in the Latest Friends' Activity?  That's the best way I've found to just see everyone's reviews. 

Well, everybody have a nice weekend.  Maybe it won't rain tomorrow!

AnnaBanana said…

Yes, I wonder if everyone knows that they can ask for just a list of the reviews in the Latest Friends' Activity?  That's the best way I've found to just see everyone's reviews. 

---

I guess we're all individuals and each have our own way of working with the site. However, I find that keeping tabs on my friends' reviews is too limiting. I enjoy looking around for new reviewers to see what they're up to, and leaving some encouragement when they have a good review. I've clicked on the link to see my friends' reviews out of curiosity, but I don't use it to navigate the site.

As much as I like my Viewpoints friends, cultivating new friends is part of the fun. Therefore, the friends list is too limiting for me.

--Bob

I get ya, and I think you have a good point.  Maybe they can tweek it a little more.

Have a nice weekend, Bob!  Catch ya later!

yes a "logged in" view would be nice :)  The best sites i've used allow you to really customize your "home page" once you are logged in.  So Anna could have her friends activity widget, Bob could have his "everyone" widget, I could have my photo widget and everyone would have their own personalized page that they see when they log in.  People who checkmark to stay logged in would see this as soon as they go to viewpoints.com

I understand that is a tough one, but I never hold back ideas ... even if they do get put on the "future" list :)

AnnaBanana said…

Yes, I wonder if everyone knows that they can ask for just a list of the reviews in the Latest Friends' Activity?  That's the best way I've found to just see everyone's reviews. 

Well, everybody have a nice weekend.  Maybe it won't rain tomorrow!

---

I agree my "friends list of reviews" was incredibly helpful. But what I do know is visit my friends and fans, filter reviews only then read. it's not as efficient but honestly I already get over 500 emails a day to do for work, I definitely can't set email subscriptions to everyone I know! 

The best news of all is that Viewpoints actually ask our opinion and in many cases does quite a bit towards not only what the consumer wants but what the community wants too.  I can think of PLENTY of places I work for that don't do that. Thanks VP for listening. 

Meredith said…

GrandmawsOpinion said…

Yes it does look different. . . however, what I did notice is that we got horribly spammed by Travel Partner, USA, LLC, Fort Lauderdale, FL

from June 14-16,!!  I'll be happy to review them with a NO STAR rating!!!

---

Hey there, Ms. Grandmaw! :)

We're on top of the Travel Partners hoopla. Will have this situation resolved. There was abuse of the voting system so we'll be removing those votes. Feel free to email me with questions, I can give you the run down. (meredith@viewpoints.com) We take abuse and spamming very seriously.

Enjoy your weekend in sunny NC! I visited home in Asheville last week. Had a much needed dose of mountains, hippies, biscuits, family, and hiking. Not necessarily in that order.

Thanks,
Meredith

---

Thanks so much Meredith!  That's why I love VP because we all love writing and when spammers intrude Viewpoints takes action immediately!  Bravo!  Didn't know you called Asheville home!!  It's an incredible place. Asheville is like no other place in North Carolina; hippies playing drums, and dancing in the streets on Saturday nights, biscuits and gravey and our famous summer festival, Bele Chere, and let's not forget that cool, cool, mountain air!  Heavenly! :)

Bring back the most recent reviews on the main page...it was one of my most favorite features!!!