Axminster search facility

[Rhossydd]

It's perfect, according to Rhossdydd

Don't misquote me, I never said or implied such a notion.

 

[PAC1]

Rhossydd
The purpose of my thread was to see how many others felt that the Axi search engine could be improved given. If you think it could be improved please say so or make suggestions of how it could be improved.

 

[Rhossydd]

If you think it could be improved please say so or make suggestions of how it could be improved.

Most of the problems posted here, RogerS's experience is a perfect example, are of user error. Understand how to use the search tool most effectively and it will give more helpful results.
Yes, it could be better, but improving that might cost a lot and in consequence add to their overheads which in turn has to be passed on to their customers via increased prices.

 

[PAC1]

Rhossydd
when you say "user error" I assume you are saying we do not know how to do proper searches such as "bench brush" if that is the specific term we want or bench brush if we want to search on "bench" and "brush"
Where on the web site does it tell us how to do these proper searches? Also this type of search is the opposite of what this facility is trying to do in my customer view. These searches will return everything that include either term. We are trying to narrow the search so do want the wide trawl.
Of far more importance, is in 2014 on a specialist site the algorithm should be a bit more refined than it would have been in 1980. for instance it should recognise that if I put in bench brush I am looking for brushes for work on benches. It should not simply list all tools that relate to benches i.e. bench planes and other woodwork tools or every thing with brush in the description including power tools with brushless motors.
Surely the idea of a search facility on Axi's site is to quickly find what you are looking for not to spend hours going through thousands of hits or as many of us do use the index in the paper catalogue.

Maybe that is it put the index on the website!

 

[Rhossydd]

Where on the web site does it tell us how to do these proper searches?

I very much doubt it does. I'd expect the site's designers would assume such basic knowledge of their customers. This sort of thing is taught at primary school these days.

Of far more importance, is in 2014 on a specialist site the algorithm should be a bit more refined than it would have been in 1980.

1980 ? the world wide web is generally not considered to exist until March 1989 and the BBC is running features celebrating 20 years of online commerce. today.

The Axminster site isn't perfect, but as I pointed out earlier they're a small company being judged against operations with multi billion pound technology.

 

[PAC1]

Rhossydd
It is a long time since I was at primary school
I chose 1980 as the start of personal computers and databases rather than just on line commerce

 

[RogerP]

Rhossydd
It is a long time since I was at primary school
I chose 1980 as the start of personal computers and databases rather than just on line commerce

...Yes, I've had a computer of one sort or another since then (well, 1981 to be perfectly accurate).

 

[scrimper]

Most of the problems posted here, RogerS's experience is a perfect example, are of user error. Understand how to use the search tool most effectively and it will give more helpful results.

A good online shop should make it utterly simple for customers to buy items quickly, if a search does not come up with results quickly then a lot of people will just go elsewhere.
Many of us don't want to spend ages learning the precise way to use a search engine in the most effective way with special terms and quotation marks which we will more than likely forget next time we go to use it.

I too have had frustrations with Axminsters online shop and I am afraid to say I just say to myself "sod this" and go elsewhere.

Many a time I have tried to find an item online and ended up having to go over to the workshop and find the item in their catalogue which I know they stock but I can't find it with their search.

(Before I am told I am a 'nuppity' for not being internet savy I have been using computers since the BBC model B (1980's) and online since 1996)

 

[Rhossydd]

I chose 1980 as the start of personal computers and databases rather than just on line commerce

1980 is too early, having a computer at home was still a rarity until the mid 1990s.

The bottom line remains and is appropriate for woodwork as it is to the internet;
If you want tools to work well for you, learn how to use them.

 

[scrimper]

I chose 1980 as the start of personal computers and databases rather than just on line commerce

1980 is too early, having a computer at home was still a rarity until the mid 1990s.

BBC Model B was released in 1981 and sold over 1.5 million to be used in conjunction with the BBC computer programme, at the time there was a massive waiting list and I well remember standing in a long queue to get mine when they arrived, they were promoted for school use too.

 

[scrimper]

Lol FWIW I still have my Model B and a Cumana double 5 1/4" floppy drive! (in the attic) The drive alone cost me £300! #-o

 

[dc_ni]

I very much doubt it does. I'd expect the site's designers would assume such basic knowledge of their customers. This sort of thing is taught at primary school these days.

I imagine the average age of the people using the Axi site is a lot like the users of this site, ie. when they were in primary school personal computing didn't exist never mind the internet.

The fact that the use of computers is taught in primary school now doesn't really help in this case, not unless you keep a primary school child handy for use when using the Axi search engine.

You said: "I'd expect the site's designers would assume such basic knowledge of their customers", as the saying goes if you assume something then you make an ass of u and me.

 

[PAC1]

I chose 1980 as the start of personal computers and databases rather than just on line commerce

1980 is too early, having a computer at home was still a rarity until the mid 1990s.

The bottom line remains and is appropriate for woodwork as it is to the internet;
If you want tools to work well for you, learn how to use them.

The alternative is that customers who get frustrated shop elsewhere. I actually like Axminster and want them to improve the website not be grateful for what they have provided

 

[RogerS]

I chose 1980 as the start of personal computers and databases rather than just on line commerce

1980 is too early, having a computer at home was still a rarity until the mid 1990s.

The bottom line remains and is appropriate for woodwork as it is to the internet;
If you want tools to work well for you, learn how to use them.

You really do know how to patronise, don't you?

 

[pcb1962]

Rhossydd
when you say "user error" I assume you are saying we do not know how to do proper searches such as "bench brush" if that is the specific term we want or bench brush if we want to search on "bench" and "brush"
Where on the web site does it tell us how to do these proper searches? Also this type of search is the opposite of what this facility is trying to do in my customer view. These searches will return everything that include either term. We are trying to narrow the search so do want the wide trawl.

That is precisely the problem. The default behaviour is to return results containing any of the words entered, when the default should be to return results containing all words. People generally use a search to look for only one thing at a time.
Some search engines provide a switch for 'any word' / 'all words'. That is clearly needed here.
Using quotes is not the answer, since quoting 2 words in a search will generally mean exactly those 2 words, in that order, with nothing in between.

 

[woodfarmer]

I don't think the google search engine is all that good. I just did a search for "Three legged pink hedgehogs for sale" and it came back with 60,400 results. I rather thought they might be a bit rarer than that

What really annoys me is when you search for something to buy and you get 80 odd other search engines who have exactly what you typed in at a discount. Once on their site however. What you want wont be there. They just copy whatever you type in and claim to have them just to get you onto their website, thus stealing my time by deception.

Often enclosing the search string in quotes will exclude wrong results, but don't count on it. Might deny you a genuine result

 

[RogerS]

..... They just copy whatever you type in and claim to have them just to get you onto their website, thus stealing my time by deception.

....(

I share your pain and annoyance. I hate those bloody sites. I usually look for a contact section and vent my spleen.

 

[scrimper]

..... They just copy whatever you type in and claim to have them just to get you onto their website, thus stealing my time by deception.

....(

I share your pain and annoyance. I hate those bloody sites. I usually look for a contact section and vent my spleen.

Agree 100%

 

[AndyT]

I just happen to have been looking around the bits of the Axi website that are about the company rather than the tools, and noticed that they are trying to recruit a web developer. So anyone who really knows about perfect or imperfect search engines, plus "fluency in PHP and MySQL as well as the usual HTML, XML, CSS, JavaScript" could help everyone out and get a good job!

Apply here: http://www.axminster.co.uk/careers

 

[Sailormantom]

I have to agree with the OP that the search is less than useful. As an experiment I tried finding a bench brush, a "bench brush", a "Bench Brush" etc all with no luck at all until I stumbled on a picture that looked something like it. This turned out to be called a "Professional Dusting Brush" and searching for that with or without the quotes worked very well - and incidentally in the description it claims to be very useful for dusting down a bench.
It seems to me that the problem does not occur when you know the exact naming of the product but where you are searching for a generic item - in this case the number of results returned and the available options to refine the search are far from helpful.

Cheers, Tom