New Axminster Tools & Machinery Web Site Launched!

[PAC1]

I am using my iPad and find it a bit untidy if you open one page say hand tools and then another say woodwork (machines) it overlays in a smaller window on the previous page. The front page to some sections are a bit bizarre for instance dust extraction rather than the front page starting with the main event dust extractors in any order, it starts with auto switches! Other then some sort of alphabetic association it makes no sense I would have thought Mr Styles would want the front of each section to be the top selling item and main event not an obscure accessory.
I have not checked my log in details but will be as miffed as others if our details and important history is missing.

 

[RogerS]

..... but will be as miffed as others if our details and important history is missing.

Trust me....your order history is exactly that....history. So is your wishlist. :evil:

 

[RogerS]

.....
1/10. ....

Phil

I think you are being over-generous ! Are we allowed a minus score?

 

[Harbo]

Fortunately I have a paper catalogue!

Rod

 

[AES]

It costs an arm and a leg to send a paper catalogue here (Switzerland) - not Axi's fault of course - but the result is that I rely on the website perhaps even more than others ibn UK do.

At first sight this new effort looks "prettier", but as many others have said above, in reality it's much worse, and for all the reasons given above, especially re the search facility. Search wasn't very clever before but at least it was better than this new version.

A while back I had a moan on here about software vendors in general, and their annoying regular updates which one is often forced to have, and which are always sold as "improvements". But in reality they're often nothing more than a "prettier" front page with the useability even worse than the previous version.

So congratulations Damion - if it was indeed you yourself responsible - you have joined all the other "not living in the real world" software geeks who seem to do nothing to justify their existence except annoy loyal customers. And NO, I will not change my password. What for?

Already said by many others above, if it ain't broke don't fix it.

NOT a success, sorry, but you DID ask.

AES

 

[JimF.]

Maybe just me being thick, but the "Buy now" being in a red outlined box away from the product description made it initially difficult for me to find it. I'd goggled at the picture, scrolled down to read the description and the "Add to Basket" button was out of sight and out of mind!

 

[AES]

Damion,

As a P.S. to my last post - on the last version, right at the top right on the start page, one could select prices with or without UK VAT. A very useful feature for non-UK users like me (and there's others on this Forum too). I couldn't find it on this new version. Is it still there? If not, please put it back.

On 2nd thoughts, why not go back to the last version again and forget this new effort altogether. "Just" spend a bit of time trying to make the search function work properly.

AES

 

[duncanh]

I originally went into the Woodturning section through the Carft/Hobbies menu and it worked ok. I noticed that the price for the Axminster Trade Series AT1628VS Woodturning Lathe was about 250 less than I'd seen it a couple of days ago. Excellent I thought as I went to it's page (maybe it was an offer to promote the new site). How odd though! Once on the page for the lathe the price was back to what it had been previously.

First problem - I went back to the previous page and the price there had gone up. I then tried to get back to the woodturning section through the Hobbies/Craft section and got a page full of HTML. This menu always gives a page full of HTML.
If I want to get to Woodturning I now have to use the Wood working/Woodturning lathes menu. This only shows lathes and not other accessories such as chucks.

Anyway, back to the price issue. The price on the Wood working/Woodturning lathes screen shows prices without VAT and the page for each machine shows the price with VAT. Is there somewhere obvious to change this?

Other than the annoyance of loosing my purchase history that's all I've found so far. I'm sure there are more problems but I can't be bothered to test the site for them anymore

 

[ColeyS1]

Welcome to the forum

Sent from my GT-I9300 using Tapatalk

 

[renderer01]

Hello Damien,
It at times with old version, proved difficult or awkward to find specific items, I agree with the gent who stated you needed a sort of fuzzy
search pattern.
Didnt always make head or tale of it. Just had a quick look at the new one only 10 mins and without fail each item I entered appeared in all its glory.
One irritation and its probably my fault is when you scroll down from search bar it activates other items which then pop up!! occluding the items you wish
to see.
Very minor problem and its probably my fault.
Im certainly no expert but over all this seems better to me less fuzzy and more friendly.

Rend.

 

[tomatwark]

What a joke.

I have just had to reset my password as well, I rang them and spoke to a very fed up sounding lady in customer services who was not really interested.

I hope that Mr Styles takes on board the old saying if it is not broke don't fix it and sacks the person responsible for the stupid change which means you lose all your customer history.

Tom

Just spent another 20 mins and a phone call to Axminster as it would not let me register and I have now been told I need to say I have forgotten my password.

I will shop around in future as looks like Axminster are going done the pan

 

[Paul Chapman]

I've always found it difficult to find what I want on the Axminster website, so seldom bother with it. I go to Classic Hand Tools instead

Cheers :wink:

Paul

 

[MickCheese]

I think it's faster!

The old one always seemed slow to me.

Mick

 

[Rhossydd]

I’m really keen to hear your feedback good or bad on the new site, please let me know!
Damion Norcombe
Technology Manager

Change for changes sake ??
" We've revamped it to reflect a more contemporary style and, as an ongoing process, new features will gradually be added to help the user and enhance the online experience."
Do you really think your customers are of the demographic that want or would be impressed by 'contemporary style' ?

It seems a little slower to load pages and I've had a few just displayed as pure code, so a bit buggy.
It's annoying not to be able to load all items in a category, you're limited to 60 per page, so that's a retrograde step.

Other than that, not a lot of change. It's still as hard to find some things as on the last site.
So overall a waste of somebody's time and money. Sometimes things work well and don't need to follow fashion.

 

[nev]

:shock: Well I do hope Damion is thick skinned and can take the previous comments as constructive and helpful even if some are a tad on the blunt side.
From a brief visit it seems to be very clear, nice big pictures in the listing, check stock in branch is a handy tool and in general it is quick to load even on my iffy broadband.
I did find one or two dead ends or pages of script, for example...
http://www.axminster.co.uk/crafts-hobbies/woodturning
and because of this could not find my way to turning kits/ pens/ etc.

So as a part time brief user, it seems fine, teething aside, it would not stop me from visiting the Axminster web site and shopping there,
So no need for the IT dept to be burnt at the stake.

 

[Glynne]

Wouldn't let me log in so I had to change my password to the existing one!

 

[SuperAB]

Blimey, there are a lot of IT haters on here...

Good job I don't work in IT too.... Oh wait I do!

I have found some of the comments quite funny especially about the W3 compliance checker.... Have you ever bothered to check amazon or eBay? They both show up 100's of faults...!!

My feedback:
It's a lot quicker!!
Works well on my iPad
Not so keen on the search function, could do with some tweaking
Like the new user account dashboard, including being able to see what you have reviewed
Lack of order history is a downside but that's a real insignificant issue to me, I bet you still have it somewhere?
Good clear layout
Lack of View All is a minor annoyance
Password reset... Meh! I could still use my old one so not really an issue... I bet this is because you changed provider?
Looks like there are new features coming forward in the future?
Store locator link works well, including geo location
Menus flow a lot better
Liking the new logo!! Much more modern.

I personally feel the minor issues are just that... Minor!

Well done team Ax. I like it! Likewise with Nev, I don't think it calls for the IT team to be burned at the stake...

Cheers

 

[Duncan A]

The website is faster and, for me at any rate, the search is no worse than the previous website i.e. too many returns that were not asked for and no apparent way of filtering.

Overall I find the appearance clearer.

The password reset is pretty bad - and if it is unavaoidable, a temporary message should bheve been put up.

The loss of history is not much of an issue for me but, for those that it is, Axminster have inserted a comment saying

"Unfortunately we are currently unable to show orders placed on our previous website. However these will be available very soon! For any queries please contact customer services. We apologise for any inconvenience caused."

At least they have asked for comments, which implies that will make changes where practical to do so.

I've yet to to order anything, which is the acid test of course!

Duncan

 

[tomatwark]

At least the warehouse side still appears to be working my order, that I finally managed to place is now showing as sent.

But why the could not test the site before they put it live is beyond me when the log in side was not working.

I know there will always be gremlins with a site as big as this but they could have got the basics to work before the made it live.

Tom

 

[RogerS]

Blimey, there are a lot of IT haters on here...

Good job I don't work in IT too.... Oh wait I do!

I have found some of the comments quite funny especially about the W3 compliance checker.... Have you ever bothered to check amazon or eBay? They both show up 100's of faults...!!

My feedback:
It's a lot quicker!!
Works well on my iPad
Not so keen on the search function, could do with some tweaking
Like the new user account dashboard, including being able to see what you have reviewed
Lack of order history is a downside but that's a real insignificant issue to me, I bet you still have it somewhere?
Good clear layout
Lack of View All is a minor annoyance
Password reset... Meh! I could still use my old one so not really an issue... I bet this is because you changed provider?
Looks like there are new features coming forward in the future?
Store locator link works well, including geo location
Menus flow a lot better
Liking the new logo!! Much more modern.

I personally feel the minor issues are just that... Minor!

Well done team Ax. I like it! Likewise with Nev, I don't think it calls for the IT team to be burned at the stake...

Cheers

What a strange first post. The cynic in me could easily be led into thinking that you were part of the development team.