Launched your marketplace? What have you learnt so far?

[delta]

A change of topic would be nice. Over here we have grown even though we haven't launched our marketplace yet. Coping with these delays from Ilance and still managing to keep our visualizations of our reverse auction market has not been an easy thing but we are managing to keep our heads up especially where you have financial institutions looking over your shoulders as you keep shifting your goal post (when you will launch your marketplace) even though nothing is sure after you launch it.

You that have launched your market places, Wterpilo and Kafi, what have you learnt so far? What have been your experiences? How have you been promoting your marketplaces? How well has your startegy worked? What mistakes have you made and learnt from?

It would be nice to read your experiences with trying to sell your marketplaces in your countries. Please share.

[Nu2PHP]

Unfortunately, we really wanted to launch a couple months ago (actually longer than that, I am trying to be kind) thinking the foundation of the software was about completed, how wrong was that!

It has been very discouraging watching and waiting, but what else can one do. The software is great, really awesome. It just needs to be finished, or at least the foundation of the software.

Even if we tried to launch without the SEO operational we would never get any search listings without paying a fortune for them.

No, I suggest that you wait, as painful as that may be. I know that we are to invested in this project to look anywhere else.

LOL

Bill

[kafi]

Sorr not writing here sooner, but didn really know what to write since I am in slow testing launch.
Until now I am pretty unhappy with outcomes because what I see is that ILance is huge application very difficult for users. It is turning buyers away and even providers.

They think it is very complicated for them.
One example for all: I have placed ad on my other page frowarding them to marketplace auction.
Nobody placed bid in marketplace, but I have got 4 proposals as reply to my ad. One of them complaining that they were not able to place bid (I asked them for reason - currently waiting for the asnwer).

I can only say that it is user unfriendly and I am waiting for the new version hoping it will speed up ILance script and bring some userfriendlyness - registration, placing bid, navigation....

There is lot of work ahead to make it working for users....
Not only navigation but also permission messages - they are very general not clear for user who will turn away because he doesnt understand the reason and for him it is just "NOT WORKING"....

[delta]

Thanks Kafi for sharing your experience. I agree with every thing you shared heer. In fact we had at some point raised issues of navigation and the user difficulties. This is the reason why we have refused to launch our marketplace until the new version arrives. The only problem is that many of us on this forum are just guessing about the new functionalities of the the Final version. It is not certain that the navigation problem have been or will be address in that version. But we are hoping.

Peter should spend some time every now and then giving us insight into the new navigational functions of the up comming version. I am asking nicely.

We did a pilot test on our marketplace some months ago and many of our test users got stuck in the middle. This has to do with the nature of v3. First the registration page was too long and then it was reduced and should be further reduced to one page. The other is the User admin. Users get lost in it. Too many navigators on the lest side of the user admin. Now why not have just the main navigators on the left and then the other subnavigators or links on the right in the main page of every account section which opens when you click the main link. That way you can see everything or subnavigators at a glance.

Example:

Click the main link Buying Activity then a main page opens on the Right as usual with links or navigators on the right:


Post a new RFP Check your Buying Escrow Other links here

Other links here Other links here Other links here



Now with the above structure a user doesnt have to search forever or having a lenght left navigator. Now if this were possible to do ourselve we could have already done that But our developer could not, for some strange reason, even hack the Left navigator just to change the look. He had difficulties working out how it was designed and when he tried the whole thing fell appart and he had to leave it the way it was with just a little cosmetic change. Even Peter saw the issue, if I recall right. With all these issues I really hope that Peter and the rest Ilance team are now thinking more like the users than like programmers.

[kafi]

Yes Delta, I also would like to discuss upcomming navigation, quick registration and quick post bid features.

I have put some links like buying activity, selling activity in navigation bar but that is only cosmetic change.

In my opinion also inline management will be better than back end control panel. CP is more used by admins that are used to it, but not for users - they will prefer to see one frame for their RFP not to have difficult mirror in CP (which is jamed with options). Simple inline buttons and option in RFP would be much easier to follow for user.
At least I hope we will have a button to navigate them in CP-RFPmirror (i call it that way) where they manage the RFP - otherwise they will be stucked in the middle and they will not come back.
But again we should discuss this features one by one in dedicated threads.... I also wonder whetere new version will solve this problems or not...

Lets say that writing and rewriting manuals wouldnt be my hobby for the next month...

[delta]

In my opinion also inline management will be better than back end control panel

Hi Kafi, I enjoy these good discussions BUT what do you mean by "Inline management"? Explain this to me It would help me fully understand your point. I am lacking in tech vocabularies. :D


TO PETER
---------
Peter please if you find the time can you throw in some ideas of what we can expect in terms of navigation in the up-comming version, that is where there is a difference from the present version. You may describe it from the following POVs:

1. Posting RFP for the first time

2. Posting bids for the first time

3. 1 & 2 above + registration

This should do for now.

[kafi]

elta I borrowed the term from other application that use inline moderation tools for moderators which means that they do not need to go to their moderator control panel but they have all option within the "user-end" display page.

For Ilance it will mean that you as an moderator can delete RFP from RFP_deatail page (the same that is accesible for user end).
For buyer it means that they may [please understand RPF_detail as user end - the RFP as it is seen by users]:
- control PM box within RFP_detailed (they do not need to go to CP to open discussion with bidder - they will have envelope button next to the bid or bidder or they check the box or something....)
- award buyer from RFP_detail (again instead of going to CP-buying activity buyer will be able to choose provider from RFP_detailed)
- delete, edit(this is in place now), extend the RFP from RFP_detailed
- award bider within RFP_detailed


Simply to say, I think that having this option buried in CP means that lot of users will not find or handle it....
At LEAST i will prefer to have an option to have BIG button that will link them to the back-end in CP - but to the specific RFP not only to "buying acitivty"....

The same apply for bidders...


TO PETER
---------
Peter please if you find the time can you throw in some ideas of what we can expect in terms of navigation in the up-comming version, that is where there is a difference from the present version. You may describe it from the following POVs:

1. Posting RFP for the first time

2. Posting bids for the first time

3. 1 & 2 above + registration

This should do for now. Peter please start new thread with discussion about asked issues (maybe separatelly) so that we can keep it organized...

[Peter]

We are getting involved in new ideas again. As I'd love to be a part of this, I would like to hold off until the base of what we've already discussed and had in mind is completed.

I think the above leads to some excellent fresh ideas and I'm all for it, but my time is limited at the moment as myself and the rest of us are working around the clock to get her completed.

Thanks for your understanding :)

[trochta]

Peter,

Can you give us a quick post telling us how to start the My CP Dashboard navigation collapsed?

[Peter]

Open main_mycp.html

Find:

<tbody id="collapseobj_maincp_dashboard" style="{collapse[collapseobj_maincp_dashboard]}">

Replace with:

<tbody id="collapseobj_maincp_dashboard" style="display:none">

Regards,
Peter

[trochta]

I am looking to minimize all of the left navigation menu sections. Where is that section controlled?

[delta]

TO PETER
---------
Peter please if you find the time can you throw in some ideas of what we can expect in terms of navigation in the up-comming version, that is where there is a difference from the present version. You may describe it from the following POVs:

1. Posting RFP for the first time

2. Posting bids for the first time

3. 1 & 2 above + registration

This should do for now.

A brief response to the above would be appreciated. I just wish to confirm that these aspects of Ilance has been modified or not in line with the series of discussions we have had on them. A little tease of how 1 - 3 would work in the coming version would be areal confidence booster. I know your time is limited but a short response wouldn't hurt. ;) Thanks in advance.

[Peter]

Hi delta,

without putting a damper on our "must have" features such as posting as a guest, bidding as a guest to make them get into everything right away, this has not been completed as of yet. We're still working on the posting rfp pages with the new escrow implementations. There is a LOT of functions controlling these elements so we're really fine-tuning everything about these areas based on the previous development efforts.

For the record, we both agreed that these features mentioned above will be added but are not in the "todo" to get this release out the door. Those mentioned features will be provided on ilance.org (as modifications) which will allow instant - registrations, post auctions that do not go live until the user fully registers (but he may post as a guest to lure him in) and the "Javascript" header menu links have been depreciated as of now. Instead of clicking "Buying" to see a pulldown menu, now the user will see an actual "Buying" main landing page which gives them more access and links to navigate other than the existing few links in the drop down menu.

Here will list categories, feature services, cat-maps and posting icon legends to show what each auction icon represents (escrow enabled, realtime auction, attachments included, featured listing and so on).

I'll post some screen shots later today to give you an idea of some of the new changes which we feel are for the best based on issues and comments about the existing layout/nav.

Also, by taking away the top drop down menus, gives designers a much easier way to develop their own headers and menu nav links at the top without having to stick with the existing javascript drop down menu... as I've personally noticed that some customers have created their own headers, but have left out the "inside drop down menu links" that exist in the default template. This is not that great seeing how this drop down gives members other areas to surf to for links that do not exist in any templates (so in other words, those pages would never get loaded if the admin makes a new header and does not create the links like in the default template pulldowns).

So now "buying" and "selling" will go to a main landing page (with nice options on this menu) with it's own seperate links leading the way for the visitors :) (trust me, a lot better in my opinion).

The feature you and I both want to see in all honestly will take no longer than a few hours to complete. I will make this happen as a modification, I just want to see this product released now.

[Peter]

I am looking to minimize all of the left navigation menu sections. Where is that section controlled?/functions/api/class.template.inc.php

In that script, scroll down near bottom and look for:


function construct_left_nav


In this function will be the logic that displays the left nav menu.

Note: quite a few if conditions control this section based on permissions for the user. For example, if a user has a subscription plan that does not allow them to post service auctions, you'll see the function that checks for the users subscription permissions and if the permission is enabled for him for that nav link it will display (is the basic logic you'll be seeing in this section).

If you need any help let me know

Peter

[delta]

The feature you and I both want to see in all honestly will take no longer than a few hours to complete. I will make this happen as a modification, I just want to see this product released now.

Thanks for the insight so far. I can't waite to see the screenshots later today. It is a relief to read that the direct bid modifications will not take much time to accomplish. It will be the first project we shall commission as soon as you released the Final version. Thanks for taking time to give this insight and please feel free to give us more teasers when you can.