Anybody been to the Athearn Site?

[RMax1]

I hope they are not finished with it. The site was very simple to use and now it's a pain in the neck. What a mess? There has got to be a better way than this. Search 1884 pieces of rolling stock? They should have left the old way alone.

RMax

[jeep35]

I was beginning to think I was the only one who doesn't like it. I really don't care much for it. Perhaps it will get easier to use.

Jim

[AntonioFP45]

I it found a bit tricky. Hopefully Athearn's web techs are not finished "tweaking" the site yet. If they are, then they need to consider scrapping it and starting over. E-mail Athearn and let them know.

There was another thread on this subject a week or so ago. Some of the responders found the website tricky also.

[Junctionfan]

I can't find what I am looking for specifically. I have to wade through page after page of things in order to find something. I don't know what Athearn was thinking. I don't want to spend hours looking for something they may or may not have.

[Anonymous]

I've not yet looked at their updated site, though if they want an example of how to do it I would suggest the LGB website - www.lgb.de (there is an English-language version, just click on the relevant flag after the intro). Once you get to their product search page there's a simple drop-down menu with categories of items - Athearn could do this with RTR, Kits, etc, then have another drop-down menu where you select the type of loco/car you're looking for.

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by Junctionfan

I can't find what I am looking for specifically. I have to wade through page after page of things in order to find something. I don't know what Athearn was thinking. I don't want to spend hours looking for something they may or may not have.

[#ditto]The new website is terrible to try and find products![#ditto]

[CP5415]

I have to agree with everyone here. I found the site to be terrible.
I hope Athearn models it closely to Horizons so that you can specify what you are looking for.
At least with Horizons, I can specify a SD40-2 in the search parameters.

Gordon

[Anonymous]

I have to dissagree with everyone. I find the new version better. At least now they have pictures to go with some of the items as opposed to endless lists of items without pictures. The connecting links below each item to a sub-catagory improves the whole locating parts thing as well.

Like anything new, we tend to be resistant to change. Give it a chance, it may grow on you. Change is a part of life, embrace it!

[bobindy]

The previous site was hardcoded (which means you needed edit each and every page to make a change). The new one, while a bit clunky, looks to be dynamic (database driven). I agree the funneling could be better however with the number of products Athearn sells there is no other way to build the site and still be able to keep it current without taking gobbs of time to make the updates.

I wouldn't have pushed this version live to the consumer without a more consistent and professional UI but at least it is a step in the right direction. Lets hope they can tweak the useability. Now if we can get LifeLike to at least move their site to a faster server...

[darth9x9]

Hey bobindy,

I have to disagree. Any site can be made dynamically to reflect current inventory. Check out this site: www.brasstrains.com. The whole site is driven off a database that I created. Yeah it took me a couple of weeks of programming but all I have to do is update a of field in the database to show the item as SOLD, PENDING, or AVAILABLE. The same with a Date_Listed field and Date_Sold field. This way I can provide the client with how long the item lasted on the website as well keep sold items on the site for 30 days after it is sold. There is absolutely no way I could manage the site without automation. Athearn/Horizon just needs to hire some better programmers.

BC

[BRAKIE]

I don't like the new format..Its just to hard to do a quick search for some items.
[B)][8][:(]

[dano99a]

ok, I'm on a T1 and that site was slower than what it was to begin with. Personally I think they should just start over.

New interface, data driven like darth 9x9 said. Right now it's just very complicated to use and find products (without using the search feature), the navigation is trying to do too much and could be simplified. I don't get the "best sellers" etc. etc. in the left column unless your a "AUTHORIZED HORIZON" dealer it wouldn't mean much to us accept "hey cool, that one sells a lot, I don't want it but a least I know it sells really good."

Photos of all products would be nice, that's one of my biggest pet-peeves on ebay is people who don't put a photo of what they are selling. Kinda hard to make a decision otherwise.

To sum it up it looks like someone spent A LOT of money on a band-aid. and not an over-haul. Sad, I see this from time to time, corporations with the right intentions but the wrong execution.

[:(]

[Anonymous]

I don't like the new design at all! I can't find anything I'm looking for, I also don't like the lack of Authorized Dealers, the only one out of 5 in my area has the worst prices. [:(]

[Noah Hofrichter]

I absolutely hate the new way. There old site you could at least find the items and look at them, even if they were out of stock. the locomotives were in nice order by axels, and cars were not hard to find if you used Ctrl+F. It's absolutely rediculious. I can even find the GP9 in there which I know they make and I want to see a picture of, it's jsut plain stupid!! Rant over now. I definately will send tehm an e-mail on this, and maybe if enough of us do, they will change it again. Sheesh!

Noah

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by dougal

I don't like the new design at all! I can't find anything I'm looking for, I also don't like the lack of Authorized Dealers, the only one out of 5 in my area has the worst prices. [:(]

Correction: After spenting a half hour looking for a certain loco I HATE IT! [:(!]

[ericsp]

Take a gander at this thread (http://www.trains.com/community/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=20889), then send complaints to [e-mail]

[AntonioFP45]

If it helps, I e-mailed this topic to Athearn. While they might or might not respond back, hopefully they'll look into making the website easier to navigate. [;)][:D]

10-4!

[Anonymous]

I've taken a look, it's confusing and is truly awful

[Junctionfan]

I couldn't find the car I was looking for but I did manage to find some carpo-tunnel syndrom.

[Anonymous]

Just got this from Athearn's mailing list:

"Athearn News - September 8, 2004


Greetings and salutations.

Well, we sure got some response from the changes recently made to our
web site. Based on a lot of e-mail and phone calls, it looks like our
revised web site didn't go over too well with many of you.

We're listening, and we are in the process of changing the site based on
your input.

We're working feverishly to get these changes made as soon as possible,
so you'll have an easy to navigate site that gives you the information
that you want and need.

We appreciate the input that you've sent, and we appreciate your
patience as we get these changes made.


That's it for today. We have some new product announcements coming later
this week, so keep your eyes peeled for another Athearn News in a few
days.

The Folks at Athearn Trains"

Bob Boudreau

[Anonymous]

You beat me to it! [;)]

[Anonymous]

It's good to see that Athearn is indeed listening to input from its customers! I'm sure Irv would be pleased to know that.

[Anonymous]

Doesn't that just warm your heart? It always makes me feel so great when a company actually listens to their customers.[:)]

[Noah Hofrichter]

Aggro, I did they same thing!! I got a personal reply from somebody at athearn help as well as the affore posted general message. I really hope they change it back, and hopefully they will with the response they got. It really is nice to know that they do listen, like Jon said.

Noah

[AntonioFP45]

QUOTE: Originally posted by FundyNorthern

Just got this from Athearn's mailing list:

"Athearn News - September 8, 2004

Greetings and salutations.

Well, we sure got some response from the changes recently made to our
web site. Based on a lot of e-mail and phone calls, it looks like our
revised web site didn't go over too well with many of you.

We're listening, and we are in the process of changing the site based on
your input.

We're working feverishly to get these changes made as soon as possible,
so you'll have an easy to navigate site that gives you the information
that you want and need.

We appreciate the input that you've sent, and we appreciate your
patience as we get these changes made.


That's it for today. We have some new product announcements coming later
this week, so keep your eyes peeled for another Athearn News in a few
days.

The Folks at Athearn Trains"

Bob Boudreau

Yep! Got the same exact response. Good to see that Athearn is making an effort. With all the competition that they're being hammered with, it's good for them that they do listen to customer input.

[Junctionfan]

I'm glad because I like Athearn's products and want to know what things to buy but can't find it out if I get fed up half way through the search.

[bobindy]

QUOTE: Originally posted by darth9x9

Hey bobindy,

I have to disagree. Any site can be made dynamically to reflect current inventory.
BC

Hi,

Not sure which part you disagree on... I wrote:

"with the number of products Athearn sells there is no other way to build the site and still be able to keep it current without taking gobbs of time to make the updates."

I was referring to making the site dynamic. I can't say I love the new Athearn site however I would hope that the information provided would be more up to date than on the previous site which I believe was hard coded. As for finding items, thats a different problem. Programmers often overlook useability, infact most such implementations overlook useability. The problem of course becomes more pronounced as the size of the site increases- hence the difficulty many have found with the new Athearn site.

Bob

[jsanchez]

It was far easier to search for their products in the Walthers reference book? The search functions on the site are not to functional.

[AggroJones]

Noah, thats Antonio you're adressing. I'm Aggro. (at least thats what my name says [:)] )

[Anonymous]

I hope they change it to the old way. What a pain in the neck, it's like trying to look for something at Walthers, only even slower, plus the only info they give you about the product now is the order # and pricing.