MPB new website

Management consultant mantra; change = better change = better change = better

Keep repeating it and it becomes true. :D
 
It seems slightly better in landscape, it is terrible in portrait on the iPad. It just doesn't work properly imo, the old site was far more iPad friendly.
 
Been looking at stuff there this morning/yesterday - I like it, works fine with a mouse and PC :)

Reading this, I just went and tried to use it on my android phone...holy moly, it's terrible!
Horribly unresponsive, seems to spend ages loading stuff I can't see, I gave up after a couple of minutes pawing at links to the CSC section that just don't seem to work.
 
It also seems that someone with less than a clue has been let loose on the site, they have a Sony E 55-210 listed with multiple images of a 16-50PZ and a Canon heading and now describe Sony nex cameras as m4/3rds...

Online shopping for used Sony NEX Compact System Cameras at MPB Photographic. Sony micro four thirds system cameras offer impressive design features paralleled with superior image quality, particularly in low light situations.
 
Last edited:
I think the Canon heading is on a lot of product pages! Me thinks someone hasn't checked things properly. I am sure they will get it sorted though but its certainly a big change in layout!
 
Thanks for the feedback guys, we're aware of the issues mentioned so far and our developers are working super hard to make sure all the inevitable bugs are ironed out as quickly as possible so bear with us!
 
so bear with us!


polar-bear.jpg
 
I have browsed used items for sale on the MPB site regularly and indeed purchased items after having done so. The old site was logical, presented used categories on the left and I could quickly navigate to those sections I was interested in, one after another. In my view, the new layout fails to improve on the old design by some margin, it's slower to navigate to the areas I'm interested in, even on a fast PC and it makes users drill up and down the menu system for the sake of it. Items are no longer listed alphabetically, for example, when looking for a flashgun, all the makes are jumbled up. I bought a used Panasonic Lumix GH3 Grip from the site having browsed the Accessories Section on the old site, I didn't visit the site specifically searching for that item but saw it and thought it was a good price. I'm struggling to identify any improvement other than the pictures are bigger, but that comes at a load time price.

If users and casual browsers find it hard work, then sales and site visits are likely to be impacted. I rarely used the Ffordes site either as this is hard work, especially going from page to page of listings where it leaves users at the bottom of the new page! Both the Ffordes site design and the new MPB site design are currently best used for a specific item searches. I stress I like MPB and the way it otherwise deals with used equipment sales and its certainly not the end of the world by any means, but my view (as a buyer) is that visits to MPB site might be much reduced after the transformation of an excellent layout and design to something rather mediocre. I look forward to seeing how the site evolves if others feel the same way.
 
Generally agree with the above, far more clicks and navigating around required to view the various categories. A step backwards in my opinion. MPB and Ffordes were always by far the quickest/simplest to browse, I can't say I'm a fan of going '2.0' for the sake of it.
 
I had a quick look yesterday and didn't like the interface . Trying to find things was quite hard and not a nice shopping experience on a whole .
 
I've tried to find quicker ways to navigate the site, the only thing that helps is to open a given page in a new Tab to save drilling up and down. Each page defaults to 'Price High to Low', every page has to be reloaded with my preferred 'A to Z' listing, that is the case using either Tabs or drilling up and down on a single page, it doesn't retain the preference. This isn't something I'm going to get used to, +1 for the return of the old site with small pics please.
 
Got to agree with the above from Harvey. For me, I didn't like the previous change with scrolling down then waiting for more items to re-load. Also, think the pages look a little to big IMO, with say six items showing in page of my 24" monitor.

Myself, I like the basic list view of Wex, Harrisons etc......when I can select all, to show all items i'm interested in and I can just scroll down the page. The Ffordes one is okay for me apart from when you look at an item on say page 5, you then click the back button and it takes you back to page 1. One of the reasons I don't go on there much these days.
 
Well ive got say its an absolute mess Matt, web designers seem to have gone away from the old addage of "content is king" someone must have bought a book on coding and decided to try everything in the book, the previous encarnation lost the sites simplicity but at least the navigation was bearable
 
I don't think it's just MPB, other firms / companies seem to be doing it also. Dale Photographic, Hire a camera have both done something similar.?

Same goes for 500px and Flickr. 500px have totally destroyed there lovely format, it seems they want to be more like Flickr and Flickr are more like 500. I just don't get it.? I'm all for change if it's a better experience, these are defiantly NOT..!
 
Oh dear. What a mess!!

Surely the new site can be tested before hitting the button!! I'm sure it's fine on some platforms but it needs to work on all.

Many of us have larger screen phones now and this appears to be where the biggest mess is. I use an iPhone 6+ for most of my casual browsing and this new site simply does not work!!

Clearly Matt & co are aware and hopefully it'll get sorted out soon but for now it's simply unusable. I'd be having a word with the web developer about the bill!!!
 
I'd noticed a few teething problems recently. Just been on there now and it seems much better, much more responsive. Not tried it on the iPad or phone so can't comment.
 
The default listing of A-Z listings now seems to have been fixed. The site did manage a first for me, it crashed my Samsung Tab S!
 
It seems to be working to some extent on iPhone now, but it still isn't great. Click on Buy button, click on drop down menu to get brands, click on a brand and...... nothing happens. Unless you then go back, and then it works. Hmmmm.

Not a fan of the new vertical format of the listings either, it takes a lot of scrolling to get down the page. The old format was much more logical and easier to use. :(
 
Had a good play this morning, but all is not well. As an example I sorted all the Canon Used Lenses by price high to low...

- There are gaps, i.e. the second line just has one 'item box' on the right hand side (Sigma 300-800)

- The sorting just flat out doesn't work, in fact the final item box is a Zeiss 50mm f2 at £524, and next to a £144 Sigma 28-70 is £3149 Sigma 300-800, for example.

I checked the other listings and it seems like a consistent issue across every page.
 
Don't like the layout but shouldn't complain as it has made me much less likely to make any impulse buys :)

Noticed that when there's only one item of a used product, it always says '4 more available - compare used stock'
 
Thank you for being so patient with us as we continue to work through the issues. We hope that you have all noticed the improvements since launch.

We will be continuing to evolve and develop the site over the coming weeks and have taken on board all your feedback so far! The TP community remains very special to us and we massively value your feedback.
 
A minor one, on an iPhone the red 'Reduced' label on some items obscures a significant portion of the product title.
 
Are there still MPB problems with the website? I asked for a quote on Sunday, and have heard nothing, so a reapplied for a quote yesterday, and still nothing! Having used them loads of time they usually get back to you with a price within 24 hours. Very strange!!
 
Seems like they're going through a big change, with the website and the international business venture. Seems customer service is suffering already...

I tried to use the website yesterday on my Mac and gave up, it's useless...
 
personally don't like it given time it may gron on me don't use mpb a lot just to be nosey at 2nd hand prices lol
 
I rarely go on their website now except when I'm looking for something specific. Previously it used to be easy to scan through products.

I find it a chore to use this new design. Everything is so big which means more scrolling. I can only get 6 items on screen at one time.
 
Back
Top