rails of sheffield

[Chris116]

Search engine does not seem very good. I had a list of Bachmann HO American box cars showing. The search says it will search from amongst the items listed but when I entered "Wisconsin Central" it found one item, a Great Central Water Tower! Wrong scale, wrong railway.

[Oliver Rails]

And as if to have the last laugh ,Oliver,comes an email with astounding Bachmann bargains......which it would be impolite to ignore.The tables are turned I think.

.

 

 

When using the old ..current site....all was logically and neatly arranged.If I want a specific item,I know exactly how and where to look for it .On the new site,I am seemingly swamped by items which you obviously wish to sell me....yes that's why you're successfully in business.....but in which I have no interest.It is as if I need to negotiate acres of baboo thicket before....and if.....I find what I' m looking for.By which time,I'm out of patience and lost the will to live ...well,almost.

 

I have a huge admiration and respect for Rails but for pity's sake,Oliver.keep it simple.If I am interested in buying,...I know what I want.I just want a simple effective way of getting to it without diversions on the way.

 

 

Thanks Ian, I fully understand. We are been working closely with our web team to hopefully resolve the "getting lost" issue and hopefully the changes which will be implemented shortly should address a lot of this. I will keep in touch and let you know when the changes have been made and fingers crossed everyone will see the improvements.

 

LOL. I tried to keep the Bachmann Bargains email nice and simple. There are some cracking offers to be had!

https://railsofsheffield.com/Bachmann-bargains--JJJGP2203.aspx

[Oliver Rails]

Search engine does not seem very good. I had a list of Bachmann HO American box cars showing. The search says it will search from amongst the items listed but when I entered "Wisconsin Central" it found one item, a Great Central Water Tower! Wrong scale, wrong railway.

 

 

The search is another area which we are heavily monitoring which we will then review and make necessary changes.

 

I have noted your issue and agree that once you are in the Bachmann American category the search should then only search within that section.

 

Thanks

Oliver

[Ian Hargrave]

Thanks Ian, I fully understand. We are been working closely with our web team to hopefully resolve the "getting lost" issue and hopefully the changes which will be implemented shortly should address a lot of this. I will keep in touch and let you know when the changes have been made and fingers crossed everyone will see the improvements.

 

LOL. I tried to keep the Bachmann Bargains email nice and simple. There are some cracking offers to be had!

https://railsofsheffield.com/Bachmann-bargains--JJJGP2203.aspx

 

And I just "cracked"

[forest2807]

We are asked for comments.This might be one of yours.Personally,Oliver et al....I find the new website haemorrhoidal.Sorry.....but you did ask.

[forest2807]

I'm afraid I don't understand the first two sentences.

[Gwiwer]

I won't say that link is slow to load (here - not necessarily under Rails' control) but I fear the bargains might have sold out before I get to see what they were.

[Ian Hargrave]

I'm afraid I don't understand the first two sentences.

Rails have asked for comments on thir new website. My post merely means that you pass on to them the comments you posted here.That is all.

[forest2807]

Thanks for clarifying Ian. I think Oliver Rails has seen my comment - it is a trivial point but one worth making IMHO.

[Johnfromoz]

Relaunching a major retail website is a thankless task; you cannot please all of the people all of the time. BUT, the new iteration is in my view a dogs breakfast. As previously remarked, it is focussed too much on marketing rather than providing a clear portal to its many hundreds of products through a legible home page.

 

As someone who has spent several thousands with them over as 25 yrears, I hope they get this sorted.

 

John

Edited July 23, 2017 by Johnfromoz

[woodenhead]

Just been looking through the 'Offers' page on the new site and applied some filters, how can price 'TBA' on unreleased items be an 'offer'

 

Dapol B4s and Bachmann J72s were expected in the list

Edited July 23, 2017 by woodenhead

[meatloaf]

Is it possible to add the collect at argos option to your regular website? 

 

Ive had 2 locos from you this week ( class 20 with sound and a green class 20 that was on offer ) but used your ebay listings as it offers the argos option and the postage is a bargain at only £2 on ebay

[Gwiwer]

Is it possible to add the collect at argos option to your regular website? 

 

Ive had 2 locos from you this week ( class 20 with sound and a green class 20 that was on offer ) but used your ebay listings as it offers the argos option and the postage is a bargain at only £2 on ebay

 

This forum does not link to Rails of Sheffield commercially though may be seen by some of their staff.  I suggest you use their website link for that. 

https://railsofsheffield.com/contact-us/

[jjb1970]

In terms of websites, I always wonder why one shop which has a superb website isn't copied by everybody else. I won't name if on a thread about another shop but they have a top menu to select scale. Then diesel locomotives, steam locomotives etc etc. If you select diesel locomotives you get all of the classes listed, click on, say, Class 47 and hey presto all their 47's are there. Simple, intuitive and very professionally presented. Quite why the three big shops haven't just copied the idea I'm not sure.

[dpgibbons]

One can debate the best hierarchy for a model rail shopping website but surely there can be no doubt that the first selection needs to be by gauge. It's quite astonishing that the new site does not readily allow this. Indeed if you select a gauge from the over-lengthy Categories menu the site returns "No Results"! Gauge selection is not offered in the Personalisation options either.  

 

At least the site makes it easy to filter Bargains by gauge - Hattons please note. 

[jjb1970]

A good website is pretty important these days when more and more sales are made online. One of the reasons I particularly like my preferred online seller is that their website is so good it makes finding what I need and ordering simplicity itself and their prices are generally competitive and I've found service good. If a website makes finding what I want difficult then unless its a particularly hard to find item I won't bother when there are easy to use website out there. Given the importance of web design to modern businesses it is odd that many shops don't seem to place much importance on it.

[dpgibbons]

The new website needs to tune its search engine. A search for "Farish green Class 40" gives 2623 hits, the first of which is a Dapol OO Gauge Class 122! To be fair, it was a green one. 

[Oliver Rails]

Exciting News!

 

Work has begun on a brand new showroom.

 

The main shop is open as usual but work has begun on what was previously the Second hand emporium. Due for completion late 2017 the new showroom will offer a fantastic and unique experience for all ages. 

 

Stay tuned for further progress reports and information regarding the grand opening.

 

 

 

[Ian Hargrave]

At last ! Sheffield has a site of major archaeological significance to rival Pompeii and the catacombs of Ancient Rome. Official opening with canapes and champagne ?  I wish...this is Yorkshire ....   Oh well one can but dream.Seriously good news of an expansion of business though...

[No Decorum]

I’ll admit that I don’t like change for the sake of change. I loathed Windows 8 and 10 is little better. So, in spite of having a Windows 10 laptop, I have stuck with Vista. The evil day must come because less and less works with Vista and its version of Internet Explorer. For a start, Rails’ feedback on the new website doesn’t work, hence I post here.

 

Sorry, Rails. The new website irritates me. The current one works fine. Why on earth change it?

[Ian Hargrave]

I’ll admit that I don’t like change for the sake of change. I loathed Windows 8 and 10 is little better. So, in spite of having a Windows 10 laptop, I have stuck with Vista. The evil day must come because less and less works with Vista and its version of Internet Explorer. For a start, Rails’ feedback on the new website doesn’t work, hence I post here.

 

Sorry, Rails. The new website irritates me. The current one works fine. Why on earth change it?

 

I'm afraid that,sooner or later,you will need to bite the bullet and ditch Vista..which is now an "unsupported " system. That occurred with mine 4 months ago and my pc is now fed by Windows 10.I 've had to get on with it.No it's not perfect but then what is ? My internet signal is akin to Flanders & Swan's slow train anyway

[Nelson Jackson]

Apologise this is late but my father would like to say thanks again for your prompt service and excellent care with the packaging for delivery, it arrived safe and sound. Here's how it looks now.

[lochlongside]

The new website needs to tune its search engine. A search for "Farish green Class 40" gives 2623 hits, the first of which is a Dapol OO Gauge Class 122! To be fair, it was a green one. 

Very much Agree - I am prompted particularly to comment by the statement that they intend to move to the new website in the middle of this month. Whilst the current site has limitations it is at least manageable – IMO the new site is a step back and the Search logic appears non-intuitive (and flaky) compared to competitors sites. 

First set the scene - Win10/firefox/15in laptop.

Next the searches - A couple of examples

First I wanted to find out details of Peco’s LK-60 platform sides – availability, price, how long, how high, and was the brickwork embossed.   Peco site was only marginally helpful but then as far as I can see they are not really an online seller. Most of my favourite retailers searched admirably – typed LK-60 in search box and I then saw the item. Details did vary. Some retailers did not like the dash, but no probs – most of them deleted it automatically before displaying the item if necessary – but one other well-known site required me to re-enter it as LK60.

Rails old site – entered LK-60 got 15 results – none correct – majority starting with LK-7xx but top choice Hornby R3572, Colas Rail Cl 60 (!).  Entered LK60 – got right result contains 5 pieces168mm /in stock (no qty stated) /price.

Rails new site – entered LK-60 – got 129 results, displaying 25 and reqt to load more results to display them. (See more on this later). Entered LK60 got right result but not all the info plus prompt to look at E-bay shop. Tried that link out– general site link – no read across of search criteria. Went onto E-Bay out of interest did a search on Peco LK-60 got loads of both LK-60 and LK60 across range of suppliers.

 

Then tried entering partial codes i.e. LK6 – Again most competitors sites were v good and displayed relevant selections. Both Rails sites displayed the Peco Bookstall (LK-6) only; i.e. appears Search cannot cope with partial codes. As further test tried R357 (I.e partial code for the Colas Rail loco displayed initially above !) – on old site I got one result – a Triang R357, which was aval on the Ebay site – i.e there was some cross-site correlation for a specific code but no multiple matches. On new site I got nothing.

 

I then took the new site and applied filters to the correct code i.e. LK-60 - with 129 results

Select manufacturer –order not immediately obvious but appears to be by number of  entries per supplier- most first– starts with Peco (fortunate in this case !!) and then lists the remainder – I then selected 00 gauge applied filters and got list down to 49. The filter process required me to open filters – select an option and then press to apply filters – this is clunky compared with contemporary search mechanisms which now implement them when selected. I found the item on 2^nd page but had to slide down whole first page of 24 to set up to load more, and the pictures associated with the Search are too big so slide down becomes more onerous than on old site.

Went back to old Rails home – selected Peco from screen RHS, then on already displayed top level filters selected 00 filter and selected Accessories got 69 items very quickly in obvious manufacturer code order and found the items on 2^nd page without having to do a large slide down because amongst other things there were page selectors at top of page and I could deduce from the 69, the mfrs ref nos and the page quantity (3) that they were probably on 2^nd of 3 pages.

Finally for this posting I decided to do a search on words bulk grain (Bachmann and GF polybulks were targets) on new site – got 89 results. It did not matter how I entered it (bulk grain / “bulk grain” / Bulk+grain/ Bulk&grain / Bulk & grain) the answer was 89, then tried bulk only and got 69 results (logic?)  – went into gauge – selected 00 – got it down to 13. Then went into Era – and no matter what choice I made it continued to display 13. Went back to the 69 stage – tried era again – no change – so despite choice not sure the era filter is actually working. Interesting also that in both cases selection included bulk packs of switches etc. (oh and GF were avail but not so Branchline 00 ones).

So in summary for Search

If you know the code and any dashes you can find it but note dashes are omitted for Peco 00 but not 0 but are included for Bachmann don't know (remember ) about other mfrs  (logic again?)

If you are doing a partial search say for a range of Bachmann models (i.e. all the grain wagons in 00 e.g. the 38-60n range) forget it – it is the actual mfr number or a single word e.g. grain and enter filter process.

This is not for me at least a website I will browse very often especially when there are many very competitive more easily navigable sites around.

[No Decorum]

I'm afraid that,sooner or later,you will need to bite the bullet and ditch Vista..which is now an "unsupported " system. That occurred with mine 4 months ago and my pc is now fed by Windows 10.I 've had to get on with it.No it's not perfect but then what is ? My internet signal is akin to Flanders & Swan's slow train anyway

I know I shall have to but I keep putting off the evil day. It will happen that I get fed up not being able to follow links to Flicker or something else and I shall reach tipping point. I was nearly forced into it recently when my Vista PC failed but it turned out to be only the power supply. Huge relief! Meantime I use 10 occasionally and bit by bit I am finding workarounds. Bear in mind that my first action on receiving each new “upgrade” to Windows 95 is to switch back to the 95 layout. It must be at least a decade since the “print screen” button on the Windows keyboard ceased to print what is on the screen. I know it copies what’s on screen to the clipboard but it makes me think that the people at Microsoft don’t know what they’re doing. Windows 10 bears that out. All I need to make my happiness complete is the insertion of a coreless motor somewhere!

[Ian Hargrave]

I’ll admit that I don’t like change for the sake of change. I loathed Windows 8 and 10 is little better. So, in spite of having a Windows 10 laptop, I have stuck with Vista. The evil day must come because less and less works with Vista and its version of Internet Explorer. For a start, Rails’ feedback on the new website doesn’t work, hence I post here.

 

Sorry, Rails. The new website irritates me. The current one works fine. Why on earth change it?

 

Come on Oliver,we know exactly what we're talking about.Please withdraw the "threat" to change to Bamboo Thicket @Rails.com until your website gurus design something usable rather than an adventure of wading in treacle.