Dear Dooyoo.............. (Public Notice)

Member Name: yummy87

Product:	Public Notice
Date:	25/07/04 (66 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: The great members, fab writers and diversity of subject matter

Disadvantages: The pop ups, lack of new products and the mess in Speakers Corner

Dear Dooyoo,

I've been a member of your site for some time now and there's a lot of things I love about the site and a few that bug me on a daily basis so I thought it best to put pen to paper as I'm sure you will welcome comments from your members in order to improve our Dooyoo experience.

THINGS THAT MAKE YUMMY GLUMMY
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Well of course the search engine is a bit of a non-starter. I've got so used to using Google to search for products on Dooyoo that I sometimes forget you've even got a search function on the site, as it really is next to useless. As a guide I do find it a little embarrassing when I've persuaded a new member to come over from that dreary old Ciao place to join Dooyoo and the first thing they ask me is "Why does the search engine not work?" Hmm it's a bit of a grey area really isn't it? Why does it not work? I don't understand it really. I have produced a website for my work and we have a Google search tool on the site which is fantastic. Surely it would be easy for Dooyoo to do the same on your site, after all it's only a teensy weensy little bit of script and if a computer idiot like me can do it I'm sure your whizz kid technicians could do it in about two minutes with no problems. I do think the fact that the search function is so dire results in members joining, posting one opinion then leaving for sunnier climes never to be seen or heard of again. Oh and one more thing while we're on the search engine. I do spend a lot of my time sending you mails about products that are placed in the wrong category. Most of these are due to the fact that members simply can't find the correct category with yo
ur archaic old search engine so they just post where they can.

Product Proposals. Oh dear, I'm sorry but this is another moan. I must admit I save my proposals up and set aside an afternoon to request them all, say once a month. Invariably the product proposal thingummyjig isn't even working and despite me following the instructions on the form to the letter, I then get an error message telling me that I've not completed all the necessary fields. So then I have to write an email to you listing all my new products which takes so much longer than putting them on the groovy form thingy and of course that makes me peeved. Another moan I have about product proposals is that it takes an absolute agggggggggggggggge for you to put them up and sometimes I sit here twiddling my yummy thumbs for days, weeks and even months before my new products appear, by which time they're not new any more. A classic example was when I recently requested a TV programme that was aired over the course of a two week period. By the time the product was uploaded onto the site I had several emails from the Dooyoo team telling me that the link I specified on the form was no longer accessible. Not surprising really, as the programme had finished weeks before........................... Last but not least I've requested products a number of times recently only to have them uploaded but then they disappear. Most odd, but again very annoying and I again have to mail the Dooyoo team to find out what's going on. Despite Nathalie's best efforts this has happened twice and my products still have not appeared.

Lack of updates in Speakers Corner. While I'm not a lover of the top Ten Categories and silly fluffy items, I do feel that Speakers Corner could be updated with some more categories for debating
purposes. Also Speakers Corner seems to have become a dumping ground for items when users can not find the correct category to put them so they end up sticking them in any General category they can find. Pleeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeease can we sort this out. I'll help gladly, just give me the go ahead, but I don't want to start a huge project only to find my efforts will all be in vain if the team haven't got the time or resources to help me.

Why are there no crowns in the TV section? I've read some absolutely wonderful TV reviews and it seems such a shame that these don't get crowned. It seems a bit strange that people can write about a bar of chocolate or a trifle and get a nice shiny thing next to their review the next week yet they can't for a TV review, most of which involve a lot of research and hard work.

Lack of films in the Film section. Although I don't do film reviews as I can't get these reviews to flow, I really feel for the movie buffs on the site who have rushed off to the cinema to see the latest release, and have whizzed onto Dooyoo when they return chomping at the bit to write a review, only to find there's no category for the film, nor will there be until it's released on DVD. It must be sooooooo frustrating for the Movie guide, and also for consumers as surely you'd get more revenue and hits if you had the latest cinema releases on the site?

Last but not least, the dam annoying pop ups. I have a pop up blocker but the odd one still gets through and to be honest if I didn't have a blocking tool I would probably become so frustrated I'd not bother using the site.

THINGS THAT MAKE YUMMY A HAPPY BUNNY
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Despite my moans above I really do like Dooyoo. I love the fact that you the site doesn't have guest books because on the dark side commonly known as Ciao the introduction of guest books has lead to no end of abuse and nastiness. Dooyoo has a great community spirit without these and certainly doesn't suffer for the lack of them.

The crowns. They're fair, despite the rantings of certain members of the site it's especially rewarding to new members when they receive a crown for their early onions as there's no favouritism on Dooyoo. Work is rewarded on its merits, not on the strength of who the writer happens to be or how long they've been a member.

Support from the Dooyoo team. I'd just like to say that since Nathalie has been dealing with us moany old guides, she really is doing a good job. I've never had to wait long for an answer to any of my queries and I always receive a thank you for my nominations each week which gives her big Brownie points from me. Politeness goes a long way and despite limited resources I do think she is doing a good job. I appreciate it must be frustrating for her when she receives moans and groans from us as she is the first point of call, and with the exception of my categories going missing and still not appearing, she has answered all of my queries as best she can.

Payment of any money owed. This is where Dooyoo excel. I've never waited more than ten days for any payment I've requested and it's nice to know that if I want to cash in for Christmas I don't have to request payment months in advance. As my memory is like a sieve the speedy and profession payment service is a bonus and gives the site zillions of Brownie points!

The members. With the exception of a very small minority, t
he members of Dooyoo make the site what it is. We've got some fine writers on the site, a lot who write on a regular basis and provide valuable advice for consumers and fellow members on a diversity of subject matter. There's some great characters on the site and I have to just say a big up to my fellow guides, most of whom work very hard to encourage new members to join and also really want to see great things come out of Dooyoo and want to see the site move forward and not backwards.

Regards

Yummy

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The above was sent as part of the Dooyoo Members' Feedback Initiative. The content is intended to provide constructive criticism for taking the site forward from the member's point of view, and has been posted to the site as an opinion. Your reply, if any is received, will be posted into the end of the opinion giving members a better idea of the Dooyoo and the site

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