Perhaps this will turn out like Netflix and they just bag it and go back to the old format. I hope so.
Dev your comments are pretty in line with a part of my list of growing concerns. The more I browse it, the more issues I find....it's pretty darn bad.
The issue you raised about their sponsor ads being on listing pages is important and speaks of their focus. Another part of that is the "other Items" are now limited to 3 and the rest of your ad space (assuming it is your listing) is devoted to their sponsor...so they sold that space twice. I have sold many items from guys seeing other items while looking at a listing and I have also bought other items that way.
I am hoping the inability to click on a username is merely a process that is coming. I cannot imagine they would eliminate that all together. I would guess that almost everyone who engages in a transaction clicks on the other party to give them a quick once over.
As for the actual process of transition, there is the obvious screwed up way they went about it but they have pretty much forbidden any discussion. I had a forum topic denied directing me to the blog. I had an email reply stating that comments should be posted on the blog. I posted on the blog and they have not allowed the post. My comments were in no way aggressive or inappropriate although they did point out concerns. The message they have sent is clear...tough, buddy...don't care, this is the way it is so please don't make waves.
The old Audiogon was a community and I have made some of my best friends there (strange, I know). I honestly feel bad for the newer guys and the guys who have yet to get there because they are never going to experience that sense of community that used to be. Sigh.
Dev...I feel bad for you, that stinks. Hopefully they will get your ad taken care of and you get that sold. I'm afraid there are a lot of stories like yours floating about the web. Good luck to you.
I just tried to browse the "New Today" but got so distracted by the giant flashing banana that I had to close the page. Seriously?? Oh my.
I had to go and check it out with Internet Explorer and see what your talking about. That IS really bad.
I'm surprised that more people don't use a browser with a ad blocking service. I use Firefox with Adblock Plus and don't see a single ad. It still doesn't change the fact that their new site is garbage.
We are complaining to each other but I also highly recommend you send an email to them and be angry about it. That is the ONLY way we can expect real change!!
The A'gon site is so bad that it now begs to have a little competition.....well that's a thought
Take a look at this ad, http://app.audiogon.com/listings/453034
Tell me what you see is wrong!
Now I don't know if the picture will be the same that I'm seeing or not but the size does not change and it's much larger and obvious than any other on the actual sellers ad page so it stands out the most, this ad happens to be competing with the sellers ads because the seller also has cables for sale as you can see right above the large picture, this larger ad the company is selling cables. To me this is very distracting and not focusing on what the seller objective is. All I see is greeeeeeeeeeeeeeed!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Click on the attachment I provided and you will see the ads are revolving so different ones will pop up, second time I did a bold large picture poped up on the top of a compeditors product.
Also read above the sellers ad on this same page to further see more advertisment and direct competition. One says "Best Audio Cables See what people are saying" one below it says " Cable-UP by VU cables" and both are set-up in a way that if you click onto them takes you right into their site information and away from this actual seller page. When you re-click onto that attachment I provided it revolves and second time I did this a bold large picture poped up on the top of a compeditors product.
If you keep goiing back to my attachment provided above and clicking it, looking at the actual ad you will notice different ads appear each time on the top along with the larger picture below the posters feedback or other items for sale.
What a bunch of crap!!!!!!!!!!!!!
If they are going to do this then they should not be charging for add placement.
Why doesn't Audigon have these companies place their own ads on their own separate page? instead of corrupting a paying members page whom has actually paid for their ad placement.