In 1995, an online auction website was launched that would change the global marketplace forever. In essence, it is really just one, big, electronic garage sale. People can find just about anything from toys to art to planes, trains, and automobiles! Nonetheless, eBay offers millions of items for sale and allows billions of people to interact via internet. Buyers and sellers are able to communicate with each other, making the purchasing experience more than just clicking on buttons, but about making connections too.
Now, eBay even has an option where individuals can not only rate the sellers, but also write comments about their experience. This Feedback Forum gives people the opportunity to inform other potential buyers about common issues and concerns, such as quality, shipping methods, and accountability. It is relatively easy to do so. Any option that is clickable is in blue type. This color difference gives the user a type of map by which they can choose the path they want to follow. One can give a seller up to five stars per category (5 being the best 1 being the lowest), and an average is compiled by the site. These ratings can be disclosed or anonymous, so one can feel comfortable giving whatever score they think is justified.
On page 74, Lupton notes, "Users of Web sites have different expectations than users of print. They expect to feel "productive" not contemplative. They expect to be in search mode, not processing mode." eBay is a perfect real world example of this concept, for those seeking usually have a narrow focus. They don't usually visit eBay to be entertained or to challenge their minds; they have their eye on the prize and look for the links that bring them one step closer to their desires. This is why eBay's organization is so appropriate. There are various categories and subcategories with which one may narrow their searches. The broadest categories include titles like Electronics, Books, Business/Industrial, Clothing/Accessories, etc, but as one keeps clicking through, come faced with more options like price range, color, manufacturer/brand, and much more. Though the actual design of the website appears daunting, the navigation is surprisingly easy and allows the user to feel totally in control.
The hierarchy of eBays homepages is extremely well suited to its central purpose. A search bar is displayed at the very top along with a drop down menu. The options in this menu are the same categories that appear as links lower on the homepage, but for the seasoned eBay user, they would probably use the more conveniently located menu. However, one of my personal favorite features of this website is the My eBay window. It allows me to see what I have recently bid on, what I have been watching, and even items from sellers that I might like based on previous searches. This is a very personal aspect of the site, one which incites a sense of membership or belonging to the vast global network.
Have you ever used eBay? If so, did you think it was easy to find what you were looking for?
Bonus:
"The impatience of the digital reader arises from culture, not from the essential character of display technologies."
I think that we have become a society so focused on instant gratification. We want something and we want it now. Moreover, we want short cuts and easy way outs... and why? Because recent technological developments and their seemingly endless possiblities are seductive. I love new gadgets as much as the next person, but I think (in a paradoxical sense) they have actually taken us a step backwards in some aspects. For example, people dont know how to have face to face communcation anymore. I'm sure no one even remembers how when the first versions of AOL came out, it could take hours to get a connection. Today, if a page takes more than 30 seconds to load, we go nuts with impatience.
In regard to how this will impact internet display and design, I think that the shortcuts will simultaneously become more numerous and less complicated, thus appealing to this greater yearning for timely satisfaction. Search engines and site navigation will become highly diversified and wholly comprehensive so that one doesn't have to work too hard to find what they are looking for.
2 comments:
Your post as a whole is quite well thought-out and a prime example of Lupton's point, but mostly I want to focus on your answer to the bonus question. I said basically the same thing in talking about today's culture and its need for "instant gratification;" we're a people defined by our impatience and our desire for convenience. Our media has ingrained this in our heads and tries to deliver on its promise of "now now now!", and it seems like this lifestyle will only continue to expand in the future.
I liked your ideas but differ when talking about the organization of the ebay website, whenever I'm on there I feel overwhelmed...like there's a million adds and pop ups for items I'm not searching for...I think the site looks cheap sometimes in the way it organizes information.
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