Ebay Case Study

Well, I am now an eBay user! Navigating through eBay to set up an account was just like any other site. I had to change my username three times until I found one that it accepted, created a password, and typed in a security code among other things. A conformation e-mail was sent to me and although I couldn't click on the link, there was another option for me to get my conformation code and click on the other link if the previous one wasn't working. This is something that most other sites when dealing with email do not have. I then proceeded to search the site for something worth following. Happily to say, everything I searched I found which was a nice change. Maybe the items I was searching for were relatively popular but it was still refreshing. Once I found an item, I easily clicked on the icon that allowed me to follow the item, overall nothing too complicated. Downloading Flex was the easiest download I have done so far. It literally took all of 50 seconds to complete and there is now an eBay tab on my Safari page. I find that the quick link is very easy and allows you to view the items that you are following with ease. Both Flex and the eBay page were easy to navigate. For those avid eBay users I can see that this sidebar is very easy and convenient. The navigation portion of the sidebar is easy being that you can buy the item and watch it without having to load the eBay page. It gives you the basics without all the hassle of loading a page. I think the sidebar is a great thing to have if you are consistently buying things on eBay, its a quick organization tool that allows you to access what you want fast.

Usability 101

Using the web for some people can be very challenging. But there is a difference, at least in my eyes, as to using the web and being able to use the web. Confusing? Let me explain. If a website isn't user friendly, it won't survive. The web is supposed to be fast, if someone can't search for what they want and find it with ease, the web has failed them. Most sites have different layouts. Once the user has figured out how to navigate the site, they can perform their tasks quickly. The challenge is making your site user friendly. Every page of your site is important, like the article says, if your homepage doesn't say what the site has to offer then it'd not giving off the right information the user wants to know right away. The most frustrating thing is not finding what you want on a site but if your site is user friendly you shouldn't have any problems.

The Web is Dead

The web is used all day, everyday, but they say it's dying. For me thats hard to believe. How is something dying that people use everyday? After reading an article about how and why its dying, I have come to realize that there are other means of using the internet. Apps seem to be taking over the world. Using apps help you get what you need. I learned that they bypass the searching and go directly to getting. This is something that Americans will rejoice over. No one in todays age wants to sit down and search for what they need. They don't have time for that. I want to get things done in the most efficient way possible, and thats through apps. Although a lot of the article confused me as to I am not up with all of the internet/web terms, I do for the most part agree with it. American's wait for the next technological advance. And with that advance comes an entire new meaning of how people communicate and get what they need. Sites such as Facebook and Twitter are taking over but connecting people at the same time. I use the web everyday as do most people. The most common sites I use are checking my Email through a school server, Facebook, and the Apple site. For me if the internet were to die and it went to all apps I would be able to manage. Just as I think other American's will do. The web may die but people will not die without the web.