KEH has a new website!

[Trail Images]

Good luck to this excellent vendor of used products with their new web site. I found the old one just fine and bought there several times over the years. Most recently was only a couple months back.
My visit today was let's just say a bit puzzling, maybe just me.

 

[Truzi]

I stopped using ebay because the page layout change was frustrating and inefficient. Instead of spending more time searching, I used that time to find other sites to patronize.

I'm going to rush to make my KEH purchases before they take the classic site offline. If I've not saved up enough for the more expensive items I want before then, I'll probably invest my time elsewhere.

 

[StoneNYC]

I stopped using ebay because the page layout change was frustrating and inefficient. Instead of spending more time searching, I used that time to find other sites to patronize.

I'm going to rush to make my KEH purchases before they take the classic site offline. If I've not saved up enough for the more expensive items I want before then, I'll probably invest my time elsewhere.

The eBay iPhone app is so excellent I even use it while in front of the computer, the normal website is horrid.

 

[BetterSense]

The problem with the old site was that it worked, it was simple, and we can't have that. We have to have flashy modern web 2.0 with social media because shiney. Now I get to learn another crap content-free butchered-for-mobile interface for no reason except someone at keh was worried about losing the race to the bottom.

 

[Truzi]

The eBay iPhone app is so excellent I even use it while in front of the computer, the normal website is horrid.

That is why the web site is so bad, it's made to translate easily to a mobile device. I tend to search and scroll through long lists. I don't care how good the app is, there is only so much that will fit on a screen with that design, and I like seeing many items, with legible descriptions, at a time. I've better things to do than stare at a tiny screen with only a few items per page. I've better things to do than stare at a 24" screen with the same few items fitting per page.

Also, ebay removed wildcards from the search. The new search does not find things the wildcards did. So now it requires many more search terms because it cannot handle plurals and suffixes correctly (yes, I tested extensively before forsaking ebay). This is the same search engine the mobile app uses.
I do not shop from my phone. As a matter of fact, I do not shop from any device I did not install from scratch and configure myself.

I use photo sites differently, I don't search for a plethora of general items; I am very goal oriented and search for specific items - I rarely browse. Why do I need to see every model Bronica back in stock, when I only own a GS-1? Why do I have to scroll past prisms when I'm in the market, and specifically search, for a PG lens? The search is a matter of basic and proper configuration, and proper indexing/cataloging. From the looks of it, they purchased/hired a "box" solution (likely with promises of increasing sales by exposing customers to "other" items (that do not fit what the customers own)). I'm sure they paid good money, so the new site won't change much. It will improve, but only within the very limited constraints of the design concept. This does not prevent them, however, from keeping the old site as well, which was very useful for lack of those constraints.

 

[StoneNYC]

That is why the web site is so bad, it's made to translate easily to a mobile device. I tend to search and scroll through long lists. I don't care how good the app is, there is only so much that will fit on a screen with that design, and I like seeing many items, with legible descriptions, at a time. I've better things to do than stare at a tiny screen with only a few items per page. I've better things to do than stare at a 24" screen with the same few items fitting per page.

Also, ebay removed wildcards from the search. The new search does not find things the wildcards did. So now it requires many more search terms because it cannot handle plurals and suffixes correctly (yes, I tested extensively before forsaking ebay). This is the same search engine the mobile app uses.
I do not shop from my phone. As a matter of fact, I do not shop from any device I did not install from scratch and configure myself.

I use photo sites differently, I don't search for a plethora of general items; I am very goal oriented and search for specific items - I rarely browse. Why do I need to see every model Bronica back in stock, when I only own a GS-1? Why do I have to scroll past prisms when I'm in the market, and specifically search, for a PG lens? The search is a matter of basic and proper configuration, and proper indexing/cataloging. From the looks of it, they purchased/hired a "box" solution (likely with promises of increasing sales by exposing customers to "other" items (that do not fit what the customers own)). I'm sure they paid good money, so the new site won't change much. It will improve, but only within the very limited constraints of the design concept. This does not prevent them, however, from keeping the old site as well, which was very useful for lack of those constraints.

The website looks NOTHING like the mobile site and it's not at all the same coding.

Also, I used to have to search 30 pages to get to the fujinon 600mm section of the LF lenses... It was insanity, now it's super easy to find the right lens, if they only added a focal length range to the search it would be even better.

 

[RattyMouse]

Looking at KEH's new site over lunch today....the more I was there, the less I wanted to browse. What a horrid re-design. I guess I know where the flickr coding team moved onto.

 

[MattKing]

I see some positive improvements on the new site, but mourn the loss of the plethora of useful sub-headings that the old site offered.

It is almost as if the new site is designed primarily for those people who frequently start threads on APUG that question: "I've never shot a medium format camera. What should I start out with if I have $XXX to spend?".

The old site was much more useful for those of us who look for specific things - e.g. accessories like film backs for a Mamiya 645 manual focus body.

Sorting on brand isn't much help for us Mamiya users.

 

[Roger Cole]

I don't like the new site. Most annoying thing right off is that film and digital gear of the same manufacturer is lumped together. Boo and hiss!

The old one is trim, functional and easy, but not flashy. The new one is flashy and slick and a PITA. Sort of like the evolution of Windows GUIs since 2k (but I have my Win 7 to look, not even like XP but like 2k, and using Classic Shell.)

But I still like KEH.

 

[AgX]

Looks slick, but I am not a fan of how they have categorised 35mm gear especially. All the Minolta Gear is lumped together, regardless of it being MD/MC or AF. All the non manufacturer gear comes under its specific brand name, so I now have to search through the whole listing to find the mount I need.

Yes, that is the first thing aside of the style change that I experiencecd and I see it as great disadvantage too.

 

[Truzi]

The website looks NOTHING like the mobile site and it's not at all the same coding.

Also, I used to have to search 30 pages to get to the fujinon 600mm section of the LF lenses... It was insanity, now it's super easy to find the right lens, if they only added a focal length range to the search it would be even better.

The ebay web page and mobile app are displayed differently on a PC web page and on a mobile app. The content (pictures, text, "containers") and underlying structure are the same. The structure and content are made to look good on a small phone, not a web page. This is server-side stuff that you only see the result of.

There are web pages with completely different web and mobile layouts. They use the same content, but in a different (non-container) format, and it shows. Both versions look very professional.
However, It is easier to do a one size fits none approach. It saves money, making for a "cheap" experience.

 

[Trail Images]

Sorting on brand isn't much help for us Mamiya users.

This is what I found too. I'm sure most all us web browsing types can "pick" our way through and find our needs, but the other site worked much easier. The example about the "lumping" of Mamiya was nowhere near as useful IMO. All I wanted to see was RB lenses, not ALL Mamiya lenses they have in stock across the board.....

 

[peter k.]

HEY the OLD SITE is still available !!!

Scroll down, all the way to the bottom, right hand side, under heading KEH Camera ... click

Classic Keh.com

 

[StoneNYC]

Well I got lucky, I bought some stuff the day the new site was launched and the shipping algorithms were messed up, cost me $6 to ship some stuff, today I ordered the exact same thing again and it was $11 hah! I called them and they said I got a deal last time... Such is life!

 

[PKM-25]

Just looked at the new site, bummer, not an upgrade in my opinion. At least the products and prices are what matters, that is still great.

 

[Mark Crabtree]

This is what I found too. I'm sure most all us web browsing types can "pick" our way through and find our needs, but the other site worked much easier. The example about the "lumping" of Mamiya was nowhere near as useful IMO. All I wanted to see was RB lenses, not ALL Mamiya lenses they have in stock across the board.....

Same for Pentax. An awful lot of irrelevant stuff if you are shopping for screw mount.

 

[DCB12]

Don't like the new page...I guess I will have to live with it.:confused:

Peace

 

[ME Super]

I don't like the new site. Most annoying thing right off is that film and digital gear of the same manufacturer is lumped together. Boo and hiss!

The old one is trim, functional and easy, but not flashy. The new one is flashy and slick and a PITA. Sort of like the evolution of Windows GUIs since 2k (but I have my Win 7 to look, not even like XP but like 2k, and using Classic Shell.)

But I still like KEH.

That's cool that you got win7 to look like win2k. Anybody remember the command prompt? Well it's still around. Now, real programmers use "COPY CON program.exe"

 

[munz6869]

I hate this new website - I just nearly bought two cameras I don't 'need'

Marc!

 

[Truzi]

That's cool that you got win7 to look like win2k. Anybody remember the command prompt? Well it's still around. Now, real programmers use "COPY CON program.exe"

I still use a CLI. I use Linux, and find some things are faster that way. At the moment I'm hacking my Android phone with ADB.

 

[StoneNYC]

That's cool that you got win7 to look like win2k. Anybody remember the command prompt? Well it's still around. Now, real programmers use "COPY CON program.exe"

Just go to "start" and type "CMD" to the search field, and the command line prompt will be accessible. Enjoy!

PS I went Mac YEARS ago, no viruses, no popups, more customizable than most realize as they also have a command line access just like windows does, you just have to learn the unix programming, faster (even with an anti-virus program which is mainly there to eliminate windows viruses so I don't infect someone else's computer), smoother simple look with not a lot of distractions, and very sync-oriented, makes life grand!

 

[vsyrek1945]

HEY the OLD SITE is still available !!!

Scroll down, all the way to the bottom, right hand side, under heading KEH Camera ... click

Many thanks for passing long that precious nugget of information.

After a frustrating session of several fruitless searches on the new site, I was ready to look for a feedback link that I could use to tell 'em where they could shove their new site. The 'classic' site is where I'll do my business with 'em . . .

 

[ME Super]

I still use a CLI. I use Linux, and find some things are faster that way. At the moment I'm hacking my Android phone with ADB.

Yes there are lots of things for which the CLI is faster. I also have a small linux box in addition to my windows PC. By small, I mean really small - about the size of a credit card, and runs off of a 5V 700mA USB power supply. It's got a 2TB drive attached to it that is shared out to the network for storing backups and movies and the like. It's not as fast as a drive connected directly to the computer, but it's plenty fast for backups and streaming movies across the network. The drive has its own power supply - it draws more power than the linux box (a Raspberry Pi).

 

[Truzi]

I'd love a Raspberry, but it's not in my budget. I just have the typical desktops/laptop and a Linksys router at the moment. I have an Virtualbox image of windows XP for the 1 thing I need windows for (when I borrow a scanner with a film attachment from a coworker).

 

[hoffy]

Where's all the Bronica Gear gone!

No a single SQA item on their books!