In addition to the new header announcing promotions and offers, many of you noticed that the sale section get revamped. The new layout (shown above) still offers customers a way to drill down by category, size, etc. However, it no longer allows customers to choose how many items they can see at once.
The old layout shown below, seems a lot better to me. Why? Because it is easier to navigate, easier to sort, easier to see multiple items on one page. Under the old layout, I only had to browse 21 pages. Under the new layout, I have to browse twice as many.
Now, this just might be a case of familiarity. I recognize that time and usage may change my mind. However, right now I am missing the old layout. In my opinion, this is a downgrade...
What are your thoughts on the layout change to J.Crew's website? Do you think it is an "upgrade" or "downgrade"?
Quick Poll: Do you like J.Crew's new layout online?
I don't think this is just a case of familiarity. They've made it so it takes twice as long to look at sale items. It's an easy metric to measure and definitely a downgrade. I've gone back a few times to see if they've made it more than 48/page or if they've made it configurable, but they haven't and I haven't bought anything since they did this. It's great for my wallet, though. Probably what I needed to quit the Crewlade, which I need to do anyway.
ReplyDeleteAlso, I'm finding the new "Search" button kind of fussy, I have to click it a few times before it gives me the search box. Same for the Categories - what I think I've clicked on sometimes wasn't clicked on and I have to try a couple of times before I get the precise Category clicked on.
ReplyDeleteI agree...I've had the same issues and when I have actually used the search box...really random things come up...not at all what I searched for. I haven't looked at sale since they made the changes...maybe that is what they were going for? Less people buying from sale?
Deletelikewise. that search window closed a few times on me. dislike.
DeleteI think the only good thing to come out of this is that the Collection sequin pencil skirt (01084) is not the first thing you see when you hit the main sale section anymore. I was getting sick of looking at it!
ReplyDeleteThe patchwork one? lol!! I totally agree with you!
DeleteThat's so funny! I thought the same thing. I've tempted to email Micket and beg him to get rid of that pricey "mistake" or else slash the price to $50 and be done with it. Now it's hidden elsewhere...on the umpteenth page one clicks.
Deletecmg, now with so many pages to go through in Sale, the chances of happening upon this skirt now are much lower!
DeleteBeen...MickeY
DeleteThis awful skirt makes me so sad. Just like I wanted each of us to adopt the sunset Carrie dress when it got to 85% off, I think this skirt needs a creative exit strategy. The styling REALLY doesn't help.
DeleteI really wonder who thought that skirt was a good idea. "I know, let's make a really expensive ugly patchwork sequined pencil skit in a conservative length. It will be a huge hit."
DeleteI browse/purchase mainly from my phone and I didn't notice any difference in the sale section. They did add the black promo banner too but that's about it. I rarely go on the full site anyway so not a big change for me...
ReplyDeleteThe sale section is horrible now, and I have pretty much stopped looking. So yeah, I guess it's good for my wallet! No way am I looking through all those pages.
ReplyDeleteI used to browse the sale section everyday. Haven't looked much at all since the change. Too many pages to scroll through and the next button doesn't seem to be working properly. Why make it harder to shop? I am just going to put anything I am interested in on my wishlist and then keep checking it to see if anything I want is on sale. I may miss some popbacks but in the end it will mean less money spent. Good for me not so good for J. Crew. Don't they test the new design prior to rolling it out to get feedback?
ReplyDeleteIt also doesn't help that the new website rollout coincided with a 20% promo. That does not entice me to want to shop sale either.
ReplyDeletewasn't impressed either!
ReplyDeleteAmong all the downvotes of this upgrade...can I just say I'm happy that I can finally select multiple sizes at once now.
ReplyDeleteI literally haven't looked at the sale page since trying a few times and just giving up b/c I'm so annoyed. It might save me a lot of money, so maybe I should've voted "loves it" instead of "hates it"!
ReplyDeleteI signed in to my account to review the last few orders I had placed. When you signed in to Order History in the past, it showed your last 5-6 orders. I signed in yesterday to check on my last few orders, and it now asks for the specific order number... one at a time. NOT user friendly AT ALL. Not liking the update... :(
ReplyDeleteI hate that too!
DeleteHad to check something on an older order and had to call in since they only display the last five orders online. Just dont get why i cant see all of all of my orders? so annoying!
It is nice to see multiple sizes that I choose but for goodness sakes if J Crew really wants to update the website ADD REVIEWS!
ReplyDeleteFirst time I was on the sale section of the revamped site, I got frustrated enough that I just quit and left partly through - not conducive to JC shopping, but I guess my wallet thanks you. ;o}
ReplyDeleteI miss the ability to change the number of items per page, but I'm very targeted with my shopping at JC these days anyway (stalk, stalk, stalk and then pounce) so I'm okay with the website change.
ReplyDeleteI am OK with the new layout because I usually shop by category anyways, but I hate that you can't view more than 48 items at a time as I always set mine to view 90. I guess I just don't see why they made the change as it doesn't seem to have made anything better.
ReplyDeleteI'll just echo everyone who is saving money by not being able to see past page 1 of the sale section. Now I just have to find something else to look at with my coffee in the morning ;)
ReplyDeleteI miss the on-line chat option. I really liked being able to get more detailed info on the items. It's really helpful to get specific measurements when trying to decide what size to order.
ReplyDeleteOn-line chat feature: type a word in the search box that won't generate a result, and a page will be displayed listing the option of calling JCrew or using the on-line chat feature.
DeleteAlso, the chat feature used to be active when browsing around the bridal section but not sure if it still works.
If you click "contact us" at the bottom of the main page, it will bring you to a page with "chat" as one of the contact options.
DeleteThanks so much for the info!
DeleteIf you had that much excess inventory on the cusp of a new season, would you make your sale merch less accessible or more? Mm, thought so.
ReplyDeleteI'll echo the complaints about items per page, my other huge annoyance with the upgrade is that once you select a category, you can't easily unselect it (it doesn't let you select an alternate category like the old site, the only way I can figure out is you have to go back to the sale and through that way...which is cumbersome and annoying)
ReplyDeleteI think I'm down with adopting the "stalk, stalk, pounce" methodology...since I seem to really just scope popbacks lately.
Okay, so everyone is unhappy with the website upgrade . . . is it a case of not liking changes to something one is used to, or a real functionality issue? Plus: Better "Search" feature. Before you had to type in your searchable item in a tiny box that would get covered by the items you had in checkout every time you went to it. This one is _much_ better and doesn't make me feel like I need glasses. Suggestion for Improvement: Upgrade Order History so customers can see all orders placed over the past several months (like 6 months), what was in the order, and the price paid. Gap-BR-Piperlime do this really well.
ReplyDeleteMy problem is that you can't see 90 items per page. It's a deterrent for me.
DeleteAgree with Jruby18. Why would they remove the option to view more items per page? I am just not going to scroll through umpteen pages of sale items. I also hate how small the thumbnail images are now.
DeleteIt's a real functionality issue for me. I actually don't like what they did to the web site. It doesn't work for me to the point that I won't use that part of the web site any more (and that's the main part of the web site I used). I'm not so stubborn I wouldn't learn a new way to do something if I thought it had merit. JMO.
DeleteIt irks me to no end that we're not able to set the number of viewed items to 90 anymore (but let's face it, even 90 was somewhat limiting; why not have "view all" as one of the options??) What's even worse is that when you're done viewing the x number of pages in any category you can't use the back button to go back one page. To return to any particular item you have to select the category again and go through the pages once more!
ReplyDeleteI hate the drop-down menus. It was so much better when the categories were on the left side. And like so many others, I hate that I can't adjust the number of items per page to some reasonable number. How hard would it be to add a "view all"?
ReplyDeleteI did notice a 'view all' option this morning under the sale section and some other categories. Not sure if this just got added. The site is so hard to work with I have not been using it too much.
DeleteAdd me to the chorus. I was checking in on the sale section every morning before work--and was ordering more often than not based on overnight updates. Being able to skim 90 items per page versus 45 or 15 is a time management issue for me.
ReplyDeleteOkay for me, it loads fast, 48 items per page, not so bad. The one thing that doesn't work right is that after going to the next page you sometimes land in the middle of te next page instead of at the top. As an iPad user I find the changes minimal and no problem.
ReplyDeleteThe one thing that I find esthetically not a sucess is the black bars, very black
Is anyone else having trouble viewing the Collection section? Ever since the new rollout I can't "view all items". It is cut off way over to the right of my screen.
ReplyDeleteYeah, I remember checking this out last week and there were 55 pages of sale merch for women. I am not going to look through all that, however I could easily get hornswaggled/seduced into scrolling through 20 or 25 pages with 90 items per page ("oh, just one more, maybe there'll be an amazing popback...")
ReplyDeleteSome factory reviews on my blog (butterfly print skirt and scarf,striped maxi skirt,striped scarf and eyelet skirt) here.
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDelete73% of voters can't be wrong. Why mess with something that works is beyond me.
ReplyDeleteThe subcategories are no longer in alphabetical order on the sale page. Very very frustrating.
ReplyDeletei so despise the new sale layout. i want 96 items per page! i want ONE CLICK, no rollover/drop down to get to another category! i just went to browse and quickly gave up.
ReplyDeleteWhy put the Sale section categories in a cumbersome pull down menu yet leave the regular price pages with menu on the side. Also why can regular price pages have a "view all" option - but sale can't. OK maybe 1200+ items is too much but how about the old 90 per page. Not paranoid, but are they deliberately trying to make shopping the sale section more difficult. I have stopped doing my quick daily browse through it. I've also noticed errors with the new sale section configuration when on low to high price sort. JC's loss, I save money and judging from other comments on this blog I am not alone in frustration with the reconfiguration. Please please JC lets have a nice customer friendly "downgrade" back to the old sale section. Shouldn't be too hard system wise to just reset back to a February configuration.
ReplyDeleteIt's evident I'm not the only one. I went to do my perusal and thought "um, are they for real? Where is my view 90 option."
ReplyDeleteJCrew employees - hope you're reading this - Don't fix it if it ain't broke!