Advertisement
If you have a new account but are having problems posting or verifying your account, please email us on hello@boards.ie for help. Thanks :)
Hello all! Please ensure that you are posting a new thread or question in the appropriate forum. The Feedback forum is overwhelmed with questions that are having to be moved elsewhere. If you need help to verify your account contact hello@boards.ie
Hi all,
Vanilla are planning an update to the site on April 24th (next Wednesday). It is a major PHP8 update which is expected to boost performance across the site. The site will be down from 7pm and it is expected to take about an hour to complete. We appreciate your patience during the update.
Thanks all.

Superthreads on Bargain Alerts

  • 05-03-2016 1:22pm
    #1
    JustMac
    Registered Users Posts: 349 ✭✭


    Hi, A few weeks ago a thread was started on Bargain Alerts about 'Clumping Bargains Together into Big Threads?' (http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2057560229)

    Following this I started a poll in Bargain Alerts to see how many people want Superthreads as the first thread was just a discussion and I wanted to quantify the feelings of others who use the forum. (Poll thread is here: http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2057565487)

    Is it possible to re-open that poll to continue to see what people prefer before mods can decide what they would like to do. There would be no new functionality required.

    I was not aware that there was a feedback section. Is there any way to link to link to this thread from Bargain Alerts so that posters from that forum might know of the existence of this thread and be able to add a comment.
    Post edited by Shield on


«1345678

Comments

  • #2
    Davy
    Moderators, Category Moderators, Business & Finance Moderators, Technology & Internet Moderators Posts: 19,340 CMod ✭✭✭✭Davy


    The 'Megathreads' are used for the likes of Argos, Tesco etc that have many different items on sale/ bargains and rather than posting a new thread for every single item those threads can be used.

    The reason they were created in the fist place was from user feedback giving out about having 10 Argos threads on the first page for small little bargains.

    The mega-threads do not have to be used by rule, if you think a bargain needs a thread of its own that is perfectly acceptable to post a new thread as it might have many questions about the item or that the saving is very large.

    This way its a best of both. Getting rid of the chat and repeated questions in the threads totally, may help the megathreads like the Argos no chat thread.


  • #3
    JustMac
    Registered Users Posts: 349 ✭✭JustMac


    Davy wrote: »
    The 'Megathreads' are used for the likes of Argos, Tesco etc that have many different items on sale/ bargains and rather than posting a new thread for every single item those threads can be used.

    The reason they were created in the fist place was from user feedback giving out about having 10 Argos threads on the first page for small little bargains.

    The mega-threads do not have to be used by rule, if you think a bargain needs a thread of its own that is perfectly acceptable to post a new thread as it might have many questions about the item or that the saving is very large.

    This way its a best of both. Getting rid of the chat and repeated questions in the threads totally, may help the megathreads like the Argos no chat thread.

    Many thanks for the quick reply.

    I agree that superthreads may have come about as a result of user feedback but it would seem that they have exceeded their intended purpose.

    I also agree with your suggestion that it is perfectly acceptable to post a new thread if it is felt to be appropriate/necessary. I have no problem with the superthreads for supervalu/lidl/UDemy/MrPrice/Tesco(Grocery)/Aldi etc. as they are mainly smaller items. I would prefer not to have superthreads for Argos, Amazon,(Tesco Electrical/Hardware), Halfords.

    I think many people including myself have this feeling of possibly missing out on bargains if they are embedded in a superthread. I rarely look into the superthreads as I find it more difficult to navigate. After opening the main forum you then have to click on the last page of the superthread and may have to go backwards through 2/3 pages to look for any bargains. Personally I would be happy to look at up to 5 pages of Bargain Alerts main listings, so as not to miss out on an offer, rather than look into superthreads. I would say that I visit the site about 50% less then I did previously because of superthreads and I now visit HotUKDeals more often. I appreciate that it would not be possible to change BA to be more like HotUKDeals as it would change the character of the forum completely and require too much to change.

    I think people are pretty good at following forum rules (with the exception of chatting on threads sometimes!). As a result I think many posters feel obliged to post in a superthread, if one exists, rather than post a new thread if they think they have a good bargain that might be very popular on its own. Deciding what should have a separate thread is very subjective and many posters would fear that a separate thread could be lambasted by those thinking it was not worthy of a separate thread.

    1 solution would be for bargains over a certain price/discount threshold but this would be difficult to adminster and unlikely to resolve all issues. Another would be to encourage users to create seperate threads for items in superthreads that they feel are worthy. I'm sure there are plenty of other options and I feel that while most would not be perfect that they would be better than the status quo, possibly stepping stones towards a better solution.

    I believe that my views are probably representative of the majority of Bargain Alerts posters but unless we can have the discussion there, in the BA forum, then I don't think we can say for sure. The poll thread for example, while only having 100 voters, appeard to be significantly in favour of change with 77% voting NOT to have superthreads.

    Can we take this discussion to the BA thread, link from there to here or prehaps reopen the Poll? There is no obligation to change, just a chance for discussion. Mods can then determine if any changes are required/appropriate/workable as they see fit.


  • #4
    mrcheez
    Registered Users Posts: 13,618 ✭✭✭✭mrcheez


    Just going to jump in here, as I feel we should discourage the use of superthreads simply because Bargain Alerts should be as user-friendly as Hot UK Deals and each thread should be related to one bargain (so the conversations in the thread are related to that one bargain, or possible alternate suggestions on where to get it cheaper/the quality of the item etc)

    I actually joined Boards.ie purely based on the Bargain Alerts forum and I feel superthreads make it far less user-friendly.

    Scenario 1: Say I want to take a minute break in work to check on the latest deals. I go onto Bargain Alerts and I scan the first 2 pages to see if anything interests me. None found, so then I have to click into each superthread to do the same... the only problem being that I have scroll up through pages of comments to find the last deal, and no guarantee that the deal will interest me. So I've wasted 5 minutes looking for deals on the off-chance something interests me.

    Scenario 2: I go onto Bargain Alerts and, since superthreads are not allowed, I spend 5 seconds perusing the first 2 pages, just looking at the titles to see what the specific product is that's on sale. Oh wow an SSD sold by Amazon is mentioned on page two... I'll buy that (if it was in a superthread I would have missed it)


    Davy wrote: »
    The reason they were created in the fist place was from user feedback giving out about having 10 Argos threads on the first page for small little bargains.

    Surely the less popular items will naturally degrade into sub-pages as there are less comments on them, and the more popular ones will stay on the first pages (in effect the number of comments will act like the "Heat" ratings on HUKD) ?
    Davy wrote: »
    The mega-threads do not have to be used by rule, if you think a bargain needs a thread of its own that is perfectly acceptable to post a new thread as it might have many questions about the item or that the saving is very large.

    This way its a best of both. Getting rid of the chat and repeated questions in the threads totally, may help the megathreads like the Argos no chat thread.

    The problem with superthreads is that new members assume you need to post in these, rather than on the Bargain Alerts page.

    I would assume only 25% of Bargain Alert users actually read the superthreads (judging by the fact that 75% of users voted to abolish them), so in effect many bargains pass the notice of the majority, in effect stifling the effectiveness of the forum.


  • #5
    JustMac
    Registered Users Posts: 349 ✭✭JustMac


    JustMac wrote: »
    Can we take this discussion to the BA thread, link from there to here or prehaps reopen the Poll? There is no obligation to change, just a chance for discussion. Mods can then determine if any changes are required/appropriate/workable as they see fit.

    Can I presume that its ok to open a new thread on BA and link to this thread so that people know of its existence and can contribute to it?


  • #6
    Muahahaha
    Registered Users Posts: 19,610 ✭✭✭✭Muahahaha


    +1 on getting rid of Superthreads, its not hard to scan the first 2 pages of the BA forum, its a lot harder to click in and out of Superthreads which then tend to be full of chat and you have to scan again to actually find the bargains.

    Also +1 on re-opening the poll, vast majority were against superthreads when it was open. De peeple have spoken!


  • Advertisement
  • #7
    witnessmenow
    Registered Users Posts: 6,999 ✭✭✭witnessmenow


    JustMac wrote: »
    Can I presume that its ok to open a new thread on BA and link to this thread so that people know of its existence and can contribute to it?

    I've created a thread and stickied it


  • #8
    sunny2004
    Registered Users Posts: 2,538 ✭✭✭sunny2004


    I have no issue with them, I simply click on the LAST PAGE link and read backwards..
    From my perspective I think it would be madness to have 20 or 30 argos offers floating around.


  • #9
    sunny2004
    Registered Users Posts: 2,538 ✭✭✭sunny2004


    witnessmenow wrote: »
    I've created a thread and stickied it

    Your link brings you to a thread that is closed, and links back here ?


  • #10
    witnessmenow
    Registered Users Posts: 6,999 ✭✭✭witnessmenow


    sunny2004 wrote: »
    Your link brings you to a thread that is closed, and links back here ?

    Yeah, the discussion on the subject should take place in one place (here), if I left it open people would be posting in that thread. Its just to inform BA users this thread exists.


  • #11
    Dav
    Closed Accounts Posts: 8,840 ✭✭✭Dav


    I suggest having a new thread every week. Makes it clean and obvious to any new or old visitors alike and doesn't become some sort of monster.

    Mega threads are bad for building a community in any forum, not that anyone's been listening when I've told them... :)


  • Advertisement
  • #12
    mrcheez
    Registered Users Posts: 13,618 ✭✭✭✭mrcheez


    Dav wrote: »
    I suggest having a new thread every week.

    A new superthread each week?

    Let's just keep it simple: one thread per bargain.

    Who cares if there are 20 argos bargains on page 1, they will quickly fade as less comments on the less interesting ones will push them to page 3.


  • #13
    gordongekko
    Registered Users Posts: 5,301 ✭✭✭gordongekko


    If they were limited to a no chat as the Argos thread is now then that seems ideal. It's much easier to have everything on the one thread.

    Most of the major bargains seem to end up on their own thread anyway.


  • #14
    uch
    Registered Users Posts: 7,008 ✭✭✭uch


    Dav wrote: »
    I suggest having a new thread every week. Makes it clean and obvious to any new or old visitors alike and doesn't become some sort of monster.

    Mega threads are bad for building a community in any forum, not that anyone's been listening when I've told them... :)

    I agree with Dav, but maybe expire threads after 2 weeks, if thats possible

    21/25



  • #15
    Dav
    Closed Accounts Posts: 8,840 ✭✭✭Dav


    mrcheez wrote: »
    Who cares if there are 20 argos bargains on page 1, they will quickly fade as less comments on the less interesting ones will push them to page 3.

    Turns out lots of people care if all the see are 20 threads of Argos or Tesco or whatever, we've already had that problem which is what started the super threads off in the first place.

    A weekly (or bi-weekly) Tesco/Argos/etc bargains thread with the dates clearly labelled is pretty fool proof and is hardly going to take more than 5 minutes to skim over even if it's got 30 entries.


  • #16
    d31b0y
    Registered Users Posts: 2,028 ✭✭✭d31b0y


    Megathread, no expiry, no chat. If you shop there, or are likely to buy a bargain from there, subscribe to it and keep an eye on it. I'd hate to have to resubscribe to a megathread every week!
    If anyone sees a bargain in the megathread and thinks it deserves a thread of it's own, then put it in a thread of it's own. Sure, you'll end up with some duplication but very few people will notice it or care, I would imagine.


  • #17
    uck51js9zml2yt
    Closed Accounts Posts: 18,268 ✭✭✭✭uck51js9zml2yt


    Whose going to post these bit weekly threads and manage them?
    Just seems like more work


  • #18
    Kenjataimu
    Closed Accounts Posts: 4,429 ✭✭✭Kenjataimu


    I took a quick count of the average posts per day in those threads.

    Tesco 1587 posts / 303 days = 5.2 posts per day (This includes chat)
    Amazon 100 posts / 28 days = 3.5 posts per day (This includes chat)
    Argos bargains 117 posts / 87 days = 1.3 posts per day (No chat)
    Argos chat thread* 4865 posts/797 days = 6.1 posts per day (*this thread also contains Argos bargains & chat before the spilt on 14/12/15)


    Superthreads are annoying for those who don't browse the forum on a regular basis.
    Personally, I don't find it that hard to keep track of new posts in the superthreads .


    I think there should be zero chat in superthreads.
    Getting rid of the chat from the Argos thread is working well, maybe we should do the same for Tesco?
    I'd guess doing this would bring the posts per day to a similar figure as the Argos bargain thread.

    I've always felt the super threads are better for every day bargains and other good bargains should have their own thread (like the argos LG tv thread)



    So something like this:
    • Argos Bargains [No Chat Thread]
    • Argos Chat Thread
    • 49" LG Full HD Smart TV in Argos [Chat Allowed]
    • Tesco Bargains [No Chat Thread]
    • Tesco Chat Thread


  • #19
    Slutmonkey57b
    Registered Users Posts: 5,552 ✭✭✭Slutmonkey57b


    Posters who like hukd are missing an essential point of why that "one post per bargain" site works:

    It allows searching and sorting by bargain type, date posted, heat rating etc. Boards is far more limited.

    The fundamental problem with the first few pages of BA is that the same threads dominate it for months at a time. Usually long after the bargain has expired. If it weren't for zombie threads there'd be less need for megathreads.


  • #20
    mirrorwall14
    Closed Accounts Posts: 6,751 ✭✭✭mirrorwall14


    I absolutely hate the mega threads with the exception of supermarket offers.

    There is makes sense to be able to scroll a few posts and see quickly what fruit/veg is on sale in which supermarket.

    The other threads are a nightmare and I constantly miss things. Splitting them into chat/non chat will not help that because then you'll just have double the amount of mega threads.One post per bargain

    I would also make the slightly controversial suggestion of a new sub forum for expired threads. That would allow conversations about bargains to continue and let the main forum continually refresh with new material


  • #21
    athtrasna
    Closed Accounts Posts: 13,420 ✭✭✭✭athtrasna


    sunny2004 wrote: »
    I have no issue with them, I simply click on the LAST PAGE link and read backwards..
    From my perspective I think it would be madness to have 20 or 30 argos offers floating around.

    This! Bargain alerts is a busy forum as it is. Additional threads would make it a nightmare to follow and I think people would miss more bargains. I like mega threads. All posters have the option to catch up on where they last left a thread so I don't get the moaning about missing out?


  • Advertisement
  • #22
    mirrorwall14
    Closed Accounts Posts: 6,751 ✭✭✭mirrorwall14


    athtrasna wrote: »
    This! Bargain alerts is a busy forum as it is. Additional threads would make it a nightmare to follow and I think people would miss more bargains. I like mega threads. All posters have the option to catch up on where they last left a thread so I don't get the moaning about missing out?

    I'm logging into boards for a quick check. Click into bargain alerts, scan the first couple of pages for anything new. This is what it should be.

    Right now I then have to go back and click into each of the mega threads even though I don't know if the latest posts are even bargains I'm interested in or even if it's a bargain at all


  • #23
    nava
    Moderators, Business & Finance Moderators Posts: 4,739 Mod ✭✭✭✭nava


    I think it should be the same way as it's now, most bargain alerts for Tesco, Argos, etc should go on the Megathreads but some very good discounts like the TV recently, and some others do deserve their own thread, if we were to have a single thread for each item, you will end-up having most of the threads on each page with offers just for tesco, argos.

    I also do as mention above, open the last page of the megathreads and read back.


  • #24
    893bet
    Registered Users Posts: 8,737 ✭✭✭893bet


    They would be OK if people would stop off topic conversation (or even on topic conversation). Basically if your posts doesn't contain a bargain you get a yellow card.


  • #25
    Del2005
    Registered Users Posts: 18,871 ✭✭✭✭Del2005


    Why not just lock the busy threads when the bargain has expired, let people discuss it in the relevant forum, that would stop them blocking the 1st page of bargain alerts.

    If the super threads are to be kept could they be changed from store threads to product threads. Instead of Tesco, Lidl, Halfords etc threads have food, clothes, gadgets you don't need but have to buy etc threads. That way you keep the super threads but instead of having to dig though multiple threads for something you're interested in you can look in the thread of the product.

    Or just allow a vote to see what people actually want.


  • #26
    athtrasna
    Closed Accounts Posts: 13,420 ✭✭✭✭athtrasna


    Del2005 wrote: »
    Why not just lock the busy threads when the bargain has expired, let people discuss it in the relevant forum, that would stop them blocking the 1st page of bargain alerts.

    If the super threads are to be kept could they be changed from store threads to product threads. Instead of Tesco, Lidl, Halfords etc threads have food, clothes, gadgets you don't need but have to buy etc threads. That way you keep the super threads but instead of having to dig though multiple threads for something you're interested in you can look in the thread of the product.

    Or just allow a vote to see what people actually want.

    Store threads allow people to see what threads are local to them. Not everyone may have an easily reachable Halfords for example but may have a local Tesco.


  • #27
    ThisRegard
    Closed Accounts Posts: 27,834 ✭✭✭✭ThisRegard


    Leave them as they are, one for Argos, one for Amazon etc.


  • #28
    dunworth1
    Registered Users Posts: 5,290 ✭✭✭dunworth1


    I'm against the super threads except for the supermarket ones.

    There's just way to much chat to find the bargains and i don't like the idea of splitting up the threads into a bargain one and a chat one
    That means if i spot a bargain I link I then have to go through all the posts in the chat thread to find the posts I'm looking for

    Its much better if the chat for each bargain is in the same thread

    Normally I'll scan through and if there's a thread I'm interested in I'll then read into it

    I don't want to have to read through posts about baby bottle heaters etc. as it's of no interest to me.


  • #29
    Mezcita
    Registered Users Posts: 2,328 ✭✭✭Mezcita


    The superthreads are a bad idea.

    The nature of some of the real bargains is that they won't be around for long and therefore won't be seen if they are stuck in the middle of some megathread.

    Threads which are of no interest to people simply slip off the first couple of pages. Decent bargains stay high up until the bargain expires.


  • #30
    Poochie05
    Registered Users Posts: 4,203 ✭✭✭Poochie05


    I like the megathreads, especially for the day-to-day bargains. As said above, I go to the end of the thread and read back for things to keep an eye out for when grocery shopping. The 'real' bargains usually get their own thread anyway.


  • Advertisement
  • #31
    dunworth1
    Registered Users Posts: 5,290 ✭✭✭dunworth1


    Poochie05 wrote:
    The 'real' bargains usually get their own thread anyway.

    Who decides if it's a "real bargain" or not

    That's the problem


Advertisement