I'm sure the concept is very good but it is very hard to find out what exactly what it is. Too many clicks to get nowhere. I hate having to register on sites - there is no benefit to me..... only to you.
The site looks good at first glance, but is way to confusing to use. I think that when looking at a website someone should be able to see, in seconds, whats in it for them.
Good luck.

First impression the home page looks good but i got bored trying to find out what you are offering so came off the site after around one minute.I went back to the site for a second visit after reading other peoples comments and agree with most of what has been said. The only other comment i would make is that your site is dominated by the Orange strip ad, i think you've been hijacked.

Good luck - Barry

Dear Fellow Brickies,

We'd like to thank you for giving your feedback, especially those who paid heed to Matt's 'word in your ear'.

Although It was a bit like leaving the delivery room and finding your gorgeous bouncing baby was an ugly duckling!

However, we submitted because we knew we had work to do prior to launching to the public, and this has been invaluable in helping perfect our 'swan' in the next few weeks. …

We've waited until the first day's worth to respond, and do so in a block rather than piecemeal as they come in. It looks like there is consensus on the main topics of concern.

We do need to address a lot (and we sense a redesign of the homepage will achieve many of them), but some of the issues cannot really change, for the following reasons:

ADS
  
Junkk.com is FREE to the public and any organisation who has a product or service with 2nd Use, or re-anything in their remit. It has editorial, information and data that is added to daily.

To do that costs a lot. Even though we hope to save the planet as a consequence, Junkk.com Is a media business… so there will have to be ads. Those up there now are tests from a pool, though we have asked the media agency for charity ones if possible. Eventually we hope they will be highly relevant: a tasty cereal whose pack can be made into a magazine file; how to save £2 on a set of floor protectors that needn’t end in the landfill (little acorns?), a mobile operator who will take back an old one in their shop; a car manufacturer who has created an LPG option; or a government dept. seeking to push a new recycling initiative.

The pool of information and knowledge is enhanced, and we change corporate behaviour by giving them the reward of our custom for giving us a greener option. Rewards can also come back to those who respond to the ads, so it sets up a two-way encouragement. Who doesn’t use Google because of the ads/ sponsored links at the side?

POP-UPS

There's only one 'pop-up' on the whole site, and that's the terms & conditions you get if you try and access any area where you will acquire potentially sensitive information.

This happens once, and will never repeat after you have registered. In this litigious age we have to ensure that no one acts irresponsibly with a posting, gets hurt or holds anyone responsible for acting on well meant advice. And that makes our future corporate sponsors secure and happy to participate.

It may sound flip, but who reads the guff when you load PC software? You just hit ‘Accept’? There's nothing onerous or that isn't obvious, but it keeps the nice lawyers happy and the nasty ones at bay. Submitters need to be aware they have responsibilities: and searchers need to accept kids can read how to cut something with knives. Any alternatives to avoid this aspect welcomed!

REGISTRATION

One of Junkk.com's more powerful features is the wealth of information accessible on a local basis.

All we ask is a name, email and only the first block of postcode (the only ‘extra’ over most interactive sites/online newsletters), so we can locate who we're communicating with and help them best.

So when you next log on, you can find a guy in the next street who has kitchen units he's chucking out that will go nicely in your garage for storage, or that the town swimming pool carpark has a skip that takes plastic.

Businesses need to do more, but we're giving them a ton of free promo opportunities, so for the sake of our audience we first need to ensure they are who they say they are, and fall within Junkk.com's remit.

You don't HAVE to register, but to get all this, why not?

Maybe we need to make the option of not registering clear for those with a phobia of providing such data; they can still have a rewarding experience with the General sections.

SOME DESIGN ISSUES

When space is limited on screen, we're walking a fine line between being of interest and use, and looking cluttered. Equally there's juggle between graphics and text. We also need to appeal to kids, teens, Mums, Dads & the silver surfers.

So we do have a problem in that we are offering several things (and making it worse currently by bolting on extra messages - that will be dropped before launch - to media/business partners):

* The matchmaking service of a searchable database of uploaded products and suggested associated 2nd Use ideas

* Information on recycling, from General issues (what battery does what) to National programs to local facilities (skips for green glass)

* News and editorial on a national and local basis

And it's obvious we've failed to communicate this well enough at present.

But we wonder if someone who never heard of Google or eBay (who also require registration to participate) would struggle if dumped on site with no idea what they're about.

Junkk.com will have visitors mainly as a consequence of media editorial or personal recommendation, which means there will be a level of knowledge and direction in mind. Our audience will be those members of the public who want to find 2nd uses, recycle properly and care about the environment.

We do need to adjust the home page to run with that ball much better. We are already back at the drawing board to address those excellent positive critiques to make the on and round-site experience and navigation clearer and easier.

Junkk.com is not perfect and never will be. But it will always adjust and evolve. No one said saving the planet would be easy, but it can still be fun.

So for playing your part, thanks!

What you are doing is very worthwhile and I think there are a growing number of people out there who share your values. However many of them are busy or lazy or both and the site has to hit the spot much more quickly.

I made an attempt yesterday but gave up with the barage of legal info. before I could go forward. I've tried again this morning and filled in the registration details but I just seemed to go round in circles. Like so many others I'm still left wondering what you can do for me (or me for you). I would like a really simple home page that explains what you are about and then gives me a choice of links which clearly explain where they are going.

I am concerned that your site would not meet the needs of people with sight disabilities. There's too much information, and it's too small (the scanned Press articles are particularly frustrating). Given the ethical nature of what you are doing (as well as the DDA) I think it is important for you to consider people with disabilities.

Sorry to be so negative when I think so positively about what you are trying to do. Perhaps like so many big tasks it would be better to start with the bite sized chunk!

I wish you lots of luck and look forward to visiting your revamped site in due course.
Glenda Shawley
www.thetrainingpack.co.uk

Dear Glenda,

Thanks for the nice words on the concept. Means a lot.

As to the legal info, we fought with our legal advisors (a top London media specialist firm) tooth and nail, but they insisted this was necessary in this day and age. We don't get a sponsor if a kid cuts their finger on their product without first accepting the possibility.

If anyone has a solution, please let us know as it's obviously a major problem!

You say you went around in circles at registration, and this is a concern. To confirm: you enter your name, email, postcode and username (for confidentiality in Forums, Xchanges, etc), plus agree to those problem t&cs, and hit submit. That sends you to a thank you page, which asks you to check your email before confirmation. That comes back to your email address and you confirm you are 'you' to activate the account. Next time you visit you have full run of the site. Nothing more. Many online newspapers use this system. Did it not work this way?

I'm happy to report the home page is being re-designed as we speak:)

We have very much borne people with disabilities in mind from the outset. The site brief required it meet and if possible exceed all necessary standards, and has an acceptable Bobby rating. We'd like it to be AAA, but with so much 3rd party contributions, and the need for pictures and graphics, we can only do our best.

We hear what you say about 'bite-sized' chunks (especially to our funding pot!), but we need satisfied repeat visitors to attract advertisers. Imagine if a Friends Reunited went out with 2 people on it at launch! We have to get a lot up and hit the ground running for the big day. And we already know that a lot of different people have a lot of different interests and reasons to visit/engage with Junkk.com.

If we can invite you back in.. er.. (screams from the designers) a few weeks.. hopefully many of your concerns will have been addressed.
Peter
Junkk.com

Hi

Great concept - I love the idea... we have about 30 egg boxes waiting for "something" - stacked up high... we recycle a lot...

I bet you could do a lot with this - like have compititions for kids - go to homeschooling sites - homeschool kids like to be imaginative and come up with new things... and they're pretty creative.

How about a reward of sorts for coming up with a brilliant idea? SOmething that's in alignment with what you are doing? Like you could write a book on recycling and that could be the reward.

Something like - top idea of March... wins...

In the actual listing page could you make it clearer that there's an idea vs just the data - I went through a couple going -"ah, what's this good for" - before I noticed the word "idea" - maybe I'm just dumb :-) But there could be a light bulb or a trash can to indicate that there's an idea there.

Superb!

Love
Natalie

http://www.grantandnatalie.teamflp.com

Hi love the site, and you've asked for feedback...

The materials listing is a fantastic idea, even down to certain types of brand packaging. Brilliant. Perhaps it would be a good idea to be able to comment on each entry.

The 'I agree to use this site' page is awfully long, and takes a lot of scrolling to get to the bottom. The trick that the big boys (and girls) use is to put the legal text in an inline box, so that cautious users can read it if they like, but us gung-ho types can get easily to the link that says 'I accept'... you might also want to make sure that if someone has accepted, then they don't have to read it again in the same session (you can use a cookie or session control to do this, same as the login)

Your front page is a little jumbled, and could perhaps do with a one-line statement that sort of says what the site is about. If I were going to try an be constructive here, I'd say split the page into two columns, one large, one small. Have the small column as a 'site highlights' area, with your press testimonials, login/registration info, 'my junkk' case (brilliant!) and feedback requests. Then, with the large column, cut straight to the chase, and have your top tips and or most recently added tips.

And finally, if you can avoid it in any way, ditch the enormous advert down the side. If you have to have a corporate sponsor, I think it'd be better to have a partnership through the whole site, and build their logo and a link more intrinsically to the look of the site.

If you wanted some good press, I bet the BBC childrens dept would be interested, it's a hot issue for them!

Dear Natalie & Leigh,

Thank you both for such highly constructive comments.

Natalie, we hope that one day soon we’ll be able to call on the power of the web combined with the amassed resource of positive community to get you an answer to your egg box ‘something’.

As soon as we re-build the home page(s) as a consequence of the helpful comments we’ve had, under the ‘Suggest’ function we intend to build a panel feature called ‘Prof’s Posers’ where calls for ideas/uses can be highlighted for all to ponder and come back with suggestions. Everyone has a good book in them, and we KNOW everyone has at least one great idea in them.

We see a lot of potential with schools, scouts, etc, and intend that once we get the visitor numbers through we can persuade big brands to support initiatives such as competitions more tangibly, which is in keeping with our ‘win-win’ ambitions for all who embrace the concept.

Maybe collecting and crushing the most cans of a specific type in a period, handicapped according to the pupil base? We’re sure that a recycler will send a truck around to collect a ton of pure aluminium from their area and weigh it to assess local, regional and national winners. And if it’s a specific brand’s can, then we’re sure they will offer some decent prizes (say, coordinating the donation and/or redirection of donated PCs/printers etc?). Lots of potential.

As to your rewards for individuals.. it already exists, though needs some fine-tuning, under ‘Rate this Idea’ on the specific idea page.

Much like eBay or Amazon, ideas are rated by your peers, which means we can assess who has come up with a winner and see about recognition. There is of course a bunch of issues here, so while we look forward to some healthy competition we brace ourselves for ‘it’s been rigged’ or ‘I had that idea’ first’. Back to those blooming t&cs again!

For browsing the listing, the final column does list whether it is data or an idea. We were stuck for space and couldn’t squeeze in a column header, but will look at making it clearer.

Leigh, you’ve added even more good stuff.. thanks!

Commenting on each entry is possible, check out ‘See User Comments’ on the rating page. Maybe we need to make this clearer. Again, we’re hoping that people will treat this as an opportunity to encourage rather than snipe, which will discourage those nervous of negative critiques. There really is no such thing as a bad idea, though some may be impractical or need cautions highlighted. Looking at it, we need to stress this fact better, and as much as we can (and already we’re stretched just checking the beta site entries) remove those who are being unhelpful. It’s a problem with such semi-automated Forum situations.

As to your inline box idea... great minds think alike! We looked at how the software guys did it, and what’s good enough for every Bill, Steve and Larry is good enough for us. Just hope our legal eagles will let us!

We had thought that once you’ve agreed once, that was it, including cookies and/or password ‘fast-tracks’ on all future sessions. So we’ll look at that; it shouldn’t repeat.

As to the front page… watch this space… literally! Much of what you have suggested is underway.

The big side ad is an industry standard called a skyscraper, which is usually not seen with most people’s screen settings. But it looks like it’s being seen more than we thought, so we will review. The structure was prepared by specialists in ad media, and to succeed as a business we have to maximise our ad potential. We removed pop-ups or unders against advice.

Believe us, we really, really, REALLY WANT the sponsor you suggest, but getting the right one in the right way is another challenge.

Hopefully once we get on board more varied, interactive ads pertinent to our mission, you will see that, just like with TV or the papers (maybe even more relevant???!) they can play a part by being an acceptable background that can entertain and inform in their own right.

As to press... there’ll be some other spaces worth watching very soon we hope, as we approach our launch, which is in June. If you are in London we are doing this around exhibits at two online shows. Our stand is the smallest at each, but will be made from 2nd use and/or recycled materials, which will be a site to see, just like… thanks to guys like you… Junkk.com.
Peter
Junkk.com

Peter and Team

What an excellent idea. I think the simplify homepage message has been chased by several others, so I won't add fuel to that fire. Equally, the scrolling T+C's with an easy accept.

What I'd suggest however is to step back from forcing people to register before they can search or suggest. Much as you need the information... they don't need to provide. It needs to be a 2 way process, so I'd open this up by making search and submit on the home page. There are only 3 options you need. (the third is what this site is about). Let people search based on their postcode. (enter your postcode to find items local to you). Equally submit your junk to our database. (first click is postcode, which opens up the type of junk drop down list and a note 'step 2 of 3'). Only then do you ask for registration (one time only if cookie accepted). Rationale is simple, if you're over half way through already, it's harder to quit.

Look at commerical travel bookers... their homepage asks for location and date with a submit button... and clicking submit opens the screen where the remainder of essential information is provided.

Finally, take the PR off the front page. It's certainly something to be proud of - but isn't relevent to the browsing audience who want to know what you do and what stuff is available. certainly hae a journalist resources area linked in the nav bar... and one that highlights uses for junk too, maybe linking to case studies..

It's really such a great idea - could it be government grant backed.... would your local council support it ?

I like the bright look of the front page and the copies of the articles give the website a bit of extra credibility. I love the whole concept and wish you more power to your elbow. I recently attended a "green planning" conference and left with a recycled jar, recycled piece of mesh, recycled rubber band and some new alfalfa seeds. I also left with a set of instructions printed in draft mode on recycled paper. Five days later I sat down to a salad with my own, home-grown alfalfa - and the burning desire to get more seeds and re-use the equipment time and time again.

My one crit is having to register to use the site. I don't see why, although no doubt you have your reasons. I work in Glasgow with a number of musicians. Several have set up their own recording/rehearsal studios and use egg boxes for sound insulation.

Alex Smith
Helping individuals and businesses to turn their dreams into realities.

entersol@dial.pipex.co.uk
www.enterprising-solutions.co.uk

Dear Steve & Alex,

Thanks for yet more useful feedback. To attempt to answer/amplify on the questions posed:

REGISTRATION

It’s a challenge. And ‘forcing’ is a word that puts up red flags as that is not what we’re about. The majority of respondents to this Forum obviously have a problem, whereas our research suggests most of our potential audience are comfortable with it if they sense it is bringing them something or is done with good reason.

In our case, this is mainly the localisation facility… and security. These are both applicable to a major percentage of the site and its functions.

In the case of the former (noting your suggestion, Steve), without it we can’t locate your rough ‘area’ to tune the site next time you visit. Which means no local info on recycling, JunkkXchange, etc.

In the case of the latter, it means things can get hard to keep under control.

For instance, I don’t recall at the outset being asked to register for this Forum, though there looks to be a cookie now as it automatically had my unique sign-in name in the box. I presume this means I could post some not very nice things and sign it as someone else (as an experiment let me try to change the signature I use in the box to Peter/YaaBoo Junkk Male and see what goes up. If it corrects it then this is a function worth investigating).

While it may be possible to trace back if someone complains and issue retractions, etc, the damage will have been done. We’d prefer that people are required to be who they say they are from the outset.

This also applies to ‘Suggest’, where irresponsible people could (I stress, could) try and do something ‘unfortunate’ with a listing. Registration will make them think twice. It’s not so necessary for ‘Search’ as people are just looking, but then this is where we have been told we need t&cs to guard against MacDonalds' Coffee-spilling grannies, which has been covered.

We will however look again at ‘opting out’, but this may be logistically complex and also clutter back up the already cluttered opening page(s) with too many options.

The ‘travel bookers model’ suggestion is a good one, which we obviously considered and is worth revisiting. But that would require re-entering the required area each visit, which seemed to frustrate people for other reasons. Then again it does faciliate looking at other areas (note you can radiate out in 10 mile increments using your control page). It’s a question of which is the optimal default. Ho hum.. ‘You can’t please all of the people..’

Maybe it’s a matter of explaining ourselves better, but then we are faced with the fact that more text means more clutter.

HOME PAGE

Redesign underway. Search and Suggest are actually on the home page but have been shunted down way too far by all the other gubbins, which was a mistake for such prime functions and is being addressed.

PR ON FRONT PAGE

This is there while we have yet to launch, and so any public visitor is a happy, though welcome, accident during our testing phase. Those who do visit on purpose are by invitation and will be interested in the PR coverage. This ‘self promotion’ will move to another section of the site in favour of items of more direct use to the public. That said, as Alex (who I hope has posted his egg-box idea... you may get the undying appreciation of the music community for it!) has agreed, people do seem to get reassured that there is such coverage and we will certainly share it if we feel it moves our story along. It also serves to keep those we most need at the moment – the media – happy that we appreciate their interest. Sort of ‘returning the favour’. But the point is taken.

GOVT BACKING

We were boosted at the start by backing from our local Chamber/Business Link and a few others, for which we were/are very grateful. Mind you, they were looking to create jobs and opportunities in media/IT within a rural economy, and we’re hoping to become poster boys/girls for just such an enterprise. And we were, are and always will be on the hunt for any more we can find!

Our experience so far has been that most funding is either for ‘widgets’ (funders seem more comfortable with backing the making a ‘thing’ than supporting a more nebulous ‘service’) or for ‘not-for-profit’ or ‘charitable’ enterprises in this area which, for various reasons, we decided not to pursue. These included a desire for independence and a belief that a profit-based model would make us more customer end-benefit and results-oriented, and less focussed on targets, process at the expense of product and worrying more about the next bit of funding rather than finding the next customer and/or business opportunity.

We’ve also been at a few events where as the commercial ‘pariah’ we’ve been sleeping on a mate’s sofa and grabbing the tube in, while the worthy folks were popping up to the hotel room after the banquet. And with some conferences costing thousands of £’s and some subscriptions/memberships hundreds it is a major problem with no revenue as yet.

But then no one can fire or reassign us for not being ‘on message’. And we can have fun without worrying if ‘them upstairs’ have a sense of humour failure. This whole area can be taken a bit too seriously, even if it covers very serious issues.

I’d like to think all local councils will support it. Some are already, with more joining up as our message spreads. All we ask at present is that they spend a small amount of time working with us to ensure the local info for each postcode is comprehensive, accurate and kept updated. In this way they help us help them by becoming an accessible, trusted resource for this valuable aspect of the site. And once we do have a regular readership on a localised basis, they can help themselves, and our business model, by engaging with our advertising opportunities to share pertinent messages as part of their normal media campaigns. This of course applies to the Govt. as well, with COI initiatives. We’d maintain that a ‘Recycle Now’-style message (with a link to an incentive, or at least interactive follow-up) on Junkk.com would be much more targeted and effective than almost any other medium.

But then we would say that, wouldn’t we :)

signed: Peter (or someone doing a good impression of him)
Junkk Male, Junkk.com

Hi
This is the first time I've added comments about someones web site and I'm not a techhie, so please forgive any gaffs!
Opon opening the home page was very colourful, which is ok, but too many different colours and boxes. I thought it a little brash, but I suppose that's individual taste.
I also don't know why one has to log on and give a password. Is information inside secret? I have logged on to hundreds of web sites over the years and instantly forgot the password.
Is it really necessary? It would stop me from proceeding further.
I wish you the best of good luck for the future.
Julian

Edited by author 27-04-2005 09:59 AM
Hi Julian,

Thanks for your comments. As Peter has explained about the registration, we need people to sign up to Junkk.com - not because the information is an inside secret (it is freely accessible to everyone) but because we need to know a little bit about people before they submit their ideas and/or comments to the website. Most people are good, but we need to protect ourselves against occasional people who try to post up 'naughty' things. We need to be able to identify and ban them from the website. Think along the lines of eBay, Amazon, e.t.c. We have tried to make the registration process as simple as possible. We also have a password prompt to help people if they forget their passwords.

As for the homepage, we are currently re-designing it, so watch this space!

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