It's deal for all of us! Let's improve our forum!

[NikyK]

First of all, I'd like to kindly ask Mods do not move this tread to the right section, I'll explain why below.
I think it's just the right time for all of us to discuss how we can improve our forum and make it easy to use not only for a habitué but also for a newbie!
Unfortunately, it could be a problem especially for new people here to find something. So, below the things I believe we can change, and thus improve our forum:
Let's start from the beginning:
It's like our forum will welcome you:

<table style="width: 990px; height: 50px;" align="center" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"><tbody><tr><td align="left"> </td> <td>
</td> <td>
</td> </tr> </tbody></table>

• Blog
• Forum <!--[if gte IE 7]><!--><!--<![endif]--> <!--[if lte IE 6]><table><tr><td><![endif]-->
  
  • Forum Home
  • Deals & Flyers
  • Freebies & Samples
  • Coupons
  • Contests
  • Shopping Talk
  • Paid Surveys
  
  <!--[if lte IE 6]></td></tr></table><![endif]-->
• Deals
• Coupons <!--[if gte IE 7]><!--><!--<![endif]--> <!--[if lte IE 6]><table><tr><td><![endif]-->
  
  • Coupons Database
  • Coupons Forum
  • Save.ca Coupons
  • Coupon Trading
  • Coupon Trains
  
  <!--[if lte IE 6]></td></tr></table><![endif]-->
• Freebies <!--[if gte IE 7]><!--><!--<![endif]--> <!--[if lte IE 6]><table><tr><td><![endif]-->
  
  • New & Hot Freebies
  • Baby & Toddler Freebies
  • Children Freebies
  • Educational Freebies
  • Beauty & Fashion Freebies
  • Health & Wellbeing Freebies
  • Food & Drink Freebies
  • Cooking & Recipe Freebies
  • Online Freebies
  • Travel Freebies
  • Religious Freebies
  • Free Books & Magazines
  • Free Catalogues
  • Pet Freebies
  • Office & stationery Freebies
  • Entertainment Freebies
  • Special Occasion Freebies
  • Miscellaneous Freebies
  
  <!--[if lte IE 6]></td></tr></table><![endif]-->
• Contest
• Local<!--[if gte IE 7]><!--><!--<![endif]--> <!--[if lte IE 6]><table><tr><td><![endif]-->

But how many of us will click on 'Forum' to find out that we not only have these sections but also next ones:

Discuss and Request Deals and Coupons

Canadian Electronics Deals

and others...


Maybe we can change this part a little bit, and when you click on "Deals" you'll see all subsections that put into "Deals" first and then will follow one you need?

Then, why not to separate Deals section from Flyers already? Cause Deals section becomes messy now... Make it like this, for example:

<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" height="27"><tbody><tr></tr><tr><td style="border-top: 1px solid rgb(153, 153, 153); border-bottom: 1px solid rgb(204, 0, 0); background-color: rgb(204, 0, 0); padding-left: 10px; padding-right: 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" onclick='location.href="http://www..ca/deals.php?d=315&s=0"' width="55">All</td><td bgcolor="#666666" width="1">
</td><td id="bgDeals" onmouseover='document.getElementById("bgDeals").st yle.backgroundColor = "#d8d8d8";' onmouseout='document.getElementById("bgDeals").sty le.backgroundColor = ""' onclick='location.href="http://www..ca/deals.php?d=hd"' style="border-top: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom: 1px solid rgb(102, 102, 102); padding-left: 10px; padding-right: 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" width="55">Deals</td><td bgcolor="#666666" width="1">
</td><td id="bgFlyers" onmouseover='document.getElementById("bgFlyers").s tyle.backgroundColor = "#d8d8d8";' onmouseout='document.getElementById("bgFlyers").st yle.backgroundColor = ""' onclick='location.href="http://www..ca/deals.php?d=fl"' style="border-top: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom: 1px solid rgb(102, 102, 102); padding-left: 10px; padding-right: 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" width="55">Flyers</td><td bgcolor="#666666" width="1">
</td><td id="bgCoupons" onmouseover='document.getElementById("bgCoupons"). style.backgroundColor = "#d8d8d8";' onmouseout='document.getElementById("bgCoupons").s tyle.backgroundColor = ""' onclick='location.href="http://www..ca/deals.php?d=cp"' style="border-top: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom: 1px solid rgb(102, 102, 102); padding-left: 10px; padding-right: 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" width="55">Coupons</td><td bgcolor="#666666" width="1">
</td><td id="bgFreebies" onmouseover='document.getElementById("bgFreebies") .style.backgroundColor = "#d8d8d8";' onmouseout='document.getElementById("bgFreebies"). style.backgroundColor = ""' onclick='location.href="http://www..ca/deals.php?d=fr"' style="border-top: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom: 1px solid rgb(102, 102, 102); padding-left: 10px; padding-right: 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" width="55">Freebies</td><td bgcolor="#666666" width="1">
</td><td id="bgContests" onmouseover='document.getElementById("bgContests") .style.backgroundColor = "#d8d8d8";' onmouseout='document.getElementById("bgContests"). style.backgroundColor = ""' onclick='location.href="http://www..ca/deals.php?d=ct"' style="border-top: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom: 1px solid rgb(102, 102, 102); padding-left: 10px; padding-right: 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" width="55">Contests</td><td bgcolor="#666666" width="1">
</td><td id="bgClassifieds" onmouseover='document.getElementById("bgClassified s").style.backgroundColor = "#d8d8d8";' onmouseout='document.getElementById("bgClassifieds ").style.backgroundColor = ""' onclick='location.href="http://www..ca/deals.php?d=cl"' style="border-top: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom: 1px solid rgb(102, 102, 102); padding-left: 10px; padding-right: 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" width="55">Classifieds</td><td bgcolor="#666666" width="1">
</td><td id="bgForums" onmouseover='document.getElementById("bgForums").s tyle.backgroundColor = "#d8d8d8";' onmouseout='document.getElementById("bgForums").st yle.backgroundColor = ""' onclick='location.href="http://www..ca/forum/"' style="border-top: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom: 1px solid rgb(102, 102, 102); padding-left: 10px; padding-right: 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" width="55">Forums</td></tr></tbody></table>

Also about merging threads:

Why not to send a PM like this, to the person whose thread was merged:

Notification: Your thread was merged!

NikyK,

The following thread was recently merged. Here is the new thread:

the URL

It's what I think we can change..... I hope Folks, will add your own suggestions, and hope Boo and Mods will be able to improve our forum with our own help!














<ins style="border: medium none ; margin: 0pt; padding: 0pt; display: inline-table; height: 15px; position: relative; visibility: visible; width: 728px;"></ins>

<ins style="border: medium none ; margin: 0pt; padding: 0pt; display: inline-table; height: 15px; position: relative; visibility: visible; width: 728px;"><ins style="border: medium none ; margin: 0pt; padding: 0pt; display: block; height: 15px; position: relative; visibility: visible; width: 728px;"></ins></ins>

[trucks12trucks]

i am confused lol
buts thats just me...i just use the 'forum home' link to go to the main page and then navigate from there
:S

[Justine]

I always just go to "new posts" on the top, and if I need to find something I just search for it.

[NikyK]

i am confused lol
buts thats just me...i just use the 'forum home' link to go to the main page and then navigate from there
:S

Yep, here it's what you see when open the link:


If you click on "Forum", you'll see:



But many of us, even had no idea about Discuss and Request Deals and Coupons (11 Viewing)
<!-- Sorky03 - <<<<< -->This section is dedicated to requesting deals and coupons and asking for help. Please try helping out your fellow SC members.

[trucks12trucks]

i would say thats a matter of exploring the website..it has good deals in all sections
takes a while to get to know the purpose of the sections i suppose
stickys are helpful

[sassypants]

I have explored and love the website as is ... any changes will of course make it harder for some and easier for others (kind of like it is now) ... I have no troubles but love that people are always thinking of ways to help others ...

[NikyK]

That's my idea: When you click on "Deals" right now, you'll see deals posts and in the headline:

<table class="tborder" align="center" border="0" cellpadding="6" cellspacing="1" width="100%"><thead><tr align="center"><td class="thead"> </td> <td class="thead" align="left" width="100%">Forum</td> <td class="thead" width="175">Last Post</td> <td class="thead">Threads</td> <td class="thead">Posts</td> </tr> </thead> <tbody> <tr align="center"> <td class="alt1Active" colspan="2" id="f70" align="left"> <table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"> <tbody><tr> <td></td> <td></td> <td width="100%"><!-- Sorky03 - <<<<< --> Canadian Deals Bragging and Discussion
<!-- Sorky03 - <<<<< -->Share pictures of deals you got in-store, request a deal, or discuss anything related to Canadian Shopping Deals
</td></tr></tbody></table></td></tr></tbody></table>So, why not just to add these threads to headline:

Discuss and Request Deals and Coupons (11 Viewing)
<!-- Sorky03 - <<<<< -->This section is dedicated to requesting deals and coupons and asking for help. Please try helping out your fellow SC members.

Canadian Electronics Deals (1 Viewing)
<!-- Sorky03 - <<<<< -->Computers, TVs, Mp3 players, Digital cameras, video games and all sorts of Canadian electronics deals

[trucks12trucks]

oh i get it now..you want all the deal related sections bunched together

[NikyK]

oh i get it now..you want all the deal related sections bunched together

Yep, that's what I meant.
Plus I think we should separate Deals section from Flyers, thus make it easy to find what we need...

[courtreporter]

Maybe because I have been on here so long, I know the site like the back of my hand. I am quite happy with it the way it is.
When I was a newbie, I just did a bit of exploring to learn my way around.
I sort of like the Deals the way it is, that way I can just scroll down and see all the different ones. I think it would drive me nuts to have to go back and forth and click on each title to see what the deals are.

But please don't think I am dissing your idea. It's great that people take the time to think of ways to improve things.

[courtreporter]

Although a flyer section and a warehouse sales section might not be a bad idea

[banana03]

I'm kind of with courtreporter. When I was a newbie It took me forever to know how to navigate this site. I'm sure a few members on here know that. I had to ask. I am also quite happy with the way it is. Thank-you for taking the time with new ideas. If I am understanding right the flyer section is a great idea.

[trucks12trucks]

the flyer section would be great! (:

[frugal.tea]

...Maybe we can change this part a little bit, and when you click on "Deals" you'll see all subsections that put into "Deals" first and then will follow one you need?
<ins style="border: medium none ; margin: 0pt; padding: 0pt; display: inline-table; height: 15px; position: relative; visibility: visible; width: 728px;"></ins>

I like that drop down menu idea with all the subsections. It would make navigating more easy. Sometimes I get lost

[Melody113]

After a year I still find new things all the time. I tend to post more than I read so I usually just hit new topic wherever I go . I have sent lots here who tell me this site is too confusing but I basically then tell them to follow the coupon thread and the deals and freebies. The only thing I'd like to see work better is where it checks to see if a post on a subject has already been done as often one little spelling mistake and it doesn't recognize the topic. When I come on at 4:30 am I'm just sipping my first coffee and my wits aren't even up yet . Thats about 2 1/2 hours later. At that time I usually notice some of my deals have encrouched on someones domaine so I expire them