Ergonomics of eBay's new Shipping Form - Incompetence Award

[anthology-of-treasures]

Lets compare eBay's old and new label systems from the point of ergonomics.

This test assumes that the browser is at the default zoom size (i.e., its not been increased or decreased).

Keeping your browser window at least 1280 pixels wide prevents lines of text and other content from being vertically repositioned on the form and increasing its height even further.

Even if the browser window is extended to its maximum height (filling all the vertical space between a the Mac's Finder menubar and the Dock) on a 24" display the browser window not tall enough to display the default state of new label form. Its not practical to keep the browser that height thus the actual day to day browser height provides 1000 pixels of vertical viewable content before vertical scrolling is needed. The default state of the custom package size form (at 1123 pixels tall) requires the user to scroll vertically to see the whole form.

But the default setting of the custom package size form only shows three different rates. The "Compare all services" link must be clicked to show those. Doing that increases the height to 1647 pixels.

The default carrier packing form is 1241 pixels tall by default. Comparing all the services expands it to 1764 pixels.

Things get worse if you can't expand your browser window that far. Gradually lowering its width below 1280 causes single lines of text to expand to two lines. At at width of 1040 pixels entire sections of the form are shifted vertically downward increasing the size of the default form and expanded forms even further.

eBay's old default form is 960 x 872 pixels and fits inside a 1280 x 1000 browser port. The compare rates overlay window (to make changes to your shipment) is even smaller at 820 x 472 pixels.

Scrolling, hiding content under hidden divisions, and using multiple tabs of content is not faster!

The new bloated interface is obviously intended for touchscreen screens on mobile devices that require such a interface due to their limited screen size.

Why should I be forced to work on my 24" monitors like I am using a mobile phone?

[orangehound]

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@anthology-of-treasures wrote:

Lets compare eBay's old and new label systems from the point of ergonomics.

This test assumes that the browser is at the default zoom size (i.e., its not been increased or decreased).

Your analysis is for computer screens ... eBay reports that the majority of users access eBay via mobile (and the percentage is growing).   The old interface is failing for the majority of users.

[pandorasartbox]

Well, then why not keep the old form for PC users and the new for mobile? Both have already been developed and available. We could choose to keep the old format before they forced everyone to use the new one.

[orangehound]

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@pandorasartbox wrote:
Well, then why not keep the old form for PC users and the new for mobile? Both have already been developed and available. We could choose to keep the old format before they forced everyone to use the new one.

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No software company continues to maintain old versions of their software forever ... as it is, both versions are still available, but perhaps in a year or two the old one will be pulled off the eBay servers.

[anthology-of-treasures]

Your analysis is for computer screens ...

Wow, I would have never guessed that. Thanks for letting us know that. I want to quote a famous Homer Simpson response here, but most readers can probably guess what it is anyway.

eBay reports that the majority of users access eBay via mobile (and the percentage is growing).

I would also have never guessed that! Thanks for correcting my idea that eBay just randomly decided to force everyone to use a mobile interface for no reason at all.

I guessed you missed this:

"The new bloated interface is obviously intended for touchscreen screens on mobile devices that require such a interface due to their limited screen size."

The old interface is failing for the majority of users.

You entirely missed the point.

Its eBay job to query each device's viewport and then deliver content and styling specific to that device based upon that Viewport size!

Its not eBay's job to deliver a mobile interface to large desktop screen!

You use media queries to deliver styled content specific to the device. You know - a Responsive Web Design!

@media screen and (max-width: 800px) {

Viewport Specific Styling Here

}

@media screen and (max-width: 968px) {

Viewport Specific Styling Here

}

@media screen and (max-width: 1280px) {

Viewport Specific Styling Here

}

eBay is NOT DOING ITS JOB ONCE AGAIN!

[anthology-of-treasures]

No software company continues to maintain old versions of their software forever ... as it is, both versions are still available, but perhaps in a year or two the old one will be pulled off the eBay servers.

More misdirection!

Nothing to do with an application that you download to your computer and can typically upgrade for free until the company issues a major new paid version or paid upgrade. Nothing to do with outdated technology or outdated user devices!

This has to do with Responsive Web Design!

Perhaps start reading about it on the Wikipedia page below or Google the millions of other pages on the subject.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Responsive_web_design

eBay is not doing its job!

Even my own blogs use such media queries to render differently formatted content to different devices. I am not forcing mobile users to attempt to view a version of the website intended for desktop users. I am not forcing desktop users to use a version intended for mobile devices. If I did people would not revisit the site due to the horrible interface.

There is also no technical reasons preventing eBay from keeping both the old and new labels systems.

A eBay account preference could determine which version a seller wants to use! eBay is already using such a internal preference to determine which accounts see the old or new shipping form. A company armed with billions of dollars and thousands of employees can't add additional code to their site to allow users to determined which they want to see. Perhaps they need to hire some 14 year old Russian hackers to tell them how or is it that they just don't care? So much for best practices they like to preach but do not follow.

Of course this is the same company that wants us believe its somehow technically impossible to compare what a seller charges a buyer for shipping to what the cost of the label is and only charge the seller a FVF on any overage.

[green-night]

I am sorry OP to go OT, but I am just curious about something in your listings. 

I see you have a BOC fee (Breach of Contract).  So just out of curiosity, how does that work?  If a buyer tells you to cancel before you ship but after they paid, how are you able to keep a percentage?  Do you partially refund through PP and then call eBay to get your FVF credit?   Just wondering. 

[soh.maryl]

Forgive my asking, but can that Breach of Contract rule actually be enforced?