Search suggestion

[Ilovemykidsmore Member Find all posts View Profile Close Ilovemykidsmore]

I'd like to see the ability to search by location. That way if I want to go somewhere but am not locked into dates (that's usually how we travel), I can just pull up a location and see what my options are.

Since there is now an online search engine, is it necessary to have the request feature. By eliminating the request, all availability could be put online. If you are just trying to make it easy for people who don't want to check and see if what they want is there every day then I have a solution for that too. We could enter our email address and request to be emailed when new items are added to a certain category.

[Mark @SFX Industry Representative Find all posts View Profile Close Mark @SFX]

I'd like to see the ability to search by location. That way if I want to go somewhere but am not locked into dates (that's usually how we travel), I can just pull up a location and see what my options are.

Since there is now an online search engine, is it necessary to have the request feature. By eliminating the request, all availability could be put online. If you are just trying to make it easy for people who don't want to check and see if what they want is there every day then I have a solution for that too. We could enter our email address and request to be emailed when new items are added to a certain category.

Ilovemykidsmore - Thank you for your post and suggestions. We always like to hear from Members on ways we can improve our website experience.

Although you can search by region, we add a date feature with a one month window (2 weeks before and 2 weeks after the date you select). If you allow all available to be viewed without a date, it can slow down the search process. People don't have patience for a slow loading website, and that's why there is a date required.

....Since there is now an online search engine, is it necessary to have the request feature. By eliminating the request, all availability could be put online.....

Please keep in mind, as with the other exchange companies, the only availability online are weeks we have no current requests for from our Members. That is the purpose of online availability, it is to show and hopefully book/move units that may be in oversupply. Also, quite often people see a unit online thinking, "we never thought of going to that place, lets give it a try".

Because in our industry demand is greater than supply of space for the better quality resorts in the higher seasons of the year, this is why the Request process is a core part of the exchange process. As soon as weeks get deposited, if there is a match against a pending request, it gets booked immediately and you do not see it online. What you see online only represents a "tiny fraction" of the space that comes into our system.

.....If you are just trying to make it easy for people who don't want to check and see if what they want is there every day then I have a solution for that too. We could enter our email address and request to be emailed when new items are added to a certain category....

It would still require you to place a request for what you want. When it comes into the system, and you have matched it based on your trading power, an email and a call from our agents is generated notifying you (which is what happens now).

Hope this insight helps, and again we thank you for your suggestions.

Thanks,
Mark @sfx
Member Communications

[jdunn1 Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close jdunn1]

Mark. Why can't you at least give us an option to only see resorts in the Untied States? It's more than a pain to sift through pages and pages of Mexico resorts when all we really want to see are the US resorts. Just a suggestion, but it seems like a very easy way to at least show members you are listening and value our requests. Thanks.

-Jim

[Mark @SFX Industry Representative Find all posts View Profile Close Mark @SFX]

Mark. Why can't you at least give us an option to only see resorts in the Untied States? It's more than a pain to sift through pages and pages of Mexico resorts when all we really want to see are the US resorts. Just a suggestion, but it seems like a very easy way to at least show members you are listening and value our requests. Thanks.

-Jim

Jim - thank you for your post and input. We value feedback from our Members, as will allow us to create a better online experience. I will pass this on to our IT deparment. We are in the process of developing a phase 2 of our current site, which will have a number of improvements.

Regardless of whatever search improvements are made, I still want to reiterate, the units you see online only represent a fraction of the inventory in our system, they are units we have no immediate requests for. As with the other exchange companies, most exchanges are fulfilled with an ongoing request and search.... especially if you are looking for a high quality resort in the high-season.

Thanks,
Mark @sfx
Member Communications

[PortableTech Member Find all posts View Profile Close PortableTech]

I just wanted to chime in on this too, I would love the ability to filter out Mexico resorts. It is just not somewhere we plan to go, but when 70% - 80% of a search resort is from that area, it really does take a while to search through the results.

--PortableTech

[MaryH Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close MaryH]

Mark,

I know you think the web search result would load slower and people don't want to do that but if I want to search 12 month of availability, 12x search would be slower than 1 single search of longer wait time.

One possible compromise is to have a little checkbox and if it is checked it can search longer time frame or have a 3 or 6 month option in addition the 14 day option with the default on the 14 days so people can choose to search 6 or 12 month of availability. I think 1-2 searches would be reasonable vs 12 searches and hopefully it should not place too much stress on the system since the majority would probably search by month.

[Mark @SFX Industry Representative Find all posts View Profile Close Mark @SFX]

Mark,

I know you think the web search result would load slower and people don't want to do that but if I want to search 12 month of availability, 12x search would be slower than 1 single search of longer wait time.

One possible compromise is to have a little checkbox and if it is checked it can search longer time frame or have a 3 or 6 month option in addition the 14 day option with the default on the 14 days so people can choose to search 6 or 12 month of availability. I think 1-2 searches would be reasonable vs 12 searches and hopefully it should not place too much stress on the system since the majority would probably search by month.

Mary - Thank you for your post and feedback. These are all relevent comments and will be passed on to our IT department for consideration. I certainly wouldn't want to do 12 monthly searches looking for space, but on the other hand, I don't think most people would do that, because we have found that most people generally know what specific month, or within a range of 3 months in which they want to travel. Even for those who are retired and have no kids in school, they usually know what 3 month period they desire to travel in, based on where they want to go and weather conditions.

We are building a phase 2 to our site at this moment, and there will be a number of improvements. I will pass this and all other suggestions to our IT department.

Again, your input is very appreciated.

Thanks,
Mark @sfx
Member Communications

[gandalf252002 Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close gandalf252002]

May already be on the table, but the ability to see more than 5 at a time. Have adapted to search 1 month at a time, and just choosing all resorts but only 5 to a page means going through sometimes 10 pages.

We are building a phase 2 to our site at this moment, and there will be a number of improvements. I will pass this and all other suggestions to our IT department.

Again, your input is very appreciated.

Thanks,
Mark @sfx
Member Communications

[Mark @SFX Industry Representative Find all posts View Profile Close Mark @SFX]

May already be on the table, but the ability to see more than 5 at a time. Have adapted to search 1 month at a time, and just choosing all resorts but only 5 to a page means going through sometimes 10 pages.

Gandalf - Thanks for the suggestions. We invite any and all suggestions that will benefit our Members. Please keep them coming.

Thanks,
Mark @sfx
Member Communications