Savings blog or forums?? What do you like and why...

[Melissa]

I would LOVE to know what people prefer and why.

Do you like blogs over forums?

Do you like forums better?

Would you prefer a savings site offer both a blog format AND a forums system keeping comments organized AND allowing others to participate ?

Why??

What would YOU like to see on MyPriceSavings.com HOME PAGE? Quick links for easy access?

THANKS!!

[mushyyy]

I would perfer forums myself. I think forums offer more interaction. I myself am not a writter or a blogger.

As for the home page I think it is confusing for the newbies and quick links would be nice.

[Melissa]

Yeah Im finalizing the new home page and want to make sure I include everything!

If you happen to think of things you would like to see that would make it easier for you / newbies please don't hesitate to let me know!

Thanks!

[Jay]

Generally I like the format here. The biggest change I'd love to see is a link to today's posts on the home page. I always end up clicking on one of the recent activity posts to get into the forum even if it's not a topic I'm interested in because it's easier to click that than the tiny savings community link, and from there then I click on todays posts. It would be nice to bypass that step.

The other change which would be nice but maybe not worth the trouble to create is something I've seen on other large forums with lots of categories. Some let you customize your preferences to create a set of favorites within the forum. Here, I know I will be checking a few stores and a couple other areas regularly. It would be nice to be able to create some direct links to them from within the forum instead of having to click back to the top level of the forum, and scroll around til I find the grocery stores I want each time. Personally if it were my blog I wouldn't take the time to deal with that and it's not enough of an issue that it would prevent me from posting here, but if you are taking wish lists, that would be on mine.

[Melissa]

I am totally accepting wish lists! Thanks SO much you have great ideas!!

Keep em coming!! If their are enough comments I may just have an awesome giveaway!!

[Beth]

I would agree with a link on the home page to recent/today's posts. I've learned to go to Savings Community to find them, but I think I had to send Melissa a message to find it. Could also put a button at the end of the recent posts that says 'More'. Then users could click through the recent posts. Also, I love the links to the main stores on the right side, but notice that Meijer doesn't go to all the deals. Have to go to Savings Community and then to Meijer to find all the info. With all the info in the Savings Community, might also put it as a larger item on the home page.

Other than that, I love this site!! Thank you Melissa for all your hard work!!

[justmeagain]

Forums are greats except when there is hundreds to thousands of posts in one thread. I like people being able to contribute--that is great because the more brains out there thinking and posting--the better the deals. However I like the blog idea because everything is EASILY located in the OP without having to read useless posts.
The best of both worlds is to have a forum BUT to keep all the deals and important info from that thread in the OP
JMHO

[bethaliz6894]

i really dont like blogs, i have a hard time keeping focus to read it all and at times i feel people ramble, i like the forums, they are short and to the point.

i would like to see better searching abilities. seach keywords or maybe by date posted? i am not a very good searcher for stuff and i seem to spend a lot of times going back to refind posts i know i saw before.

[yogi]

I like it that I am able to click on the new posts after I've been gone for a while, but then, if I'm interrupted, I feel that I might lose the rest of the new posts if I have to leave the website. I'm not quite sure how that part of the system works.

I am SOOOO happy to receive all of the help, Melissa, and friends. I would never be able to figure this all out on my own!! I just don't know how you can devote so much time into helping others!!! THANK YOU!

[stlcouponwizard]

Melissa I like the format, it is simple and easy to move around in. I prefer forums over blogs because there is a lot more interaction between the posters and readers. On Blogs commments are hard to get or at least a bit more diffucult than on a forum. Blogs will concertrate the information but you often get one persons thoughts or ideas on what is a good deal. I follow sevseral blogs even though I do match ups on my own blog because a match up takes a while and I will sometimes miss coupons depending on the Database I am using. If you follow one blog you end up shopping like the blogger which may be good or bad Some things may not look like a deal to me when preparing a match up because I already have a shelf full of them, but that same deal may be what several other people have been waiting for. On the forum you get the opinions of many which is very important when posting information for the masses. Good job on the site, keep it up.