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Drop Down Options Part DeuxMay 12 '02 Write an essay on this topic.
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The Bottom Line Add more options to your drop-down menus in the Movies - In Theatres section of Epinions, and move music DVDs to the music section of the site.
Scapp70's previous comment did have some good ideas about how to make the Movies portion of the site better. I wanted to add to them, but since I actually wanted them to be read by other people, I felt adding them in the "comments" section of his review would be less appropriate. First, something that was not explained well in his comment to Epinions (http://www.epinions.com/content_2644418692) was that he experienced trouble when reviewing a music-DVD (DTS 5.1 channel remix of Queen's "A Night at the Opera"), because it was only listed in the Movies section of Epinions. I think that what he was trying to say was this: music DVDs do not belong in the Movies section of Epinions. This is a valid point. Most of the movie-related drop down menus don't apply to a music DVD, and he was right to point that out. He also complained about the options available in these drop-down menus. The advisor response was that the drop-down menus he complained about were all optional. I don't feel that this really addressed the main issue in his comment; however. The fact that the drop-down menus are optional doesn't solve the problem that they have inadequate options. Two drop-down menus in the Movies - In Theatres section that have irked me since the relaunch of Epinions are "Would you see this film again?" and "How did you see this film?". I think both of these menus are a great idea, since they both convey important ideas. The first is the bottom line recommendation for a movie: Is it worth spending money twice to see the same product? The second is even more important, and should be mandatory since it discloses how the reviewer came to see the film. It lends more credibility to a positive review if you can be assured they aren't some distribution company's cheerleading employee. Similarly, any employee of a competing company can write a few scathing reviews and escape undetected. For the first menu, "Would you see this film again?", the following options are listed: -If I'm bored -Never Again -Yes, But I'll wait for it on video No option is given for a movie that you can't wait to see again. This would be an excellent addition to this particular menu, and I feel it would help to convey how great the movie really is. The second menu I have a problem with, "How did you see this film?" lists every scenario for seeing a movie except the single most common one: "Paid to see it at a cinema". The majority of people don't see films at a sneak preview or test screening. Now, I'm not saying abandon these other options (as a projectionist, I see most films a couple nights before release when I screen them to confirm I built them correctly), but please consider adding something for the majority of movie-goers. Scapp70 was also correct in requesting an "appropriate for all ages" option in the "Suitability for Children" menu. "Suitable for up to age 4" suggests Barney videos and the like, instead of all-ages. As this is the section to which I post most frequently, it's understandable that I would notice problems in these areas more than in others. I know that these menus are all optional, but it would be nice to be able to have the choices available anyway.  |
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