They ruined a beautiful and clean website. I'm not a fan of the new design. I hate change for the sake of change.
SmokingPipes Site Redesign
- Thread starter Swiss Army Knife
- Start date
SmokingPipes.com Updates
Watch for Updates Twice a Week
PipesMagazine Approved Sponsor
Site Sponsors
PipesMagazine Approved Sponsor
PipesMagazine Approved Sponsor
PipesMagazine Approved Sponsor
PipesMagazine Approved Sponsor
OK...
Nothing looks different to me regarding the site.
???
(Running a high-powered Mac desktop & Safari, if that matters)
Nothing looks different to me regarding the site.
???
(Running a high-powered Mac desktop & Safari, if that matters)
Not a fan of the changes so far but I will get used to it I guess. When they change it again down the road I’m sure I will say I wish they hadn’t then too. No big deal.
At first it was a bit annoying in places but it seems all the same information is there. Some things just take a few more mouse clicks to find or access.
Where is the Pipe Finder?!
What is Fresh?
I don't understand this web design at all. At first, I thought the website didn't load correctly, and I reloaded it a bunch of times until I realized that the change was intentional. The margins and padding are off everywhere. The categories aren't even vertically centered on the menu.
But from a UX perspective, it's TERRIBLE! I go to smokingpipes all the time to check what is fresh. I check the site so often that I know if new pipes dropped because I know how many "New" pipes they had the last time I checked. When that number jumps by ~300, I know there's something new to see! That information is gone. I can get to the same "New" pipes page in 2 clicks, when before I had 1 click. However, now when I get there, I don't have any way to know if it has new stuff since my last visit.
But damn! The initial landing page is atrocious. In the old site, I used to be greeted with actionable information! Now, I get no information about their stock updating, no indication of what's new, I get a font that is harder for this Gen X'er to read, and one giant confusing ad making me think that Smokingpipes has turned into Caldwell's Cigars and Nuclear Hazard, LLC. At the very, bottom, I get a "Shop the latest" heading that gives me a whopping FIVE AND A HALF products to look at—after I scroll.
SP, I love you, and I will support you through your ups and downs. But this is a down. The two main features of the previous Smokingpipes website were 1) the Fresh product placement, which was previously presented better than any other online store that I visit, and 2) the product finders. I didn't have to think about how to search for a churchwarden, or something sandblasted, or a pipe with an unusual stem material--I just did it. Now, I can't figure out if I can even do it.
What is Fresh?
I don't understand this web design at all. At first, I thought the website didn't load correctly, and I reloaded it a bunch of times until I realized that the change was intentional. The margins and padding are off everywhere. The categories aren't even vertically centered on the menu.
But from a UX perspective, it's TERRIBLE! I go to smokingpipes all the time to check what is fresh. I check the site so often that I know if new pipes dropped because I know how many "New" pipes they had the last time I checked. When that number jumps by ~300, I know there's something new to see! That information is gone. I can get to the same "New" pipes page in 2 clicks, when before I had 1 click. However, now when I get there, I don't have any way to know if it has new stuff since my last visit.
But damn! The initial landing page is atrocious. In the old site, I used to be greeted with actionable information! Now, I get no information about their stock updating, no indication of what's new, I get a font that is harder for this Gen X'er to read, and one giant confusing ad making me think that Smokingpipes has turned into Caldwell's Cigars and Nuclear Hazard, LLC. At the very, bottom, I get a "Shop the latest" heading that gives me a whopping FIVE AND A HALF products to look at—after I scroll.
SP, I love you, and I will support you through your ups and downs. But this is a down. The two main features of the previous Smokingpipes website were 1) the Fresh product placement, which was previously presented better than any other online store that I visit, and 2) the product finders. I didn't have to think about how to search for a churchwarden, or something sandblasted, or a pipe with an unusual stem material--I just did it. Now, I can't figure out if I can even do it.
Last edited:
Horrible website redesign. As if they were trying to match P&C's website.
Very cluttered and messy. Not user friendly. Hope they reconsider and redesign.
Very cluttered and messy. Not user friendly. Hope they reconsider and redesign.
I'm sure my sleep deprivation is playing games with my mind, but I can't seem to find the link on the new site that takes me to the Pioe Locator page. How do I get to the Pipe Locator if I'm on the site? Thanks!The Pipe Locator
www.smokingpipes.com
I can't find anything that says pipe locator, but when you go to Fresh Pipes, you can then use the filters on the left side, which do what the pipe locator does anyways.
They must have just removed links that go to the splash page for the locator. My best guess.
It does look more different to me today than it did yesterday. Maybe I am just now seeing the changes?
I don't think it looks bad at all. It will just take some playing around with it to figure out where everything is again.
It's like the grocery store, they move everything around once a year, so that you have to relearn where they put the salad dressings and feta cheese. Ha ha. Not terrible, but slightly annoying.
At least we still have SP. Can't say that about a few other online pipe stores.
They must have just removed links that go to the splash page for the locator. My best guess.
It does look more different to me today than it did yesterday. Maybe I am just now seeing the changes?
I don't think it looks bad at all. It will just take some playing around with it to figure out where everything is again.
It's like the grocery store, they move everything around once a year, so that you have to relearn where they put the salad dressings and feta cheese. Ha ha. Not terrible, but slightly annoying.
At least we still have SP. Can't say that about a few other online pipe stores.
The filter is on the left hand side of both the "All New Pipes" and "All Estate Pipes" landing pages.
The same for the tobacco locator. It's just a filter tool on the left hand side of the "All Pipe Tobacco" landing page.
I see that. But I can't figure out how to get to the page AroEnglish linked. I know the functionality is on the All [New/Estate] Pipes pages...I just wanted to know how to get to the page he linked from the site.
I'm guessing it's just a saved page, or found search page. The pipe locator page currently is nearly identical to the "All New Pipes" page except The Pipe Locator page says "The Pipe Locator" with a little description and the "All New Pipes" page has buttons for New Pipes, Estate Pipes and start kit.
The content beneath the page headlines is identical.
The content beneath the page headlines is identical.
It seems like it takes more time to do things on that site now. That also seems counterproductive. It looks ok, but if I'm embracing my inner curmudgeon, I am not excited about the changes.
This thread is like 507c vs. LNF. Is it the same? Is it different? Nobody quite knows.
I haven't found a way to do it either. I just googled "Pipe Locator smokingpipes.com" and then found that link. I'm not sure if it's an oversight on their part or intentional.
@swilford pops in here every now and then so he might decide to chime in on that change (and others).
The more I use it the more I dislike it. I tend to want to check it less cuz it's a mess to navigate.
We need to organize and have them roll back to their best site design of all time.
