Bad Signup Options On Web Sites

ebusinesstutor · 12-31-2012, 12:10 AM

Someone in another post mentioned 24 Symbols, an ebook subscription service. When you go to the web site, you are forced to create a free account before you do ANYTHING.

You can't peruse the book listings to see what authors are there or what genres. You can't find out how the site works or what it is offering or what the price is.

What a crappy web site. Sites like Amazon, eBay and Netflix let you browse in detail and only force a signup when you find something you like.

I would never join a service with this kind of signup page. I design web sites for a living and this is one of the worst I have seen.

taustin · 12-31-2012, 12:41 PM

Generally speaking, if a web site wants your email address before they'll let you browse their catalog, your email address is the product they're actually selling.

QuantumIguana · 12-31-2012, 12:54 PM

There are sites where you have to sign up even to read posts. They don't tend to have anything worthwhile anyway.

ucfgrad93 · 12-31-2012, 01:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by taustin

Generally speaking, if a web site wants your email address before they'll let you browse their catalog, your email address is the product they're actually selling.

Quote:

Originally Posted by QuantumIguana

There are sites where you have to sign up even to read posts. They don't tend to have anything worthwhile anyway.

Agreed. I avoid those types of websites like 3 week old fish.

drjenkins · 01-02-2013, 06:58 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by taustin

...your email address is the product they're actually selling.

That's what http://www.mailinator.com/ is for.

taustin · 01-02-2013, 12:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by drjenkins

That's what http://www.mailinator.com/ is for.

Useful option for those who don't run their own mail server on their own domain.

John F · 01-02-2013, 01:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ebusinesstutor

Someone in another post mentioned 24 Symbols, an ebook subscription service. When you go to the web site, you are forced to create a free account before you do ANYTHING.

You can't peruse the book listings to see what authors are there or what genres. You can't find out how the site works or what it is offering or what the price is.

What a crappy web site. Sites like Amazon, eBay and Netflix let you browse in detail and only force a signup when you find something you like.

I would never join a service with this kind of signup page. I design web sites for a living and this is one of the worst I have seen.

I'm not sure I would use Netflix as an example. I just tried to browse their selection, and it is either extremely limited, or you need to log in to see anything useful.

Even Amazon could use some work. I was interested in what was available in the lending library, and no way to see the full catalog without buying (never mind "just logging in") a Kindle (or so I was told by support).

calvin-c · 01-02-2013, 06:04 PM

I'm not sure you need to buy a Kindle. I haven't looked specifically at the lending library but I have accessed the Kindle store via the free Kindle for PC app. (I've even bought a few books that way-then used Calibre to convert them for my eReader.) I don't know if I'd consider it legit to do that with a 'loaned' book though.

As for the email addresses, I maintain once specifically for 'sign-ups'. If I'm happy with a site using that then I'll open a new account with a permanent email. Of course I own my own domain so I can create/delete email addresses as needed. I don't run my own mail server though, that's part of the hosting contract I have. It's surprising how many people think it's hard to have your own domain. Now setting up your own web site might be hard-but getting a domain so you can control your own email, that's simple and can be surprisingly inexpensive. The cost depends on where you register & who you host with-and often reflects the service you get (i.e. a cheaper host tends to have more problems). I go with a mid-range 'economical' host that costs less than $50US/year. Like I said, it's not expensive-and not at all hard if all you use it for is email.

DreamWriter · 01-02-2013, 06:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by John F

Even Amazon could use some work. I was interested in what was available in the lending library, and no way to see the full catalog without buying (never mind "just logging in") a Kindle (or so I was told by support).

You can view a list of ebooks in the Kindle Owners' Lending Library on your computer by using this search link. There are currently 265,440 ebooks in the KOLL.

In order to actually borrow the ebooks, you do have to own a Kindle, have an Amazon Prime subscription, and have an account in the US, UK, Germany, or France. You can borrow one ebook per calendar month.

You can browse for the ebooks on your computer and add selections to an Amazon "Wish List." When you're ready to borrow an ebook, go to the Amazon store on your Kindle and pull up that Wish List.

GrannyGrump · 01-03-2013, 01:59 AM

drjenkins said:

Quote:

That's what http://www.mailinator.com/ is for.

This looks really handy. Thanks for the tip!

John F · 01-03-2013, 07:24 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DreamWriter

You can view a list of ebooks in the Kindle Owners' Lending Library on your computer by using this search link. There are currently 265,440 ebooks in the KOLL.

In order to actually borrow the ebooks, you do have to own a Kindle, have an Amazon Prime subscription, and have an account in the US, UK, Germany, or France. You can borrow one ebook per calendar month.

You can browse for the ebooks on your computer and add selections to an Amazon "Wish List." When you're ready to borrow an ebook, go to the Amazon store on your Kindle and pull up that Wish List.

Thank you! I live chatted twice with Amazon about this, and both times Amazon said they couldn't be viewed on a computer, only on a Kindle.

Daniel Jones · 01-15-2013, 02:18 AM

Websites that require you mail address before you can browse their stuff basically wants you mail address so that they can send you their newsletter and other stuff with links directed towards their websites. It generally brings traffic to their website.
Usually I avoid to create account on such sites and tries even not to visit it again.

12-31-2012, 12:10 AM	#1
ebusinesstutor Star Gawker Posts: 526 Karma: 6944314 Join Date: Nov 2010 Location: Spruce Grove, AB Canada Device: Kindle Paperwhite	Bad Signup Options On Web Sites Someone in another post mentioned 24 Symbols, an ebook subscription service. When you go to the web site, you are forced to create a free account before you do ANYTHING. You can't peruse the book listings to see what authors are there or what genres. You can't find out how the site works or what it is offering or what the price is. What a crappy web site. Sites like Amazon, eBay and Netflix let you browse in detail and only force a signup when you find something you like. I would never join a service with this kind of signup page. I design web sites for a living and this is one of the worst I have seen.

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12-31-2012, 12:41 PM	#2
taustin Wizard Posts: 1,358 Karma: 5766642 Join Date: Aug 2010 Device: Nook	Generally speaking, if a web site wants your email address before they'll let you browse their catalog, your email address is the product they're actually selling.

12-31-2012, 12:54 PM	#3
QuantumIguana Philosopher Posts: 2,034 Karma: 18736532 Join Date: Jan 2012 Device: Kindle Paperwhite 2 gen, Kindle Fire 1st Gen, Kindle Touch	There are sites where you have to sign up even to read posts. They don't tend to have anything worthwhile anyway.

01-02-2013, 06:04 PM	#8
calvin-c Guru Posts: 787 Karma: 1575310 Join Date: Jul 2009 Device: Moon+ Pro	I'm not sure you need to buy a Kindle. I haven't looked specifically at the lending library but I have accessed the Kindle store via the free Kindle for PC app. (I've even bought a few books that way-then used Calibre to convert them for my eReader.) I don't know if I'd consider it legit to do that with a 'loaned' book though. As for the email addresses, I maintain once specifically for 'sign-ups'. If I'm happy with a site using that then I'll open a new account with a permanent email. Of course I own my own domain so I can create/delete email addresses as needed. I don't run my own mail server though, that's part of the hosting contract I have. It's surprising how many people think it's hard to have your own domain. Now setting up your own web site might be hard-but getting a domain so you can control your own email, that's simple and can be surprisingly inexpensive. The cost depends on where you register & who you host with-and often reflects the service you get (i.e. a cheaper host tends to have more problems). I go with a mid-range 'economical' host that costs less than $50US/year. Like I said, it's not expensive-and not at all hard if all you use it for is email.

01-15-2013, 02:18 AM	#12
Daniel Jones Nameless Being	Websites that require you mail address before you can browse their stuff basically wants you mail address so that they can send you their newsletter and other stuff with links directed towards their websites. It generally brings traffic to their website. Usually I avoid to create account on such sites and tries even not to visit it again.

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