I’m in MEC looking for a windshell and arrive at the cycling section. They have a lower and upper rack. You need to be at least 6′ tall in order to get items on the upper rack, ones that hang on a clothes hanger. I had to go to the nearby canoeing section in order to “borrow” a canoe paddle so I could retrieve items from the upper rack.
When customers need to scour your store for tools in order to retrieve your merchandise, that does not promote a positive impression of your store.
My librarian, it was, that brought the issue to my attention: Your driver’s license needs renewal. This occurs every 5 years, so not very top of mind. But hey, it is 5 years later, and there is a Government of Ontario, Canada, web site that I can use to renew my drivers license, print a temporary one, and the valid license will be mailed to me in 4 to 6 weeks. Unfortunately for me all did not go so well. The Service Ontario server seemed to have some problem, leaving me with no temporary drivers license, and unsure if my credit card transaction actually went through. In the end I had to personally go to the local Service Ontario office in order to get my temporary drivers license. Service Ontario’s web service really does not work.
Globe and Mail newspaper is testing changes to their comments section. The existing font and style, left, is much more readable than the new and hip but less readable version, on the right.
Leave it alone, sometimes, is the better option. Or the more vernacular “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it”. The Globe and mail newspaper is testing changes to their comments system. They have decided to brighten up the icons, but instead of using black for text they have gone for grey. The grey, for me, is much more difficult to read. Maybe the use of grey will prompt for less comments.
After an epic fail in selling food, will Canadian Tire now sell lingerie? Say it isn't so...
As a long time Canadian I consider it a tradition to shop at Canadian Tire. Unlike Walfart, Crappy Tire is, after all, Canadian. When I need a tool or something for the house I think of Canadian Tire first. This year, I am finding that the products I need are no longer advertised in the CT weekly flyer, and all the stuff I don’t need has taken its place. This has the result of me not visiting the local Crappy Tire as much as I used to, and therefore I am not spending the family’s cash in their stores. Going to the epitome of insanity, CT’s weekly food specials now gets attached to the weekly flyer. As my daughter often says, this is an EPIC FAIL.
New Colgate toothpaste cap is difficult to open when your hands are wet. This is a clear usability problem.
I normally do usability testing on computer and internet applications, but usability testing can be even more important in everyday items, such as the new packaging for Colgate toothpaste. You gets an “Arghh” moment when a product does not work or is more difficult to use than it should be. Yesterday morning I was in the bathroom washing my hands. After a quick dry I reached for my toothpaste to brush my teeth. Lo and behold, with my slightly damp hands I could not open the new Colgate toothpaste top! My hand kept slipping on the shiny plastic polypropylene cap. Clearly this is not the intent of the designers of toothpaste container. Sure it looks very slick, but will certainly anger many people.
