Model Category required.

Discussion in 'Bug Reporting' started by stop4stuff, Feb 21, 2013.

  1. stop4stuff
    stop4stuff Well-Known Member
    I just uploaded a model for a client to inspect.
    Model is to be set as private and with download enabled.

    Model cannot be set as private as a Category is requied.
    Model does not need to be in a category as it is a private model.

    Win Xp & IE8

    Paul
    [hr][hr]
     
  2. PeregrineStudios
    PeregrineStudios Well-Known Member
    I think a model can be private with a category set, can it not? I have several models that are set as private but still have categories.
     
  3. stop4stuff
    stop4stuff Well-Known Member
    If course is can, but why make it compulsory?
    Its another not needed click.

    Paul
     
  4. PeregrineStudios
    PeregrineStudios Well-Known Member
    Oh, for sure, I definitely agree - I just thought you were saying you couldn't make it private anymore :)
     
  5. Bathsheba
    Bathsheba Well-Known Member
    Just to move my vote from the thread I started to this one:

    The extra click to assign a category to a private model is useless and annoying. This should not be a requirement.

    It is also dangerous because someday you'll make the model searchable by category. Private models need to be completely undiscoverable.

    It's a misfeature, please remove.

    Thanks!


     
  6. NimlothCQ
    NimlothCQ Well-Known Member
    Hi all,

    We recently made a change to the way shop owners interact with products they upload in the form of requiring categories to be set on all model files that are offered for sale to others. This effects both models that are publicly discoverable, as well as private models that are discoverable via a privately shared url. We did this for a number of reasons in order to improve the experience both shoppers and shop owners have on Shapeways, some of which are as follows:

    * There were a substantial amount of publicly discoverable models on Shapeways that had no category set and as such are quite difficult to find.
    * Private models, unlike public models, very often had no category set and as a result, we were unable to display related interesting products of the same type to the shopper visiting the private model page. For example, your customer is more likely to want to see other rings rather than unrelated products such as train models if they are viewing a ring on a private model page.
    * A fair amount of sales consists of private models; however without a category set, understanding what types of products people are using Shapeways for is considerably harder.
    * * Over time, we want to know how Shapeways is being used, what types of products are being made and sold, etc, in order to be able to make better and more accurate decisions for improving both customer and shop-owner experiences. For example, these types of decisions could be anything from new material options to the types of promotional and discount offers we would give in the future, all of which are subjects that have a direct impact on both shoppers and shop owners.

    That said, allow me to address directly the point brought up by Bathsheba about the future and private models. We have absolutely no intention of making private models publicly discoverable by other users.

    We understand that the extra click may seem like an inconvenience, however we are certain that over time the experience on Shapeways will be better for everyone whether they create, sell, shop, browse or all of the above.

    Your feedback is always valuable to us and we welcome the thoughts you are sharing with on this subject. Perhaps some additional feedback could be if there are models that don't fit any of the categories we list?

    I hope this clarifies our intention and alleviates any concerns you may have had about changing discoverability of private models.

    - Christopher Carter
     
    Last edited: Feb 25, 2013
  7. stop4stuff
    stop4stuff Well-Known Member
    Hey CHristopher,

    Thanks for the info, I can understand that Shapeways need data about what is sold.

    Here's why I started this thread;
    I am working with a client helping them getting their creations optimized for 3D printing.
    My client will be using Shapeways for printing and selling their models. I could use a 3rd party service such as Dropbox for my client to collect the model files from. Shapeways PM system has too small attachment allowance and my client cannot accept large files via email, however using Shapeways model pages as a 'repository' makes perfect sense in both terms of printability proof and for my client to receive the models as they can then simply re-upload to Xhapeways and do as they see fit. I haven't a clue what the intended end use is, so adding a category maybe gives false data - perhaps have a default already selected category of 'My Model', 'Private Model' for this kind of situation?

    Cheers,
    Paul
     
  8. AmLachDesigns
    AmLachDesigns Well-Known Member
    Hi Christopher,

    I have no problem entering a Category or Categories for my models, it makes sense to me. However, the implementation is not so great, imo. There are 2 Category boxes you are allowed and it is not clear how they should be used:
    - do you use one for the overall Category and the other for the sub-cat?
    - Do you select the sub-cat directly and assume that the overall Cat is included in the path?
    - Why only two Categories?
    - How are the Categories used in searches, or even, are they used in searches?

    Also:

    If the search function worked at all this would not be such a problem. Forget Categories until the search works.

    If I look at one of my models, a pair of earrings, then other earrings are displayed as related products. Seems sensible, except that the categories on my model are Art and Jewellery. Earring is a Tag but not a Category.

    As I said, I think Categories are a good idea, in principle, but this argument is not a strong one. The use of Categories will only tell you what people categorise stuff as not what they actually are (unless you enforce/moderate them), and the usage of categories as currently implemented is limiting and probably not that much help to you. In any case, examining this data is backward-facing: it will tell you what people have done in the past, not what they want to do but cannot.

    If you want to know what new materials people want, read the forums, or better yet just offer them like you did with the elastic stuff. Promotions and Discounts, likewise: you'll soon know if they're working..



    - Christopher Carter[/quote]
     
  9. Dragoman
    Dragoman Member
    Indeed. Even though the list of allowed categories was revised not that long ago (half a year?) there are some problems. An example I have in mind is under "Miniatures", where you have "Vehicles" and "Model Trains", but no "Aircraft", which seems to be a reasonably popular type of model.

    Greetings
    Dragoman


     
  10. mkroeker
    mkroeker Well-Known Member
    How about a default category named "Other" ?
    For my models, that would be about as useful as the current choices.