Please bear with me as I make some updates…
As you can see the sites are all getting a new look. It will take a little time to get things where they need to be. Once everything is completed, I think you will find things are faster and hopefully the site will be easier to use.
NOW–I know some of you all don’t like change. I want you to know that I do understand that it may take a little bit to get used to the new layout. BUT, change is a good thing and the site refresh is LONG overdue. I have not made any drastic changes in 10 years so I am long overdue!
I will give you guys the grand tour when everything is where it needs to be. For now, please bear with me!
Morton Coarse Kosher Salt Just $1.64 At Publix
So far, looks a little confusing :-(
Hopefully it’ll get better.
It shouldn’t be confusing. The only big difference on your end is that you have to click to open posts instead of scrolling to see the full content.
You can look at the pic/see the price on the home page. If it is a product that interests you–click and check it out. If not, just keep going past it.
I did reduce the number “shown” on the front page to 8 instead of 10…but if you want to see a bunch at once, simply click the VIEW MORE DEALS button and something like 25 are visible.
This was done for MANY reasons but primarily for load speed. It’s more efficient for you AND my site.
I also now have more content on the home page, including quick links to the ads and you can see new coupons and recipes easily.
The navigation bar is almost identical except for now it will not move up and down and be annoying.
Also, the search bar actually stays put so searches are easy.
It looks great! I can’t find my shopping list, though, for my trip to the store in the morning. Should I create a new one? BTW, I really like the new logo. :)
The shopping list is broken… it was on it’s last leg as it was and starting to have conflicts with wordpress updates.
I have someone working to see if they can fix it.
Right now that is the only thing that couldn’t be “brought over”.
I am hoping that it can be fixed ASAP!!
A refresh once in a while is NOT a bad idea at all. I like (based on computer/laptop view):
– New logo
– New font (maybe, somehow I feel it’s new)
– Thumbnail view so I can choose click on the ones I want to view (as you mentioned). I used to take me forever to find a post because I couldn’t remember where it was located (without the “search” function).
Suggestions:
– Show the number of comment(s) on the thumbnail post. I’d like to see interactions here.
– There are 18 rows on each page. I’d like to suggest to reduce to 10 rows. That means there are 20 deals on each page. You’re the only person writing posts, so it’s not a lot to have to scroll all the way down and see the same post. To be honest, I check your page many times throughout the day.
– A new family photo since the boys are now grown up taller :)
I will check it again on mobile phone in a day or two when it’s more complete, and will give feedback. Thanks for all you do to provide us timely deals at Publix. Because of your site, I have to go to Publix at least once on a weekly basis. I hate to miss a deal (even though I don’t need the item but it’s hard to say no to free or almost free, LOL).
Looks Great Thank you Love the site and use it every day
Really don’t like but it’s hard for me to accept change i’ll give it a try tho!!
So far, it looks good. As someone who runs a book review blog, I know how overwhelming an overhaul can be. I look forward to seeing the “grand reopening” once you’ve finished all the updates.
Lets be honest, you are incorporating more clicks on your page for ad revenue. Don’t act as if this is to make any one of your readers have a better experience. Please explain how clickable thumbnails is a better idea rather than a list. This is a horrible idea.
Once a fan, now leaving.
Nope–that was never a consideration in the change. The amount of money from ads based on PAGE VIEWS is almost of no consequence. It’s the ad clicks that pay out. So a user navigating from page to page on a site is basically inconsequential in the grand scheme of things.
AND, in case you didn’t notice, I actually REDUCED the ads in my sidebar to help with user experience.
There are now only 3 display ads at the bottom of the site sidebar. Yes, they exist and help me pay my hosting, maintenance, email service and various other site fees.
BUT, since you asked, I will explain WHY the change. First, this is a more modern design versus the “blog” style layout that I have had for the past 10 years! That old layout is an outdated format and is cumbersome for the user as they are forced to constantly scroll to find new content.
Second, mobile device usage is HUGE now, I have to stay with the trend. Trying to scroll to see content on mobile with a blog-style layout is INSANE as it takes forever to get from one post to the next. Check out the mobile site now…it’s VERY user friendly and allows you to see deals quickly and easily. Users can navigate in a fraction of the time it took with the other site…if only based on load speed.
Third, the card layout allows for easier organization of content. Readers can get to content faster without the need to endlessly scroll and search for things.
When in doubt, it’s always best practice to ask rather than assume!
I really like the new layout, super fresh looking. I can see several deals at once and it’s more efficient as I scroll through.
Your site is the only one for Publix that I use and really appreciate all you do to save us money!
Thanks!
I am one that learn over time that I don’t like change :) but also learn that change is good. Everything is looking great! It’s must be hard on your side getting everything done. Thank you! Happy Easter :)
Not loving the new format at all. Hate how instead of being able to just scroll through the posts, one now has to click and open each one. I used to really enjoy the ease of use of the previous format, and used to check in several times a day for new posts. I can definitely say I won’t be visiting the site as often as it is much more time consuming.
I completely agree with saf — I usually avoid any websites where I have to click on links for EVERYTHING – my PET PEEVE with websites.
I love iheartpublix and will still look, but will definitely clink on fewer posts just because of the big annoyance of wasting my time if the post is not relevant to me. Could you PLEASE have at least a little information with each heading so we can have an idea if it is useful for us!!! My computer is old and each new page I open takes too long to bother unless it is something very important to me.
Thank you.
I completely agree with saf and Diane! I don’t like having to “click” one, then go back, “click” another, then go back. I much preferred the “scrolling” option. Also, it wasn’t difficult to re-find something in the scrolling option – just use the “search” feature. I used that often. I get that you’re trying to make it easier for phone users, but not all of us use phones for everything. Guess I will go back to using Southern Savers. Such a shame. This used to be my favorite site!
I like the new look.
Though, is it just me or is/was the best part of this site the shopping list?
It’s the main reason I come here.
Appreciate all the work you do and look forward to the shopping list being back!
I don’t like it!!!! Scrolling was much easier and less time consuming. Also, I don’t know why you need to archive so much. Anything older than 2 months is not worth looking at as everything has expired and is no longer relevant. I don’t like to have to go through numerous options before finding what I was looking for.
It sucks!
hi– was hoping that you would not change anything.. love your site and always looked on it everyday. I hope that I will be able to follow it and see everything like I did before
Sorry, so far I don’t like it. I know it is a work in progress, but I don’t want to have to click on several different topics to see different offers. Much easier when I could just scroll thru and see all the different types of deals. It will probably save me money in the long run because I won’t be buying things I really don’t need just because it is a good deal!
Happy Easter Michelle, to you and your family!
Michelle! So excited for you!! Been following you for about 10 years (I guess after changes?) and I’m so thankful for how much you’ve helped our family :). I LOVE the new scroll through the tiles instead of having to click through multiple pages (since I only hop on about once week). Crossing my fingers for you that the shopping list comes back. You are amazing – thanks for all you do!
I already commented above with the things I liked with some suggestions. Again, I still like the new changes. I’ve just gone through the first 2 pages of listing today, I found 2 posts that I was interested in, I opened them in new tabs (on computer). It was so quick to find what I wanted to view. If it was the old design, I might have gone through 4-5 pages to find these posts.
Also, people please keep in mind that this is an free open-source website/blog. If Michelle has to add any links to earn per-click money, it’s OK too. She has to make money to maintain the website you view every day, right? Try to be a little more supportive. I know it’s hard to accept new changes, but life changes every second around us. You can do it! :) Happy Shopping with iheartPublix <3
Change isn’t always a bad thing, I just wish it hadn’t happened right in the middle of Easter grocery shopping. The broken shopping list was a bummer, but I found another website that had that option. Michelle’s site has always been my go-to site for all things Publix (since the days of her buddy Christy @Winn Dixie on a Dime, the Enjoy the City books, and of course Happy), so I’m looking forward to seeing all the changes, revisions (like DavidFL’s suggestions that Michelle liked) and of course the return of the shopping list. Thanks for your hard work Michelle trying to make things better for everyone.
Like many others have complained and you tried to explain, I understand your mobility issue, but this is a horrible layout and no, on our consumer end, it is not user friendly like you say. It is similar to Hip2Save now. It is too busy looking. I understand change is hard for people, but I am not a fan of this layout.
I love H2S. I check these 2 websites multiple times a day <3
I stopped using KrazyCouponLady because her site was laid out much like this, entirely too busy. The scrolling from page to page “blog style” feature was great. Everything was streamlined and orderly. This is all mumbled jumbled and not orderly at all. Personally, I don’t like having to click on everything and open multiple tabs. I’m afraid my days of using Iheartpublix are over. Wishing you the best though.
I am still working on things but thought I’d share a tip as you do NOT have to open multiple tabs or click back and forth to see the posts. Once I get things all tidied up I will do a screen share video to show you how much easier this layout is on mobile and desktop.
EVERY single post has the option to go ahead to the next post (or back to the previous post) without having to leave the page.
From the home page, click the first new post (or any post). Then you simply read the content as you would have on the old format. Then at the bottom of the post, there is a little thumbnail with arrows (the left image takes you ahead and the right image takes you back). So you read the post as usual, then simply click to go to the next post.
Since you have to read everything in a blog layout to get to the next post, the only difference is that you have to click your mouse. The page speed is dramatically increased so that overall load speed is almost the same as viewing multiple pages and having to wait for the heavy blog style page to load.
Try it…
Above all these comments is the ability to go ahead to the Morton Salt post OR back to the Illy coffee post that was published right before this one.
You can read, click, read, click, read, click to your heart’s content.
BUT–you also have the option to view from the home page easily look at a group of posts and cherry pick and only look at the deals YOU want.
This format has options for everyone.
I understand it’s hard to please everybody. Just do your best. We appreciate what you do for us :)
“The navigation bar is almost identical except for now it will not move up and down and be annoying.
Also, the search bar actually stays put so searches are easy.”
mmm … not really. I currently use about 9 different browsers, and the nav bar moves in some, stays in the same place others. The logo changes size in two, and the app bar (mail, FB, etc) scrolls up and leaves the logo and nav bar to take up 25% of the top of the browser page in three.
The search opens in a drop down box – so I don’t see the need for the unused space to the left of the magnifying glass icon. Actually, with the drop boxes, the logo, nav bar, about, couponDB, and social icons could all fit in one box/line.
Most of my browsing is done on my computers, and it would be appreciated before the ribbon cutting ceremony if you would check the site with a few different browsers – firefox, chrome, etc (other than edge or ie).
Besides multiple browsers, you might try using a plugin/app – User-Agent-Switcher to check against different desktop browsers/operating systems and phone/tablet os & browsers.
Thanks, Michelle … for the site and your hard work.