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[Unclegeo]

A friend just raved about X10 gear and much of it appears to be similar to lamp control modules Radio Shack sold many years ago that worked just fine so I've ordered the product. I have downloaded the software and the gear should arrive soon. I had a problem with the software install and poked around at the site to try to find the download the installer suggested I get.

Now, you've been here too -the site simply sucks.

Now, I rarely bother to complain about websites but this X10 site is the single most annoying website I have encountered since I began using the web in '95 (and I have pop ups turned off, I hear it's even worse with pop ups on!). I see I am not the only one frustrated by it.

I have a better solution than wading hip deep in the relentless and poorly organized product advertising, links that do not take you where they say they will and the difficulty of getting detailed information.

Rather than waste my time trying to find out what I need from the website it occurred to me I could just waste their time by calling them and making them find it. I suggest you do the same.

[steven r]

The popups have driven away most of the regulars here from shopping at the X10 site. In spite of many, many suggestions, X10 marketing / management blindly feels their "web spam approach" is the best way to market their products. There have been several discussions here about the X10 site already.

[TheGoToGuy]

I just sent them an email expressing the very same concerns. It was so close in fact to what you just said it gave me the chills. I think that everyone that is equally irritated by their ridiculous, chaotic website should take a moment and email them directly from the site. (If you can navigate to the customer service page  )

In fact, email them every day.

[Dan Lawrence]

What's worse, X10 used to offer a popup bocker that lasted 30 days after you got it. You had to come back every 31 days to re-enroll. Now they don't even do that. 

Smarthome and Automated Outlet don't employ popups.  Why the management of X10 do is unknown. 

Those of use who hate the popups and post here could PM Dave Rye about it, although that may not do any good. 

[KDR]

Welcome to the boards Unclegeo. As you stated in your post...

appears to be similar to lamp control modules Radio Shack sold many years ago

(Type in above Quote made larger for the hearing impaired)

X10 made the units for Radio Shack and put their name on them. Radio Shack has now stopped selling them and you can still find a few floating around at some stores at a really good price.

As far as X10's website... 

^{----------------KDR}

[HA Dave]

As KDR stated, X10 made those RS modules. Plus X10 manufactures the RS video sender/receivers and X10 is a leader in the universal remote control industry.

I have never read any positive reviews about the X10 Web Pages. However I am willing to assume that they know what they're doing. If such aggressive selling is what works for them and there bottom line, then so be it.

As far as the prices, products, customer service, and the ease of just calling them on the phone.... (as-well-as the helpful volunteer fellow users here at the forum) ......X10 is hard to beat.

[Unclegeo]

Dave, I understand what you are saying that if this annoying way of attracting customers makes money for them then that's the American way; anything for a buck and the customer be damned I guess. It's the attitude that even return customers must wade through this crap that sucks. Thousands and thousands of other very successful companies offer links to support and downloads pages on the idea that if customers can solve their own problems then it costs the company less than staffing a call center and importantly, it's a convenience to the customer.

One thing Dan said about pop ups. I hope you mean pop ups on their website and not in the program -that would be mind boggling andinexcusable.

[HA Dave]

Dave, I understand what you are saying that if this annoying way of attracting customers makes money for them then that's the American way; anything for a buck

Yeah, I am an American, and I do believe making a buck is a good thing.

But what I really meant to express was; though some people seize at those pop-up's, many more click on them. I personally would never have thought that anyone could take a 30 minute TV show and then spent an hour showing it because of 30 more minutes of "commercial messages". But that seems to be the way things work here in my living room.

I like X10. I like the products, the prices, the specials, and the customer service. If I was running X10, I would likely do some things differently. But it's unlikely I could do things better. Here in America making a buck isn't all that easy of a thing to do. Because I do like X10 products... I hope they can continue to make a buck or two.

[Unclegeo]

Dave,

More power to X10 on making bucks. If they want to dance naked under a sandwich board in Times Square -and this works for them- then bravo for them! My point was that it should be easier for current owners of X10 systems to get right to a list of products they can buy without needing hip waders and fly swatters.

However, your point about customer service is well taken and I can back it up by saying that paradoxically, the quality of their customer service is inversely proportional to the total and complete suckiness of the website. My own experience today was great with a short wait, a friendly person and a nice followup e-mail with troubleshooting tips and in-depth technical info to help me understand why my module was turning back on moments after I turned it off. Problem solved.

I'd suggest buyers use the forums, which do not suck, and otherwise simply call X10 for support on everything else. If X10 wants to pay to staff a call center with nice people like Leeanne, who I I spoke with today, then hey, who am I to argue? I like real people!

You'll still, however, need nerves of steel and Sherpa guides to find the products you might wish to buy!

[Walt2]

My point was that it should be easier for current owners of X10 systems to get right to a list of products they can buy without needing hip waders and fly swatters.

Doesn't the AHP "buy" button do that?

[HA Dave]

I'd suggest buyers use the forums, which do not suck, and otherwise simply call X10 for support on everything else. If X10 wants to pay to staff a call center with nice people like Leeanne, who I I spoke with today, then hey, who am I to argue? I like real people!

You'll still, however, need nerves of steel and Sherpa guides to find the products you might wish to buy!

I agree!

[Dan Lawrence]

My point was that it should be easier for current owners of X10 systems to get right to a list of products they can buy without needing hip waders and fly swatters.

Doesn't the AHP "buy" button do that?

Nope.

It takes you to the X10 site, where you still need nerves of steel and Sherpa guides to find the products you might wish to buy, which happens to be the reason I tuned it off in my AHP.

[Walt2]

How about, then, using just the Product Catalog webpages, like ...

Home Automation

[Brian H]

Too bad the front page has so much flash before you can get to the catalog pages.

[spamandeggs]

as an E-Commerce professional I must state the people that run this website don't know what they are doing in their marketing and design philosophy.

it is the name recognition that brings people to this site, and nothing more. I can easily find an alternative to take my business as I can't say that it would be all that smart to do business with a company that manages itself in this manner. it does not reflect well upon the company AT ALL.