Since launching, we've received lots of great feedback on ways to improve our service from users, critics and co-workers (who are often our toughest critics). 

 

Here are a few of our top requests, and what we're doing to address them:

 

1. Changing your Expo nickname

 

User quote: "Why can't I change my bloody nickname?"

 

Many of our users aren't aware (until its too late) that you can't change your Expo nickname once you set it. 

 

While this may seem like a bug, it's actually a feature!  We want our users to start building up reputations on Expo, as they buy and sell with each other.  I need to be sure that you're the Kurt23 that sold me that cool shirt last week when I go to buy a jacket from you this week.  If we let people change their nicknames, there are just more opportunities to impersonate others and more ways for the bad people to hide. 

 

Related request: "User reviews tied to rating system for users and their postings."

 

We're looking at adding ways for you to start rating your buyers and sellers soon, so we'd love to hear your thoughts/requests on features like that.  What do you like/dislike about rating systems on other community/classifieds sites?

 

2. Uploads

 

"Do you expose bulk uploads for merchants?"
"Please consider adding a bulk upload feature for your real estate section.  This is available in competing sites and will help those of us with many listing utilize your service and provide content."

"Web Services Interface! I'd love to do an Expo Mashup with Microsoft CRM."

 

We may add upload features eventually, but right now, our priority is to create a community (and people) driven website instead of a database of listings added by a robot.
   

3. US Only

 

"It is a shame Expo is US only. Do you plan to extend it worldwide?"
"Updating personal information. My profile will not allow me to change it to Canada. It lists me in Seattle. I am in Canada."
"make it avaliable to canada!"
"Expo should be available in Canada as well"

 

We’re going to bring Expo goodness to the rest of the world soon.  Also, Samir, a pesky Canadian/PM on the team, loves his home and native land and wants his mom to start using Expo soon.
 
4. Bad listings

 

"The open beta just launched today, and already the listings are filling up with blank ads for personals sites and blanks ads with links to real-estate agencies. If such spam or false/ad listings become common *and they will*, it will instantly kill the usefulness of this site."
"It is absolutely critical that users are given an super-simple, highly visible means to report listings as spam or commercial advertisements."

 

We've got a few ways to report abuse, including a link at the bottom of every listing that says:

 

"Help us keep the site suitable for everyone and report abuse by clicking here." 

 

Click it and choose the type of abuse.  It fires an email to support, and agent will take a look and close the listing if it violates our code of conduct.

 

Report spam! Help defend Expo!

 

5. Browser support

"Mac Safari support is a little sketchy"

 

For launch we decided to focus our efforts on more common browsers: Firefox and IE.  You can bet we'll add support for others browsers/platforms soon.

 

Please continue to send us your feedback by going here: http://feedback.live.com/eform.aspx?productkey=wlexpo&page=feedback_home_form

 

Happy Listing!

 

Team Expo

2006 was the South by Southwest Music & Media Conference and Festival 20^th Anniversary and Expo was there for the celebrations.  We teamed up with MSN Spaces to show the musicians and music lovers about our integration that allows musicians to showcase their wares (CDs, tickets, t-shirts, used musical equipment) directly on their blog. We had a booth in the Austin Convention Center at the Trade Show where we had talk to hundreds of folks from record labels around the world and musicians from every genre of music.  In addition, we hit the streets where we handed out koozies that helped everyone to keep their drinks cool.   We got fantastic feedback from record label folks, musicians and attendees and look forward to continuing to attend these great events in the future.