Weebly what have you done?!

rascalo · ‎07-16-2018

So I'm not sure if anyone has run into this yet but Weebly is in the process of completely changing their business model to support designers over everyone else. At least that's what I was told by support when I enquired into the new interface I just ran into.

Here's what happened. We are in the process of opening our latest store (#3). So we setup a new account and proceeded to head to the editor. First off the interface is different, but no big, that happens. The "big" happened when we started to create the site.

Step 1 now is select a theme. Cool, that’s familiar. Then after you select the theme you hit Build. Ok, all familiar, so far so good. Once you hit build the editor gets to work and the gif starts running (the same one that shows the sections being added to the site, implying it's getting built) but that's where the similarity ends. Instead of the editor adding the normal sections and prepping the site it actually strips the site of everything you see in the theme preview! Everything! Ok, not everything, the photo stays. But that's it!

Obviously I'm not a designer. I don’t want to be a designer. I'm not good at starting from scratch. That's why I use Weebly. Or at least that's why I USED to use Weebly. After spending an hour on the phone with support the tech came back somewhat flummoxed as he had been told that we are in the test environment of what’s being called Weebly Lite (not sure how Weebly spells it but that's a small point). So no prob, just take us out of the test. Nope, he'd already asked that and been told we can't be moved. What?! It's not a test if you can't get out of it. It's the system at that point. Or if it is a test it's a fail. Instead of a wholesale change based on a lot of feedback (feedback from who? And did they survey users on what they would or wouldn’t like to see? If so, I missed that email) that said people don't like prepopulated themes because they have to delete everything. So apparently the powers that be decided the better way to deal with this mountain of feedback was to scrap everything and give everyone a blank slate. Perfect! Instead of offering a button that stripped prepopulated elements, or themes that came without elements they decided "Hey, this business model works so I think we should totally change it to something that only certain people will like" And since they're the powers that be, everyone in the room nodded and said "Great idea!" The end...

Adam7 · ‎07-16-2018

Sorry for the confusion, @rascalo. We got a lot of feedback from people that they didn't like the editor adding default content because they would have to edit and remove it, so some accounts may not do this and instead create a site that doesn't include default content.

Section layouts are still available after the fact, though, like shown in our guide:

https://hc.weebly.com/hc/en-us/articles/227027928-Adding-Sections-to-Your-Pages

If you choose one for each section on your site you can edit those like before.

rascalo · ‎07-16-2018

riiggghhhhttt... So if you're a designer and know where and how things look good you're golden, otherwise you're screwed. Adam, you basically just repeated what I said in a way that tried to make it sound better. It doesn't. I don't know who all those people were but they must be a powerful group.

NJRFTF · ‎07-16-2018

@rascalo

Don't forget that Weebly as we've known it is pretty much just a "name" now and Square is calling the shots. I suspect that more "changes" may be heading down the pike!

For example - go to the Dashboard and look for the Weebly Blog - hasn't been updated for a couple of months and now suddenly it's 404 Not Found!!

Anne5 · ‎07-16-2018

And if you look at the "Featured Posts" here in the Community, all except one are from April. For exampe:

Weebly Release Notes: New Features from March 2018

Weebly App of the Week: Form Builder by Powr.io (April 23, 2018)

It's mid-July. Surely inspires confidence in Weebly! At least if they're not going to bother updating it, they should delete the section.

--

Anne

Adam7 · ‎07-17-2018

That information comes from our blog and there are some release notes for both May and June:

https://www.weebly.com/blog/monthly-release-notes-june-2018/

https://www.weebly.com/blog/monthly-release-notes-may-2018/

I neglected to make posts here and feature them, though. Oops!

rascalo · ‎07-17-2018

I'm not sure what you're referring to Adam but nothing in these posts covers change to design (or lack of design) or anything else mentioned in the posts. It's a nice way to deflect, hoping nobody will take the time to look.

It is worth noting (accroding to the Community) that people (many people) having been asking for AfterPay for YEARS! At least the last couple of years I believe, though it couid be more and Weebly hasn't budged. Though you did change its status to being considered back in August of 2017. But, come on, it hasn't really been considered has it? (and now that Square is involved most like a dead topic) BUT, a mysterious group of "them' ask for all design elements to be stripped and VOILA, they're gone! But thanks for sending me those links, it gave me chance to scroll through the "Vote on Features" section to see all of the, wait, there aren't ANY requests that I can find asking for all elements to be stripped. I did see a designer ask for the blog tools to be overhauled (no arguement there) but I don't see anyone asking for a Go Daddy web builder site.

And even if they did, why not just add a button that strips the elements. Or offer themes with no elements.

Or even better, just admit you don't want the common consumer anymore. You're happy for them to go to Wix, or Duda, or Shopify, or anywhere else...

NJRFTF · ‎07-17-2018

@Adam

Dashboard - scroll down - Blog links - ALL are 404!!!

Adam7 · ‎07-17-2018

Hmm... When we made a change to our blog recently there was supposed to be a forward so those old links would continue to work. I think we'll need to get our engineers to look into that.

Anne5 · ‎07-17-2018

@Adam,

I don't know where you post the Weebly Monthly Release Notes because the latest one on my Dashboard is February.

Weebly Feature Release Notes: February 7

Hey there, Weebly community! We’re excited to share what’s new with the Weebly product in February. Last month we focused on making it easier ...

And the February Release Notes along with the other post links on my Dashboard all go to 404 Error pages. What's up with that?

How to Get Discovered with Online Marketing: Contests & Polls 6

Professional Product Photos, Made Simple with Weebly Photo Studio 10

Use Weebly Promote to Easily Achieve Powerful and Effective Social Marketing 6

4 Weebly SEO Features You Should Be Using Right Now 0

I know you have new posts on the Weebly Blog. The updates with links used to appear on my Dashboard. Since that's no longer the case, fine. Please delete those outdated non-working sections.

-- Anne