Findmypast Website

[DSJ]

I am finding this site very difficult to navigate since they've made so-called improvements. I have had an annual subscription for many years, and have always found the site excellent, but will not be renewing it again once the subscription expires.

What do other users/subscribers think?

[knittynora]

Like you, I'm having problems since the so-called improvements. I used to prefer it to ancestry as I found that I could narrow the search and get relevant results. I've had another 'go' tonight and given up in frustration. Lots of results that aren't relevant and far too much scrolling down through the records only to find that the record I'm looking for isn't there. Much preferred the way results were presented before. My feeling at the moment is that I wouldn't recommend it to anyone except to say don't touch it with a bargepole. There are lots of negative comments on fb too. My subscription expires in October so will give it a fair trial before I definitely decide not to renew.

[jno]

you may well find they tweak it again before October, there has been a lot of grumbling about it.

[knittynora]

Oh I do hope so, jno. It's driving me mad at the moment. I'm sure if I stick at it that I'll eventually get it cracked. I understand why they've had to update the site but just wish it was a bit more used friendly.

[DSJ]

I am so glad that others agree with me. My subscription also expires in October but I won't be renewing it.

[TheOtherHalf]

I agree. I used to be able to rely on finding things I couldnt find on Ancestry. Also being able to print off census sheets with whole family etc on, but now its very difficult. Im wondering whether to renew or not. Even some things on Ancestry seem different. Its so annoying

[DSJ]

I wrote an e-mail to complain about the changes and received a prompt reply which is full of incomprehensible jargon. Basically, they can't or won't return the site to its original format. They have extended my membership by two months, however. This gesture is no good to me because I can no longer use findmypast. I will not be renewing.

[MargeH]

It is very sad to report that not a great deal has improved in the time since this question was asked. In many ways, the situation is worse. Initially, FMP allowed free expression by its subscribers on both the Feedback Forum on its .co.uk website (note that the .com, .com.au, and .ie websites never had this option). The final comments on the main thread with 2235 comments were on 25 April, from when it ceased and was removed from view - might even be deleted. At this time, all of the Forum threads were put on moderation which meant that it was unknown what or how many comments were being made as only a few seem to be added now. Additionally, FMP began to crack down on their Facebook page and brought in "House Rules" on 02 May, which effectively meant that they could warn and then block and delete and use these rules as justification. Previous to this, they just blocked people and their posts were automatically deleted. This has resulted in a dramatic drop in negative comments - which is what it was intended for I suppose. In June 2014 they started to attack negative comments on an independent review website run by a company called TrustPilot. As I type this, of 50 reviews, only 4 are visible. The rest are under investigation by TrustPilot. Some have been reported more than once for different reasons. Due to the nature of the website, once a review is reported it is removed from view and replaced with a message and there appears to be no end to the number of times this can be done. This is more than annoying, as it may give the impression to anyone reading it that the person writing the review is not genuine. Understandably, this has caused somewhat of an uproar.

As to the functionality of the website itself, there is not much good there either. I think that FMP have finally realised that the problems are too deep to be easily solved. They have allegedly set up a "Customer Participation Group" and are talking about developing a new search capability. There are still the same problems of not being able to effectively search on birthplaces for the censuses, the display of results is inadequate - search on a county for instance and it comes back with a name, date, county, country, collection name listing. For those on PAYG where each check costs so many credits, it is either unusable or prohibitively expensive. For common names it is useless. To have a search screen on cemetery records where there is no option to put in a date of burial is typical of the standard. This was reported and has now been corrected - but you have to ask yourself how it got through and who thought it was acceptable.

FMP's Head of Customer Services did acknowledge that they would refund subscriptions or give extensions to any subscriber who could not make good use of the site and who requested one. This can be done via an email to [email protected].

All in all, FMP are now demonstrating a real bullyboy attitude. They have made a complete and inexcusable mess of the changeover to a new search facility, and are now desperately trying to cover their tracks. I suppose it demonstrates the calibre of the people in charge and there inadequacies in dealing openly and honestly and with integrity with their paying customers.

[DSJ]

Well said, MargeH. I am very disappointed indeed but am glad to hear that I am not the only one. Two months extension to my subscription is nothing as I can no longer use this once excellent website.