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FindMyPast.com Reviews

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Editor's Overall Rating:
Average User Rating:
(based on 42 reviews)

Category: Genealogy Sites (AKA Family Tree Websites)
Website: http://www.findmypast.com



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The .co.uk site was arguably the best, now it is the worse
26 April 2014
Reviewer: Dr J W Smith from UK

190 of 335 people found this review helpful

Search Effectiveness:
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The FindMyPast.co.uk site was until 5 weeks ago one of, if not, the best genealogy search tools that we had in the UK. The site moved to a new search engine 5 weeks ago and since that time it can no longer be trusted in terms of search results. Previously available functionality has also been removed. The overly complex user interface, the use of large fonts, whitespace and the general "look" of the new search has made the whole experience one of deflating frustration. The response from FindMyPast has been inadequate at best. The company themselves have admitted that their support organisation is being inundated with thousands of email help requests a day, so many that they have had to turn off their telephone support line. Their own feedback forum has over 2300 negative comments and over 270 specific improvement ideas to get the search facilities back to a useable state. After 5 weeks of this all they have done is some minor cosmetic changes to the forms and screens while at the same time trumpet the addition of new data sets. There would not be enough space here to list the issues suffice to say that the new search methodology of using multiple filters to narrow down search results has failed miserably. FindMyPast has stated that this "new" site was tested in Australia and the US before rolling out to the UK subscribers. The truth is the vast majority of the Australian users were actually using the .co.uk site as their own site was so bad. I assume that US customers were doing the same as we, in the UK, cannot understand how there were no major complaints about their version of the site. I cannot recommend this site to any genealogist, from novice to expert (and I am an expert).

In summary, I would not recommend FindMyPast.com to a friend.



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