Sadly (for me at least) I think I'm on the verge of moving on.

Etccarmageddon

What's wrong with the new site that you dislike it so much?  

Goodnight_Irene

There is less comps I want to enter(don't do IG,etc) but I have looked at other sites,and while this one has its problems,still do prefer it.That is BIG thanks to those's that post.

serenity2012

I've also begun using the forum less and less. There are far fewer comps on here than on loquax or CD but that isn't the reason. It's just not user friendly anymore....... for the comping section anyway. I'm particularly peeved that they still haven't or will not be fixing the search problems. Although i don't end date comp and keep up to date as posted,  I still like to go to search each day to double check i've entered all comps ending that day. But you can't see what you've entered. It will bring some up but doesn't show if you've entered them or not and you have to go into each comp to look which takes a lot of time. They fixed it for the main comping section so no idea why search is such a pain.  I simply don't understand why the backwards step to a forum that is worse than what was already available. I can only think that it is only the comping section where there are problems and that this section simply isn't important to them anymore. There are certainly fewer comps and it is nothing to do with covid because other sites continue to have a lot of competitions that are not on here. Its a shame. 

BootsMullery

@serenity2012 Have you tried using the Sort function instead of searching by End Date? You can sort the Competitions Time board into End Date order and it shows the Entered/Skipped ticks and crosses. It probably also includes comps that search couldn't where the end dates are wrongly formatted.

Blulu

Warning, this is a very long post - sorry, but I think it is necessary.

Thanks everyone for your kind and useful comments. Please keep 'em coming.

Here is a brief summery of what several of us seem to feel:

Since the forum was changed, it has become far less 'user friendly' and far less 'fit for purpose' for comping. Some have voted with their feet (or fingers) and have moved on elsewhere, or possibly given up comping altogether. This has made the forum even worse for those of us still trying to enjoy comping here.

We have been waiting and hoping that MSE will deal with this, and make the site become the friendly, easy-to-use, comping forum that it was prior to the changes.

If MSE wants to end its link with comping, they should tell us clearly, perhaps giving us some time to look elsewhere, or even set something else up??? Then shutting this section of the forum down - IF that's what they want.

If MSE wants to continue its link with comping, then equally they should tell us that, and give us a clue as to what they are planning to do to resolve our gripes about the site changes, with a rough idea of when they will fix this.

I doubt that I am the only one who would be prepared to wait patiently for improvements to happen. I m sure that most of us would be patient, as long as we knew that they were planning to make it right for us here again, with a rough idea re timing.

If MSE put things back to the way they were, or if they changed things again, but in ways that work well for comping, not only would most remaining MSE compers probably stay here, but who knows, those who have left might even come back to us?

So, I've had an idea, and I'm not sure if it's daft or not. I thought I'd run it by you guys and hopefully gather some opinions.

How would it be if we started a FRIENDLY petition, here on CCC asking MSE to let us know that they are aware of our gripes, asking them to reassure us that they are planning to address these when they can, and giving us an approx idea of when that is likely to be?

Someone could start a new thread on CCC opening up a friendly and respectful petition, with the aim of ensuring that MSE are fully away of our forum gripes, the extent to which it is affecting us, highlighting the fact that many have given up on the forum, while others of us are considering doing so.

Then, hopefully, a lot of MSE compers would add their MSE name to the petition and when we think most users have had a chance to sign if they want to, we could post a link to it on site feedback - assuming that MSE haven't already let us know that they have seen it.

I am prepared to do this, but equally would be very happy if someone else wanted to, perhaps someone who might be better at wording the thing???

Before I, or anyone else, opens a petition here, it would be good to gather some opinions on the idea first.

Over to you guys.

Blu XXX

[Deleted User]

 Im still about the forum but mostly stopped doing competitions. Board doesn't work for me and there's a lack of comps from both missing posters and covid. 

Surfermom

I think the petition idea is a good one and would be happy to sign it.

To those who are saying there are loads of comps elsewhere please can you tell us which sites. Are you talking about instagram/twitter/ FB comps (I only do limited numbers of these) or other comps as well? Thanks.

ikkle87

Whilst I'm not overly keen on the new MSE and there are several things which don't work for me I think it's important to realise that comping in general has changed and that it isn't all MSE's fault.

It used to be that there would be hundreds of Freebie Friday comps but now there are less and less or comps say they are FF but actually last a week etc.

More and more comps are moving on to social media and whereas it used to be a case of 1 prize per platfrom now it's 1 prize shared across all 3 platforms.

Companies are more aware they can give away lower value prizes and still get thousands of entries.

The ASA aren't as efficient as Edwin Mutton and the IPM used to be so when things go Pete Tong theres no real help. This also doesn't help that as technology progresses and comping becomes more publicised the scams have become more sophisticated and dishonesty amongst both compers and promoters has increased.

libra10

Blulu, I totally agree with your comments and would happily sign your petition.
The forums were upgraded in February, almost eight months ago, and little has changed since then.  The competition forums used to be regularly promoted in the MSE newsletter, but since February there has been no mention of these forums.  That leads me to think that they're not interested.
Am sure others would sign your petition.
Good luck!

glennamy

I think the lack of communication and updates from MSE are partly to blame... It is okay to ask us to point out issues but to hear nothing or much at all back, apart from we are busy and Covid etc is frustrating a lot of people! 
I can understand why people have jumped ship If issues with the migration are not going to be fixed to either make comping easier or at least back to the level it was beforehand, then MSE should say so. Maybe it is not a priority area for them and the loss of traffic is not significant enough for them to worry about but only time will tell. 
Finally, if some of the last main, contributors like blulu do leave can you state where you are changing too as I and probably many others would like to follow you including those that have already left!