Obviously this forum has had some technical issues lately (and longer term) so we are looking at what we can do to make it better.
Which makes me wonder, what features would YOU folks like from the Lovehoney forum?
Aside from all the technical flaws, which we would hopefully resolve, we would be really interested to hear your thoughts on what would make it better for you, the regulars on here, but also for people who may just pop in for a look and not post.
I have some of my own thoughts, but it's not my forum, it's yours. So let me know in the comments. All suggestions welcome... but I can't promise everything :)
Hi Nick, overall I love the way this forum operates and I've not stayed in any other forum as long as I've been here so I'd hate to see it change drastically. One thing I would like to see though is notifications when someone responds to something to have posted. Also, this may be classed as a technical issue but it's the only other thing I can think of at the moment, is the search function, I don't think I have ever been able to find a thread I've been looking for that way!
I already enjoy the forum - thaks to you all for maintaining it.
Initial thoughts (I'm sure I'll post with more!):
I'd like to be able to 'up-vote' a comment without having to post 'I agree with X'.
I'd like to be notified (text / email) if anyone else comments on a thread I have commented on, just so that I can follow a conversation more easily.
I think if any changes are made then the point of the 'Friends' system might need attention. At the moment I accept/ask anyone who has commented / reviewed and who might be of a similar mind. But if there was a 'chat' option I would be more circumspect because I'm happily married and my OH wouldn't like it if I was chatting away to strangers on line about personal things - at the moment the 'Friends' system works as a way of keeping up with the reviews and comments of like-minded folk, so if there is a new look I think it needs to take into account the pros and cons of the current set-up as well as looking at other options.
Sometimes the 'edit' fiunction doesn't work, and sometimes I get signed out so I'm a bit paranoid about saving every sentence, especially if it is a longer post offering advice. This can be awkward.
There is a great deal of difference between the forum headings, which isn't an issue, just something to recognise. But within each one, some questions/threads are fun, some recommend / ask about products, and sometimes people are asking for careful advice about sensitive issues... all under one umbrella. I don't know if there is a way of categorising or describing these which is any better than the one you have in place. Maybe a new look at the different category headings available? Having more headings or sub-headings which are more closely defined might be helpful.
I enjoy chatting about sex and relationships, toys and lingerie etc. I'm comfortable with anatomical details and emotional / sexual descriptions. But occasionally people post things which might be better suited to a different kind of site and it can take the moderators a while to catch these posts, and the threads stay up even if they have been closed for comments. It doesn't happen often. I know the guidelines are already there, but how easy are they to enforce at the moment? I'd be all for the 'sexual happiness for all' strapline without the 'what did you get up to last night' competitive stuff.
I do love LH forums, for the lovely atmosphere and good people, and the moderation regime works pretty well.
A couple of quick points:
I think LH should do more to promote the forum. It is mentioned at the bottom, but is hardly easy to find.
Please please please keep the history (either this as a frozen forum or by importing into the new one). There is a lot of useful historic stuff on here that it would be such a shame to delete.
I'll try to think of more stuff, but that is just what sprang to mind.
Good morning Nick! What a great post. Generally I love the forum but updates are always great.
Echoing what others have said, I'd like for there to be a way of receiving notifications if someone comments on a thread you posted or perhaps replies to a comment you have written. For me personally, I'd prefer these came through email rather than text as I'd manage that easier.
I wish the search function worked that little bit better. Recently there was something that I posted and 4 weeks later I wanted to update it but it was really tricky to find. Sometimes I know a thread exists but for the life of me I can't get the search to work, have to resort looking through the threads page by page.
My final suggestion, for now anyway 🙈, would be a report button on some of the comments. Similar to what MsR mentioned, some of the comments don't quite belong on the forum. You can always comment on such thread saying so but I have seen it take an uncomfortable turn when that has happened previously. Most of the comments are edited by you guys however, you are understandably really busy so this can take a while.
Hope this helps. Thanks for asking us for feedback 😀
My final suggestion, for now anyway 🙈, would be a report button on some of the comments. Similar to what MsR mentioned, some of the comments don't quite belong on the forum. You can always comment on such thread saying so but I have seen it take an uncomfortable turn when that has happened previously. Most of the comments are edited by you guys however, you are understandably really busy so this can take a while.
Hope this helps. Thanks for asking us for feedback 😀
There's already a report function (it's underneath the 'friends' bit at the bottom of the avatar, just on the left of each post 🙂). However, I would like it linked to the actual post that's reported, rather than just the whole thread. 👍
My final suggestion, for now anyway 🙈, would be a report button on some of the comments. Similar to what MsR mentioned, some of the comments don't quite belong on the forum. You can always comment on such thread saying so but I have seen it take an uncomfortable turn when that has happened previously. Most of the comments are edited by you guys however, you are understandably really busy so this can take a while.
Hope this helps. Thanks for asking us for feedback 😀
There's already a report function (it's underneath the 'friends' bit at the bottom of the avatar, just on the left of each post 🙂). However, I would like it linked to the actual post that's reported, rather than just the whole thread. 👍
Hi I fully agree with most of the comments its a great way of learning so many things of lovely people However I think being able to chat on a privatly like say on messenger would be of help I am sure there are ways this could be controlled hope this helps
The +1 function already mentioned above, notifications of new posts.
Also have the forum more accessible from the international sites. I found .co.uk as it was from the LH tv show a few years ago, but my own country's site has no mention of a forum at all. I can appreciate that it may be an expense maintaining the forum, but more engagement with international customers that may not know about .co.uk can't be a bad thing, surely?
Search by user, is that possible without being friends with someone?
I don't think there is any way you'll prevent people new to the forum regurgitating the same questions that have been asked 100 times before by other new members, it just is that way with forums, but a keyword search on a new thread title with suggestions, is that possible?
Good morning Nick. Please please please don't get rid of the forum. It's what keeps me as an exclusively Lovehoney customer. Great products and great prices are amazing but the community is what sets LH apart for me. I would love to see a thumbs up button for posts. I would also like a notification on my account if someone quotes a post of mine. Something along the lines of the friend request notification we get currently. Create a bit of individuality by allowing the users to select the colour of their post text could be fun. Also Meme's, sometimes you see a post that really needs a "daaaamn" meme. It would make things a bit more fun.
Hiya Nick. Overall I'm still loving the forum even though I may not post a lot , I do check in several times a day just to keep up with things and this is still the only forum I'm on.
A few of the improvements I was going to suggest have already been mentioned, such as a thumbs up button for post that you've agreed with. Also I too have had issues with the search function...it just brings up so many threads and then I'm overwhelmed with the amount of stuff I have to trawl through, in the end I usually give up.
It might be easier for people asking advice on particular problems if there was a section just for that, kind of an 'problem page' to deal with advice around emotional or sexual issues rather than getting lost in all the other queries about lingerie and sex toys.
Finally , I have to say it.....please put the forum access back to the top of the page again! I still think it's a bit hidden and out of the way stuck down at the bottom. I'm sure lots of people don't bother scrolling down that far.
I agree with what others have said being able to 'like' posts. what I miss most is being able to send presents to other members that's was a fun thread that always came up.
Compared to a lot of forums I find this one to be generally really easy to use and I often find myself browsing even if I'm not posting as often as a lot ot others. As you say some of the technical issues can get a little annoying, I often spent time formatting my posts on a mobile device only to find all the new lines were stripped out when I submitted it and it turned into a single block of text!
As for new features, I agree with the 'like' or +1 button idea that a lot of people have suggested.
Also, trends could be interesting to see at a glance what popular topics are being actively discussed, maybe the use of hashtags could be helpful for this.
Finally, you have a friends list, but I can't see a way to 'follow' friends on the forum, maybe the option to see what people in your friends list have posted since you last logged in could be interesting.
Hi Nick, More linking with the shop would be good too. Ways of putting links and graphically display items from the shop in the forum, and ways to see forum posts about items in the item listing also would be useful. I'd also like to see upvotes and likes. And finally - I'd love to see a forum which allows you to post from your phone (with correct formatting!!) But I guess this is a technical thing. Have you thought of creating a Lovehoney app tho?! Cheers!
Thanks so much for asking us!  There are some very good points made in the comments above.
I'd like a more modern look, not these blue, sharp-edged boxes. LH is such a modern, amazing and professional business. I think it would be more appealing and would help get even more new members to join.
Also, although it wasn't exactly a ''forum-only'' feature, I agree with Guy14357 about the option to send gifts to other members. I'm not familiar with the legislation or if there possibly is a (legal) way to make this happen. However, it was very heartwarming, sweet and beautiful to be able to send gifts to lovely people you've been interracting with for months. It also made me spend way more, since most members live in the UK and I didn't need to order a minimum of 50 pounds (then 40) to get free shipping.