Complete means complete…

Quick rant here, but I’m in the process of leaving a service that requires some careful presentation of the data/documents for regulatory type purposes.

Fine, I think, they tell me to head to the download page, and download my data.

Use this to get a complete export of all your XXXX data or restrict by date. The export includes all accompanying receipt attachments and PDF documents where relevant.

If you need to restrict the results further you can do this by using the filters on the relevant list and running the export from there.

That sounds pretty definitive, great, it’ll be a big zip file with everything.

“Complete export” is even in bold, that shows intent.

The zip file expands into a folder with the word “complete” In it.

BUT as you’ve now doubt guessed from all the signposting, it is not however complete. There are a bunch of things not included.

It’s not stated what things aren’t included, because you know, that would be too easy.

TL;DR, If you use the world ‘complete’ in your data extraction, include everything

At the very least tell me what’s missing.

Good to have it confirmed why I’m leaving this service.

Two Apps Better Than One?

Mixing Subscription and Transactional VOD in the same application can give a bit of a confusing user experience.

When Sky launched Sky Store, which lets you rent films, it felt unnecessary alongside their existing subscription services: Sky Go (for Sky TV subscribers) and Now TV (for everyone else). It seemed little more than an attempt to get extra space on Smart TV menus.

Since then though, LOVEFiLM has finally acknowledged its longtime parent Amazon. I churned from LOVEFiLM a while back1, but I’ve a few months left on Amazon Prime. This now gives me access to “Prime Instant Video” via the “Amazon Instant Video” app2.

It’s good because thanks to all the exclusive content deals Amazon made 3, I’m able to catch on the series that weren’t previously available to me.  4.

But, the Amazon Instant Video app mixes stuff that’s ‘free’, with stuff I have to buy or rent.  There are categories designed to help me filter; but if I search for a series directly, I’m back to the jeopardy of “free or not” after seeing a search result.

Netflix doesn’t have that: if I see it, I can play it. The logic of Sky Store becomes clear.

Yes, NowTV has three subscription tiers of Movies, Entertainment and Sport: but those are really clear facets. I know which of those I’ve paid for, so I search for an entertainment show, knowing I can watch it.

Multiple apps may be the online equivalent of grabbing extra shelf-space, but I can see the UX benefit in separating subscription from purchase & rental.

  1. And their come-back emails would not let me forget this
  2. Brand recognition since the rebrand is apparently poor
  3. Alongside all the non-exclusive deals both Amazon and Netflix have
  4. I’ve yet to figure out the rights-deal that’s made the BBC series Miranda appear with 4OD branding in Amazon