I had to go to the FedEx website to track a package this week, and I was pretty disappointed. While, I was able to track my package, I was surprised to see that the little tracking box was built in Flash. You can see the exact box that I am talking about in the image that follows.
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So I thought, whatever it’s done in Flash, I’m sure they have an HTML equivalent if someone does not have the Flash plugin installed or if they have Javascript disabled. Boy was I wrong…
Some Screenshots
Below is a screenshot of the page when Javascript is enabled:
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Now, here is what the page looks like when Javascript is disabled:
; ?>/images/blog/FedEx-without-javascript.gif)
Jesus, it looks like the page exploded. Not only does the tracking box go away, but the page looks completely awful.
I know, I know, you are saying, “but everyone has Javascript enabled and a Flash plugin installed”. Ah, I beg to differ, approximately 4% of users have Javascript disabled. Yeah that looks like a small number, but when you are huge company like FedEx, that turns out to be a lot of people.
Honestly, how hard is it to have an HTML alternative to the little Flash tracking box? A textbox and a button, how complicated!
It’s pathetic that huge companies are still making terrible decisions like this on their web site. When will they learn?
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4 Comments
Adrian Turner
01.04.2008Anarchy, I tell ya!
Jannie
01.04.2008Did you call 1-800-fedex and register your complaint with them. That way the call center can relay your complaint to the fedex.com development folks, so they’re aware of it and can make the requisite changes.
Trevor
01.04.2008@Jannie-
Haha, no I did’t call 1-800-fedex to register my complaint. I really don’t feel like dealing with filing a complaint. The person I talk to probably won’t even know what Javascript is. Plus, if they are smart enough to create that little Flash tracking box and don’t think about a non-flash version, they don’t deserve my help.
——-
Jannie
01.06.2008Just so you know, the fedex.com developers are now aware of your complaint and will bring it to the attention of upper management.
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