Pet Hates - Forms that don’t allow for ‘foreigners’.
Perhaps it’s the mood I’m in but there are some things that really irk me on the web. Not only that but I suspect they annoy other people too and may be the reason why some people don’t get the signups or responses they’re looking for.
Today it was a mom’s membership website - I wanted to join as a member sometime ago but couldn’t get past their sign up process so gave up and forgot about it. Today I get a reminder to say I hadn’t completed the process so I went back to try and work out why I couldn’t complete my registration.
Ahhh, now I remember. Because my Australian postcode does not fit their requirements for a zipcode it won’t accept it and therefore will not allow me to complete my registration. I wrote back to them and asked them if they really want members outside their own country?
Make a note - if you want signups on your form for your website then make sure it allows people from all countries to sign up - not just your own!
I have a weekly email from one company that I got right through there 4 page signup on, only to find that they only accepted US citizens.
Of course, they constantly remind me I haven’t finished my sign up (email was page 1) and I have sent them many emails back to which they never respond…
Thanks for the reminder Kathie. I have to sheepishly admit that an International organization we both belong to lacks in this area. It’s bugged me ever since I joined the Board of Directors last year and had to start processing membership requests! In our case, I believe it’s because the company we use doesn’t fully support it. This is a good reminder to have our web team check into it!
Kathie,
I can see the restrictions if a contest is involved but if it’s just to sign up to become a member of a community, I don’t see the issue. It may have something to do with some legalities in dealing with the international community.
I know that’s the case for Boomer Diva Nation. We can have international members but no one outside of the US can be on the Board of Directors.
Well, how silly of them to not understand that the web is international!! Isn’t that the whole point?
I would have turned them into spam and given up at the irritation and waste of time.
I don’t think it is necessary for a complicated sign up process. I agree membership should be open to the world and not just those in one country.
I think if there are any legalities involved then it needs to be explained on the page before people signup. I really think in most cases those who create these forms don’t think outside of what’s the ‘norm’ for their country and that postcodes (zipcodes) and addresses work differently in many other countries. It doesn’t take much to change a field setting on a form.
Hey, I agree. Isn’t that why it is called the Word Wide Web.
I always welcome international customers
Let’s hear it for our international friends! I’m proud to be a “foreign” member of Kathie’s International forum.
Open those zip code fields to encourage international growth.