Big Finish New Site and App - Review and Thoughts

Big Finish Productions updated and revised its website and app earlier this month. The company is known for award-winning audio dramas, many of which expanded on the Doctor Who franchise with sequels, prequels, and spinoffs starring the original cast. As this company has only updated its website once before in twenty-five years, many fans were excited by the regeneration that an update was coming. Since 2018, I have been a regular listener of Big Finish, which, in many ways, has reignited my passion for the Whoiverse.

However, there were some difficulties, which Big Finish was very honest and upfront about. Due to certain difficulties with transferring details, orders, and audios from the old site/app to the new ones, they’ve decided to temporarily return to the original site and app until this is resolved - they released a statement to explain this decision. Rather than go through the timeline of events, I will use this opportunity to voice my thoughts and experience with the sites and what would be great to see when they bring them back.

Website

So, first and foremost, the new regenerated site looked great. The mechanics of breaking down searches with filters based on previous purchases, characters, series, or releases made navigating through the site a surprisingly easy experience. The categories also made finding a particular range a much easier process.

The discounts based on multiple purchases were a nice introduction as well. The bundles were also easier to find, which allowed audiences to buy a whole range or series in a digital format. Again, this was a helpful tool. However, those who prefer collecting physical CDs did not have the bundle option – as was available on the old site – would have to add individual CDs into their basket. While a discount was naturally added depending on how many were in there, perhaps it’ll be helpful to have the same bundle option for physical orders as well as digital when the new site makes a comeback.

As always, Big Finish provided excellent customer service. When I noticed my order history looked a bit… out of order, they assured me it was merely technical issues, which were to be expected during the transitional phase. The site overall was great and easy to use and although I only made three purchases this summer – one the week before the update and three orders with the upgrade – each order was handled quickly and efficiently.

In truth, the only criticism I had with the new site was the lack of a customer wishlist. If it was there, I couldn’t find it. For those who want to save a future purchase for a later date, I found the wishlist a very useful aspect of the website, which I hope makes a return when the new website is returned.

Aesthetically, the site looked great with a darker look, and the headers, which featured many of the leads who have starred in Big Finish Audios throughout the last twenty years, were a fitting tribute to the company's past and future. There were many positives about this new site; it is just a shame that the transition did not go as initially intended.

The App

The new app had an almost identical layout to the previous version, so there wasn't much to compare. However, as the new app was still being updated, different audios were added. I was pleased to find that, except for one, all of my previous purchases had transferred over from the old app to the new one in the correct order of purchase by the time Big Finish decided to revert to the old ways.

As a regular user of the Big Finish app for listening to audio content, I found the familiar layout easy to use. I especially appreciated the darker layout, as it was easier on the eyes.

Final Thoughts

While I understand listeners' frustration, this new update had a lot of potential. I hope that when this app and site make an official comeback, it has a much smoother transition.

What were your thoughts on the new Big Finish update and how do you feel about the decision to bring back the older version?