Episode 168 - All About DNA and Genealogy

Genealogy Gems Podcast
Episode 168 with Lisa Louise Cooke

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Get up to speed on the world of DNA and Genealogy in this episode. We'll explore in depth the ramifications of Ancestry closing down some of their DNA tests along with other businesses in their portfolio. Then you'll meet Your DNA Guide, Diahan Southard. She's a genealogy gem who will be joining us here on Genealogy Gems on a regular basis to help guide us through the murky waters of DNA research in easy to understand, and FUN terms.

Ancestry is shutting down 5 areas of their business

In a recent media conference call Ancestry gave us the heads up that the next day they were going to announce the closures, and those of us on the call had the opportunity to ask questions before the announcement.

While the spin is that they want to focus their efforts "in a way that provides the most impact, while also delivering the best service and best product experience to users"

It is clear that these businesses were not their most profitable. It makes good business sense, and we certainly do want Ancestry to remain profitable so that it can remain in business. But that doesn't mean it won't be painful for many customers.

The 5 areas shutting down are:

Genealogy.com
MyFamily
MyCanvas
LegacyDNA (y-DNA and mtDNA tests will be retired),
English version of Mundia

These closures definitely did cause some pain with their customers, and I know that includes many of you listening right now.

In fact I started receiving emails almost immediately that morning that Ancestry went public with this, and many of you also posted your comments on the Genealogy Gems Fan Page on Facebook which I invited you to do in the newsletter article I sent out.

In that article I told you that one of the most surprising moment in the conference call was when the Ancestry execs on the call were asked if the DNA samples that customer submitted, particularly those samples of deceased relatives) could be returned so as to be further processed by other companies.

The answer: No.

When pressed if they would allow customers to upgrade tests run on those samples before they were destroyed (yes, they made it very clear they will be destroyed) the answer was that well...they hadn't really thought about that. Leave it to genealogists to ask the important questions, and my hope is that Ancestry will take this question to heart before the closing date of September 5, 2014.

Read more about it on the Ancestry blog, and click through on the area you are interested in to get more answers to questions about the closures.

My impression during the call was that they were caught off guard a bit by the push back from those of us on the call regarding the DNA samples. Ancestry is focused on profitability - and I don't blame them for that, they are in business. If they don't remain profitable they go out of biz and we all lose. It probably wasn't as easy for them to think through the impact on every day family historians because some if not many of the top execs (and I've met them and they are nice people) are not genealogists.

So first I want to share with you some of the comments I've received, and then I will give you some of my personal opinions on the subject.

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Comments from You:

Graham in Australia writes:

"This morning I found the following Ancestry DNA announcement in my email and felt the need to immediately respond. No sooner had I sent my response and your newsletter arrived on this very subject.

I thought you might be interest in my response as I am sure there will be many people out there who will be similarly betrayed. I paid out some $250 in 2009 to have my Y-DNA test done with them knowing that this was going to be a long term investment to possibly find matches. I am glad Ancestry don't hand my superannuation savings.

To ancestry: I am disgusted that ancestry is taking this action. You appear to only be after short term gains rather than the long term which is where the strength of DNA testing resides.

In 2009 I invested in my Y-DNA test knowing that this will likely take several years to yield useful paternal match results which was the main thrust behind doing the tests. I don't know who is my biological paternal grandfather and have through the matching facility I have been in contact with the closest person yet and while quite distant it has given me some direction and hope that a match can be found in the future. Your action to remove this has just killed that possibility.

I for one will not be considering taking any autosomal tests with you as this will likely be dumped sometime in the near future."

Roxanne in Oregon writes:"I am very upset with Ancestry.com and their comments about not returning DNA (Y...