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| | | Author: | cosmicray  | | Posted: | Jun 15, 2016 18:55 | | Subject: | Quality of Used Parts | | Viewed: | 220 times | | Topic: | Suggestions | | Status: | Discarded | |
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| background: Buyers will, in many/most cases, shun used parts because there is
no formal method of sellers telling buyers what to expect. Buyers will always
turn to New parts, unless the supply of New parts is constrained, or the cost
of New parts is significantly above the cost of Used parts.
suggestion: Give sellers the ability to apply a simple 4-level rating system
to help buyers better distinguish what they will be receiving. The 4 levels are:
Like New - barely distinguishable, or indistinguishable, from New parts.
Average - Average playware, The usual scratches, and very minor nicks along sharp
edges.
Worn - Wear levels that include, but not limited to, ABC, heavily worn from years
(or generations) of playware.
Unrated - Parts which do not qualify as New, but the seller has not rated them
in one of the above 3 levels.
Thank You
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| | | | | Author: | SylvainLS | | Posted: | Jun 15, 2016 19:07 | | Subject: | Re: Quality of Used Parts | | Viewed: | 35 times | | Topic: | Suggestions | |
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| In Suggestions, cosmicray writes:
| | […]
Average - Average playware, The usual scratches, and very minor nicks along sharp
edges.
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I got scared there: What? 2nd level is that bad already, what’ll the 4th be like?
| | Worn - Wear levels that include, but not limited to, ABC, heavily worn from years
(or generations) of playware.
Unrated - Parts which do not qualify as New, but the seller has not rated them
in one of the above 3 levels.
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… til I read that.
So that’s “3 levels + unrated.” Phew…. 
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| | | | | Author: | therobo | | Posted: | Jun 15, 2016 19:14 | | Subject: | Re: Quality of Used Parts | | Viewed: | 37 times | | Topic: | Suggestions | |
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| In Suggestions, cosmicray writes:
| | background: Buyers will, in many/most cases, shun used parts because there is
no formal method of sellers telling buyers what to expect. Buyers will always
turn to New parts, unless the supply of New parts is constrained, or the cost
of New parts is significantly above the cost of Used parts.
suggestion: Give sellers the ability to apply a simple 4-level rating system
to help buyers better distinguish what they will be receiving. The 4 levels are:
Like New - barely distinguishable, or indistinguishable, from New parts.
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Many of my used parts are good to very good condition but neither average nor
like new. How to rate them?
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Average - Average playware, The usual scratches, and very minor nicks along sharp
edges.
Worn - Wear levels that include, but not limited to, ABC, heavily worn from years
(or generations) of playware.
Unrated - Parts which do not qualify as New, but the seller has not rated them
in one of the above 3 levels.
Thank You
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| | | | | | | Author: | cosmicray | | Posted: | Jun 15, 2016 19:24 | | Subject: | Re: Quality of Used Parts | | Viewed: | 38 times | | Topic: | Suggestions | |
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| In Suggestions, therobo writes:
| | Many of my used parts are good to very good condition but neither average nor
like new. How to rate them?
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Obviously the definitions would need to fleshed out a bit better. I'm trying
to get the process rolling for people to start talking about this.
The problem, as I perceive it, is what is really out there (in seller's inventories).
Based on my initial simplistic scale, I would guess 40%, 40%, 20%. The problem,
and why buyers go running to New, is that they are scared of receiving the 20%
(last level) and then don't even consider that they could be the first level.
Properly segregated Used parts, would likely bring up the prices of the same
parts for the first and second level, because (in many cases) buyers are treating
them as tho they are all the third level. I'm looking for a way to break
that logjam. Many many used parts are perfectly serviceable. It also helps to
distinguish what is there, when there is no New to choose from.
Ray
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| | | | | Author: | Grego | | Posted: | Jun 15, 2016 19:24 | | Subject: | Re: Quality of Used Parts | | Viewed: | 55 times | | Topic: | Suggestions | |
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| In Suggestions, cosmicray writes:
| | background: Buyers will, in many/most cases, shun used parts because there is
no formal method of sellers telling buyers what to expect. Buyers will always
turn to New parts, unless the supply of New parts is constrained, or the cost
of New parts is significantly above the cost of Used parts.
suggestion: Give sellers the ability to apply a simple 4-level rating system
to help buyers better distinguish what they will be receiving. The 4 levels are:
Like New - barely distinguishable, or indistinguishable, from New parts.
Average - Average playware, The usual scratches, and very minor nicks along sharp
edges.
Worn - Wear levels that include, but not limited to, ABC, heavily worn from years
(or generations) of playware.
Unrated - Parts which do not qualify as New, but the seller has not rated them
in one of the above 3 levels.
Thank You
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And most Sellers will opt for Unrated as they do now by not putting any notes
on condition when they really should be.
I recently went on a buying spree of used parts hoping to complete some used
sets that a friend just *had* to sell to me ...I was hoping to replace a few
yellowed / missing pieces.
At least 40% of the ordered replacement parts (with no additional notes on the
item by the Seller) ...were yellowed worse than the parts I was hoping to replace.
And this was from newish sellers all the way up to sellers with more FB than
me.
Obviously, the used parts I sell *must* be in the top 10% of used bricks ...
the "unrated" bricks I received were OK 60% and Playwear 40% ...
I can see why buyers do not buy used.
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| | | | | | | Author: | tEoS | | Posted: | Jun 15, 2016 19:53 | | Subject: | Re: Quality of Used Parts | | Viewed: | 34 times | | Topic: | Suggestions | |
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| Yep, I don't touch used unless I really have no other option. Plus if the
price difference is 25% and you have to toss 25%+ then there's no actual
savings.
| | I can see why buyers do not buy used.
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| | | | | | | | | Author: | Grego | | Posted: | Jun 15, 2016 19:58 | | Subject: | Re: Quality of Used Parts | | Viewed: | 44 times | | Topic: | Suggestions | |
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| In Suggestions, tEoS writes:
| | Yep, I don't touch used unless I really have no other option. Plus if the
price difference is 25% and you have to toss 25%+ then there's no actual
savings.
| | I can see why buyers do not buy used.
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And we won't even get into the lazy sellers who can not even bother to wash
or even dust their used bricks ...disgusting
😵
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| | | | | | | | | Author: | cosmicray | | Posted: | Jun 15, 2016 20:35 | | Subject: | Re: Quality of Used Parts | | Viewed: | 38 times | | Topic: | Suggestions | |
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| In Suggestions, tEoS writes:
| | Yep, I don't touch used unless I really have no other option. Plus if the
price difference is 25% and you have to toss 25%+ then there's no actual
savings.
| | I can see why buyers do not buy used.
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Thank you, you have validated the basis for my suggestion. Let's have a clear
way to delineate the good, the mediocre, the bad & ugly.
Ray
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| | | | | | | | | | | Author: | frosia | | Posted: | Jun 15, 2016 21:38 | | Subject: | Re: Quality of Used Parts | | Viewed: | 54 times | | Topic: | Suggestions | |
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| In Suggestions, cosmicray writes:
| | In Suggestions, tEoS writes:
| | Yep, I don't touch used unless I really have no other option. Plus if the
price difference is 25% and you have to toss 25%+ then there's no actual
savings.
| | I can see why buyers do not buy used.
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Thank you, you have validated the basis for my suggestion. Let's have a clear
way to delineate the good, the mediocre, the bad & ugly.
Ray
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Never going to happen.
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| | | | | | | | | | | | | Author: | cosmicray | | Posted: | Jun 16, 2016 08:35 | | Subject: | Re: Quality of Used Parts | | Viewed: | 36 times | | Topic: | Suggestions | |
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| In Suggestions, frosia writes:
| | In Suggestions, cosmicray writes:
| | In Suggestions, tEoS writes:
| | Yep, I don't touch used unless I really have no other option. Plus if the
price difference is 25% and you have to toss 25%+ then there's no actual
savings.
| | I can see why buyers do not buy used.
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Thank you, you have validated the basis for my suggestion. Let's have a clear
way to delineate the good, the mediocre, the bad & ugly.
Ray
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Never going to happen.
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Why do you say that ? It is in the best interest of both buyers and sellers.
Ray
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| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Author: | kevinyaxley | | Posted: | Jun 16, 2016 09:01 | | Subject: | Re: Quality of Used Parts | | Viewed: | 46 times | | Topic: | Suggestions | |
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| Hello All.
I found this to be an interesting discussion. I can tell you that at our store
we describe all of our used parts.
We do this in order to have a good base of repeat customers.
I have only been using 3 levels of description.
"Good used condition" This would range from like new to very slight wear.
The other main description I use is "Worn and/or marked and/or scratched and/or
discolored and/or bite marks and/or dirty", etc depending upon what is wrong
with them.
The third level would be if that are heavily worn, scratched, etc.
As a seller I put these pieces in a bag marked "bad" and when someone orders
the lower grade pieces I choose randomly from that lot.
I would be open to using a grading system as I do this on my own to a degree.
The reason I do this is so that my customers know what they are getting.
I do sell a fair bit of used lego as about 70% of my inventory is used.
In Suggestions, cosmicray writes:
| | In Suggestions, frosia writes:
| | In Suggestions, cosmicray writes:
| | In Suggestions, tEoS writes:
| | Yep, I don't touch used unless I really have no other option. Plus if the
price difference is 25% and you have to toss 25%+ then there's no actual
savings.
| | I can see why buyers do not buy used.
|
|
Thank you, you have validated the basis for my suggestion. Let's have a clear
way to delineate the good, the mediocre, the bad & ugly.
Ray
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Never going to happen.
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Why do you say that ? It is in the best interest of both buyers and sellers.
Ray
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| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Author: | cosmicray | | Posted: | Jun 16, 2016 10:14 | | Subject: | Re: Quality of Used Parts | | Viewed: | 37 times | | Topic: | Suggestions | |
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| In Suggestions, kevinyaxley writes:
| | Hello All.
I found this to be an interesting discussion. I can tell you that at our store
we describe all of our used parts.
We do this in order to have a good base of repeat customers.
I have only been using 3 levels of description.
"Good used condition" This would range from like new to very slight wear.
The other main description I use is "Worn and/or marked and/or scratched and/or
discolored and/or bite marks and/or dirty", etc depending upon what is wrong
with them.
The third level would be if that are heavily worn, scratched, etc.
As a seller I put these pieces in a bag marked "bad" and when someone orders
the lower grade pieces I choose randomly from that lot.
I would be open to using a grading system as I do this on my own to a degree.
The reason I do this is so that my customers know what they are getting.
I do sell a fair bit of used lego as about 70% of my inventory is used.
|
The discussion of how Used parts are listed eventually wraps around to the Price
Guide. For New parts, the Price Guide is showing numbers that (pretty much) compare
identical parts (and quality). For Used parts, the Price Guide numbers are as
suspect as are the quality of the parts listed. For example, I'm currently
looking at this Price Guide page (and filtered to USA sellers only) because I
have one to be listed … http://www.bricklink.com/catalogPG.asp?P=3004p06&ColorID=7
There are two sellers there who have parts listed at prices that are significantly
higher than the price offered by other sellers. Who's to say that their offerings
are sufficiently better to justify that price ? Who's to say that the other
seller's listings are of poorer quality to justify their prices ? How the
hell can anyone tell ?
Ray
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| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Author: | Grego | | Posted: | Jun 16, 2016 11:12 | | Subject: | Re: Quality of Used Parts | | Viewed: | 55 times | | Topic: | Suggestions | |
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| In Suggestions, cosmicray writes:
| | In Suggestions, kevinyaxley writes:
| | Hello All.
I found this to be an interesting discussion. I can tell you that at our store
we describe all of our used parts.
We do this in order to have a good base of repeat customers.
I have only been using 3 levels of description.
"Good used condition" This would range from like new to very slight wear.
The other main description I use is "Worn and/or marked and/or scratched and/or
discolored and/or bite marks and/or dirty", etc depending upon what is wrong
with them.
The third level would be if that are heavily worn, scratched, etc.
As a seller I put these pieces in a bag marked "bad" and when someone orders
the lower grade pieces I choose randomly from that lot.
I would be open to using a grading system as I do this on my own to a degree.
The reason I do this is so that my customers know what they are getting.
I do sell a fair bit of used lego as about 70% of my inventory is used.
|
The discussion of how Used parts are listed eventually wraps around to the Price
Guide. For New parts, the Price Guide is showing numbers that (pretty much) compare
identical parts (and quality). For Used parts, the Price Guide numbers are as
suspect as are the quality of the parts listed. For example, I'm currently
looking at this Price Guide page (and filtered to USA sellers only) because I
have one to be listed … http://www.bricklink.com/catalogPG.asp?P=3004p06&ColorID=7
There are two sellers there who have parts listed at prices that are significantly
higher than the price offered by other sellers. Who's to say that their offerings
are sufficiently better to justify that price ? Who's to say that the other
seller's listings are of poorer quality to justify their prices ? How the
hell can anyone tell ?
Ray
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I donno about this specific case, but when I buy or sell parts that are significantly
above or below the average ...I go by the item description. No description means
that the item is average, nothing especially good or especially bad about the
item.
BrickLink's philosophy has traditionally been "let's not clutter the
catalog up with various insignificant mold differences that will confuse new
buyers. BrixkLink isn't meant to be a collectors' resource"
....that kind of underlying reasoning puts Pat Pend Open O parts in the same
general sales bin as modern playwear used parts. ...and you wonder why the prices
as screwy ?
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| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Author: | frosia | | Posted: | Jun 16, 2016 22:52 | | Subject: | Re: Quality of Used Parts | | Viewed: | 35 times | | Topic: | Suggestions | |
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| In Suggestions, cosmicray writes:
| | In Suggestions, frosia writes:
| | In Suggestions, cosmicray writes:
| | In Suggestions, tEoS writes:
| | Yep, I don't touch used unless I really have no other option. Plus if the
price difference is 25% and you have to toss 25%+ then there's no actual
savings.
| | I can see why buyers do not buy used.
|
|
Thank you, you have validated the basis for my suggestion. Let's have a clear
way to delineate the good, the mediocre, the bad & ugly.
Ray
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Never going to happen.
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Why do you say that ? It is in the best interest of both buyers and sellers.
Ray
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Best interest - yes. Real world practicality - not going to happen. Bricklink
Darwinism will solve this issue. Sellers who sell poor quality parts will dwindle
and die off as they systematically alienate customers.
John
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| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Author: | SylvainLS | | Posted: | Jun 16, 2016 23:09 | | Subject: | Re: Quality of Used Parts | | Viewed: | 34 times | | Topic: | Suggestions | |
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| In Suggestions, frosia writes:
| | […]
Best interest - yes. Real world practicality - not going to happen. Bricklink
Darwinism will solve this issue. Sellers who sell poor quality parts will dwindle
and die off as they systematically alienate customers.
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I’m not sure Darwinism applies: Some sellers continue to thrive despite awful
feedbacks.
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USA, Florida
France, Nouvelle-Aquitaine
Germany, Berlin
Canada, British Columbia
