Redisplay Messages: Compact | Brief | All | Full Show Messages: All | Without Replies| Author: | calsbricks  | | Posted: | Aug 22, 2019 07:35 | | Subject: | Re: Cardboard sleeves in inventories | | Viewed: | 48 times | | Topic: | Inventories | |
|
| In Inventories, Hygrotus writes:
| | In Inventories, yorbrick writes:
| | There is another one here if you need it that I happen to have on my desk.
I wasn't sure how to upload a part containing parts and how you are collating
the sets they came in.
From set 79012 contains one standard DARK RED cape
|
Added for you
added normal way category
'Cardboard Sleeve'
you see how it should be numbered and named.
As for which set found write in the note form when uplodaing part then I'm
adding it to additional note. See when you enter the part entry.
|
So if I understand this correctly we should use the inventory change request
for things that come in 'cardboard sleeves' 'little white boxes'
to include the printed number?
We have always keyed that straight into Google and found what was in the box
????
|
 |
| Author: | calsbricks | | Posted: | Aug 9, 2019 14:49 | | Subject: | Re: Why can't I enlarge pics anymore? | | Viewed: | 44 times | | Topic: | Catalog | |
|
| In Catalog, firestar246 writes:
| | So you used to be able to click on the picture of a piece in the catalog, sort
of a quick view. You'd see the years it was made, any sets/minifigures the
piece was in, etc. You all know what I'm talking about. Well, a few days
ago I couldn't do it anymore. I've tried three different devices.
Why would they make such a horrible change for? I rely on that heavily when listing
minifigure parts to make sure I have the correct listing. This is going to make
this job twice as long now.
|
Tried it here on w7 ie11 - no problems whatsoever. Sounds like it could be womething
at your end. Which broiwsers have you tried?
|
|
| Author: | calsbricks | | Posted: | Jun 8, 2019 12:17 | | Subject: | Re: 'Prefer My BrickLink Classic?' | | Viewed: | 52 times | | Topic: | Suggestions | |
|
| In Suggestions, randyf writes:
| | In Suggestions, calsbricks writes:
| | very and fast - The site has become unstable yet again and although it isn't
with server 500 errors - I wonder if they are adding code to the site and it
is breaking it.
|
|
| | And they always seem to add it on a Friday as they are leaving for the weekend.
|
Why would anyone in their right mind or with any common sense whatsoever let
that happen. The mind simply boggles. There could be a million people (total
membership) trying to place orders or load inventory and unless they read the
forum and/or try workarounds they are going to be put off using the site. It
just doesn't make any sense to me but then again I am an old fashioned MD
- far too old to change my ways and very slow to catch on to new gimmicks.
Charlie Brown give me strength.
|
|
| Author: | calsbricks | | Posted: | Jun 8, 2019 08:08 | | Subject: | Re: 'Prefer My BrickLink Classic?' | | Viewed: | 51 times | | Topic: | Suggestions | |
|
| In Suggestions, Abels_Bricks writes:
| | In Suggestions, crxefx writes:
| | X2 , No interest in AFOL whatever in the middle of what i'm trying to do!
|
Totally agree, also the AFOL stuff that pops up at the top of your searches.
But main gripe today would be I would love it if bricklink was working correctly
today. having to go to the front page to do anything is getting old.
David
|
very and fast - The site has become unstable yet again and although it isn't
with server 500 errors - I wonder if they are adding code to the site and it
is breaking it.
Might be an idea for BL to get a proper sandbox in place and use that for rolling
out updates and/or changes - like most development teams do.
|
|
| Author: | calsbricks | | Posted: | May 27, 2019 13:39 | | Subject: | Re: Helpful but .... | | Viewed: | 48 times | | Topic: | Suggestions | |
|
| In Suggestions, bje writes:
That is not how it works when we upload our xml file from Briokstock. The file
has the category number in it but leads with the itemid.
Knowing how the tables work and what is in them would be helpful to get this
sorted, but suffice to say that when the xml data comes along Bricklink has to
make up its mind what to do with it and it cannot do that without the itemid
e.g. part no. It requires part no, colour and condition to see if the data submitted
is a new lot or matches an existing lot. So the item id is used somewhere - it
cannot just work from the category id.
| | | | It is a mandatory field out of Brickstock for an xml
update inventory. The only time lot numbers come into it are if you wish to update
existing inventory. Niek is right - the system is doing a lookup to pick up the
description so it can look up the product id quite easily.
|
It performs a lookup on the category only, nothing else.
|
Sorry that cannot work - the category could have hundreds of items in it so how
is it going to know which item to either add or update? It simply isn't logical.
| |
| | Yes according to Bricklink
we sell lots but according to reality we sell items which make up lots.
|
In reality there has never been a single catalog item sold on BL Mind blowing
I know, but download your orders with full detail - there is no such thing in
the catalog as a "Red Technic, Brick 1 x 14 with Holes" as a separate catalog
item, yet that is the only description on your invoice.
|
The catalogue is made up of many related tables - the order detail download is
useless as far as we are concerned and has been set up by Bricklink to offer
info they wish to offer not the info we need.
| |
| | The fact
that this platform has no real inventory system available to stores does not
mean we cannot look at elements of the catalogue when we are bringing in data.
A schema would clearly establish this - Product ID cannot be duplicated and
therefore can be read easily when a lookup to that table is done.
|
What do you mean by Product ID - the lot ID or the catalog item ID? These are
two different things altogether and bear no relation to each other.
|
The lot id is a bricklink generated number assigned to each store for each item
no, colour and condition. That then represents , lets call it a stock item and
that is what we sell. Lot nos, however are cumbersome and clumsy, so we use Lego
design id nos or (Bricklink part nos) to refer to our items. No one uses lot
nos other than the system.
| |
| |
If I modify the xml file we created when we export xml to Clipboard - the mass
upload will not work - we get an error message that the file format is invalid.
If I put the itemid back in it works.
|
Export with a comment and delete the item field again, it will work. You could
conceivably list your entire inventory without a single catalog item id.
|
No, I am afraid it doesn't - the system tells us it is an invalid file format.
We have moved off the original point - the only real resolution to this is if
someone at Bricklink who understands the code  is willing to share that info
out in the forum.
| |
| |
Whilst I am confident nothing will happen over this suggestion it would be welcome
for BL to comment.
Admin ?
|
|
|
|
| Author: | calsbricks | | Posted: | May 27, 2019 12:40 | | Subject: | Re: Helpful but .... | | Viewed: | 30 times | | Topic: | Suggestions | |
|
| In Suggestions, bje writes:
| | In Suggestions, qwertyboy writes:
| | In Suggestions, bje writes:
| | I voted yes, but I am not entirely sure this would be as simple as is believed
on first glance.
The reason that part number gets dropped is because in BL world, that part number
is not something used to differentiate inventory items.
|
That would be a valid argument, if BL weren't already showing the item description
on that exact same screen. If the program is able to show the description (which
is a lookup into the items table), it already knows the part number (or at least
grab it from the same table the description came from).
So yes, it is a request easily implemented.
Niek.
|
But the item number is optionally included, it is not even a required field.
And from what I can see, only the category field ties to the item number in the
catalog. As a matter of fact, you can list everything in your store without a
single catalog item number, so long as you have the category and comments fields,
mass uploads will work. We sell lots, not catalog items.
|
Optionally included where? It is a mandatory field out of Brickstock for an xml
update inventory. The only time lot numbers come into it are if you wish to update
existing inventory. Niek is right - the system is doing a lookup to pick up the
description so it can look up the product id quite easily. Yes according to Bricklink
we sell lots but according to reality we sell items which make up lots. The fact
that this platform has no real inventory system available to stores does not
mean we cannot look at elements of the catalogue when we are bringing in data.
A schema would clearly e4stablish this - Product ID cannot be duplicated and
therefore can be read easily when a lookup to that table is done.
If I modify the xml file we created when we export xml to Clipboard - the mass
upload will not work - we get an error message that the file format is invalid.
If I put the itemid back in it works.
Whilst I am confident nothing will happen over this suggestion it would be welcome
for BL to comment.
Admin ?
|
|
| Author: | calsbricks | | Posted: | May 27, 2019 11:51 | | Subject: | Re: Helpful but .... | | Viewed: | 28 times | | Topic: | Suggestions | |
|
| In Suggestions, qwertyboy writes:
| | In Suggestions, bje writes:
| | I voted yes, but I am not entirely sure this would be as simple as is believed
on first glance.
The reason that part number gets dropped is because in BL world, that part number
is not something used to differentiate inventory items.
|
That would be a valid argument, if BL weren't already showing the item description
on that exact same screen. If the program is able to show the description (which
is a lookup into the items table), it already knows the part number (or at least
grab it from the same table the description came from).
So yes, it is a request easily implemented.
Niek.
|
Thanks Niek
|
|
| Author: | calsbricks | | Posted: | May 27, 2019 10:54 | | Subject: | Re: Helpful but .... | | Viewed: | 29 times | | Topic: | Suggestions | |
|
| In Suggestions, qwertyboy writes:
| | In Suggestions, bje writes:
| | I voted yes, but I am not entirely sure this would be as simple as is believed
on first glance.
The reason that part number gets dropped is because in BL world, that part number
is not something used to differentiate inventory items.
|
That would be a valid argument, if BL weren't already showing the item description
on that exact same screen. If the program is able to show the description (which
is a lookup into the items table), it already knows the part number (or at least
grab it from the same table the description came from).
So yes, it is a request easily implemented.
Niek.
|
Thanks Niek
|
|
| Author: | calsbricks | | Posted: | May 27, 2019 08:42 | | Subject: | Re: Helpful but .... | | Viewed: | 47 times | | Topic: | Suggestions | |
|
| In Suggestions, bje writes:
| | I voted yes, but I am not entirely sure this would be as simple as is believed
on first glance.
The reason that part number gets dropped is because in BL world, that part number
is not something used to differentiate inventory items. What you are adding are
lots, and not individual stock items or even different colours of an item. This
is the reason you cannot cost 2 different batches of the same inventory item
with different cost prices added at two different dates on BL, as you are merely
adding to existing lots, and not adding a new batch which must be reported on
separately. Showing the part number when importing would probably have to mean
that the lot would need an additional characteristic added to it to move it into
the realm of actual inventory of parts and not lots.
My information may be a tad wrong, but from experience, lots (that is your inventory
items) are differentiated only on the comments and the condition, nothing else.
It is, sadly, a throwback to auctioneer inventory where the lot is costed as
a unit and fees are earned on the unit. To get to a basis of project costing
or at the very least some average costing for your inventory items as actual
items and not lots, would possibly take a redesign of the entire inventory handling.
|
Thanks for adding your comments/thoughts to this. I am not convinced they should
apply, though. The xml file to the mass upload feature includes the part no -
if it is in that file it can be displayed on the verify page. I understand the
lot concept but as Bricklink does not really have an inventory management system
built in we believe picking this field up from the xml file that it receives
should not be a problem.
Having said that as the code is referred to as spaghetti by the development team
they may not understand how to do this.
Speaking of average costing that would be a blessing - but again little chance
of that as BL move towards no stores, no inventory just Amazon/Ebay esque model.
We won't be involved with that as, when and if it ever appears, and from
the comments we have had from others neither will an awful lot more.
Brickowl also doesn't have a proper inventory management system and although
handling Lego items isn't easy - Lego have an in house modified system -
they do not have to deal with condition. Here you have part no colour and condition
to cope with.
A fresh design would be ideal but development investment is not high on the priority
list, it appears.
If you look at a sample of a small file we did yesterday, in-between server 500
errors, you will see what I mean
95345
88
18
P
3
0.270
U
The lot number is checked based on item no, colour and condition and if there
is a match it adds to that lot; if not it creates a new lot and adds that but
it still knows the item no. Displaying it, ther4efore is a couple of lines of
code to be added (according to my head of development).
Thanks again for your comments and for voting for the suggestion.
|
|
| Author: | calsbricks | | Posted: | May 27, 2019 05:50 | | Subject: | Helpful but .... | | Viewed: | 232 times | | Topic: | Suggestions | | Status: | Open | | Vote: | [Yes|No] | |
|
| Firstly let me say that we know suggestions are not being implemented and according
to MP no work is being done on the classic site however this is a small request
which doesn't require huge amounts of development time and would make life
a bit easier.
Currently the method of manually adding inventory is long winded, provides no
audit trail of what has been done and at best is clumsy.
We use Brickstock for most of our updates to our store. It is much easier, quicker
and provides us with a complete audit trail - the only real snag is what happens
when the file gets to Bricklink, The verify screen drops off the Bricklink part
number for some reason so we are left with an audit trail which, when variants
are involved, isn't really all that helpful, although to be fair we have
used this for some time.
Simply placing the bricklink product code on the verify screen would be very
helpful and this is not a major programming issue. At the same time give us a
print button to print that screen Using the print command from the browser doesn't
work well with the page setup falling short of what is needed.
This is a simple matter and could be resolved in minimal time - please implement.
|
|
| Author: | calsbricks | | Posted: | May 1, 2019 11:17 | | Subject: | Re: Make website mobile-friendly | | Viewed: | 50 times | | Topic: | General | |
|
| In General, crazylegoman writes:
| | I cannot figure out why someone would try to use Bricklink on a phone. A tablet
maybe, but even the biggest phone screens wouldn't be enough to make good
use of this site in any form.
David
|
Couldn't agree more. 
|
|
| Author: | calsbricks | | Posted: | Apr 22, 2019 13:11 | | Subject: | Re: Random Stockroom Items | | Viewed: | 32 times | | Topic: | Inventories | |
|
| In Inventories, Teup writes:
| | In Inventories, antiquer88 writes:
| | Hi everyone,
I was wondering if anyone could tell me why random items show up as stockroom
items in my inventory. I have no items I have intentionally marked for retention
in stockroom, yet every Monday I go to my inventory and delete random items that
have shown up as zero count stockroom items.
Is this something I have done in error, or is it a system problem?
Any help would be appreciated.
Thanks,
Stan.
|
It's one of those persistent problems that Bricklink is trying to fix. I
think something is really wrong in the bug fixing department, it seems their
ability to isolate a problem and target it effectively with a fix is really compromised.
Previously there was an issue with remark fields being deleted and it also took
a very long time and was also "fixed" in an "ok this time it really seems to
work but if you have problems let us know" way.
Several people have reported this issue. Hope for you guys they will do something
about it.
|
It is called by some 'spaghetti code' and they are far too busy with
getting XP off the drawing board (and it is nearly 2 months overdue (according
to Admin-Russell's suggestion of a March release.
Forecasting the release of new products is always difficult to be exact but ........
The Future of Bricklink as MP called it at Brickworld seems to be taking an eternity
(and we plan to opt out of it anyway, as will many others we are informed.
They are about to release a product which requires a feature that only 20% of
the total stores use - that isn't the best base for acceptance and if they
honestly believe that XP will convince the non IC users to move to it - their
crystal ball must be a bit murky.
Why not fix bugs - there are too many to go into here with a dedicated programmer
and focus the other developers on the new features, especially the ones that
are massively overdue (Sellers tools with what the stores want, please) e.g.
inventory management, sales metrics, query by form, improved printing capabilities,
updated price guide, major improvements to the store front and search capabilities.
Drop the API and provide tools that all members can use without having to be
a programmer.
NB - Why isn't your ID Pic amongst the ones in
https://www.bricklink.com/message.asp?ID=1137907
|
|
| Author: | calsbricks | | Posted: | Apr 15, 2019 06:53 | | Subject: | Re: Inventory backup | | Viewed: | 33 times | | Topic: | Inventories | |
|
| In Inventories, waterman writes:
| | I was wondering if there is a way to backup the inventory of whats in your store,
and how to restore it if there was a problem with the website. I saw a section
in the Inventory screen for download would this be it and how is it done. If
anyone can help with this question that would be great, thank you so much.
|
HI there
There are 2 different ways to backup your inventory. The first is the one you
mention - download the inventory and save it as a xml file. If you then have
to restore it you can use the mass upload inventory feature to bring it back.
The 2nd way and somewhat easier, in our opinion is the use of Brickstock to download
your store inventory - that saves it as a bsx file and there is a reverse command
to upload it back to Bricklink.
Hope that helps
|
|
| Author: | calsbricks | | Posted: | Apr 15, 2019 06:49 | | Subject: | Re: Item changes gives problem in Brickstock | | Viewed: | 20 times | | Topic: | Inventories | |
|
| In Inventories, JE_Romijn writes:
| | There are 10 items in my inventory in Bricklink that will not import any more
in Brickstock.
Bricklink changed the item numbers from this minifigs by adding a extra 0 on
the 10th of April I noticed.
Have tryed to delete 1 and add it again did not solve the problem. Any body here
knows what to do?
cty0055 cty0128 cty0146 are a few of theme
Greetings Ronald
|
Open up Bricksstock
Go to Extras - Update database - you should then see a screen telling you it
is updating the database - when that finishes then import your inventory - that
should fix things for the catalogue/database changes that Bricklink are making.
As an on-going thing you should always run the extras - update database command
each time you open Brickstock - this ensure you are working with the latest catalogue
updates.
Hope that helps.
BTW we see the sets you are querying in our Brickstock so they are in the catalogue.
|
|
| Author: | calsbricks | | Posted: | Mar 15, 2019 13:59 | | Subject: | Re: Attach files | | Viewed: | 29 times | | Topic: | Suggestions | |
|
| In Suggestions, TGS_brick writes:
| | Hi
I think it would be really nice, if I can attach files to my massages.
Regards
TGS-Bricks
|
Voted yes but it isn't going to happen. This has been asked for on countless
occasions and like many other good suggestions simply gets bypassed by other
development priorities. We have been waiting over 5 nearly 6 years now for sellers
tools (and no one really knows what we are going to get or when we are going
to get them - development are too busy with 'other things'.
Shame - the messaging system is one of the two most archaic elements of Bricklink
- we have gotten around the attachment thing by using Dropbox - but that doesn't
work for everybody.
|
|
| Author: | calsbricks | | Posted: | Feb 28, 2019 10:01 | | Subject: | Re: Brickstock questions | | Viewed: | 26 times | | Topic: | Inventories | |
|
| In Inventories, Teup writes:
| | In Inventories, calsbricks writes:
| | In Inventories, Teup writes:
| | In Inventories, calsbricks writes:
| | In Inventories, wilton1975 writes:
| | Guys,
Appreciate both your responses as they shed some much needed light. It is a little
strange that BrickStock doesn't seem to have a Help section explaining all
this.
|
HI there sorry I missed this thread earlier
Please bear in mind that Teup's comments do not really apply to the UK.
|
Well.... it does. I'm just saying that the averge price that you see here
in Bricklink is not equal to the average price in Brickstock. These do not match.
Parting out a set at average price on Bricklink will result in you having higher
priced items than parting out that same set at average price in Brickstock.
Whether you wish to match the price of other stores including VAT, or whether
you want to compare yourself to their prices ex VAT... yeah, here you're
right, those are all your own business decisions.
But the fact is that the Bricklink priceguide does not match the Brickstock priceguide.
It's important to be aware of this. Pricing at the Brickstock average is
pricing below the Bricklink average.
|
As I said or at least implied - average pricing in the UK includes VAT and once
you adjust the downloaded price in Brickstock it matches as close as can be expected.
Nothing is perfect and Brickstock could use work on this but so could Bricklink.
The currency conversion is a bigger issue than vat as it applies to all apart
from the USA. Bricklink could do a lot more there and haven't.
Do USA prices include sales tax ? That differs depending on whether you ship
in state or out of state. So the whole pricing scenario based on Bricklink is
a bit shaky - it should be used as a guideline only not a 'real figure'.
Do the last 6 months sales prices include tzes of any kind or is it net. If something
sells at 10p that is the price that should be reflected. If you are vat registered
and can claim back the vat go for it - but for the majority of UK sellers that
is not the position - what you see is what you pay and that is what your cost
is. Pricing needs to be based on cost + not some weird price guide which no one
fully understands. They can tell you how it works but when you look at it you
only see a single figure not how that figures has been made up.
Again for example 1000 units sold at 8p one month but 10p the next month so average
is 9p, but that is not remotely accurate. If the currency conversion rate has
fluctuated then they might be selling at a totally different price, or the same
price.
The price guide needs major re-working and I do not believe that is going to
happen. It currently is a very crude tool which has to be manipulated to get
anywhere near reality.
If the design of the system is anywhere near what it should be there is only
one table with prices and those are converted from an exchange rate table each
time they are displayed, Somehow I doubt that.
|
Well, I guess that's all true enough. Some take the priceguide as just a
guide, some ignore it, some take it as some holy prescription. I tend to be kind
of the latter type... but that's not because I think these numbers are inherently
all so correct (you pointed out some of its shortcomings) but I just remember
that when I was a buyer I'd check the priceguide on everything and buy things
depending on them being at or below average. So it's more a presentation
matter that I want my prices to line up with that reference than that I give
that reference any "scientific" credit. So the priceguide is my starting point
and from there I decide what to buy. Instead of first buying, and then based
on what I spent deciding what my prices should be.
But that's just a personal decision of course. You could invent any kind
of pricing policy for yourself and there are good arguments for all of them.
Maybe in some of them it is actually a blessing that Brickstock downloads the
ex.VAT value.
But in what ever case, no matter what your pricing policy is, and no matter whether
you are VAT registered, no matter if you're a buyer or a seller, if you live
in the area where Bricklink displays prices including VAT for, for all these
people, it is just important to know this difference: priceguide on BL includes
VAT, priceguide downloaded through Brickstock excludes VAT. Then you can do whatever
you want with that information. But knowing it is important as it prevents us
from sleepwalking into a race to the bottom.
|
Ah what a grand place to start re-developing
(I think something might freeze over before that happens) 
|
|
| Author: | calsbricks | | Posted: | Feb 28, 2019 07:51 | | Subject: | Re: Brickstock questions | | Viewed: | 40 times | | Topic: | Inventories | |
|
| In Inventories, Teup writes:
| | In Inventories, calsbricks writes:
| | In Inventories, wilton1975 writes:
| | Guys,
Appreciate both your responses as they shed some much needed light. It is a little
strange that BrickStock doesn't seem to have a Help section explaining all
this.
|
HI there sorry I missed this thread earlier
Please bear in mind that Teup's comments do not really apply to the UK.
|
Well.... it does. I'm just saying that the averge price that you see here
in Bricklink is not equal to the average price in Brickstock. These do not match.
Parting out a set at average price on Bricklink will result in you having higher
priced items than parting out that same set at average price in Brickstock.
Whether you wish to match the price of other stores including VAT, or whether
you want to compare yourself to their prices ex VAT... yeah, here you're
right, those are all your own business decisions.
But the fact is that the Bricklink priceguide does not match the Brickstock priceguide.
It's important to be aware of this. Pricing at the Brickstock average is
pricing below the Bricklink average.
|
As I said or at least implied - average pricing in the UK includes VAT and once
you adjust the downloaded price in Brickstock it matches as close as can be expected.
Nothing is perfect and Brickstock could use work on this but so could Bricklink.
The currency conversion is a bigger issue than vat as it applies to all apart
from the USA. Bricklink could do a lot more there and haven't.
Do USA prices include sales tax ? That differs depending on whether you ship
in state or out of state. So the whole pricing scenario based on Bricklink is
a bit shaky - it should be used as a guideline only not a 'real figure'.
Do the last 6 months sales prices include tzes of any kind or is it net. If something
sells at 10p that is the price that should be reflected. If you are vat registered
and can claim back the vat go for it - but for the majority of UK sellers that
is not the position - what you see is what you pay and that is what your cost
is. Pricing needs to be based on cost + not some weird price guide which no one
fully understands. They can tell you how it works but when you look at it you
only see a single figure not how that figures has been made up.
Again for example 1000 units sold at 8p one month but 10p the next month so average
is 9p, but that is not remotely accurate. If the currency conversion rate has
fluctuated then they might be selling at a totally different price, or the same
price.
The price guide needs major re-working and I do not believe that is going to
happen. It currently is a very crude tool which has to be manipulated to get
anywhere near reality.
If the design of the system is anywhere near what it should be there is only
one table with prices and those are converted from an exchange rate table each
time they are displayed, Somehow I doubt that.
|
|
| Author: | calsbricks | | Posted: | Feb 28, 2019 05:18 | | Subject: | Re: Brickstock questions | | Viewed: | 34 times | | Topic: | Inventories | |
|
| In Inventories, wilton1975 writes:
| | Guys,
Appreciate both your responses as they shed some much needed light. It is a little
strange that BrickStock doesn't seem to have a Help section explaining all
this.
|
HI there sorry I missed this thread earlier
Please bear in mind that Teup's comments do not really apply to the UK. There
are very few stores in the UK which are registered for VAT. In addition to that
if you are not registered for VAT, and we presume you are not you are still paying
vat for your Lego and the total price that you pay should be reflected as your
cost - not a VAT exclusive price.
Example - you buy a large cup of 2 x 4 bricks from your local Lego store and
pay £11.24 for that cup. That is a VAT inclusive price, so the cost of your bricks
is 11p each. Now you wish to list those on Bricklink - you obviously need to
cover your costs so your price is based on cost + (whatever margin you wish to
set). You do not reduce the 11p per brick to 9p and use the same process against
9p - that would be financial suicide.
Other EU countries have different guidelines for VAT - many you have to register
if you have a business with no real threshold.
The UK prices that you see in the price guide on Bricklink contain VAT - you
can be sure of that.
What isn't good is the currency conversion factor between Bricklink and Brickstock
- that requir3es a lot more fine tuning than taking a 10% inc/dec. We have been
usint Brickstock for almost 10 years now (pre Brickstock was Brickstore) and
have had no problems with pricing. Of course we have our own way of doing it
but if you look at it carefully and know where you want your prices to be you
can use it and it is much quicker and easier than using Bricklink - although
with sellers tools coming (maybe) who knows what will happen there.
There really isn't a single way to use the product - like everything in life
you have to make adjustments - especially to get where you want it to be. We
have learned by trial and error and experimentation how to use it and so can
you - it just takes time and patience. We also have our own external system where
we have tracked prices for nearly 10 years which helps us to get where we want
to be.
|
|
| Author: | calsbricks | | Posted: | Feb 16, 2019 13:53 | | Subject: | Re: BrickStock Sub-condition | | Viewed: | 17 times | | Topic: | Inventories | |
|
| In Inventories, wilton1975 writes:
| | Hi all
I have downloaded an XML version of my inventory via Brickstock.
When I open it I do not see any way to specify a set's sub-condition ie incomplete
or sealed.
Is it possible or does BrickStock have no way to specify a sub-condition.
Does anyone know?
|
No sub-condition currently in Brickstock
|
|
| Author: | calsbricks | | Posted: | Feb 16, 2019 08:01 | | Subject: | Re: We need a modern way to part out sets. | | Viewed: | 76 times | | Topic: | Suggestions | |
|
| In Suggestions, HallBricks writes:
| | The "Part Out" tool feels very outdated, and is tedious to use. One accidental
click on a link, and you loose every data you have put in for each lot.
I know there are third party software used to upload parts to your inventory,
but think a much more powerful way to part out set should be offered by BrickLink.
Maybe a software you download to your computer, but it could also just be a massive
redesign of the existing tool online.
What I miss the most is easier ways to manage lots that already exist in my inventory.
I don't want to open a new page just to check the remarks for a certain lot,
because if I forget to open that link in a new tab I will loose all progress
made with the other lots. This information should be visible on the same page,
or I should be able to open it in a pop-up window.
When parting out huge sets with thousands of pieces, it would also be nice to
be able to save the progress and continue later. Maybe there should be one upload
button for each lot, so I don't have to go through the entire list first
and then submit all changes at once.
There are of course lots of different features that could be implemented to make
the Part Out tool even more powerful, like more advanced ways to set up automatic
prices, like 10% below average etc.
|
YOu are of course right - that feature needs re-thinking. Having said that I
am not yet convinced leaving it in the hands of the developers, without a proper
specification will gie us what we want/need. It would be absolutely brilliant
if they come to the members and ask for input - then produce a spec for review
and then once agreed - write the code. Not really going to happen is it. No work
is currently being done on the classic site whilst all efforts are directed to
the next great marvel Bricklink xp and then, according to Admin_russell sellers
tools are next, whatever that means. As we have been waiting since 2013 for some
indication as to what that will be and the only message which evens mentions
features was that from Admin suggesting that B2B should be part of sellers tools
????? I wonder who asked for that and what does it mean?
People who run stores both new and old know what they need far better than those
who have not run a store. They should be asked what is needed and as I mentioned
in the first paragraph given a significant say in what is developed. Not goint
to happen, I am sure but one could hope.
For starters we ned as a minimum the following:
1. Inventory management
1. Sales Metrics/dashboard
3. Access to Google Analytics information for no of visitors etc
4. More printing capabilities (parameter/choice driven
5. More options using Query by Form
6. A totally revamped MY Inventory page
7. A proper part-out log (not the current one)
8. Redesign of the part out feature
9. Redesign of the add inventory page
10. Proper backup capabilities
11. Re-visit downloads and make them compatible with modern tools
And that list could go on for days
Sorry to kind of hi-jack your thread.
|
|
| Author: | calsbricks | | Posted: | Jan 27, 2019 08:26 | | Subject: | Re: Visit count incrementing | | Viewed: | 39 times | | Topic: | Suggestions | |
|
| In Suggestions, jamescorkhill writes:
| | Thanks for replying. I kind of thought that might be the case and you have confirmed
it.
I'm very new to selling, but a web developer myself, so any tips welcome.
Do you just embed one into your terms/splash page?
In Suggestions, calsbricks writes:
| | In Suggestions, jamescorkhill writes:
| | Hi
I was wondering if was possible, or if it would make sense to stop the visit
count going up when you visit your own store. This would give a more accurate
idea of how many other people have looked at your store.
If I am misunderstanding what it is for please correct me.
|
The visitor counter is totally flawed and should not be used as an indicator
of visitors. If you press and hold the F5 Ker whilst in your store, or anyone
else does, you can make the counter jump horrendously.
We went from 60000 visitors a long time ago to 250,0000 overnight and you know
that cannot be real.
We had our web designer deal with this and now use our own counter, which many
other people also do.
It is a shame really as it appears Bricklink use Google analytics and could provide
much better information but to date have not seen this as important.
Good luck with your suggestion but without a radical change to the way the Bricklink
one currently works it is not helpful information.
|
|
That is the normal way, but to be honest I amm not sure how our guy did it. Will
ask him and repost.
It would be so much better if Bricklink would open up Analytics and let us all
do and see what we want.
|
|
| Author: | calsbricks | | Posted: | Jan 27, 2019 07:47 | | Subject: | Re: Visit count incrementing | | Viewed: | 51 times | | Topic: | Suggestions | |
|
| In Suggestions, jamescorkhill writes:
| | Hi
I was wondering if was possible, or if it would make sense to stop the visit
count going up when you visit your own store. This would give a more accurate
idea of how many other people have looked at your store.
If I am misunderstanding what it is for please correct me.
|
The visitor counter is totally flawed and should not be used as an indicator
of visitors. If you press and hold the F5 Ker whilst in your store, or anyone
else does, you can make the counter jump horrendously.
We went from 60000 visitors a long time ago to 250,0000 overnight and you know
that cannot be real.
We had our web designer deal with this and now use our own counter, which many
other people also do.
It is a shame really as it appears Bricklink use Google analytics and could provide
much better information but to date have not seen this as important.
Good luck with your suggestion but without a radical change to the way the Bricklink
one currently works it is not helpful information.
|
|
| Author: | calsbricks | | Posted: | Jan 15, 2019 13:12 | | Subject: | Re: Add ability to download Part Out Log | | Viewed: | 29 times | | Topic: | Suggestions | |
|
| In Suggestions, JulieK writes:
| | In Suggestions, JulieK writes:
| | Please add ability to download the list of sets shown on the My Inventory: Part
Out Log.
Thank You.
|
Bumping. It would be nice to be able to download this info into an excel sheet.
It would make cross checking my records easier.
Thank You.
|
Hi there - voted no but need to explain. The part out log as it stands at present
isn't really much value. It needs to incorporate the transaction detail (which
it holds) before it would be worthwhile downloading it. The only thing it contains
at present is the set id and the date you parted it out.
But, again, unfortunately nothing is going on on the classic site whatsoever
- all development effort is being utilized on Bricklink XP (or whatever they
end up calling it).
|
|
| Author: | calsbricks | | Posted: | Jan 2, 2019 13:33 | | Subject: | Re: Add HTML functionality to shipping message | | Viewed: | 27 times | | Topic: | Suggestions | |
|
| In Suggestions, Leut writes:
| | In Suggestions, calsbricks writes:
| | In Suggestions, Leut writes:
| | When I ship an order with a courier and I get a track-and-trace code, I also
add a URL to the message with which the buyer can easily keep an eye on the courier's
website and the status of the parcel.
This URL however can only be inserted as plain text and looks rather old school
and not quite professional as I would like to see. An image is attached to show
what I mean.
Is it a possibility there's some kind of HTML options added to the shipment
message with which we -the sellers- are able to create good looking messages?
If something like this already exists or if there are any other options I might
have overlooked, please do inform so.
|
Hi there - very strange
We add the tracking url to our drive through messages and it works fine.
This is the URL that we use, replacing the [TRACKING NUMBVER] field with the
Post Office tracking number.
http://www.royalmail.com/portal/rm/track?trackNumber=[TRACKING NUMBER]
|
That already looks better than mine.
But wouldn’t it be more nicer to mention the tracking number only in the drive
through message, and this tracking number is a hyperlink, on which the buyer
can click to get routed to the courier’s statuspage?
|
That above URL is pasted into our drive-thru messages with the appropriate number
in it (replacing the word tracking number) and over 5000 orders later we have
never had a problem other than they click on the link and the post office haven't
updated the information yet but that always goes away after a day or so.
Go to your postal service or courier web site and I am sure in their support
section they will have a list of the URL's to use with examples. That is
what we did
We still agree with you about smartening up the message capabilities so it can
be more of a marketing tool but at least you should be able to do this without
any problems.
|
|
| Author: | calsbricks | | Posted: | Jan 2, 2019 13:11 | | Subject: | Re: Add HTML functionality to shipping message | | Viewed: | 27 times | | Topic: | Suggestions | |
|
| In Suggestions, Leut writes:
| | When I ship an order with a courier and I get a track-and-trace code, I also
add a URL to the message with which the buyer can easily keep an eye on the courier's
website and the status of the parcel.
This URL however can only be inserted as plain text and looks rather old school
and not quite professional as I would like to see. An image is attached to show
what I mean.
Is it a possibility there's some kind of HTML options added to the shipment
message with which we -the sellers- are able to create good looking messages?
If something like this already exists or if there are any other options I might
have overlooked, please do inform so.
|
Hi there - very strange
We add the tracking url to our drive through messages and it works fine.
This is the URL that we use, replacing the [TRACKING NUMBVER] field with the
Post Office tracking number.
http://www.royalmail.com/portal/rm/track?trackNumber=[TRACKING NUMBER]
|
|
| Author: | calsbricks | | Posted: | Nov 23, 2018 10:50 | | Subject: | Re: Part out value may not always be accurate | | Viewed: | 27 times | | Topic: | Suggestions | |
|
| In Suggestions, shovhans writes:
| | Dear bricklink development team,
Currently the "Part Out Value" page shows the value in average, which may not
be accurate if any seller posts an item with very high, or inaccurate price.
To better represent the part out value of a set, we need to add the following
additional metrics:
1. Standard deviation of the Average value shown
2. Median value
3. Breakdown list of all items with the above metrics for each item. Additionally
we would like to see the count for each item.
Thanks
shovhans
|
Whilst your suggestion is very good - nothing is being done by the development
team to the classic site whilst Bricklink eXpress is being developed. So it will
more than likely fall on 'deaf ears'. An awful lot more needs doing on
the entire part out process on this site. The part out log should not be just
a reminder of the date when you parted it out - it should contain full details
of the part out. You should also be able to see what the 'new lots' will
be from the first screen - we need more flexibility in the initial screen especially
with remarks fields, as well as seeing what we have the item listed as etc. etc.
Lots to do - nothing will get done. Shame really as it is a very important part
of the site.
|
|
| Author: | calsbricks | | Posted: | Nov 23, 2018 00:38 | | Subject: | Inventory Change Request for Set 40145-1 | | Viewed: | 154 times | | Topic: | Inventories Requests (Entry) | | Status: | Open | |
|
| Please make changes to the following inventory:
* Add 2 Part 4085b Orange Plate, Modified 1 x 1 with Clip Vertical - Type 2 (thin U clip) (Alternate)
Comments from Submitter:
6 sets parted out 2 had the b variant not d.
|
|
| Author: | calsbricks | | Posted: | Nov 21, 2018 12:03 | | Subject: | Inventory Change Request for Set 40222-1 | | Viewed: | 225 times | | Topic: | Inventories Requests (Entry) | | Status: | Open | |
|
| Please make changes to the following inventory:
* Add 2 Part 4085b Orange Plate, Modified 1 x 1 with Clip Vertical - Type 2 (thin U clip) (Alternate)
Comments from Submitter:
5 Sets parted out - all b's not d's
|
|
| Author: | calsbricks | | Posted: | Nov 21, 2018 11:50 | | Subject: | Re: Projectile Launcher | | Viewed: | 286 times | | Topic: | Catalog | |
|
| In Catalog, TheBrickGuys writes:
| | In Catalog, calsbricks writes:
| | In Catalog, StormChaser writes:
| | In Catalog, calsbricks writes:
| | Change for the sake of change is often followed by complaints - it rarely serves
any real purpose. Agreed changes often come with compliments and welcoming. There
is a difference.
|
That's a reasonable assessment. However, I'm fairly confident that the
changes I've made or coordinated in the catalog so far were all improvements.
Still, I've gotten a number of complaints about nearly all of them.
|
How does that go - you can please some of the people all of the time but not
all of the people all of the time
NB - We haven't had reason yet to complain other than taking up the entire
forum with catalogue and inventory change requests ....
|
There are certain ones that talk allot about the changes needed yet they disagree
with just about EVERY change made. Hmmmm, makes you wonder.....
|
About what?
|
|
| Author: | calsbricks | | Posted: | Nov 21, 2018 09:39 | | Subject: | Inventory Change Request for Set 40222-1 | | Viewed: | 197 times | | Topic: | Inventories Requests (Entry) | | Status: | Open | |
|
| Please make changes to the following inventory:
* Add 1 Part 44567b Light Bluish Gray Hinge Plate 1 x 2 Locking with 1 Finger on Side without Bottom Groove (Alternate)
* Add 1 Part 44302b Dark Bluish Gray Hinge Plate 1 x 2 Locking with 2 Fingers on End without Bottom Groove (Alternate)
Comments from Submitter:
5 sets parted out all without groove.
|
|
| Author: | calsbricks | | Posted: | Nov 21, 2018 08:43 | | Subject: | Re: Projectile Launcher | | Viewed: | 182 times | | Topic: | Catalog | |
|
| In Catalog, StormChaser writes:
| | In Catalog, calsbricks writes:
| | Change for the sake of change is often followed by complaints - it rarely serves
any real purpose. Agreed changes often come with compliments and welcoming. There
is a difference.
|
That's a reasonable assessment. However, I'm fairly confident that the
changes I've made or coordinated in the catalog so far were all improvements.
Still, I've gotten a number of complaints about nearly all of them.
|
How does that go - you can please some of the people all of the time but not
all of the people all of the time
NB - We haven't had reason yet to complain other than taking up the entire
forum with catalogue and inventory change requests ....
|
|
| Author: | calsbricks | | Posted: | Nov 21, 2018 07:56 | | Subject: | Re: Projectile Launcher | | Viewed: | 352 times | | Topic: | Catalog | |
|
| In Catalog, StormChaser writes:
| | In Catalog, Teup writes:
That was the point of the Projectile Launcher category: to group all of these
together in one place. However, I'd prefer to wait for the launch of the
parts reclassification project to move these.
The first part of that project will be creating precise written definitions for
every category of parts. Once written definitions exist, then people will have
less room to bring out the torches and pitchforks when parts start moving.
Don't know if you noticed or not, but people sometimes want change and then
complain when it happens.
|
Change for the sake of change is often followed by complaints - it rarely serves
any real purpose. Agreed changes often come with compliments and welcoming. There
is a difference.
|
|
| Author: | calsbricks | | Posted: | Nov 8, 2018 11:45 | | Subject: | Re: Try that again | | Viewed: | 31 times | | Topic: | Catalog | |
|
| In Catalog, Rob_and_Shelagh writes:
| | In Catalog, calsbricks writes:
| | - Not swure thie is correct in the catalogue. In all 3 sets that
it comes in there is an white rubber band which holds the two halves
together. The instructions show the rubber band being used in each case. Should
there be an inventory for the part?
|
As currently set up in the catalogue 29112pb01 is for 1 piece i.e. half of the
assembly and the band is just another separate part. For an assembly the inventory
would need to be 2 x 29112pb01 plus one band but typically assemblies like this
are not catalogued.
Robert
|
Hi Robert - I thought there was all this talk and discussion about assemblies
a short time ago and that has changed but I will bow to your knowledge and separate
them out.
|
|
| Author: | calsbricks | | Posted: | Nov 8, 2018 11:39 | | Subject: | Try that again | | Viewed: | 224 times | | Topic: | Catalog | | Status: | Open | |
|
| - Not swure thie is correct in the catalogue. In all 3 sets that
it comes in there is an white rubber band which holds the two halves
together. The instructions show the rubber band being used in each case. Should
there be an inventory for the part?
|
|
| Author: | calsbricks | | Posted: | Nov 5, 2018 05:28 | | Subject: | Re: The 87552/94638/35378 saga | | Viewed: | 52 times | | Topic: | Catalog | |
|
| In Catalog, StormChaser writes:
| | In Catalog, calsbricks writes:
You already have an open request for this issue. I have copied your message
and reposted it to the open request and moved this request from Catalog Requests
to Catalog.
I haven't had time to look at this issue closely, but I will soon.
|
Noted - we will carry on with our investigations as well.
|
|
| Author: | calsbricks | | Posted: | Nov 5, 2018 03:59 | | Subject: | The 87552/94638/35378 saga | | Viewed: | 91 times | | Topic: | Catalog | | Status: | Open | |
|
| Good morning
It is now clear from the evidence we have gathered that the catalogue is not
currently correct for these part id's. The part is correct but
should only be used for solid colours, similar to the 3004/3065. Both the 94638
and 353787 are for Transparent colours of the same part - we are in the process
of investigating those two parts to see if there is any difference in them.
So far the 94638 comes in 4 transparent colours Trans-Clear, Trans Bright Green,
Trans-Black and Trans-Light Blue. The part also carries a slightly different
description with Lego - incorporating the Letters PC (PolyCarbonite) at the end.
The 35378 is currently only available in Trans-Clear, Trans Light Blue and Trans-Black.
All 3 parts are available through the Lego Bricks & Pieces site as separate items.
What we suggest in the first instance is to separate 87552 and restrict it to
solid colours only. Hopefully in due course we will have the answer on the other
2.
|
|
| Author: | calsbricks | | Posted: | Oct 29, 2018 13:02 | | Subject: | Re: New Catalog Roadmap | | Viewed: | 30 times | | Topic: | Catalog | |
|
| In Catalog, StormChaser writes:
| | In Catalog, calsbricks writes:
| | Can we get some agreement on standards for reporting stud sizes please. some
are re[porting width and length and ignoring height and others are including
height. This happens quite frequently on 1 x 1 items.
Just set a rule or guideline and reject any that do not meet that.
|
There are already rules and guidelines set:
https://www.bricklink.com/help.asp?helpID=261
However, they could definitely be clarified when it comes to parts which don't
fit easy definitions. Therefore, I've added your project to the list:
https://www.bricklink.com/help.asp?helpID=2473
As for the part you mentioned in a subsequent post, it simply needed a correction
to remove the height and I have fixed it. Thank you for pointing it out.
|
That was only a single example - there are plenty more.
| |
| | NB - We are not all that bothered by this as the stud measurements have no real
meaning
|
Perhaps not to sellers who only sell and don't use the product. To people
who actually build with LEGO parts, these dimensions can be quite helpful. I
have used them many times.
|
|
|
| Author: | calsbricks | | Posted: | Oct 29, 2018 05:05 | | Subject: | Re: New Catalog Roadmap | | Viewed: | 33 times | | Topic: | Catalog | |
|
| In Catalog, calsbricks writes:
| | In Catalog, StormChaser writes:
| | Want to know where we're going with the catalog? Hard to do without a map,
isn't it?
I'm excessively pleased to announce the all-new Catalog Roadmap in the Help
Center:
https://www.bricklink.com/help.asp?helpID=2473
If you lose that link, you can always find the page in the Help Center for the
catalog:
https://www.bricklink.com/help.asp?topicID=21
This is an effort to increase transparency about what is happening with the BrickLink
catalog and to make it feel more like a community effort. And, of course, to
get some stuff done.
And no, before anyone asks, I don't know what's going on with the site
roadmap. I thought it was a fantastic feature and I'm quite excited to finally
have something similar for the catalog.
Feedback? Ideas? Comments?
|
Morning
One more little item which needs attention
Can we get some agreement on standards for reporting stud sizes please. some
are re reads 2 x 2 x .33 whilst reads 2 x 2
|
|
|
| Author: | calsbricks | | Posted: | Oct 29, 2018 05:02 | | Subject: | Re: New Catalog Roadmap | | Viewed: | 42 times | | Topic: | Catalog | |
|
| In Catalog, StormChaser writes:
| | Want to know where we're going with the catalog? Hard to do without a map,
isn't it?
I'm excessively pleased to announce the all-new Catalog Roadmap in the Help
Center:
https://www.bricklink.com/help.asp?helpID=2473
If you lose that link, you can always find the page in the Help Center for the
catalog:
https://www.bricklink.com/help.asp?topicID=21
This is an effort to increase transparency about what is happening with the BrickLink
catalog and to make it feel more like a community effort. And, of course, to
get some stuff done.
And no, before anyone asks, I don't know what's going on with the site
roadmap. I thought it was a fantastic feature and I'm quite excited to finally
have something similar for the catalog.
Feedback? Ideas? Comments?
|
Morning
One more little item which needs attention
Can we get some agreement on standards for reporting stud sizes please. some
are re[porting width and length and ignoring height and others are including
height. This happens quite frequently on 1 x 1 items.
Just set a rule or guideline and reject any that do not meet that.
NB - We are not all that bothered by this as the stud measurements have no real
meaning it is the actual dimensions which are important but until we can both
see that and use it getting some form of standardisation would be nice/helpful.
|
|
| Author: | calsbricks | | Posted: | Oct 28, 2018 03:03 | | Subject: | Re: New Catalog Roadmap | | Viewed: | 46 times | | Topic: | Catalog | |
|
| In Catalog, jennnifer writes:
| | In Catalog, calsbricks writes:
| | Okay - our fist suggestions:
1. Get the dimensions field added to the catalogue page display as well as in
stores.
2. Introduce a level above the categories for the purposes of reporting and searching
e.g. Bricks would cover all sub categories of bricks e.g. modified, decorated
round etc. Without the catalogue it is unlikely Bricklink would still be here.
Just those two thoughts will take development time and careful planning and I
am sure those that are more heavily invoiced with the catalogue and inventory
updates will have tons more they wish to see.
Good luck getting any of that done - a roadmap is an interesting start and welcome
but it has to fill out with actions rather than just remaining a blueprint (as
the other one has done).
|
I would just like to quickly point out that the Catalog admins don't have
the ability to make developmental changes to the site. It won't be their
fault if your suggestions can't be implemented in a timely way. This road
map contains projects and ideas that don't require the BL office to facilitate.
Good ideas though!
Jen
|
Pity really. Comments understood. Best we leave at that. When the single most
important element of your organisation (e.g. the catalogue) has no programmer
involved and has no direct influence on development plans - something is not
quite right?????
|
|
| Author: | calsbricks | | Posted: | Oct 28, 2018 02:57 | | Subject: | Re: New Catalog Roadmap | | Viewed: | 45 times | | Topic: | Catalog | |
|
| In Catalog, StormChaser writes:
| | In Catalog, calsbricks writes:
| | Good luck getting any of that done - a roadmap is an interesting start and welcome
but it has to fill out with actions rather than just remaining a blueprint (as
the other one has done).
|
The programming stuff is, as you say, out of my control. The projects you see
on the catalog roadmap, however, are things I have the ability to accomplish.
If you've been paying attention to inventories over the past year, you'll
see that this is not just idle talk. There were more changes to inventories
in the past year than any other year in BrickLink's history.
Not all of the catalog projects on the roadmap will be accomplished and some
of them may not even be attempted. But I can promise that you will definitely
see some catalog changes in the next 12 months.
| | Again - good luck with the new role.
|
Thank you! 
|
Your comments are noted and understood - so as far as development goes it remains
status quo. Pity really - getting the data right in the database is only half
of the equation - the other half - getting it out in a meaningful and helpful
way is the other half and so much more needs to be done there. That helps both
sides of the market sellers and buyers.
|
|
| Author: | calsbricks | | Posted: | Oct 27, 2018 13:40 | | Subject: | Re: New Catalog Roadmap | | Viewed: | 52 times | | Topic: | Catalog | |
|
| In Catalog, StormChaser writes:
| | Want to know where we're going with the catalog? Hard to do without a map,
isn't it?
I'm excessively pleased to announce the all-new Catalog Roadmap in the Help
Center:
https://www.bricklink.com/help.asp?helpID=2473
If you lose that link, you can always find the page in the Help Center for the
catalog:
https://www.bricklink.com/help.asp?topicID=21
This is an effort to increase transparency about what is happening with the BrickLink
catalog and to make it feel more like a community effort. And, of course, to
get some stuff done.
And no, before anyone asks, I don't know what's going on with the site
roadmap. I thought it was a fantastic feature and I'm quite excited to finally
have something similar for the catalog.
Feedback? Ideas? Comments?
|
Catalogue administrator - a promotion? More work and still in a queue for development
(despite the fact that the catalogue is the single most important asset of the
organisation - it is what brings both buyers and sellers to the site and is known
throughout the planet as the most comprehensive database of its kind for Lego.
You need a developer (one with SQL experience and knowledge) dedicated to it
and in your control.
Okay - our fist suggestions:
1. Get the dimensions field added to the catalogue page display as well as in
stores.
2. Introduce a level above the categories for the purposes of reporting and searching
e.g. Bricks would cover all sub categories of bricks e.g. modified, decorated
round etc. Without the catalogue it is unlikely Bricklink would still be here.
Just those two thoughts will take development time and careful planning and I
am sure those that are more heavily invoiced with the catalogue and inventory
updates will have tons more they wish to see.
Good luck getting any of that done - a roadmap is an interesting start and welcome
but it has to fill out with actions rather than just remaining a blueprint (as
the other one has done).
Again - good luck with the new role.
|
|
| Author: | calsbricks | | Posted: | Oct 25, 2018 12:21 | | Subject: | Re: Price guide improvement | | Viewed: | 25 times | | Topic: | Suggestions | |
|
| In Suggestions, hpoort writes:
| | Reverse engineering and assuming the API provides us with a clue about the underlying
data structure, I would conclude that the price is recorded in the local currency
of the store. This makes sense as this would remove all currency calculation
from the equation when looking at the internals of a store.
The API for the GetPriceGuide says:
"This method returns price in the specified currency code
- If you don't specify this value, price is retrieved in the base currency
of the user profile's"
http://apidev.bricklink.com/redmine/projects/bricklink-api/wiki/CatalogMethod#Get-Price-Guide
The page generator will have to convert from many different currencies to the
currency requested by the viewer. No intermediate conversion through another
currency is needed, although mathematically there will always be any reference
currency in the currency conversion table.
For the 'items sold' prices, the engine will look up the currency conversion
table of that specific time frame, according to the help.
It seems pretty clear to me how it works.
|
Thank you for your thought's and comments they are helpful and it now seems
that several things are obvious. We do not have access to the API so it is not
possible for us to determine the information you have introduced.
A lot of calculations seem to be taking place when the price guide is called
up by an individual member, e,g, UK store looks up a common part which is sold
everywhere in the world and the system is converting all those store held currencies
(Could be 37 of them) to GBP at a rate that is being held in a currency conversion
table. That table gets updated by a link to xe.com on an hour by hour basis,
but the rate used for the page is not shown - this would be clumsy and create
a vastly complicated screen display. Maybe a link could be created against the
currency which would reveal the exchange rate used. Maybe that is not worth it.
Hmm. More to think through now.
Thank you again for adding your comments to this thread. They are helpful.
| |
Hans-Peter
In Suggestions, calsbricks writes:
| | In Suggestions, yorbrick writes:
| | | | I would prefer it on the price guide so I didn't have to go back and forth.
Mind you this is all hypothetical cause they really are not doing anything with
the classic site whilst they work on XP.
|
I understand why you'd want it in the price guide, but there are many (37)
exchange rates to GBP, or any other single currency. While many pieces are listed
in USD, plenty are also in EUR, with other currencies also used. That's a
lot of extra information to list. You also wouldn't need to go back and forth,
as if it was set for one hour, you could note down the exchange rates of interest
and you would know they are guaranteed until the next exchange rate update time.
|
Interesting point - might need a bit more detail from Bricklink now. We understand
how the currency thing works in certain areas but we thought that the underlying
base currency for all prices was USD which Bricklink converts everything to and
then uses the xe.com exchange rate as and when necessary. So if what you are
saying is correct and the prices being shown for each country on the price guide
are converted directly from their currency to gbp that is a different story and
more thought would have to go into this. Unfortunately the help page isn't
really clear on how they are holding the currency from the outset. What you are
suggesting that if someone in India adds items in rupees then the system would
have to convert from rupees to gbp as well as any other currency and that would
be a different proposition entirely.
I do believe Bricklink should clarify this issue which would be helpful.
|
|
|
|
| Author: | calsbricks | | Posted: | Oct 25, 2018 10:16 | | Subject: | Re: Price guide improvement | | Viewed: | 27 times | | Topic: | Suggestions | |
|
| In Suggestions, yorbrick writes:
| | | | Interesting point - might need a bit more detail from Bricklink now. We understand
how the currency thing works in certain areas but we thought that the underlying
base currency for all prices was USD which Bricklink converts everything to and
then uses the xe.com exchange rate as and when necessary. So if what you are
saying is correct and the prices being shown for each country on the price guide
are converted directly from their currency to gbp that is a different story and
more thought would have to go into this. Unfortunately the help page isn't
really clear on how they are holding the currency from the outset. What you are
suggesting that if someone in India adds items in rupees then the system would
have to convert from rupees to gbp as well as any other currency and that would
be a different proposition entirely.
|
I would imagine so, as converting a to b to c doesn't always give a to c,
even at xe.com.
|
Agreed but the way most multicurrency systems work their is a base currency as
well as a reporting currency as well as individual, currencies. You define what
is the base and you advise how you wish that to be reported. You also have things
like spot rates, rate tables etc, which just about covers all angels. Here it
looks a little bit like a free-for all in trying to accommodate all frequencies.
In fact if this was the case the price guide is almost useless on current items
listed - as for those items sold - you would need to see what rate they were
converting at when they were sold and factor that in. All in all vry messy and
inaccurate. Mixing 37 different currencies into gbp is problematic at the best
of times.
Hmmm.
| |
For example, right now, 1 USD = 0.878393 EUR and 1 USD = 0.777160 GBP. Also 1
EUR = 0.884895 GBP. (They use six sig figs).
1 USD = 1 USD, so 0.878393 EUR should equal 0.777160 GBP. Yet this gives the
rate as 1 EUR = 0.884752 GBP, different in the fourth figure to the EUR-GBP rate
they quote.
|
|
|
| Author: | calsbricks | | Posted: | Oct 25, 2018 09:29 | | Subject: | Re: Price guide improvement | | Viewed: | 28 times | | Topic: | Suggestions | |
|
| In Suggestions, yorbrick writes:
| | | | I would prefer it on the price guide so I didn't have to go back and forth.
Mind you this is all hypothetical cause they really are not doing anything with
the classic site whilst they work on XP.
|
I understand why you'd want it in the price guide, but there are many (37)
exchange rates to GBP, or any other single currency. While many pieces are listed
in USD, plenty are also in EUR, with other currencies also used. That's a
lot of extra information to list. You also wouldn't need to go back and forth,
as if it was set for one hour, you could note down the exchange rates of interest
and you would know they are guaranteed until the next exchange rate update time.
|
Interesting point - might need a bit more detail from Bricklink now. We understand
how the currency thing works in certain areas but we thought that the underlying
base currency for all prices was USD which Bricklink converts everything to and
then uses the xe.com exchange rate as and when necessary. So if what you are
saying is correct and the prices being shown for each country on the price guide
are converted directly from their currency to gbp that is a different story and
more thought would have to go into this. Unfortunately the help page isn't
really clear on how they are holding the currency from the outset. What you are
suggesting that if someone in India adds items in rupees then the system would
have to convert from rupees to gbp as well as any other currency and that would
be a different proposition entirely.
I do believe Bricklink should clarify this issue which would be helpful.
|
|
| Author: | calsbricks | | Posted: | Oct 25, 2018 07:01 | | Subject: | Re: Price guide improvement | | Viewed: | 40 times | | Topic: | Suggestions | |
|
| In Suggestions, yorbrick writes:
| | | | | | I thought current items for sale were all displayed using the exchange rate of
this moment. Why is it that important though if the exchange rate would be an
hour older?
|
That isn't how it works unfortunately. They change hourly, according to the
help pages. It would be far simpler to show the rate used at the top of the column.,
hence the suggestion.
|
I imagine doing instant lookups is just not efficient, as every time someone
accesses the price guide or looks at a store or a cart in another currency,
BL would need to access the exchange rates from xe.com. Plus I don't think
their (xe) rates are continuously updated anyway - aren't they something
like every 10 or 15 minutes, plus they also have some lag. I can totally understand
why BL sets them and fixes them for one hour, given how slowly they change (at
least change significantly, not in the 4th or 5th decimal place).
|
Understand what you are saying but it all depends on how the code is put together
to display the current data. It would be highly unusualk as well as inefficient
if they were storing the figures - good code isn't written that way, so when
we call up the price guid for a given element it should be doing those calculations
then and presenting the data - if that is the case then it is a simple matter
to add a single or couplof fields to the display.
| |
It wouldn't do any harm to either have the exchange rate on the price guide,
or possibly better still, have a separate page where all the current exchange
rates being used are listed along with the time they were updated for those interested.
That way, it is one less thing on the price guide page. Of course, you can always
get the current BL exchange rate, by doing the calculation yourself, to about
4 decimal places.
|
I would prefer it on the price guide so I didn't have to go back and forth.
Mind you this is all hypothetical cause they really are not doing anything with
the classic site whilst they work on XP.
Still one can hope - it really isn't rocket science or a lot of development
time to simply display the number you have used for the calculation.
|
|
| Author: | calsbricks | | Posted: | Oct 25, 2018 01:40 | | Subject: | Re: Price guide improvement | | Viewed: | 30 times | | Topic: | Suggestions | |
|
| In Suggestions, BricksThatStick writes:
| | In Suggestions, calsbricks writes:
It's just a guide.
|
Yes, true so why not make it informative, rather than having to use guesswork
and trial and error.
| |
If sellers want to use it to actually price their listings to the averages they
accept its not 100% perfect.
|
I am not sure anyone makes that assumption - we don't it is supposed to be
a data average and the currency conversion should be dynamic not hourly. Not
sure why this would cause any real problem for any developer.
| |
Otherwise sellers should just see it for what it is and adjust their prices/set
prices as they see fit.
|
Many of us do but the adjustment should be based on real - not supposition.
|
|
| Author: | calsbricks | | Posted: | Oct 25, 2018 01:37 | | Subject: | Re: Price guide improvement | | Viewed: | 39 times | | Topic: | Suggestions | |
|
| In Suggestions, Teup writes:
| | In Suggestions, calsbricks writes:
| | We are aware that nothing is going on on the classic site whilst the development
team focus on Bricklink XP, so we will make this as short and sweet as we can.
Having contacted the forum and put all elements of this together it is plain
that a subtle but important change needs to be in place for the price guide screen.
Understanding full well what happens with the 'sold at' columns those
can be left as they are until the whole price guide is revisited, whenever that
is going to be. The current items for sale, however needs s small but important
change, in our view. It is currently not possible to determine the currency conversion
rate for those figures. It could have been anyti8me in the last hour or this
hour or whenever.
Please simply add the two fields which are used to convert e.g. for example $1
= 'x' £;s and £1 = 'x$). This will enable any member, buyer or seller,
to at least get their figures correct when working offline. This is not a complicated
change/fix - it merely requires placing those fields on that screen each time
they change. The fields are held somewhere in the system even if it is a temporary
table, so it should be relatively straight forward to display them on the price
guide screen.
Thoughts ?
|
I thought current items for sale were all displayed using the exchange rate of
this moment. Why is it that important though if the exchange rate would be an
hour older?
|
That isn't how it works unfortunately. They change hourly, according to the
help pages. It would be far simpler to show the rate used at the top of the column.,
hence the suggestion.
Don't we all.
|
|
| Author: | calsbricks | | Posted: | Oct 24, 2018 13:01 | | Subject: | Price guide improvement | | Viewed: | 217 times | | Topic: | Suggestions | | Status: | Open | | Vote: | [Yes|No] | |
|
| We are aware that nothing is going on on the classic site whilst the development
team focus on Bricklink XP, so we will make this as short and sweet as we can.
Having contacted the forum and put all elements of this together it is plain
that a subtle but important change needs to be in place for the price guide screen.
Understanding full well what happens with the 'sold at' columns those
can be left as they are until the whole price guide is revisited, whenever that
is going to be. The current items for sale, however needs s small but important
change, in our view. It is currently not possible to determine the currency conversion
rate for those figures. It could have been anyti8me in the last hour or this
hour or whenever.
Please simply add the two fields which are used to convert e.g. for example $1
= 'x' £;s and £1 = 'x$). This will enable any member, buyer or seller,
to at least get their figures correct when working offline. This is not a complicated
change/fix - it merely requires placing those fields on that screen each time
they change. The fields are held somewhere in the system even if it is a temporary
table, so it should be relatively straight forward to display them on the price
guide screen.
Thoughts ?
|
|
| Author: | calsbricks | | Posted: | Oct 21, 2018 09:51 | | Subject: | Re: Inventory Change Request for Set 10258-1 | | Viewed: | 14 times | | Topic: | Inventories Requests | |
|
| In Inventories Requests, StormChaser writes:
| | In Inventories Requests, StormChaser writes:
| | I also notified the original inventory
submitter of the change in case that person can provide any further insight.
|
Confirmed from the submitter to have been an error.
|
Great - all sorted now.
|
Next Page: 5 More | 10 More | 25 More | 50 More | 100 More
|
United Kingdom, England
