Redisplay Messages: Compact | Brief | All | Full Show Messages: All | Without Replies| Author: | tons_of_bricks  | | Posted: | Jun 4, 2020 06:18 | | Subject: | Re: Implement an enforced grading scale | | Viewed: | 41 times | | Topic: | Suggestions | |
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| | | I am not a card collector, but I will venture my opinion that all playing cards
have very similar dimensions, and are made of very similar materials, which probably
makes it easier to define conditions like Mint, or Near Mint, Fine, etc. This
however is not true of Lego pieces which come in thousands of different sizes,
shapes, colours and even different materials.
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This, right here.
The thing that makes cards easier to grade is that they're all the same size
and shape (for the most part). A 2 in. cut down the middle is the same amount
of damage no matter the card, rare or not.
But because Lego pieces come in so many shapes and sizes, the damage could vary
even if it's the same. If I had a 42x42 baseplate with one missing stud on
the corner, I'd consider that minor damage. But if I had a 1x2 plate with
a missing stud, I'd consider it unusable and throw it out. Same damage on
both pieces, but because of their difference in size, the quality of each piece
is totally different.
That's why a grading system wouldn't really work.
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| Author: | tons_of_bricks | | Posted: | Jun 4, 2020 06:10 | | Subject: | Re: Implement an enforced grading scale | | Viewed: | 31 times | | Topic: | Suggestions | |
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| In Suggestions, revfds writes:
| | How is that any different then what I'm asking?
functionally, New, Used, Used Damaged, would just be 3 different "grades".
In Suggestions, firestar246 writes:
| | I would be apposed to a grading system; but wouldn't be apposed to maybe
one more condition: "Used, damaged" or something of that nature.
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Well, from what you suggested, you wanted like 5-6 very specific grades. I'm
suggesting only one extra condition.
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| Author: | Leftoverbricks | | Posted: | Jun 4, 2020 05:50 | | Subject: | Re: Implement an enforced grading scale | | Viewed: | 39 times | | Topic: | Suggestions | |
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| | Great suggestion! |
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| Author: | bje | | Posted: | Jun 4, 2020 05:20 | | Subject: | Re: Implement an enforced grading scale | | Viewed: | 64 times | | Topic: | Suggestions | |
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| As a long time buyer and importer on here, No. I do not want to plough
through a million listings in every sellers' store and sit an pick through
a thousand parts to make sure a seller has sent me the correct grade of an item
or receive a million ziplocks for every order. Also, I do not want to purchase
new and used VCG in one lot. New vs used is a factual statement, lots are split
that way and sellers can be held accountable for lots that do not meet that factual
split. I cannot conceive of holding a seller accountable for a subjective split.
As a seller, equally No. I am not going to sit around checking for scratches
with a magnifying glass and for purchases on here intended for reselling, I am
not going to regrade sellers' listings for my own inventory. I just spent
2 months counting and sorting 90000 pieces into 5700+ lots. I have no wish at
all to make that 25000+ lots after grading the contents of every lot 1 through
5. I am also not going to invest in more storage bins and racks or for that matter
space.
If you need a damage report on every part a seller sends you, request it from
them prior to ordering. Every single tile from every new set had faint scratches
on. I am not going to grade scratches and little marks in plastic so I can end
up with listings like near mint when I can see "very feint scratches visable
when held at a certain angle outdoors on a cloudy day. Might appear different
indoors, in sunlight, moonlight or under artificial light". No thank you.
In Suggestions, revfds writes:
| | the thing I dislike most about ordering from this site, in how hard it is to
control the quality of the pieces that I get.
And I don't think loose pieces should be categorized between "new" and "used",
because all loose pieces are used (Yes I know you can order them individually
from Lego at times, but functionally when you buy lego it comes in a set, outside
of that set they are used).
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The functionality of the set does not enter into it. If I buy a set to part out,
the function I am paying for is for the parts, not the set - the set is merely
a convenient method of packaging. If I were to buy for the purposes of building
it, then once built the parts are used. The function of my buying patterns have
nothing at all to do with the factual statement of new v used and is not a measure
of grading either.
And I suppose all cars are new when they leave the factory but when driven onto
the showroom floor they then become used as functionally the car was driven,
so that no dealer has ever sold a new car? I think not.
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| Author: | yorbrick | | Posted: | Jun 4, 2020 04:12 | | Subject: | Re: Implement an enforced grading scale | | Viewed: | 34 times | | Topic: | Suggestions | |
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| | | The site already has a "grading scale" even if its designed to convey the history
of the piece. New and Used.
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This is not a grading scale. It is a binary condition. A part is either new or
used. There is no scale.
| | I'm just suggesting one that is more intuitive, and accurate. Even changing
it to "new" "used" and "broken" would be a huge improvement in my opinion, and
its not as paradigm shifting as you people seem to think.
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It would not be more accurate, as it would be subjective.
What does broken mean? A piece could be heavily scratched but completely functional,
therefore not broken as it functions as intended.
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| Author: | BrickCompulsion | | Posted: | Jun 4, 2020 04:01 | | Subject: | Re: Implement an enforced grading scale | | Viewed: | 40 times | | Topic: | Suggestions | |
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| These are the 1x2 plates I am about to list. The thought of having to grad each
of them to a scale would make me stop selling on BrickLink. I will stick to my
own standard that causes me to discard the ones I deem unacceptable. I am comfortable
with this due to the feedback I receive from buyers. If there is a problem with
what I sell I deal with it.
I don’t believe an enforced grading system is the way forward at all. Check the
terms and feedback of the sellers you buy from.
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| Author: | yorbrick | | Posted: | Jun 4, 2020 04:00 | | Subject: | Re: Implement an enforced grading scale | | Viewed: | 36 times | | Topic: | Suggestions | |
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| | | Then I fail to see why having a more intuitively labled system is a bad idea?
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New vs used is easy to define. If it has been used, it is used. If it has not
been used, it is new.
Whereas labelling schemes like
excellent very good good reasonable poor
or 1 2 3 4 5
are highly subjective.
Worse still is when you combine that with the fact that most orders are not individual
pieces, a buyer will get a range of conditions within "good" - likely some will
be almost very good whereas others will be only just better than reasonable.
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| Author: | yorbrick | | Posted: | Jun 4, 2020 03:55 | | Subject: | Re: Implement an enforced grading scale | | Viewed: | 30 times | | Topic: | Suggestions | |
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| | | I know sellers already grade parts, I'm asking for that information in a
way thats easier to use for purchases then the current "notes" method.
If that was implemented for sellers to use, then I think they would make more
money.
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More money - but for how much extra work and storage space?
| | On TCGPlayer, statistically cards with pictures sell more for cards without,
even when damaged. Buyers like knowing they are going to get something with a
lower potential for dispute later.
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Do sellers on this card site sell 10s or 100s or 1000s of the same card, in
multiple grades, for a few cents each? And do buyers buy 10s or 100s or 1000s
of the same card at a time? If not, you are not comparing like with like.
| | A built in, accurate method of correctly labeling the condition of parts, would
make better condition parts more valuable, and easier to purchase for interested
buyers.
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It wouldn't make it easier, it would make it harder, as when sorted by grade
each grade for the same part becomes a different lot, and there would be many,
many more smaller lots that a buyer needs to look through. It would make it easier
to know what you are getting though.
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| Author: | randyf | | Posted: | Jun 4, 2020 03:45 | | Subject: | Re: Implement an enforced grading scale | | Viewed: | 44 times | | Topic: | Suggestions | |
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| In Suggestions, revfds writes:
| | Then I fail to see why having a more intuitively labled system is a bad idea?
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This idea has been brought up time and time and time again over the 20 years
that this site has existed, and it has never gained a large following or been
implemented by any of the owners of the site. I believe that is because the system
that is in place works for the hobby/business at hand and has functioned very
well for those two decades. It's not that your idea is bad, it's that
your idea is unnecessary in this environment.
| | What if you sell me a new piece, that I claim is used. How is that settled?
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If I were a seller that sold new parts, and I knew that the parts were new, then
you would be a dishonest buyer. I don't understand how additional gradation
levels of "used" would apply in this scenario. 
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| Author: | Teup | | Posted: | Jun 4, 2020 03:19 | | Subject: | Re: Show Tracking number on Orders list | | Viewed: | 31 times | | Topic: | Suggestions | |
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| Ok, as long as my customers wouldn't be 'encouraged' to pick it as
it can be €10 or even €20 more expensive. And domestic orders arrive the next
day so tracking isn't relevant.
In that case the buyer gets a refund. Or at least, that's how it should be,
it's true there are problems here. There still are many stores that don't
do it even though it's the law, and Bricklink doesn't act or moderate
any store terms, except when a US seller charges PayPal fees (apparently that
is a bigger deal than lost orders). So this definitely needs improvement. (it's
not always ill intended by the sellers btw, many genuinely don't know their
buyers have rights, at least in the EU)
In Suggestions, revfds writes:
| | Nowhere did I say it should be required. Even in the part that you quoted, I
said to create incentives to encourage its use.
How does the site currently handle packages lost in the post? What happens in
Europe when someone says they did not receive a package and there is no delivery
confirmation?
In Suggestions, Teup writes:
| | In Suggestions, revfds writes:
| | I really wish I didn't have to click into a specific order to see the tracking
#.
It would make a lot of sense, and be really helpful if there was a column on
the Orders page that listed any available tracking number along with the order.
Bonus points if clicking on the tracking number takes me to viewing the tracking
history (via usps website or google, or wherever).
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Hmm you have a point, the tracking number field can be switched on and off for
the seller's Orders Received, but oddly it cannot be switched on for the
buyer's Orders Placed list. No idea why not, it could be added.
| | Also, incentives should be made to encourage tracking numbers. 1st class postage
with tracking can be had for around $3 in the US for small items, most places
have charged me at least that regardless of whether they include tracking or
not. It should be prioritized, and required for purchases over a certain amount
as it alleviates a lot of headache and prevents a lot of bad interactions.
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Definitely no. Now you're just talking about America, over here I strongly
prefer shipping without tracking and I wouldn't let a site force my hand
because it has rules that are based on how things work in America.
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