Redisplay Messages: Compact | Brief | All | Full Show Messages: All | Without Replies Author: | Ninepartsred | Posted: | Mar 12, 2021 13:55 | Subject: | Re: Option to exclude incomplete instructions | Viewed: | 23 times | Topic: | Suggestions | |
|
| In Suggestions, psusaxman2000 writes:
| In Suggestions, Ninepartsred writes:
| We have the option to exclude incomplete sets from searches but I'm coming
across a lot of instructions entries that are missing parts and I'd like
to filter them out as I'm looking for complete ones.
I'm not suggesting disallowing individual parts as people may need them to
complete a set.
|
I don't spend much time search the catalog for instructions, so I'm more
curious than anything. Are you saying you are seeing instructions that are torn
or missing pages? This is the only reason that I would think for having "incomplete"
as an option.
|
As peregrinator says, there are often several books that make up the full instructions
for a set, so when I visit stores with those listed, there is sometimes a note
to say, for example, "books 2 & 3 only". In the case of games/gear, it may say
"build instructions only, no rules booklet", or vice-versa.
|
|
Author: | infinibrix | Posted: | Mar 12, 2021 13:54 | Subject: | Re: Colour Abbreviations for Catalog Navigation? | Viewed: | 37 times | Topic: | Suggestions | |
|
| In Suggestions, SylvainLS writes:
| In Suggestions, popsicle writes:
| In Suggestions, infinibrix writes:
| Just an idea I’m putting out there for future consideration because with colour
abbreviations it can give you useful options for catalog use/navigation!
|
It's a strong idea that's getting some push back. How about...
For color descriptors within the title, just using the color itself
as a small box next to the part within the description, as in the Color Guide?
|
And then people will have to hover over the patch to know the name of the colour
because the colours are undistinguishable unless they are side to side and named?
Not very practical, I fear.
|
Yeah Popssicle its a terrible idea and almost as bad as the OPs suggestion
|
|
Author: | DeLuca | Posted: | Mar 12, 2021 13:49 | Subject: | Re: Colour Abbreviations for Catalog Navigation? | Viewed: | 17 times | Topic: | Suggestions | |
|
| In Suggestions, infinibrix writes:
| In Suggestions, DeLuca writes:
| In Suggestions, infinibrix writes:
| In Suggestions, jennnifer writes:
| The only abbreviations I have ever tried to use for colors are LBG and DBG and
then only when pressed for character space. Abbreviations are often difficult
to read and add to visual clutter. I am not sure why the entire minifig's
inventory would need to be listed in its name when that information is already
searchable? Sorry, I am very not onboard with this suggestion. I did a search
for 'spider-man' limited to minifigs and got 24 results. I can clearly
see all of them on one page of thumbnails and can quickly scan for the differences.
That's good enough for me!
Jen
|
Well part of the reason for giving this idea some thought is because minifgs
will apparently need to have their own unique description and cannot rely on
using vague terms like Spider-man 1
|
I do agree that this is a bad title, but this is an example of the more general
issues with many current figure titles, and of the need for improved standards
(which are currently being developed) - Something like “Spider-Man - Silver Web
and Eyes Pattern, Blue Arms and Legs” would be sufficient, and would not
lengthen and clog up names with unnecessary colour-abbreviations.
|
unless those colour abreviations could be used to search but hidden from view
in descriptions because I agree they do look messy
|
That would be something like a tag-system, which we do not have. We all
want a tag-system, but (IIRC) the site cannot currently accommodate one. 😕
|
|
Author: | infinibrix | Posted: | Mar 12, 2021 13:39 | Subject: | Re: Colour Abbreviations for Catalog Navigation? | Viewed: | 25 times | Topic: | Suggestions | |
|
| In Suggestions, DeLuca writes:
| In Suggestions, infinibrix writes:
| In Suggestions, jennnifer writes:
| The only abbreviations I have ever tried to use for colors are LBG and DBG and
then only when pressed for character space. Abbreviations are often difficult
to read and add to visual clutter. I am not sure why the entire minifig's
inventory would need to be listed in its name when that information is already
searchable? Sorry, I am very not onboard with this suggestion. I did a search
for 'spider-man' limited to minifigs and got 24 results. I can clearly
see all of them on one page of thumbnails and can quickly scan for the differences.
That's good enough for me!
Jen
|
Well part of the reason for giving this idea some thought is because minifgs
will apparently need to have their own unique description and cannot rely on
using vague terms like Spider-man 1
|
I do agree that this is a bad title, but this is an example of the more general
issues with many current figure titles, and of the need for improved standards
(which are currently being developed) - Something like “Spider-Man - Silver Web
and Eyes Pattern, Blue Arms and Legs” would be sufficient, and would not
lengthen and clog up names with unnecessary colour-abbreviations.
|
unless those colour abreviations could be used to search but hidden from view
in descriptions because I agree they do look messy
|
|
Author: | infinibrix | Posted: | Mar 12, 2021 13:36 | Subject: | Re: Colour Abbreviations for Catalog Navigation? | Viewed: | 23 times | Topic: | Suggestions | |
|
| In Suggestions, infinibrix writes:
| In Suggestions, jennnifer writes:
| The only abbreviations I have ever tried to use for colors are LBG and DBG and
then only when pressed for character space. Abbreviations are often difficult
to read and add to visual clutter. I am not sure why the entire minifig's
inventory would need to be listed in its name when that information is already
searchable? Sorry, I am very not onboard with this suggestion. I did a search
for 'spider-man' limited to minifigs and got 24 results. I can clearly
see all of them on one page of thumbnails and can quickly scan for the differences.
That's good enough for me!
Jen
|
Well part of the reason for giving this idea some thought is because minifgs
will apparently need to have their own unique description and cannot rely on
using vague terms like Spider-man 1
|
Just to add how are you getting just 24 Spider-mans on one page as when I search
Spider-man I get 139 results which includes everything from Aunt May to all Spider-mans
nemisis
|
|
Author: | DeLuca | Posted: | Mar 12, 2021 13:31 | Subject: | Re: Colour Abbreviations for Catalog Navigation? | Viewed: | 20 times | Topic: | Suggestions | |
|
| In Suggestions, infinibrix writes:
| In Suggestions, jennnifer writes:
| The only abbreviations I have ever tried to use for colors are LBG and DBG and
then only when pressed for character space. Abbreviations are often difficult
to read and add to visual clutter. I am not sure why the entire minifig's
inventory would need to be listed in its name when that information is already
searchable? Sorry, I am very not onboard with this suggestion. I did a search
for 'spider-man' limited to minifigs and got 24 results. I can clearly
see all of them on one page of thumbnails and can quickly scan for the differences.
That's good enough for me!
Jen
|
Well part of the reason for giving this idea some thought is because minifgs
will apparently need to have their own unique description and cannot rely on
using vague terms like Spider-man 1
|
I do agree that this is a bad title, but this is an example of the more general
issues with many current figure titles, and of the need for improved standards
(which are currently being developed) - Something like “Spider-Man - Silver Web
and Eyes Pattern, Blue Arms and Legs” would be sufficient, and would not
lengthen and clog up names with unnecessary colour-abbreviations.
|
|
Author: | infinibrix | Posted: | Mar 12, 2021 13:17 | Subject: | Re: Colour Abbreviations for Catalog Navigation? | Viewed: | 34 times | Topic: | Suggestions | |
|
| In Suggestions, jennnifer writes:
| The only abbreviations I have ever tried to use for colors are LBG and DBG and
then only when pressed for character space. Abbreviations are often difficult
to read and add to visual clutter. I am not sure why the entire minifig's
inventory would need to be listed in its name when that information is already
searchable? Sorry, I am very not onboard with this suggestion. I did a search
for 'spider-man' limited to minifigs and got 24 results. I can clearly
see all of them on one page of thumbnails and can quickly scan for the differences.
That's good enough for me!
Jen
|
Well part of the reason for giving this idea some thought is because minifgs
will apparently need to have their own unique description and cannot rely on
using vague terms like Spider-man 1
|
|
Author: | SylvainLS | Posted: | Mar 12, 2021 13:11 | Subject: | Re: Colour Abbreviations for Catalog Navigation? | Viewed: | 24 times | Topic: | Suggestions | |
|
| In Suggestions, popsicle writes:
| In Suggestions, infinibrix writes:
| Just an idea I’m putting out there for future consideration because with colour
abbreviations it can give you useful options for catalog use/navigation!
|
It's a strong idea that's getting some push back. How about...
For color descriptors within the title, just using the color itself
as a small box next to the part within the description, as in the Color Guide?
|
And then people will have to hover over the patch to know the name of the colour
because the colours are undistinguishable unless they are side to side and named?
Not very practical, I fear.
| I've seen this type of catalog item description elsewhere, can't remember
where though
Maybe not doable, I don't know. But it would be clear and succinct.
|
|
|
Author: | jennnifer | Posted: | Mar 12, 2021 13:07 | Subject: | Re: Colour Abbreviations for Catalog Navigation? | Viewed: | 26 times | Topic: | Suggestions | |
|
| In Suggestions, infinibrix writes:
| Just an idea I’m putting out there for future consideration because with colour
abbreviations it can give you useful options for catalog use/navigation!
For starters I glanced at all the different colours and it didn’t appear to be
too difficult to give each colour a suitable 3 Letter abbreviation though it
goes without saying that a few colours may be forced to have a 4 letter abbreviation
but they will likely be just a very few obscure colours such as Very Light Bluish
Grey (VLBG) or Trans Light Bright Green (TLBG) but even if it became problematic
some colours may not even benefit as much from the need to have an abbreviation
compared to the more widely and commonly used colours
Either way here are just a few quick abbreviation examples:-
Black – BLK
White – WHT
Reddish Brown – RBR
Dark Brown – DBR
Light Bluish Grey – LBG
Dark Bluish Grey – DBG
Dark Grey – DGR
Red – RED
Blue – BLU
Dark Blue – DBL
Green – GRN
Olive Green – OGN
Tan – TAN
Dark Tan – DTN
Orange – ORG
Dark Orange – DOR
Yellow – YEL
It’s also worth mentioning that the idea would be to have these abbreviations
on display wherever we see colour descriptions which is pretty much anywhere
in the catalog and so if we had abbreviations like this I don’t think it would
take long for people to memorize them and put them to good use so that instead
of searching for ‘Dark Tan hair’ they can just search ‘DTN hair’ or instead of
‘Light Bluish Gray Helmets’ they can just search ‘LBG Helmets’. The other benefit
is that where space is limited in descriptions a Torso could contain ‘RBR Belt
Buckle’ instead of ‘Reddish Brown Belt Buckle’
However once you have colour abbreviations in places their uses can be extended
in other ways too for instance if they are combined with a minifigure part to
create a unique combined colour/part reference such as Legs-DBR (Dark Brown Legs)
or Torso-GRN (Green Torso) these combos can be exclusively used to narrow down
search results for minifigures in ways where you barely need to worry about trying
to guess or work out what keywords have been used and in some cases you won’t
even need to know the name of the character!
For Example if I start with this Henry Minifigure description in its most basic
form it would look something like this:-
Henry - Torso-RBR, Hair-DTN, Head-LNO, Legs-OGN
Granted it’s not the most visually pleasing of minifig descriptions and right
now you’re probably thinking it looks a confusing mess but translated it basically
reads ‘Reddish Brown Torso, Dark Tan Hair, Light Nougat Head and Olive Green
Legs
Now even before I add keywords to that description or even if it already had
keywords and I wasn’t sure what keywords to try? If I had that minifig in my
hand and I didn’t know the name of the character I will at least still be reassured
that with a simple search for some or all of those main minifig part colours
it will either bring up what I’m looking for or narrow it down considerably.
For example if I search for say both ‘Hair-DTN Legs-OGN’ that Henry minifig will
be the only minifigure match that comes up because it’s the only minifigure in
the catalog that currently includes both Dark Tan hair and Olive Green Legs.
Now even if I search for both ‘Hair-DTN Head-LNO’ I’m sure I will still only
get a very small page of matches and that’s before I’ve even attempted to narrow
down with character names Like Luke or Han or the colour/description of the torsos/legs
etc etc...
Essentially if minifigure descriptions were laid out in a format something like
this:-
Minifig Character/Type (*) - Torso/Arms-COLOUR (*), Hair/Headgear-COLOUR(*),
Head-COLOUR (*), Legs/Hips-COLOUR (*), (*Other Keywords)
where the (*) represents where keywords can be added for each core minifigure
component (as/when necessary) it would then mean a revised and more detailed
example of the Henry Minifigure might look something like this even though the
description may not need to be quite as detailed for helping to find this particular
minifig:-
Henry - Torso-RBR, Arms-WHT (Brown Waistcoat, White Tunic), Hair-DTN (Swept Back
Ponytail), Head-LNO (DS, Open Mouth Smile/Worried), Legs-OGN
Its worth mentioning that the ‘DS’ after head represents Double Sided Head (SS
= Single Sided) which would allow you to narrow down even further with just a
couple of extra letters added within search criteria
However one thing to also notice is that you can still search for specific colours
such as the ‘White’ print details found on legs or torsos such as the white tunic
without needing to worry about it bringing up core components in white as they
will only come up if you search ‘Arms-WHT’, Legs-WHT, Torso-WHT, Head-WHT, Hair-WHT
whereas searching for white alone would mean the colour can be set aside for
prints allowing you to be more specific with your overall minifig search results...
Here are a few more examples of how similar minifigs might look:-
Han Solo - Torso-WHT (Shirt), Hair-RBR, Head-LNO (SS, Smirk), Legs-RBR
Han Solo - Torso-WHT (Shirt), Hair-RBR (Wavy), Head-LNO (DS, Closed Eyes), Legs-DBR
Han Solo (Senior) - Torso-DBR (Jacket), Hair-LBG, Head-LNO (DS, Angry), Legs-BLK
(Printed Gunbelt)
Han Solo (Hoth) - Torso-DBL (Jacket), Headgear-DBL (Parka Hood), Head-LNO (SS,
Smirk), Hips-DBL, Legs-TAN (Printed Gunbelt)
Knight (Crusader Lion) - Torso-Red, Arms-BLU, Headgear-DGR (Neck Protector Helmet),
Head-YEL (SS), Hips-BLK, Legs-BLU
I appreciate in might not be to everyone’s liking but it does for the most part
seem to work and I’m pretty sure I could even use it to tackle all those samey
spider-man minifigs without having to worry too much about relying on vague (Web
Pattern) keywords and focusing more on the definitive colours of Torsos, legs,
hips, arms and definitive styles such as printed/legs arms etc…
But again just some ideas for another day perhaps?
|
The only abbreviations I have ever tried to use for colors are LBG and DBG and
then only when pressed for character space. Abbreviations are often difficult
to read and add to visual clutter. I am not sure why the entire minifig's
inventory would need to be listed in its name when that information is already
searchable? Sorry, I am very not onboard with this suggestion. I did a search
for 'spider-man' limited to minifigs and got 24 results. I can clearly
see all of them on one page of thumbnails and can quickly scan for the differences.
That's good enough for me!
Jen
|
|
Author: | popsicle | Posted: | Mar 12, 2021 13:05 | Subject: | Re: Colour Abbreviations for Catalog Navigation? | Viewed: | 46 times | Topic: | Suggestions | |
|
| In Suggestions, infinibrix writes:
| Just an idea I’m putting out there for future consideration because with colour
abbreviations it can give you useful options for catalog use/navigation!
|
It's a strong idea that's getting some push back. How about...
For color descriptors within the title, just using the color itself
as a small box next to the part within the description, as in the Color Guide?
I've seen this type of catalog item description elsewhere, can't remember
where though
Maybe not doable, I don't know. But it would be clear and succinct.
|
|
|
Author: | infinibrix | Posted: | Mar 12, 2021 12:47 | Subject: | Re: Colour Abbreviations for Catalog Navigation? | Viewed: | 30 times | Topic: | Suggestions | |
|
| In Suggestions, infinibrix writes:
| In Suggestions, yorbrick writes:
| In Suggestions, SylvainLS writes:
| In Suggestions, infinibrix writes:
| Just an idea I’m putting out there for future consideration because with colour
abbreviations it can give you useful options for catalog use/navigation!
[…]
|
Using tags would bring the same searchability advantages without cluttering the
descriptions with incomprehensible jargon terms.
|
So what is incomprehensible about ... ?
Bear Costume Guy - Minifigure only Entry - Torso-WHT (Heart and Rainbow), Headgear-CRL
(Mask Bear/Panda), Head-YEL, Left Arm-BLO, Right Arm-CRL, Left Hand-DAZ, Right
Hand-BLO, Hips-CRL, Left Leg-MAZ, Right Leg-BLO.
|
You'd probably only bother to reference a complex minifig like this:-
Bear Custume Guy - Torso-WHT (Heart and Rainbow), Headgear-CRL (Mask Bear Panda),
Head-YEL (DS)
Besides most people will already find quite easily with key searches for Bear,
Coral, Rainbow
However with other minifigs where you have lots of Han Solos for instance you
could simply search 'Han Hair-LBG' and that alone will only bring up
these two minifigs:-
and thats where it really helps to find things
|
In truth you'd only need to start including colour references to arms and
things like that if your dealing with complex variations of minifigs such as
spider-man otherwise colour references for the 4 core minifig components would
be sufficients i.e Headgear or Hair, Head, Torso, Legs
|
|
Author: | infinibrix | Posted: | Mar 12, 2021 12:42 | Subject: | Re: Colour Abbreviations for Catalog Navigation? | Viewed: | 23 times | Topic: | Suggestions | |
|
| In Suggestions, yorbrick writes:
| In Suggestions, SylvainLS writes:
| In Suggestions, infinibrix writes:
| Just an idea I’m putting out there for future consideration because with colour
abbreviations it can give you useful options for catalog use/navigation!
[…]
|
Using tags would bring the same searchability advantages without cluttering the
descriptions with incomprehensible jargon terms.
|
So what is incomprehensible about ... ?
Bear Costume Guy - Minifigure only Entry - Torso-WHT (Heart and Rainbow), Headgear-CRL
(Mask Bear/Panda), Head-YEL, Left Arm-BLO, Right Arm-CRL, Left Hand-DAZ, Right
Hand-BLO, Hips-CRL, Left Leg-MAZ, Right Leg-BLO.
|
You'd probably only bother to reference a complex minifig like this:-
Bear Custume Guy - Torso-WHT (Heart and Rainbow), Headgear-CRL (Mask Bear Panda),
Head-YEL (DS)
Besides most people will already find quite easily with key searches for Bear,
Coral, Rainbow
However with other minifigs where you have lots of Han Solos for instance you
could simply search 'Han Hair-LBG' and that alone will only bring up
these two minifigs:-
and thats where it really helps to find things
|
|
Author: | StormChaser | Posted: | Mar 12, 2021 12:27 | Subject: | Re: Colour Abbreviations for Catalog Navigation? | Viewed: | 30 times | Topic: | Suggestions | |
|
| In Suggestions, macebobo writes:
| I sincerely hope this was sarcasm.
|
I don't think it was sarcasm as much as a realistic look at what figure titles
could look like if color abbreviations were adopted within them.
|
|
Author: | macebobo | Posted: | Mar 12, 2021 12:24 | Subject: | Re: Colour Abbreviations for Catalog Navigation? | Viewed: | 25 times | Topic: | Suggestions | |
|
| In Suggestions, yorbrick writes:
| In Suggestions, SylvainLS writes:
| In Suggestions, infinibrix writes:
| Just an idea I’m putting out there for future consideration because with colour
abbreviations it can give you useful options for catalog use/navigation!
[…]
|
Using tags would bring the same searchability advantages without cluttering the
descriptions with incomprehensible jargon terms.
|
So what is incomprehensible about ... ?
Bear Costume Guy - Minifigure only Entry - Torso-WHT (Heart and Rainbow), Headgear-CRL
(Mask Bear/Panda), Head-YEL, Left Arm-BLO, Right Arm-CRL, Left Hand-DAZ, Right
Hand-BLO, Hips-CRL, Left Leg-MAZ, Right Leg-BLO.
|
I sincerely hope this was sarcasm.
|
|
Author: | yorbrick | Posted: | Mar 12, 2021 12:17 | Subject: | Re: Colour Abbreviations for Catalog Navigation? | Viewed: | 25 times | Topic: | Suggestions | |
|
| In Suggestions, SylvainLS writes:
| In Suggestions, infinibrix writes:
| Just an idea I’m putting out there for future consideration because with colour
abbreviations it can give you useful options for catalog use/navigation!
[…]
|
Using tags would bring the same searchability advantages without cluttering the
descriptions with incomprehensible jargon terms.
|
So what is incomprehensible about ... ?
Bear Costume Guy - Minifigure only Entry - Torso-WHT (Heart and Rainbow), Headgear-CRL
(Mask Bear/Panda), Head-YEL, Left Arm-BLO, Right Arm-CRL, Left Hand-DAZ, Right
Hand-BLO, Hips-CRL, Left Leg-MAZ, Right Leg-BLO.
|
|
Author: | hpoort | Posted: | Mar 12, 2021 12:01 | Subject: | Re: Colour Abbreviations for Catalog Navigation? | Viewed: | 30 times | Topic: | Suggestions | |
|
| In Suggestions, infinibrix writes:
| Just an idea I’m putting out there for future consideration because with colour
abbreviations it can give you useful options for catalog use/navigation!
For starters I glanced at all the different colours and it didn’t appear to be
too difficult to give each colour a suitable 3 Letter abbreviation though it
goes without saying that a few colours may be forced to have a 4 letter abbreviation
but they will likely be just a very few obscure colours such as Very Light Bluish
Grey (VLBG) or Trans Light Bright Green (TLBG) but even if it became problematic
some colours may not even benefit as much from the need to have an abbreviation
compared to the more widely and commonly used colours
Either way here are just a few quick abbreviation examples:-
Black – BLK
White – WHT
Reddish Brown – RBR
Dark Brown – DBR
Light Bluish Grey – LBG
Dark Bluish Grey – DBG
Dark Grey – DGR
Red – RED
Blue – BLU
Dark Blue – DBL
Green – GRN
Olive Green – OGN
Tan – TAN
Dark Tan – DTN
Orange – ORG
Dark Orange – DOR
Yellow – YEL
It’s also worth mentioning that the idea would be to have these abbreviations
on display wherever we see colour descriptions which is pretty much anywhere
in the catalog and so if we had abbreviations like this I don’t think it would
take long for people to memorize them and put them to good use so that instead
of searching for ‘Dark Tan hair’ they can just search ‘DTN hair’ or instead of
‘Light Bluish Gray Helmets’ they can just search ‘LBG Helmets’. The other benefit
is that where space is limited in descriptions a Torso could contain ‘RBR Belt
Buckle’ instead of ‘Reddish Brown Belt Buckle’
However once you have colour abbreviations in places their uses can be extended
in other ways too for instance if they are combined with a minifigure part to
create a unique combined colour/part reference such as Legs-DBR (Dark Brown Legs)
or Torso-GRN (Green Torso) these combos can be exclusively used to narrow down
search results for minifigures in ways where you barely need to worry about trying
to guess or work out what keywords have been used and in some cases you won’t
even need to know the name of the character!
For Example if I start with this Henry Minifigure description in its most basic
form it would look something like this:-
Henry - Torso-RBR, Hair-DTN, Head-LNO, Legs-OGN
Granted it’s not the most visually pleasing of minifig descriptions and right
now you’re probably thinking it looks a confusing mess but translated it basically
reads ‘Reddish Brown Torso, Dark Tan Hair, Light Nougat Head and Olive Green
Legs
Now even before I add keywords to that description or even if it already had
keywords and I wasn’t sure what keywords to try? If I had that minifig in my
hand and I didn’t know the name of the character I will at least still be reassured
that with a simple search for some or all of those main minifig part colours
it will either bring up what I’m looking for or narrow it down considerably.
For example if I search for say both ‘Hair-DTN Legs-OGN’ that Henry minifig will
be the only minifigure match that comes up because it’s the only minifigure in
the catalog that currently includes both Dark Tan hair and Olive Green Legs.
Now even if I search for both ‘Hair-DTN Head-LNO’ I’m sure I will still only
get a very small page of matches and that’s before I’ve even attempted to narrow
down with character names Like Luke or Han or the colour/description of the torsos/legs
etc etc...
Essentially if minifigure descriptions were laid out in a format something like
this:-
Minifig Character/Type (*) - Torso/Arms-COLOUR (*), Hair/Headgear-COLOUR(*),
Head-COLOUR (*), Legs/Hips-COLOUR (*), (*Other Keywords)
where the (*) represents where keywords can be added for each core minifigure
component (as/when necessary) it would then mean a revised and more detailed
example of the Henry Minifigure might look something like this even though the
description may not need to be quite as detailed for helping to find this particular
minifig:-
Henry - Torso-RBR, Arms-WHT (Brown Waistcoat, White Tunic), Hair-DTN (Swept Back
Ponytail), Head-LNO (DS, Open Mouth Smile/Worried), Legs-OGN
Its worth mentioning that the ‘DS’ after head represents Double Sided Head (SS
= Single Sided) which would allow you to narrow down even further with just a
couple of extra letters added within search criteria
However one thing to also notice is that you can still search for specific colours
such as the ‘White’ print details found on legs or torsos such as the white tunic
without needing to worry about it bringing up core components in white as they
will only come up if you search ‘Arms-WHT’, Legs-WHT, Torso-WHT, Head-WHT, Hair-WHT
whereas searching for white alone would mean the colour can be set aside for
prints allowing you to be more specific with your overall minifig search results...
Here are a few more examples of how similar minifigs might look:-
Han Solo - Torso-WHT (Shirt), Hair-RBR, Head-LNO (SS, Smirk), Legs-RBR
Han Solo - Torso-WHT (Shirt), Hair-RBR (Wavy), Head-LNO (DS, Closed Eyes), Legs-DBR
Han Solo (Senior) - Torso-DBR (Jacket), Hair-LBG, Head-LNO (DS, Angry), Legs-BLK
(Printed Gunbelt)
Han Solo (Hoth) - Torso-DBL (Jacket), Headgear-DBL (Parka Hood), Head-LNO (SS,
Smirk), Hips-DBL, Legs-TAN (Printed Gunbelt)
Knight (Crusader Lion) - Torso-Red, Arms-BLU, Headgear-DGR (Neck Protector Helmet),
Head-YEL (SS), Hips-BLK, Legs-BLU
I appreciate in might not be to everyone’s liking but it does for the most part
seem to work and I’m pretty sure I could even use it to tackle all those samey
spider-man minifigs without having to worry too much about relying on vague (Web
Pattern) keywords and focusing more on the definitive colours of Torsos, legs,
hips, arms and definitive styles such as printed/legs arms etc…
But again just some ideas for another day perhaps?
|
If you don't want to type all of the long name, you can use the asterix (*)
to allow partial matches in the part names. This does not catch all situations,
but some at least.
Or if you want to search by main color only, use the https://www.bricklink.com/catalogColors.asp
page.
|
|
Author: | hpoort | Posted: | Mar 12, 2021 11:57 | Subject: | Re: Option to exclude incomplete instructions | Viewed: | 21 times | Topic: | Suggestions | |
|
| In Suggestions, Brick.Door writes:
| In Suggestions, Ninepartsred writes:
| We have the option to exclude incomplete sets from searches but I'm coming
across a lot of instructions entries that are missing parts and I'd like
to filter them out as I'm looking for complete ones.
I'm not suggesting disallowing individual parts as people may need them to
complete a set.
|
Interesting because incomplete minifigures can't be listed with the catalog
entry - they have to be listed as a custom item. I expect the same rules apply
to instructions.
Currently there is no way for sellers to indicate complete/incomplete except
for sets. So there is no way to flag them in searches. It would require programming
so is unlikely to happen.
|
Why would this involve any programming? You don't think an accomplished developer
as Dan would not have such a configuration setting in the database itself? I
would think this only involves the decision to do so, and to set one field value.
|
|
Author: | edk | Posted: | Mar 12, 2021 11:44 | Subject: | Re: Option to exclude incomplete instructions | Viewed: | 24 times | Topic: | Suggestions | |
|
| In Suggestions, Brick.Door writes:
| In Suggestions, Ninepartsred writes:
| We have the option to exclude incomplete sets from searches but I'm coming
across a lot of instructions entries that are missing parts and I'd like
to filter them out as I'm looking for complete ones.
I'm not suggesting disallowing individual parts as people may need them to
complete a set.
|
Interesting because incomplete minifigures can't be listed with the catalog
entry - they have to be listed as a custom item. I expect the same rules apply
to instructions.
Currently there is no way for sellers to indicate complete/incomplete except
for sets. So there is no way to flag them in searches. It would require programming
so is unlikely to happen.
|
But an incomplete mini-figure can be sold as parts, with multiple instruction
book sets there is no other option, There is a market for only book 1,2,3 etc..
especially in the sets of 6-7 parts. It would be great if there was a method
to break down the instruction sets for the sale of the individual booklets. I
am not holding my breath because the $ value of instruction sales is a very small
amount compared to parts/sets. I list some partials with a clear note in all
caps describing what is included.
|
|
Author: | peregrinator | Posted: | Mar 12, 2021 10:55 | Subject: | Re: Option to exclude incomplete instructions | Viewed: | 35 times | Topic: | Suggestions | |
|
| In Suggestions, psusaxman2000 writes:
| I don't spend much time search the catalog for instructions, so I'm more
curious than anything. Are you saying you are seeing instructions that are torn
or missing pages? This is the only reason that I would think for having "incomplete"
as an option.
|
Some instructions have multiple booklets, so if one or more are missing that
would be an "incomplete" set of instructions. For example, if you had only 1
or 2 booklets from the following instruction set and wanted to sell them, how
would you list them?
Of course this is just an example and not a very good one, I doubt many people
are looking for these. But maybe this one?
|
|
Author: | randyf | Posted: | Mar 12, 2021 10:12 | Subject: | Re: Colour Abbreviations for Catalog Navigation? | Viewed: | 29 times | Topic: | Suggestions | |
|
| In Suggestions, infinibrix writes:
| In Suggestions, SylvainLS writes:
| In Suggestions, infinibrix writes:
| Just an idea I’m putting out there for future consideration because with colour
abbreviations it can give you useful options for catalog use/navigation!
[…]
|
Using tags would bring the same searchability advantages without cluttering the
descriptions with incomprehensible jargon terms.
|
Granted but I don't expect that will be coming anytime soon....
|
And neither will abbreviating all of the color names in the catalog.
|
|
Author: | psusaxman2000 | Posted: | Mar 12, 2021 10:05 | Subject: | Re: Option to exclude incomplete instructions | Viewed: | 26 times | Topic: | Suggestions | |
|
| In Suggestions, Ninepartsred writes:
| We have the option to exclude incomplete sets from searches but I'm coming
across a lot of instructions entries that are missing parts and I'd like
to filter them out as I'm looking for complete ones.
I'm not suggesting disallowing individual parts as people may need them to
complete a set.
|
I don't spend much time search the catalog for instructions, so I'm more
curious than anything. Are you saying you are seeing instructions that are torn
or missing pages? This is the only reason that I would think for having "incomplete"
as an option.
I agree with a previous poster that this would be additional programming that
probably only servers a small purpose and personally if I was looking for instructions
that I couldn't get online and they were "incomplete" or had a note that
they were missing pages, I wouldn't purchase them in the first place so this
feels like a waste of effort personally.
|
|
Author: | Brick.Door | Posted: | Mar 12, 2021 09:59 | Subject: | Re: Option to exclude incomplete instructions | Viewed: | 29 times | Topic: | Suggestions | |
|
| In Suggestions, Ninepartsred writes:
| We have the option to exclude incomplete sets from searches but I'm coming
across a lot of instructions entries that are missing parts and I'd like
to filter them out as I'm looking for complete ones.
I'm not suggesting disallowing individual parts as people may need them to
complete a set.
|
Interesting because incomplete minifigures can't be listed with the catalog
entry - they have to be listed as a custom item. I expect the same rules apply
to instructions.
Currently there is no way for sellers to indicate complete/incomplete except
for sets. So there is no way to flag them in searches. It would require programming
so is unlikely to happen.
|
|
Author: | Ninepartsred | Posted: | Mar 12, 2021 09:23 | Subject: | Option to exclude incomplete instructions | Viewed: | 67 times | Topic: | Suggestions | Status: | Open | Vote: | [Yes|No] | |
|
| We have the option to exclude incomplete sets from searches but I'm coming
across a lot of instructions entries that are missing parts and I'd like
to filter them out as I'm looking for complete ones.
I'm not suggesting disallowing individual parts as people may need them to
complete a set.
|
|
Author: | infinibrix | Posted: | Mar 12, 2021 07:33 | Subject: | Re: Colour Abbreviations for Catalog Navigation? | Viewed: | 23 times | Topic: | Suggestions | |
|
| In Suggestions, SylvainLS writes:
| In Suggestions, infinibrix writes:
| Just an idea I’m putting out there for future consideration because with colour
abbreviations it can give you useful options for catalog use/navigation!
[…]
|
Using tags would bring the same searchability advantages without cluttering the
descriptions with incomprehensible jargon terms.
|
Granted but I don't expect that will be coming anytime soon....
|
|
Author: | SylvainLS | Posted: | Mar 12, 2021 07:26 | Subject: | Re: Colour Abbreviations for Catalog Navigation? | Viewed: | 26 times | Topic: | Suggestions | |
|
| In Suggestions, infinibrix writes:
| Just an idea I’m putting out there for future consideration because with colour
abbreviations it can give you useful options for catalog use/navigation!
[…]
|
Using tags would bring the same searchability advantages without cluttering the
descriptions with incomprehensible jargon terms.
|
|
Author: | infinibrix | Posted: | Mar 12, 2021 07:08 | Subject: | Colour Abbreviations for Catalog Navigation? | Viewed: | 205 times | Topic: | Suggestions | Status: | Open | Vote: | [Yes|No] | |
|
| Just an idea I’m putting out there for future consideration because with colour
abbreviations it can give you useful options for catalog use/navigation!
For starters I glanced at all the different colours and it didn’t appear to be
too difficult to give each colour a suitable 3 Letter abbreviation though it
goes without saying that a few colours may be forced to have a 4 letter abbreviation
but they will likely be just a very few obscure colours such as Very Light Bluish
Grey (VLBG) or Trans Light Bright Green (TLBG) but even if it became problematic
some colours may not even benefit as much from the need to have an abbreviation
compared to the more widely and commonly used colours
Either way here are just a few quick abbreviation examples:-
Black – BLK
White – WHT
Reddish Brown – RBR
Dark Brown – DBR
Light Bluish Grey – LBG
Dark Bluish Grey – DBG
Dark Grey – DGR
Red – RED
Blue – BLU
Dark Blue – DBL
Green – GRN
Olive Green – OGN
Tan – TAN
Dark Tan – DTN
Orange – ORG
Dark Orange – DOR
Yellow – YEL
It’s also worth mentioning that the idea would be to have these abbreviations
on display wherever we see colour descriptions which is pretty much anywhere
in the catalog and so if we had abbreviations like this I don’t think it would
take long for people to memorize them and put them to good use so that instead
of searching for ‘Dark Tan hair’ they can just search ‘DTN hair’ or instead of
‘Light Bluish Gray Helmets’ they can just search ‘LBG Helmets’. The other benefit
is that where space is limited in descriptions a Torso could contain ‘RBR Belt
Buckle’ instead of ‘Reddish Brown Belt Buckle’
However once you have colour abbreviations in places their uses can be extended
in other ways too for instance if they are combined with a minifigure part to
create a unique combined colour/part reference such as Legs-DBR (Dark Brown Legs)
or Torso-GRN (Green Torso) these combos can be exclusively used to narrow down
search results for minifigures in ways where you barely need to worry about trying
to guess or work out what keywords have been used and in some cases you won’t
even need to know the name of the character!
For Example if I start with this Henry Minifigure description in its most basic
form it would look something like this:-
Henry - Torso-RBR, Hair-DTN, Head-LNO, Legs-OGN
Granted it’s not the most visually pleasing of minifig descriptions and right
now you’re probably thinking it looks a confusing mess but translated it basically
reads ‘Reddish Brown Torso, Dark Tan Hair, Light Nougat Head and Olive Green
Legs
Now even before I add keywords to that description or even if it already had
keywords and I wasn’t sure what keywords to try? If I had that minifig in my
hand and I didn’t know the name of the character I will at least still be reassured
that with a simple search for some or all of those main minifig part colours
it will either bring up what I’m looking for or narrow it down considerably.
For example if I search for say both ‘Hair-DTN Legs-OGN’ that Henry minifig will
be the only minifigure match that comes up because it’s the only minifigure in
the catalog that currently includes both Dark Tan hair and Olive Green Legs.
Now even if I search for both ‘Hair-DTN Head-LNO’ I’m sure I will still only
get a very small page of matches and that’s before I’ve even attempted to narrow
down with character names Like Luke or Han or the colour/description of the torsos/legs
etc etc...
Essentially if minifigure descriptions were laid out in a format something like
this:-
Minifig Character/Type (*) - Torso/Arms-COLOUR (*), Hair/Headgear-COLOUR(*),
Head-COLOUR (*), Legs/Hips-COLOUR (*), (*Other Keywords)
where the (*) represents where keywords can be added for each core minifigure
component (as/when necessary) it would then mean a revised and more detailed
example of the Henry Minifigure might look something like this even though the
description may not need to be quite as detailed for helping to find this particular
minifig:-
Henry - Torso-RBR, Arms-WHT (Brown Waistcoat, White Tunic), Hair-DTN (Swept Back
Ponytail), Head-LNO (DS, Open Mouth Smile/Worried), Legs-OGN
Its worth mentioning that the ‘DS’ after head represents Double Sided Head (SS
= Single Sided) which would allow you to narrow down even further with just a
couple of extra letters added within search criteria
However one thing to also notice is that you can still search for specific colours
such as the ‘White’ print details found on legs or torsos such as the white tunic
without needing to worry about it bringing up core components in white as they
will only come up if you search ‘Arms-WHT’, Legs-WHT, Torso-WHT, Head-WHT, Hair-WHT
whereas searching for white alone would mean the colour can be set aside for
prints allowing you to be more specific with your overall minifig search results...
Here are a few more examples of how similar minifigs might look:-
Han Solo - Torso-WHT (Shirt), Hair-RBR, Head-LNO (SS, Smirk), Legs-RBR
Han Solo - Torso-WHT (Shirt), Hair-RBR (Wavy), Head-LNO (DS, Closed Eyes), Legs-DBR
Han Solo (Senior) - Torso-DBR (Jacket), Hair-LBG, Head-LNO (DS, Angry), Legs-BLK
(Printed Gunbelt)
Han Solo (Hoth) - Torso-DBL (Jacket), Headgear-DBL (Parka Hood), Head-LNO (SS,
Smirk), Hips-DBL, Legs-TAN (Printed Gunbelt)
Knight (Crusader Lion) - Torso-Red, Arms-BLU, Headgear-DGR (Neck Protector Helmet),
Head-YEL (SS), Hips-BLK, Legs-BLU
I appreciate in might not be to everyone’s liking but it does for the most part
seem to work and I’m pretty sure I could even use it to tackle all those samey
spider-man minifigs without having to worry too much about relying on vague (Web
Pattern) keywords and focusing more on the definitive colours of Torsos, legs,
hips, arms and definitive styles such as printed/legs arms etc…
But again just some ideas for another day perhaps?
|
|
Author: | hpoort | Posted: | Mar 12, 2021 02:56 | Subject: | Re: XML files | Viewed: | 24 times | Topic: | Suggestions | |
|
| In Suggestions, PMOman555 writes:
| So I want to create an xml file out of a normal bricklink parts list or stud.io
file. Is there any way this is possible without having to manually type each
individual letter to make the xml file?
|
If you are using Studio, you don't have to create a xml file as Studio can
upload your wanted list directly. Questions related to Studio belong on the Studio
forum: https://forum.bricklink.com
If you just have a list of parts, my reply in this thread might get you started:
https://www.bricklink.com/messageThread.asp?ID=285471
|
|
Author: | PMOman555 | Posted: | Mar 11, 2021 15:05 | Subject: | XML files | Viewed: | 63 times | Topic: | Suggestions | Status: | Open | Vote: | [Yes|No] | |
|
| So I want to create an xml file out of a normal bricklink parts list or stud.io
file. Is there any way this is possible without having to manually type each
individual letter to make the xml file?
|
|
Author: | gtg128b | Posted: | Mar 11, 2021 13:55 | Subject: | Re: Kraata Colors - More Specific | Viewed: | 37 times | Topic: | Suggestions | |
|
| In Suggestions, wozke writes:
| In Suggestions, ProneToDrift writes:
| I have noticed that a lot of listings for Kraata either do not have their
own photos or do not list the tail colors.
The page linked below has a great set of thumbnails with all known color
variations and stages of kraata. Would it be possible to add a drop down menu
or a select option so that when shops post Kraata they must choose the image
that most closely matches their piece?
That would eliminate the human error factor when posting Kraata and allow
people to more accurately choose what they want to buy based on coloration.
WebPage with Image Thumbnails:
https://biosector01.com/wiki/Kraata_Variations
|
I just got a big bag of Kraata's yesterday, with lots of color variations.
I've been listing these in the past as best as I could with the correct color
and tail description. But it is not perfect, I agree. For example, a lot of listings
for the "Pearl very light gray" kraata are listed as "white", "pearl white" "Pearl
light gray" of "Very light gray". So sellers find it already hard to list them
with the correct color. The tail color itself is a whole different story.
I like your idea as well, but I do think that Bricklink tries to minimize any
"special" features intended for specific parts, and rather tries to come up with
a generic solution.
Looking at the 6 Rahkshi sets, I think these all came with the same color+tail
color variation. So a Guurahk would have always included a metal blue kraata
with a medium blue tail. So in an ideal world, the bricklink entry for that set
would include that specific kraata. That would require a Kraata bricklink part
as " kraata with medium blue tail" (with "metal blue" as ).
But as there are a lot of different combinations, as can be seen in your (rather
excellent) link, that would mean a lot of differen new kraata entries. And that
could in turn cause new problems with the added complexity.
|
We should just have an entry for every combination. It is a finite number (36x6
+ 6x6 rahkshi + 6 shadow + 1 sneaker), just work to add all the catalog entries
and pics.
Putting aside the price guide only goes back 6 months, each kraata/stage has
its own rarity and hence value. Folks listing these with their own interpretation
of the color combinations is only skewing that value--and making it difficult
to set up listing notifications on that one kraata you've been looking for.
It also makes buying them a risk since you aren't really sure what you'll
get unless you spend time with extra communication.
Of course, we could spend all the time adding the variations and sellers could
still do a poor job of listing them.
|
|
Author: | hpoort | Posted: | Mar 11, 2021 07:30 | Subject: | Re: Image recognition feature | Viewed: | 42 times | Topic: | Suggestions | |
|
| In Suggestions, Grosoleil writes:
| It would be nice to have an image recognition feature for parts, especially minifigure
heads, there are so many!
|
Exists: https://instabrick.org/
|
Author: | Family.Bricks | Posted: | Mar 11, 2021 05:28 | Subject: | Re: Items with no dimensons - shipping trouble | Viewed: | 21 times | Topic: | Suggestions | |
|
| Thanks all!
For me personal, it looks like hunting down items without dimensions and update
those is the best way to deal with it. And then when adding new ones just keeping
an eye on it.
thanks again
|
|
Author: | bje | Posted: | Mar 11, 2021 04:11 | Subject: | Re: Items with no dimensons - shipping trouble | Viewed: | 36 times | Topic: | Suggestions | |
|
| In Suggestions, FamilyBricks_AT writes:
| Hello community,
I probably have missed the correct option to select, but heres my problem and
suggestion anyways.
I´ve ran into trouble with instant checkout on my little store, while buyers
have items ordered, which have no dimensions listed.
Since most lego parts are lightweight, for example the letter option (20/75g)
will be used if only weight (or nothing) is , and the restriction for height
(max 5mm for a letter austrian post) does no efect.
So shipping costs for example are set to 1€ for instant checkout, but with the
real dimensions of the item costs will be like 5,60 €.
I guess you get what I mean.
Is there any option already implemented?
"Backup for instant checkout" does not solve my problem
Would it be good to add an option in the settings, if items do not have dimensions
saved, and the buyer has one or more of them in the shopping-cart when checking
out, a warning should be shown and only QUOTE will be available?
I think this would be a great addition for both sellers and buyers. I appreciate
to get the correct shipping costs before I pay myself. And not having a discussion
after, maybe resulting in a bad feedback for no reason.
Thank you in advance for any help or opinions,
Gunny
|
BrickLink has given you as a seller a tool called instant checkout. Your shipping
settings you use in your store can be such that this tool is used or not, it
is a choice you as a seller must make, and buyers in your store have no say in
the matter. I think you have a duty as a seller to ensure that, if you use this
BrickLink tool, you set your store up properly and that you get all the help
you can possibly get from BrickLink to do so. I know you do not want to lose
money when buyers place orders, but I think it is very bad form to engage with
buyers for more money after they have paid the amount you said they must pay.
Where the dimensions are not set, you will see on an order the dimensions as
0 x 0 x 0 or ???. Those parts do not have dimensions. You can also get the items
manually in your inventory by going through your inventory pages and looking
for items with no dimensions. When you find such items, you can update the dimensions
in the packaging dimensions forum topic, so that the site updates the item and
that will update your your inventory with no trouble, or you can update them
in your inventory with huge problems. I would not recommend using manual dimensions
settings at all until BrickLink fixes the inventory page.
I do not think the site can manage instant quote generation, but it could be
a helpful tool. The trouble would be though that you as a seller get an email
message directly to your email for quotes and not on the messaging system, so
you can easily miss these requests if they end up in spam or promotions folders.
I also think that the purpose of instant checkout is to provide the total cost
the seller wants upfront, so it would be a bit weird to have to request a quote
again as no buyer can know at the time what would trigger such an event. And
lastly, items are not reserved for buyers in the quote process, so it might very
well be that the buyer lose the item while waiting for you to get back and answer.
Rather use the alternative below.
You can also set these items to "manual" only with no dimensions, then make a
manual shipping method and invoice orders with these items in, manually. Depending
on where you are, buyers will still have the option to request a cancellation
if they are not happy and you will then just cancel. That at least saves you
the costs of refunds as no money has been paid. It is a bit of extra admin work,
but I think that is safer than quote requests you might miss altogether.
There is also of course the alternative not to use the instant checkout tool
but to make your store entirely manual. You will anyway find that the vast majority
of instructions, decorated parts, sticker sheets, boxes and figures do not have
dimensions or have incorrect dimensions. So you need to make decisions regarding
the small settings you use for postage.
Also, before you part out new sets, check the catalogue entry for the set. New
parts are flagged "NEW" so you can make a note of those parts and edit the dimensions
directly when you part out the item. Just make sure you never make a change to
those parts afterwords. Alternatively, load everything up to an unused stockroom
and then check for items with no dimensions. Request those and then when fixed,
add your inventory.
|
|
Author: | bje | Posted: | Mar 11, 2021 04:07 | Subject: | Re: Items with no dimensons - shipping trouble | Viewed: | 28 times | Topic: | Suggestions | |
|
| In Suggestions, Bad_Girl writes:
| In Suggestions, FamilyBricks_AT writes:
|
...
|
Go to: https://www.bricklink.com/inventory.asp
click on (Show More Options) on the reight side.
Then on the last checkbox: Instant Checkout Unavailable
So you find, what parts are have no weight or size and you can add weight or
size manually.
|
Respectfully, that is only for parts with no weight. Parts with weight and no
dimensions or incorrect dimensions (such as instructions which borrow from box
dimensions for IC purposes) do not show up in that report.
|
|
Author: | Bad_Girl | Posted: | Mar 11, 2021 03:58 | Subject: | Re: Items with no dimensons - shipping trouble | Viewed: | 33 times | Topic: | Suggestions | |
|
| In Suggestions, FamilyBricks_AT writes:
| Hello community,
I probably have missed the correct option to select, but heres my problem and
suggestion anyways.
I´ve ran into trouble with instant checkout on my little store, while buyers
have items ordered, which have no dimensions listed.
Since most lego parts are lightweight, for example the letter option (20/75g)
will be used if only weight (or nothing) is , and the restriction for height
(max 5mm for a letter austrian post) does no efect.
So shipping costs for example are set to 1€ for instant checkout, but with the
real dimensions of the item costs will be like 5,60 €.
I guess you get what I mean.
Is there any option already implemented?
"Backup for instant checkout" does not solve my problem
Would it be good to add an option in the settings, if items do not have dimensions
saved, and the buyer has one or more of them in the shopping-cart when checking
out, a warning should be shown and only QUOTE will be available?
I think this would be a great addition for both sellers and buyers. I appreciate
to get the correct shipping costs before I pay myself. And not having a discussion
after, maybe resulting in a bad feedback for no reason.
Thank you in advance for any help or opinions,
Gunny
|
Go to: https://www.bricklink.com/inventory.asp
click on (Show More Options) on the reight side.
Then on the last checkbox: Instant Checkout Unavailable
So you find, what parts are have no weight or size and you can add weight or
size manually.
|
|
Author: | Brickwilbo | Posted: | Mar 11, 2021 03:27 | Subject: | Re: Items with no dimensons - shipping trouble | Viewed: | 16 times | Topic: | Suggestions | |
|
| In Suggestions, FamilyBricks_AT writes:
| Hello community,
I probably have missed the correct option to select, but heres my problem and
suggestion anyways.
I´ve ran into trouble with instant checkout on my little store, while buyers
have items ordered, which have no dimensions listed.
Since most lego parts are lightweight, for example the letter option (20/75g)
will be used if only weight (or nothing) is , and the restriction for height
(max 5mm for a letter austrian post) does no efect.
So shipping costs for example are set to 1€ for instant checkout, but with the
real dimensions of the item costs will be like 5,60 €.
I guess you get what I mean.
Is there any option already implemented?
"Backup for instant checkout" does not solve my problem
Would it be good to add an option in the settings, if items do not have dimensions
saved, and the buyer has one or more of them in the shopping-cart when checking
out, a warning should be shown and only QUOTE will be available?
I think this would be a great addition for both sellers and buyers. I appreciate
to get the correct shipping costs before I pay myself. And not having a discussion
after, maybe resulting in a bad feedback for no reason.
Thank you in advance for any help or opinions,
Gunny
|
For these items you can add a shipping option with Manual invoice and check the
Allow quote request checkbox.
|
|
Author: | Family.Bricks | Posted: | Mar 11, 2021 03:08 | Subject: | Items with no dimensons - shipping trouble | Viewed: | 69 times | Topic: | Suggestions | Status: | Open | Vote: | [Yes|No] | |
|
| Hello community,
I probably have missed the correct option to select, but heres my problem and
suggestion anyways.
I´ve ran into trouble with instant checkout on my little store, while buyers
have items ordered, which have no dimensions listed.
Since most lego parts are lightweight, for example the letter option (20/75g)
will be used if only weight (or nothing) is , and the restriction for height
(max 5mm for a letter austrian post) does no efect.
So shipping costs for example are set to 1€ for instant checkout, but with the
real dimensions of the item costs will be like 5,60 €.
I guess you get what I mean.
Is there any option already implemented?
"Backup for instant checkout" does not solve my problem
Would it be good to add an option in the settings, if items do not have dimensions
saved, and the buyer has one or more of them in the shopping-cart when checking
out, a warning should be shown and only QUOTE will be available?
I think this would be a great addition for both sellers and buyers. I appreciate
to get the correct shipping costs before I pay myself. And not having a discussion
after, maybe resulting in a bad feedback for no reason.
Thank you in advance for any help or opinions,
Gunny
|
|
Author: | Hexy | Posted: | Mar 11, 2021 02:16 | Subject: | Adding to wanted list image | Viewed: | 44 times | Topic: | Suggestions | Status: | Open | Vote: | [Yes|No] | |
|
| A couple of days ago I looked into some of my wanted lists to find several parts
marked as not applicable. I then went back to the catalogue entries and found
the issue. when adding an item to a wanted list before selecting a colour, the
image that shows is a coloured one, not one asking you to pick a colour. People
who just take a glance are fooled by a coloured image. I think it would be worth
adding a generic image, one that says please pick a colour or something like
that. The image below shows what I mean
Regards,
Theo - The_RealRedHex
|
|
|
Author: | MunchMan155 | Posted: | Mar 10, 2021 23:39 | Subject: | Price in search results | Viewed: | 50 times | Topic: | Suggestions | Status: | Open | Vote: | [Yes|No] | |
|
| I'd really like the see the order total in my Wanted search results. One
store may charge $20 for the parts I need, the one next to it charges $0.20.
I could save a lot of clicking and time by knowing which stores are not worth
clicking on. Sorting by price should come with this. Thanks!
|
|
Author: | atrbricks | Posted: | Mar 8, 2021 16:09 | Subject: | Re: Better inventory sort options | Viewed: | 42 times | Topic: | Suggestions | |
|
| In Suggestions, dmoser22 writes:
| I suggested this more than a year ago, but nothing ever came of it. Now that
I'm parting out sets more often, it is really becoming one of my biggest
pain points when dealing with BrickLink.
To make it easy to pick orders, my inventory is kept in the same order that I
choose to display orders received, namely "Category Name, Item Name, Color Name".
When parting out sets, however, I am limited to the "inventory" sorting options,
i.e. "Item" OR "Category", but not both. If I pick Category, all the Bricks
(for example) appear together, but in completely random order, which makes it
a pain to check them off and add them to my inventory. Conversely, if I pick
Item Name, the Bricks show up in the right order, but any part that does not
have the Category as the first part of the name shows up alphabetically instead
of grouped within its category. Animals and things in (Other) are the worst,
but lots of other parts fit the bill as well.
How hard would it be to provide the same sort options for inventories that are
already available for order, especially (for me, at least) "Category, Item Name,
Color Name"?
Thanks,
-djm
|
Yes PLEASE, with one addition. Category, Item Name, Item Number, Color Name.
This is how my inventory is organized and it would be REALLY helpful to be able
to sort inventory in this manner.
Katie
|
|
Author: | axaday | Posted: | Mar 8, 2021 11:54 | Subject: | Re: Image recognition feature | Viewed: | 38 times | Topic: | Suggestions | |
|
| In Suggestions, Grosoleil writes:
| It would be nice to have an image recognition feature for parts, especially minifigure
heads, there are so many!
|
Does anyone know the hair color to edit the name?
|
|
Author: | axaday | Posted: | Mar 8, 2021 11:54 | Subject: | Re: Image recognition feature | Viewed: | 32 times | Topic: | Suggestions | |
|
| In Suggestions, yorbrick writes:
| In Suggestions, Turez writes:
| In Suggestions, Grosoleil writes:
| It would be nice to have an image recognition feature for parts, especially minifigure
heads, there are so many!
|
Some item descriptions are a nightmare.
|
Yes, it is one of those where it is just named after someone rather than containing
a description of the features. Such names are only useful if you already know
who it is.
|
And if you know who it is you would search for the minifig.
|
|
Author: | randyf | Posted: | Mar 8, 2021 11:50 | Subject: | Re: Image recognition feature | Viewed: | 35 times | Topic: | Suggestions | |
|
| In Suggestions, starbeanie writes:
Wow. That is an absolutely awful picture. The whole part looks lavender.
|
|
Author: | yorbrick | Posted: | Mar 8, 2021 09:52 | Subject: | Re: Image recognition feature | Viewed: | 34 times | Topic: | Suggestions | |
|
| In Suggestions, Turez writes:
| In Suggestions, Grosoleil writes:
| It would be nice to have an image recognition feature for parts, especially minifigure
heads, there are so many!
|
Some item descriptions are a nightmare.
|
Yes, it is one of those where it is just named after someone rather than containing
a description of the features. Such names are only useful if you already know
who it is.
|
|
Author: | infinibrix | Posted: | Mar 8, 2021 09:30 | Subject: | Re: Image recognition feature | Viewed: | 44 times | Topic: | Suggestions | |
|
| In Suggestions, starbeanie writes:
Thanks I knew it was somewhere under racing minfigs but it seems its not a 'speed
racer' minifig but rather a 'Racer'
I think it needs the hair print added to description
|
|
Author: | starbeanie | Posted: | Mar 8, 2021 09:22 | Subject: | Re: Image recognition feature | Viewed: | 45 times | Topic: | Suggestions | |
|
|
In Suggestions, infinibrix writes:
| In Suggestions, axaday writes:
| In Suggestions, Grosoleil writes:
| It would be nice to have an image recognition feature for parts, especially minifigure
heads, there are so many!
|
What color is that hair? I guessed dark tan, but didn't find anything.
It's a primitive light nougat head. That should make it easy to find if
it is real, but I'd need to know that hair color.
|
When I first saw it I straight away thought it belonged to a Speed Racer minifig
or maybe vey old Harry Potter?
These have similar design style with the hair speaking of which it should be
coming up with a search for 'Light nougat head hair' as the hair is quite
a defining feature for that particular head but it did'nt come up when I
searched
|
|
|
Author: | Turez | Posted: | Mar 8, 2021 09:21 | Subject: | Re: Image recognition feature | Viewed: | 39 times | Topic: | Suggestions | |
|
| In Suggestions, Grosoleil writes:
| It would be nice to have an image recognition feature for parts, especially minifigure
heads, there are so many!
|
Some item descriptions are a nightmare.
|
|
Author: | infinibrix | Posted: | Mar 8, 2021 09:14 | Subject: | Re: Image recognition feature | Viewed: | 45 times | Topic: | Suggestions | |
|
| In Suggestions, axaday writes:
| In Suggestions, Grosoleil writes:
| It would be nice to have an image recognition feature for parts, especially minifigure
heads, there are so many!
|
What color is that hair? I guessed dark tan, but didn't find anything.
It's a primitive light nougat head. That should make it easy to find if
it is real, but I'd need to know that hair color.
|
When I first saw it I straight away thought it belonged to a Speed Racer minifig
or maybe vey old Harry Potter?
These have similar design style with the hair speaking of which it should be
coming up with a search for 'Light nougat head hair' as the hair is quite
a defining feature for that particular head but it did'nt come up when I
searched
|
|
Author: | axaday | Posted: | Mar 8, 2021 08:35 | Subject: | Re: Image recognition feature | Viewed: | 51 times | Topic: | Suggestions | |
|
| In Suggestions, Grosoleil writes:
| It would be nice to have an image recognition feature for parts, especially minifigure
heads, there are so many!
|
What color is that hair? I guessed dark tan, but didn't find anything.
It's a primitive light nougat head. That should make it easy to find if
it is real, but I'd need to know that hair color.
|
Author: | alexwilcox | Posted: | Mar 8, 2021 08:27 | Subject: | Re: Image recognition feature | Viewed: | 41 times | Topic: | Suggestions | |
|
| In Suggestions, Grosoleil writes:
| It would be nice to have an image recognition feature for parts, especially minifigure
heads, there are so many!
|
Have you tried figureitout.app? not image recognition but works really well for
heads! (did for me anyway!).
|
Author: | Grosoleil | Posted: | Mar 8, 2021 08:21 | Subject: | Image recognition feature | Viewed: | 151 times | Topic: | Suggestions | Status: | Open | Vote: | [Yes|No] | |
|
| It would be nice to have an image recognition feature for parts, especially minifigure
heads, there are so many!
|
|
|
Author: | bje | Posted: | Mar 7, 2021 05:04 | Subject: | Re: Generic payment method options | Viewed: | 35 times | Topic: | Suggestions | |
|
| In Suggestions, sylvie08 writes:
| Under payment methods can we please have a generic customised option that we
can create.
Ie afterrpay, zip pay, Hume, lay by, etc.
|
Agreed, but they should also fix the order status settings first as you cannot
manage credit sales, value adds or CoD sales.
And include payjustnow, wechatpay (you know that thing in LEGO's biggest
market by a mile), installment sale, deposits on reserved goods. As a seller
I know I have to innovate to still have my business survive in a severely stressed
economy. This includes allowing buyers to place orders while still having some
measure of assured cashflow.
|
|
Author: | calebfishn | Posted: | Mar 6, 2021 22:56 | Subject: | Re: Generic payment method options | Viewed: | 32 times | Topic: | Suggestions | |
|
| In Suggestions, sylvie08 writes:
| Under payment methods can we please have a generic customised option that we
can create.
Ie afterrpay, zip pay, Hume, lay by, etc.
|
CoinSquirt
|
Author: | sylvie08 | Posted: | Mar 6, 2021 21:51 | Subject: | Generic payment method options | Viewed: | 71 times | Topic: | Suggestions | Status: | Open | Vote: | [Yes|No] | |
|
| Under payment methods can we please have a generic customised option that we
can create.
Ie afterrpay, zip pay, Hume, lay by, etc.
|
|
Author: | Brickwilbo | Posted: | Mar 6, 2021 06:28 | Subject: | Re: general store coupon | Viewed: | 36 times | Topic: | Suggestions | |
|
| In Suggestions, peregrinator writes:
| In Suggestions, Stellar writes:
| In Suggestions, Brickwilbo writes:
| In Suggestions, sf_bricks writes:
| Hello,
it would be nice to have the option to create a general coupon what i can give
to customers for example what they can use the next time. At the moment there
is only the option to create a coupon directly to one user.
Whats your opinion?
|
Mass couponing has been disabled years ago to prevent spamming and replaced by
the current system.
A buyer can contact the store and request a coupon.
|
I think he means an option to create Coupon Codes that he can share.
|
You can do this by telling the people who use the coupon code to use manual checkout,
then credit them manually when invoicing.
|
This way the seller pays fees over the order total, before discount.
|
|
Author: | peregrinator | Posted: | Mar 6, 2021 06:22 | Subject: | Re: general store coupon | Viewed: | 20 times | Topic: | Suggestions | |
|
| In Suggestions, Stellar writes:
| In Suggestions, Brickwilbo writes:
| In Suggestions, sf_bricks writes:
| Hello,
it would be nice to have the option to create a general coupon what i can give
to customers for example what they can use the next time. At the moment there
is only the option to create a coupon directly to one user.
Whats your opinion?
|
Mass couponing has been disabled years ago to prevent spamming and replaced by
the current system.
A buyer can contact the store and request a coupon.
|
I think he means an option to create Coupon Codes that he can share.
|
You can do this by telling the people who use the coupon code to use manual checkout,
then credit them manually when invoicing.
|
|
Author: | Brickwilbo | Posted: | Mar 6, 2021 06:17 | Subject: | Re: general store coupon | Viewed: | 23 times | Topic: | Suggestions | |
|
| In Suggestions, Stellar writes:
| In Suggestions, Brickwilbo writes:
| In Suggestions, sf_bricks writes:
| Hello,
it would be nice to have the option to create a general coupon what i can give
to customers for example what they can use the next time. At the moment there
is only the option to create a coupon directly to one user.
Whats your opinion?
|
Mass couponing has been disabled years ago to prevent spamming and replaced by
the current system.
A buyer can contact the store and request a coupon.
|
I think he means an option to create Coupon Codes that he can share.
|
Yes, creating multiple coupons has been disabled for above reason.
Sellers can create personalized coupons on request.
|
|
Author: | Stellar | Posted: | Mar 6, 2021 06:12 | Subject: | Re: general store coupon | Viewed: | 25 times | Topic: | Suggestions | |
|
| In Suggestions, Brickwilbo writes:
| In Suggestions, sf_bricks writes:
| Hello,
it would be nice to have the option to create a general coupon what i can give
to customers for example what they can use the next time. At the moment there
is only the option to create a coupon directly to one user.
Whats your opinion?
|
Mass couponing has been disabled years ago to prevent spamming and replaced by
the current system.
A buyer can contact the store and request a coupon.
|
I think he means an option to create Coupon Codes that he can share.
|
|
Author: | Brickwilbo | Posted: | Mar 6, 2021 06:09 | Subject: | Re: general store coupon | Viewed: | 21 times | Topic: | Suggestions | |
|
| In Suggestions, sf_bricks writes:
| Hello,
it would be nice to have the option to create a general coupon what i can give
to customers for example what they can use the next time. At the moment there
is only the option to create a coupon directly to one user.
Whats your opinion?
|
Mass couponing has been disabled years ago to prevent spamming and replaced by
the current system.
A buyer can contact the store and request a coupon.
|
|
Author: | sf_bricks | Posted: | Mar 6, 2021 06:04 | Subject: | general store coupon | Viewed: | 80 times | Topic: | Suggestions | Status: | Open | Vote: | [Yes|No] | |
|
| Hello,
it would be nice to have the option to create a general coupon what i can give
to customers for example what they can use the next time. At the moment there
is only the option to create a coupon directly to one user.
Whats your opinion?
|
|
Author: | tons_of_bricks | Posted: | Mar 5, 2021 21:49 | Subject: | Re: Order status options | Viewed: | 27 times | Topic: | Suggestions | |
|
| In Suggestions, StrykerIndustry writes:
| If a buyer pays for an order outside of the Bricklink invoice, there's no
way to mark the order as shipped or complete. We've had several instances
of this in our store and the most we can do is mark the order as "packed". Please
expand these options.
|
I don't think that's allowed anymore for any states that have sales tax
(which is just about them all). By paying outside of bricklink, BL can't
collect the tax that they need to. It's basically tax evasion.
|
|
Author: | StrykerIndustry | Posted: | Mar 5, 2021 20:25 | Subject: | Order status options | Viewed: | 59 times | Topic: | Suggestions | Status: | Open | Vote: | [Yes|No] | |
|
| If a buyer pays for an order outside of the Bricklink invoice, there's no
way to mark the order as shipped or complete. We've had several instances
of this in our store and the most we can do is mark the order as "packed". Please
expand these options.
|
|
Author: | cosmicray | Posted: | Mar 3, 2021 13:23 | Subject: | Re: Move Daily Maintenance time: BL office hours | Viewed: | 51 times | Topic: | Suggestions | |
|
| In Suggestions, jennnifer writes:
| Please move the time for the daily maintenance (and any other site updates) to
a time when BrickLink staff are available to troubleshoot and fix problems.
|
and don't push changes, late on a Friday, before a 2-3 day weekend. Make
change day something like Monday or Tuesday.
Nita Rae
|
|
Author: | Stellar | Posted: | Mar 3, 2021 11:06 | Subject: | Re: Move Daily Maintenance time: BL office hours | Viewed: | 53 times | Topic: | Suggestions | |
|
| In Suggestions, jennnifer writes:
| Please move the time for the daily maintenance (and any other site updates) to
a time when BrickLink staff are available to troubleshoot and fix problems.
Since BrickLink is global, having the site down for a few minutes will always
inconvenience someone. As your tech support is not 24/7, it makes sense to make
changes to the site when someone is around to fix problems.
It would show us all that you are serious about addressing the issues around
here and that international sellers shouldn't have to bear the brunt of unexpected
errors.
Jen
|
They should probably release of features too, usually done late on a Friday...
|
|
Author: | jennnifer | Posted: | Mar 3, 2021 11:03 | Subject: | Move Daily Maintenance time: BL office hours | Viewed: | 161 times | Topic: | Suggestions | Status: | Open | Vote: | [Yes|No] | |
|
| Please move the time for the daily maintenance (and any other site updates) to
a time when BrickLink staff are available to troubleshoot and fix problems.
Since BrickLink is global, having the site down for a few minutes will always
inconvenience someone. As your tech support is not 24/7, it makes sense to make
changes to the site when someone is around to fix problems.
It would show us all that you are serious about addressing the issues around
here and that international sellers shouldn't have to bear the brunt of unexpected
errors.
Jen
|
|
Author: | bje | Posted: | Feb 27, 2021 11:47 | Subject: | Re: Please add Specials category to store lots | Viewed: | 58 times | Topic: | Suggestions | |
|
|
In Suggestions, cosmicray writes:
| In Suggestions, bje writes:
| Why must buyers search for items with marked down prices in a store?
|
|
...
|
How about this … When I see something that isn't moving at it's listed
price, I LOWER THE PRICE. Placing it on sale implies that it will be going back
up in price (which is a tenuous assumption on BL). Sellers here try every imaginable
tactic to interest buyers. If, as you are proposing, sale items become specially
visible, then that disadvantages me, who is merely reducing the price. Remember,
your objective is to look for the better price, regardless of what mechanism
gets it there
|
But as a seller you already have:
https://www.bricklink.com/v2/mystore/featured.page
which arguably disadvantage a seller only for the buyer who comes to a store
from easybuy, and then you've got the question what other interest they have
in your store. Although I must say I don't think I've ever landed at
a store where featured lots had anything other than the default options.
And tested and it works like it should: https://store.bricklink.com/bje&utm_content=globalnav#/shop
And I adore that hat - you should have it on top where it belongs, not at the
bottom
|
[2] Yes, I did tuck a footnote in this thread, that promotes something I have
listed
|
|
|
Author: | randyf | Posted: | Feb 27, 2021 11:32 | Subject: | Re: Please add Specials category to store lots | Viewed: | 35 times | Topic: | Suggestions | |
|
| In Suggestions, bje writes:
| In Suggestions, randyf writes:
...
|
Since you are reading and replying on the forum, would you mind replying to the
Inventory Change Request message I sent you two weeks ago?
|
Read from my mail server and working on it when it is affordable to do so.
|
So I am just being ignored. Okay, then.
|
|
Author: | cosmicray | Posted: | Feb 27, 2021 11:27 | Subject: | Re: Please add Specials category to store lots | Viewed: | 23 times | Topic: | Suggestions | |
|
| In Suggestions, bje writes:
| Why must buyers search for items with marked down prices in a store?
Please make a specials category on the left navigation frame on top of sets which
include items on sale or any other special interest items with the lot count
next to such items as well. So that instead of all the sets a seller has to offer
being the first thing a buyer sees, have a specials and sale items category first
which can be navigated in the same manner as sets, parts or anything else (this
might make it easier to see custom items as well).
|
How about this … When I see something that isn't moving at it's listed
price, I LOWER THE PRICE. Placing it on sale implies that it will be going back
up in price (which is a tenuous assumption on BL). Sellers here try every imaginable
tactic to interest buyers. If, as you are proposing, sale items become specially
visible, then that disadvantages me, who is merely reducing the price. Remember,
your objective is to look for the better price, regardless of what mechanism
gets it there [1][2]
Nita Rae
[1] presumably this is your buyer's hat …
[2] Yes, I did tuck a footnote in this thread, that promotes something I have
listed
|
|
Author: | bje | Posted: | Feb 27, 2021 11:18 | Subject: | Re: Please add Specials category to store lots | Viewed: | 36 times | Topic: | Suggestions | |
|
| In Suggestions, randyf writes:
...
|
Since you are reading and replying on the forum, would you mind replying to the
Inventory Change Request message I sent you two weeks ago?
|
Read from my mail server and working on it when it is affordable to do so.
|
|
Author: | popsicle | Posted: | Feb 27, 2021 11:18 | Subject: | Re: Please add Specials category to store lots | Viewed: | 21 times | Topic: | Suggestions | |
|
| In Suggestions, randyf writes:
| In Suggestions, bje writes:
| In Suggestions, popsicle writes:
| In Suggestions, bje writes:
| Why must buyers search for items with marked down prices in a store?
Please make a specials category on the left navigation frame on top of sets which
include items on sale or any other special interest items with the lot count
next to such items as well. So that instead of all the sets a seller has to offer
being the first thing a buyer sees, have a specials and sale items category first
which can be navigated in the same manner as sets, parts or anything else (this
might make it easier to see custom items as well).
|
I think it’s a fantastic idea! I’d certainly appreciate it. But…
https://www.bricklink.com/message.asp?ID=1255544
I’m actually at this time against any further "new" features on BL - the
list of things which need to be sorted grows by the day and I think as customers
we have enough experience to say now that any new feature comes with so many
problems that you are better off aborting when the idea is still gestating
Voted in the affirmative, anyway
|
I've got three hats on BL: buyer, seller and contributor - No prizes for
guessing which hat I'm wearing when
|
Since you are reading and replying on the forum, would you mind replying to the
Inventory Change Request message I sent you two weeks ago?
|
Let them fetch their "contributor" hat, first
|
|
Author: | popsicle | Posted: | Feb 27, 2021 11:16 | Subject: | Re: Please add Specials category to store lots | Viewed: | 31 times | Topic: | Suggestions | |
|
| In Suggestions, bje writes:
| In Suggestions, popsicle writes:
| In Suggestions, bje writes:
| Why must buyers search for items with marked down prices in a store?
Please make a specials category on the left navigation frame on top of sets which
include items on sale or any other special interest items with the lot count
next to such items as well. So that instead of all the sets a seller has to offer
being the first thing a buyer sees, have a specials and sale items category first
which can be navigated in the same manner as sets, parts or anything else (this
might make it easier to see custom items as well).
|
I think it’s a fantastic idea! I’d certainly appreciate it. But…
https://www.bricklink.com/message.asp?ID=1255544
I’m actually at this time against any further "new" features on BL - the
list of things which need to be sorted grows by the day and I think as customers
we have enough experience to say now that any new feature comes with so many
problems that you are better off aborting when the idea is still gestating
Voted in the affirmative, anyway
|
I've got three hats on BL: buyer, seller and contributor - No prizes for
guessing which hat I'm wearing when
|
Just the three...
I've got several, depending on the mood I wake-up in. But it's not hard
"guessing which hat I'm wearing" I don't have much of a filter between
brain n' keyboard. Working on it, though
|
|
Author: | randyf | Posted: | Feb 27, 2021 11:08 | Subject: | Re: Please add Specials category to store lots | Viewed: | 34 times | Topic: | Suggestions | |
|
| In Suggestions, bje writes:
| In Suggestions, popsicle writes:
| In Suggestions, bje writes:
| Why must buyers search for items with marked down prices in a store?
Please make a specials category on the left navigation frame on top of sets which
include items on sale or any other special interest items with the lot count
next to such items as well. So that instead of all the sets a seller has to offer
being the first thing a buyer sees, have a specials and sale items category first
which can be navigated in the same manner as sets, parts or anything else (this
might make it easier to see custom items as well).
|
I think it’s a fantastic idea! I’d certainly appreciate it. But…
https://www.bricklink.com/message.asp?ID=1255544
I’m actually at this time against any further "new" features on BL - the
list of things which need to be sorted grows by the day and I think as customers
we have enough experience to say now that any new feature comes with so many
problems that you are better off aborting when the idea is still gestating
Voted in the affirmative, anyway
|
I've got three hats on BL: buyer, seller and contributor - No prizes for
guessing which hat I'm wearing when
|
Since you are reading and replying on the forum, would you mind replying to the
Inventory Change Request message I sent you two weeks ago?
|
|
Author: | bje | Posted: | Feb 27, 2021 11:03 | Subject: | Re: Please add Specials category to store lots | Viewed: | 26 times | Topic: | Suggestions | |
|
| In Suggestions, popsicle writes:
| In Suggestions, bje writes:
| Why must buyers search for items with marked down prices in a store?
Please make a specials category on the left navigation frame on top of sets which
include items on sale or any other special interest items with the lot count
next to such items as well. So that instead of all the sets a seller has to offer
being the first thing a buyer sees, have a specials and sale items category first
which can be navigated in the same manner as sets, parts or anything else (this
might make it easier to see custom items as well).
|
I think it’s a fantastic idea! I’d certainly appreciate it. But…
https://www.bricklink.com/message.asp?ID=1255544
I’m actually at this time against any further "new" features on BL - the
list of things which need to be sorted grows by the day and I think as customers
we have enough experience to say now that any new feature comes with so many
problems that you are better off aborting when the idea is still gestating
Voted in the affirmative, anyway
|
I've got three hats on BL: buyer, seller and contributor - No prizes for
guessing which hat I'm wearing when
|
|
Author: | randyf | Posted: | Feb 27, 2021 11:01 | Subject: | Re: Please add Specials category to store lots | Viewed: | 24 times | Topic: | Suggestions | |
|
| In Suggestions, bje writes:
| Why must buyers search for items with marked down prices in a store?
Please make a specials category on the left navigation frame on top of sets which
include items on sale or any other special interest items with the lot count
next to such items as well. So that instead of all the sets a seller has to offer
being the first thing a buyer sees, have a specials and sale items category first
which can be navigated in the same manner as sets, parts or anything else (this
might make it easier to see custom items as well).
|
Should be fun for those stores that always have everything on sale all the time.
Everything would be lumped in the "Specials" area, leaving nothing in the other
areas!
|
|
Author: | popsicle | Posted: | Feb 27, 2021 11:00 | Subject: | Re: Please add Specials category to store lots | Viewed: | 32 times | Topic: | Suggestions | |
|
| In Suggestions, bje writes:
| Why must buyers search for items with marked down prices in a store?
Please make a specials category on the left navigation frame on top of sets which
include items on sale or any other special interest items with the lot count
next to such items as well. So that instead of all the sets a seller has to offer
being the first thing a buyer sees, have a specials and sale items category first
which can be navigated in the same manner as sets, parts or anything else (this
might make it easier to see custom items as well).
|
I think it’s a fantastic idea! I’d certainly appreciate it. But…
https://www.bricklink.com/message.asp?ID=1255544
I’m actually at this time against any further "new" features on BL - the
list of things which need to be sorted grows by the day and I think as customers
we have enough experience to say now that any new feature comes with so many
problems that you are better off aborting when the idea is still gestating
Voted in the affirmative, anyway
|
|
Author: | bje | Posted: | Feb 27, 2021 10:07 | Subject: | Please add Specials category to store lots | Viewed: | 105 times | Topic: | Suggestions | Status: | Open | Vote: | [Yes|No] | |
|
| Why must buyers search for items with marked down prices in a store?
Please make a specials category on the left navigation frame on top of sets which
include items on sale or any other special interest items with the lot count
next to such items as well. So that instead of all the sets a seller has to offer
being the first thing a buyer sees, have a specials and sale items category first
which can be navigated in the same manner as sets, parts or anything else (this
might make it easier to see custom items as well).
|
|
Author: | bje | Posted: | Feb 26, 2021 15:38 | Subject: | Re: No longer make NSS default communication | Viewed: | 56 times | Topic: | Suggestions | |
|
| THIS
Is the only good thing in XP. I've often wondered why BrickLink would go
break the NPB system,break the order status system, break the inventory system
and break the helpdesk system in their drive to make XP the only workable thing
around here, when they at least could have brought this over to the main site
and have given both buyers and sellers modern tools to resolve issues without
it going the aggro way first and foremost.
But sellers should have problem resolution terms too, and sellers should be knowledgeable.
How many sellers do not know that an incomplete order is also an NSS. So what
must the buyer do when faced with a seller who does not know the basics of the
platform?
So bring the problem resolution tools over to the main site, but with a caveat
- if a buyer chooses the wrong option, such as filing an NSS when the order has
been shipped, then there must be some way for sellers to fix the fact that the
reporting is wrong, without resorting to the helpdesk or making new users jump
through hoops.
In Suggestions, CanadaFirst writes:
| We've had this situaton happen a couple of times in the past:
A new or new-ish user to the site places and order and receives it. There is
either a part missing, something that got broken in transit or any other situation.
The user, not being used to dealing with the platform, goes to the order and
sees the 'report a problem' link. They click it, follow the instructions
and then BLAM! we have an NSS to deal with. When we explain the situation to
them they understand that they should have sent a message and they remove the
NSS but this is counterintuitive.
If someone clicks on the 'report a problem' link the system should work
differently. Example, they click the link, select that a part was missing
or whatever and then they get a popup with two choices. One is contact buyer
and sends a message, the other is create an NSS and it has something like 'I
contacted the buyer and did not receive a response for 24 hours and want to go
ahead with further escalation' or something to that effect.
This would make things easier on everyone and help educate customers better.
Last time we received such an NSS, the client removed it and said that he had
realized that he had made the mistake himself while ordering, this never should
have been escalated. NSS is a process that requires a lot more work to resolve
than simple messages.
|
|
|
Author: | CanadaFirst | Posted: | Feb 26, 2021 15:18 | Subject: | Re: No longer make NSS default communication | Viewed: | 31 times | Topic: | Suggestions | |
|
| Agreed, not blaming the buyers for this, it's the system that's problematic. |
|
Author: | Emporiosa | Posted: | Feb 26, 2021 15:09 | Subject: | Re: No longer make NSS default communication | Viewed: | 39 times | Topic: | Suggestions | |
|
| In Suggestions, CanadaFirst writes:
| We've had this situaton happen a couple of times in the past:
A new or new-ish user to the site places and order and receives it. There is
either a part missing, something that got broken in transit or any other situation.
The user, not being used to dealing with the platform, goes to the order and
sees the 'report a problem' link. They click it, follow the instructions
and then BLAM! we have an NSS to deal with. When we explain the situation to
them they understand that they should have sent a message and they remove the
NSS but this is counterintuitive.
If someone clicks on the 'report a problem' link the system should work
differently. Example, they click the link, select that a part was missing
or whatever and then they get a popup with two choices. One is contact buyer
and sends a message, the other is create an NSS and it has something like 'I
contacted the buyer and did not receive a response for 24 hours and want to go
ahead with further escalation' or something to that effect.
This would make things easier on everyone and help educate customers better.
Last time we received such an NSS, the client removed it and said that he had
realized that he had made the mistake himself while ordering, this never should
have been escalated. NSS is a process that requires a lot more work to resolve
than simple messages.
|
Voted yes; it's not the buyer's fault as the current system points them
in that direction. This would help everyone in the BL community.
|
|
|
Author: | CanadaFirst | Posted: | Feb 26, 2021 14:06 | Subject: | No longer make NSS default communication | Viewed: | 136 times | Topic: | Suggestions | Status: | Open | Vote: | [Yes|No] | |
|
| We've had this situaton happen a couple of times in the past:
A new or new-ish user to the site places and order and receives it. There is
either a part missing, something that got broken in transit or any other situation.
The user, not being used to dealing with the platform, goes to the order and
sees the 'report a problem' link. They click it, follow the instructions
and then BLAM! we have an NSS to deal with. When we explain the situation to
them they understand that they should have sent a message and they remove the
NSS but this is counterintuitive.
If someone clicks on the 'report a problem' link the system should work
differently. Example, they click the link, select that a part was missing
or whatever and then they get a popup with two choices. One is contact buyer
and sends a message, the other is create an NSS and it has something like 'I
contacted the buyer and did not receive a response for 24 hours and want to go
ahead with further escalation' or something to that effect.
This would make things easier on everyone and help educate customers better.
Last time we received such an NSS, the client removed it and said that he had
realized that he had made the mistake himself while ordering, this never should
have been escalated. NSS is a process that requires a lot more work to resolve
than simple messages.
|
|
Author: | Stellar | Posted: | Feb 26, 2021 04:43 | Subject: | Re: How are catalog colors made? | Viewed: | 42 times | Topic: | Suggestions | |
|
| In Suggestions, ybtfbiwgw writes:
| What's the process for color selection when making the little "swatch" next
to every color in the catalog? My guess is taking a picture of a part and eyedropping
the color in Photoshop. For the less straightforward colors like trans, chrome,
speckled, etc. how do you decide what's the best representation of them as
one solid color?
Going along with that, I think it would be cool if those special colors had more
unique swatches. For example, glitter's look like regular colors, so I think
there should be little shiny dots to separate it from the solid colors. Speckled
should be speckled with their respective colors. Obviously it would be a ridiculous
priority for admins, but it would be a nice detail maybe someday.
|
Here you can check different values to generate the colors:
http://ryanhowerter.net/colors.php
|
|
Author: | Admin_Russell | Posted: | Feb 25, 2021 21:18 | Subject: | Re: How are catalog colors made? | Viewed: | 45 times | Topic: | Suggestions | |
|
|
BrickLink ID CardAdmin_Russell
|
Location: USA, California |
Member Since |
Contact |
Type |
Status |
May 9, 2017 |
|
Admin |
|
|
BrickLink Administrator |
|
| In Catalog, ybtfbiwgw writes:
| What's the process for color selection when making the little "swatch" next
to every color in the catalog? My guess is taking a picture of a part and eyedropping
the color in Photoshop. For the less straightforward colors like trans, chrome,
speckled, etc. how do you decide what's the best representation of them as
one solid color?
Going along with that, I think it would be cool if those special colors had more
unique swatches. For example, glitter's look like regular colors, so I think
there should be little shiny dots to separate it from the solid colors. Speckled
should be speckled with their respective colors. Obviously it would be a ridiculous
priority for admins, but it would be a nice detail maybe someday.
|
We just enter an RGB code - that's it. And most of these have been there
for about 15 years. We make manual adjustments in cases where the swatches could
be misleading.
This is something we could consider. I'll change this thread to a suggestion
so we don't lose it.
|
|
Author: | wyvern | Posted: | Feb 25, 2021 20:17 | Subject: | How are catalog colors made? | Viewed: | 75 times | Topic: | Suggestions | Status: | Open | Vote: | [Yes|No] | |
|
| What's the process for color selection when making the little "swatch" next
to every color in the catalog? My guess is taking a picture of a part and eyedropping
the color in Photoshop. For the less straightforward colors like trans, chrome,
speckled, etc. how do you decide what's the best representation of them as
one solid color?
Going along with that, I think it would be cool if those special colors had more
unique swatches. For example, glitter's look like regular colors, so I think
there should be little shiny dots to separate it from the solid colors. Speckled
should be speckled with their respective colors. Obviously it would be a ridiculous
priority for admins, but it would be a nice detail maybe someday.
|
|
|
Author: | SylvainLS | Posted: | Feb 25, 2021 15:37 | Subject: | Re: Shipping cost included in auto cart creation | Viewed: | 26 times | Topic: | Suggestions | |
|
| In Suggestions, Pendra38 writes:
| Many times I run into the problem that the auto cart creating feature creates
unnecessary carts. It does that because that other store has the part a bit cheaper.
So it saves like 0.1 Euro. However, the extra card creates an extra 3-4 Euro
shipping cost.
Would it be possible to add the following features.
Filter not only for seller Country but to seller City/Location. This would facilitate
personal pickup to cut down on the shipping.
Also add an input field for a flat shipping cost figure. In my country, the domestic
shipping cost is about 4 Euro. If I could add that into the equation, I think
Bricklink would cut down on the needless carts and would tend create the optimal
solution with Shipping cost included.
Thank you!
|
The algorithms have been said to include an approximation of the shipping costs
(something like the recent¹ average¹ cost¹ between the seller’s and buyer’s adresses¹).
(¹ Whatever those words mean….)
|
|
Author: | Brickwilbo | Posted: | Feb 25, 2021 15:25 | Subject: | Re: Shipping cost included in auto cart creation | Viewed: | 22 times | Topic: | Suggestions | |
|
| In Suggestions, Pendra38 writes:
| Many times I run into the problem that the auto cart creating feature creates
unnecessary carts. It does that because that other store has the part a bit cheaper.
So it saves like 0.1 Euro. However, the extra card creates an extra 3-4 Euro
shipping cost.
Would it be possible to add the following features.
Filter not only for seller Country but to seller City/Location. This would facilitate
personal pickup to cut down on the shipping.
|
This has been suggested before but will not be implemented for privacy reasons.
| Also add an input field for a flat shipping cost figure. In my country, the domestic
shipping cost is about 4 Euro. If I could add that into the equation, I think
Bricklink would cut down on the needless carts and would tend create the optimal
solution with Shipping cost included.
Thank you!
|
|
|
Author: | Pendra38 | Posted: | Feb 25, 2021 14:57 | Subject: | Shipping cost included in auto cart creation | Viewed: | 50 times | Topic: | Suggestions | Status: | Open | Vote: | [Yes|No] | |
|
| Many times I run into the problem that the auto cart creating feature creates
unnecessary carts. It does that because that other store has the part a bit cheaper.
So it saves like 0.1 Euro. However, the extra card creates an extra 3-4 Euro
shipping cost.
Would it be possible to add the following features.
Filter not only for seller Country but to seller City/Location. This would facilitate
personal pickup to cut down on the shipping.
Also add an input field for a flat shipping cost figure. In my country, the domestic
shipping cost is about 4 Euro. If I could add that into the equation, I think
Bricklink would cut down on the needless carts and would tend create the optimal
solution with Shipping cost included.
Thank you!
|
|
Author: | Tracyd | Posted: | Feb 23, 2021 14:41 | Subject: | Wanted List streamlining | Viewed: | 59 times | Topic: | Suggestions | Status: | Open | Vote: | [Yes|No] | |
|
| When building a Wanted List if you use the part number we shouldn't have
to pick a part category.
|
|
Author: | Teup | Posted: | Feb 22, 2021 12:32 | Subject: | Re: Brexit | Viewed: | 107 times | Topic: | Suggestions | |
|
| In Suggestions, Stellar writes:
| In Suggestions, Teup writes:
| In Suggestions, patpendlego writes:
| In Suggestions, Teup writes:
[snip]
| Everything is just so backwards, I am not a tax expert by a long shot but let's
just look at this from a logic perspective:
If it was legally valid to write "Bricklink order" on your invoice, then the
EU and the UK would have had an emergency meeting by now because they realised
that almost all of the international trade is being labelled "Bricklink order"
It can't work like that. So yeah, EITHER Bricklink is the seller and WE sell
to Bricklink - thus a US export, export to US rules apply - OR we sell to the
customer in their country AND that country's rules apply.
From the persective of the seller, these are simply the only two ways. As a seller
you need to have invoices that mention the country, and then apply the rules
for THAT country. There is only "United States" or "United Kingdom". There's
simply no such thing as "United Kingdom-but-it's-a-Bricklink-order-and-Bricklink-said-it's-fine"
Or am I too pessimstic about the amount of patience tax agencies have when doing
audits and people come up with stories about platform selling (without hard evidence)?
|
Read the link below, this is not something new. The UK already started in 2016
with quote: "special provisions for online marketplaces".
http://kluwertaxblog.com/2020/02/26/online-marketplaces-and-eu-vat-global-reach-but-compliance-still-local/
These changes to come have been known for 4 years up until Jan 1, 2021.
The OMP is liable. Not just for VAT, but also for the transaction to the buyer.
A BrickLink Order has become a transaction between 3 parties: the buyer, the
(overseas) seller, and BrickLink is now involed too.
All this because governments/countries want to VAT low valued transactions because
of the high volume and thus high 'income' there is to gain by taxing.
|
So, what does the seller's invoice look like?
|
Like this:
|
I was referring to the invoice that the seller makes... you cannot make an invoice
with the buying party located in the UK but without applying the UK rules...
The buyer needs to be Bricklink if Bricklink takes care of the VAT, so the buying
party should not be the name + address of your buyer, but Briclink Ltd in California..
If you're making invoices for clients in the UK while letting Bricklink take
care of VAT, you're going to be in trouble.. if Bricklink does not provide
its tax ID, the authorities have absolutely no way of checking whether any particular
one of your transactions was indeed done correctly..
|
|
Author: | yorbrick | Posted: | Feb 22, 2021 08:15 | Subject: | Re: Brexit | Viewed: | 50 times | Topic: | Suggestions | |
|
| | As long as BL is registered as a marketplace, then they have to collect the VAT,
invoice the customer and be responsible for the goods, as Arnoud said. Sellers
are only fulfillment partners, like on Amazon.
If they do not meet ALL of the requirements for an OMP, they should not have
registered as such. They can still change their registration to an ordinary vendor
and actually inform sellers what they are doing while waiting. This dense wall
of non-communication about what they are doing is what is causing the confusion,
not HMRC or tax experts or whatever.
|
This has already been posted by BL staff in response to a US / non-UK seller
about VAT:
https://www.bricklink.com/message.asp?ID=1245416
BrickLink is now a registered marketplace in the UK, meaning the burden of
the
VAT is on BrickLink, and not you as a seller. You can send whatever size of
order you like to the UK on BrickLink. Don't feel you need to limit orders
to 135 GBP and above.
From the wording, I would take it as the burden of the VAT calculation and collection
is on BL, not on individual sellers. Quite why this statement was made at that
time, I do not know, as it is clear that BL are not calculating or collecting
VAT for imports into the UK.
|
|
Author: | leggodtshop | Posted: | Feb 22, 2021 07:32 | Subject: | Re: Brexit | Viewed: | 56 times | Topic: | Suggestions | |
|
| In Suggestions, bje writes:
| In Suggestions, calsbricks writes:
...
Afternoon Bill
All is well here thank you, but all is obviously not well in the BL world (nothing
new there). Hope you and your family are safe.
| Hi Jean trust you are keeping safe and well
I pretty much agree with all you are saying but even that leaves all kinds of
questions. How have they registered as an OMP or not - they haven't said
directly.
|
Actually, Russell said they registered as an OMP for UK VAT purposes, and I've
not seen anything to the contrary from BL's side.
https://www.bricklink.com/message.asp?ID=1243028
and quote: "BrickLink is now officially registered as a marketplace with the
UK"
| Russell has maintained in several threads and messages that the UK
will be treated differently to the EU. We will see about that.
|
|
BrickLink is an online marktplace by any definition I encountered, not just UK.
If the marketplace has an active role, which means not just bringing together
supply and demand, then it is a marketplace. And yes, BrickLink is very active:
supporting ordering, invoicing, stock maintainance, quotes, payment method supports,
etc. So, definitely an OMP. Regardless whether they have registered as such,
they will be deemed as such, and be liable as such.
|
Could be, if the UK laws are different to the EU laws when it comes to this issue.
But even if so, they need to sort this UK issue at some point, because the EU
would be a fair bit more work.
|
Rules can and are different for different countries a/o states. As OMP this is
a huge burden on IT and administration.
The EU attempts to simplify rules and regulations, but these will take effect
only as of July 1, 2021. Even then, country-specific regulations are still possible.
|
I'm starting to think actually that they are just normally registered and
trying to figure out a way to collect VAT on imports without becoming fully liable
for orders. It is a stated goal of BrickLinbk management to collect all taxes
on all orders, heaven help us. This is the only possible understanding I can
get from the mixed messages coming out, and if that is the case, I don't
know if a person must laugh or cry, because it would be so horribly stupid if
sellers had to stop shipping for two months to the UK because BrickLink cannot
determine what type of registration it has.
But until they do not make an announcement to whatever effect, I don't think
it wise to take chances and ship to the UK. I'm also too lazy to register
myself for VAT while I wait for them, and then deregister when they finally figure
out that they are sucking on the ring end of the rubber dummy.
|
As for collecting vat on orders he has denied that on several occasions. Hard
to go back on that now and it would be worse than spaghetti code trying to sort
that out. UK sellers prices are inclusive of VAT otherwise the seller is writing
off 20^ off the top and that is not healthy. So major changes would have to be
put in place to create fairness and transparency in pricing.
As for xp it has now been around for several years and to be honest we have nothing
- the claims that it will sit alongside classic are just to keep stores happy
as no one wants to maintain 2 separate systems. XP, in ours, and many others
opinions will not succeed for the majority of parts stores - it might work for
sets and one time buyers but the concept is wrong and unless they go back to
the drawing board (and they are not known for doing that) it will kill the site,
in our opinion or at least change the dimensions.
Having said all that the crystal ball is very murky over this entire thing. Lack
of detailed communication and much speculation just creates 'fake news'
really and we have had enough of that.
They definitely need to work more closely with the 'stakeholders' which
we thought would happen when TLG took over, but Bricklink are a small element
of a very large corporation so how much weight they carry remains to be seen.
Anyway take care of yourself and family - get your jab when you can and in the
meantime keep safe
|
|
|
|
Author: | Teup | Posted: | Feb 22, 2021 07:26 | Subject: | Re: Brexit | Viewed: | 53 times | Topic: | Suggestions | |
|
| In Suggestions, patpendlego writes:
| In Suggestions, Teup writes:
| In Suggestions, patpendlego writes:
| In Suggestions, Teup writes:
[snip]
| Everything is just so backwards, I am not a tax expert by a long shot but let's
just look at this from a logic perspective:
If it was legally valid to write "Bricklink order" on your invoice, then the
EU and the UK would have had an emergency meeting by now because they realised
that almost all of the international trade is being labelled "Bricklink order"
It can't work like that. So yeah, EITHER Bricklink is the seller and WE sell
to Bricklink - thus a US export, export to US rules apply - OR we sell to the
customer in their country AND that country's rules apply.
From the persective of the seller, these are simply the only two ways. As a seller
you need to have invoices that mention the country, and then apply the rules
for THAT country. There is only "United States" or "United Kingdom". There's
simply no such thing as "United Kingdom-but-it's-a-Bricklink-order-and-Bricklink-said-it's-fine"
Or am I too pessimstic about the amount of patience tax agencies have when doing
audits and people come up with stories about platform selling (without hard evidence)?
|
Read the link below, this is not something new. The UK already started in 2016
with quote: "special provisions for online marketplaces".
http://kluwertaxblog.com/2020/02/26/online-marketplaces-and-eu-vat-global-reach-but-compliance-still-local/
These changes to come have been known for 4 years up until Jan 1, 2021.
The OMP is liable. Not just for VAT, but also for the transaction to the buyer.
A BrickLink Order has become a transaction between 3 parties: the buyer, the
(overseas) seller, and BrickLink is now involed too.
All this because governments/countries want to VAT low valued transactions because
of the high volume and thus high 'income' there is to gain by taxing.
|
So, what does the seller's invoice look like?
|
The seller is not invoicing anymore. BrickLink is. The seller is merely a third-party
provider allowing BrickLink to sell their items. The customer buys from BrickLink.
E.g. like bol.com
|
Good luck explaining that to the Belastingdienst...
|
|
Author: | bje | Posted: | Feb 22, 2021 06:47 | Subject: | Re: Brexit | Viewed: | 54 times | Topic: | Suggestions | |
|
| In Suggestions, calsbricks writes:
...
Afternoon Bill
All is well here thank you, but all is obviously not well in the BL world (nothing
new there). Hope you and your family are safe.
| Hi Jean trust you are keeping safe and well
I pretty much agree with all you are saying but even that leaves all kinds of
questions. How have they registered as an OMP or not - they haven't said
directly.
|
Actually, Russell said they registered as an OMP for UK VAT purposes, and I've
not seen anything to the contrary from BL's side.
https://www.bricklink.com/message.asp?ID=1243028
and quote: "BrickLink is now officially registered as a marketplace with the
UK"
| Russell has maintained in several threads and messages that the UK
will be treated differently to the EU. We will see about that.
|
Could be, if the UK laws are different to the EU laws when it comes to this issue.
But even if so, they need to sort this UK issue at some point, because the EU
would be a fair bit more work.
I'm starting to think actually that they are just normally registered and
trying to figure out a way to collect VAT on imports without becoming fully liable
for orders. It is a stated goal of BrickLinbk management to collect all taxes
on all orders, heaven help us. This is the only possible understanding I can
get from the mixed messages coming out, and if that is the case, I don't
know if a person must laugh or cry, because it would be so horribly stupid if
sellers had to stop shipping for two months to the UK because BrickLink cannot
determine what type of registration it has.
But until they do not make an announcement to whatever effect, I don't think
it wise to take chances and ship to the UK. I'm also too lazy to register
myself for VAT while I wait for them, and then deregister when they finally figure
out that they are sucking on the ring end of the rubber dummy.
|
As for collecting vat on orders he has denied that on several occasions. Hard
to go back on that now and it would be worse than spaghetti code trying to sort
that out. UK sellers prices are inclusive of VAT otherwise the seller is writing
off 20^ off the top and that is not healthy. So major changes would have to be
put in place to create fairness and transparency in pricing.
As for xp it has now been around for several years and to be honest we have nothing
- the claims that it will sit alongside classic are just to keep stores happy
as no one wants to maintain 2 separate systems. XP, in ours, and many others
opinions will not succeed for the majority of parts stores - it might work for
sets and one time buyers but the concept is wrong and unless they go back to
the drawing board (and they are not known for doing that) it will kill the site,
in our opinion or at least change the dimensions.
Having said all that the crystal ball is very murky over this entire thing. Lack
of detailed communication and much speculation just creates 'fake news'
really and we have had enough of that.
They definitely need to work more closely with the 'stakeholders' which
we thought would happen when TLG took over, but Bricklink are a small element
of a very large corporation so how much weight they carry remains to be seen.
Anyway take care of yourself and family - get your jab when you can and in the
meantime keep safe
|
|
|
Author: | calsbricks | Posted: | Feb 22, 2021 06:15 | Subject: | Re: Brexit | Viewed: | 54 times | Topic: | Suggestions | |
|
| In Suggestions, bje writes:
| In Suggestions, calsbricks writes:
| In Suggestions, patpendlego writes:
|
...
| | | | The OMP is liable. Not just for VAT, but also for the transaction to the buyer.
A BrickLink Order has become a transaction between 3 parties: the buyer, the
(overseas) seller, and BrickLink is now involed too.
All this because governments/countries want to VAT low valued transactions because
of the high volume and thus high 'income' there is to gain by taxing.
|
So, what does the seller's invoice look like?
|
The seller is not invoicing anymore. BrickLink is. The seller is merely a third-party
provider allowing BrickLink to sell their items. The customer buys from BrickLink.
E.g. like bol.com
|
If that becomes the case, and it has already been said by admin it won't
be (at least for the UK)
|
Hmm, no actually, irrespective of admin says, there is something called a law.
As long as BL is registered as a marketplace, then they have to collect the VAT,
invoice the customer and be responsible for the goods, as Arnoud said. Sellers
are only fulfillment partners, like on Amazon.
If they do not meet ALL of the requirements for an OMP, they should not have
registered as such. They can still change their registration to an ordinary vendor
and actually inform sellers what they are doing while waiting. This dense wall
of non-communication about what they are doing is what is causing the confusion,
not HMRC or tax experts or whatever.
If they jumped the gun and thought they are the same as an American marketplace
for sales tax purposes, then they should just say so and fix it. It does not
take months and years to fix either. Tax is after all a question of law and fact.
If you factually do not meet the requirements for a legal registration, then
you go change it until you meet what is required. This is not a tax issue, it
is not a tax expert issue, it is not an HMRC issue, it is not even a VAT issue.
It is a management issue which must be managed for the benefit for all stakeholders.
Here is what an online marketplace for UK VAT purposes is - note the requirements
must ALL be met, else the platform cannot collect VAT as a platform and can only
collect VAT on their own turnover.
https://www.gov.uk/guidance/vat-and-overseas-goods-sold-to-customers-in-the-uk-using-online-marketplaces
What is a marketplace?
"HMRC’s definition of an online marketplace is a business using a website
or mobile phone app (such as a marketplace, platform or portal) to handle the
sale of goods to customers which meets all of the following conditions:
in any way sets the terms and conditions on how goods are supplied to the
customer
is involved in any way in authorising or facilitating customers’ payments
is involved in the ordering or delivery of the goods
A business will not be classed as an online marketplace if it only provides one
of the following services:
processing of payments for the supply of the goods to the customer
listing or advertisement of goods
redirection or transferring of customers to other websites or mobile phone
apps where goods are offered for sale, without any further involvement in any
sale that might take place on that website or app"
| then a lot of stores will disappear. They have said
repeatedly that they have no plans on charging vat on orders in the UK, other
than import/export situation.
|
It would be dependent on what the domestic situation is for fulfillment partners
in terms of the actual laws enacted. Here, the platform takes the sale, is responsible
and collects and pays VAT, irrespective if the local partner is registered or
not. The VAT status of the domestic partner is immaterial.
With all due respect, that is what XP will be anyway, and because they are dumping
all the V3 stuff to the classic site to amke XP work, it will have to go that
way. What is the use of saying you do not have to have onsite as a store, but
then buyers cannot checkout if you do not have onsite?
|
Mind you all of this is total speculation and that was mentioned by Russell in
this thread. They are lagging behind on getting this done, which is also increasingly
worrying. When it comes to making progrtammin chnages haste makes waste and they
are very much aware of that.
|
I don't think there is a development team. There is a maintenance team (probably
plumbers) who comes in once a month and sweeps the floor.
|
Hi Jean trust you are keeping safe and well
I pretty much agree with all you are saying but even that leaves all kinds of
questions. How have they registered as an OMP or not - they haven't said
directly. Russell has maintained in several threads and messages that the UK
will be treated differently to the EU. We will see about that.
As for collecting vat on orders he has denied that on several occasions. Hard
to go back on that now and it would be worse than spaghetti code trying to sort
that out. UK sellers prices are inclusive of VAT otherwise the seller is writing
off 20^ off the top and that is not healthy. So major changes would have to be
put in place to create fairness and transparency in pricing.
As for xp it has now been around for several years and to be honest we have nothing
- the claims that it will sit alongside classic are just to keep stores happy
as no one wants to maintain 2 separate systems. XP, in ours, and many others
opinions will not succeed for the majority of parts stores - it might work for
sets and one time buyers but the concept is wrong and unless they go back to
the drawing board (and they are not known for doing that) it will kill the site,
in our opinion or at least change the dimensions.
Having said all that the crystal ball is very murky over this entire thing. Lack
of detailed communication and much speculation just creates 'fake news'
really and we have had enough of that.
They definitely need to work more closely with the 'stakeholders' which
we thought would happen when TLG took over, but Bricklink are a small element
of a very large corporation so how much weight they carry remains to be seen.
Anyway take care of yourself and family - get your jab when you can and in the
meantime keep safe
|
|
Author: | leggodtshop | Posted: | Feb 22, 2021 05:17 | Subject: | Re: Brexit | Viewed: | 52 times | Topic: | Suggestions | |
|
| In Suggestions, bje writes:
| In Suggestions, calsbricks writes:
| In Suggestions, patpendlego writes:
|
...
| | | | The OMP is liable. Not just for VAT, but also for the transaction to the buyer.
A BrickLink Order has become a transaction between 3 parties: the buyer, the
(overseas) seller, and BrickLink is now involed too.
All this because governments/countries want to VAT low valued transactions because
of the high volume and thus high 'income' there is to gain by taxing.
|
So, what does the seller's invoice look like?
|
The seller is not invoicing anymore. BrickLink is. The seller is merely a third-party
provider allowing BrickLink to sell their items. The customer buys from BrickLink.
E.g. like bol.com
|
If that becomes the case, and it has already been said by admin it won't
be (at least for the UK)
|
Hmm, no actually, irrespective of admin says, there is something called a law.
As long as BL is registered as a marketplace, then they have to collect the VAT,
invoice the customer and be responsible for the goods, as Arnoud said. Sellers
are only fulfillment partners, like on Amazon.
If they do not meet ALL of the requirements for an OMP, they should not have
registered as such. They can still change their registration to an ordinary vendor
and actually inform sellers what they are doing while waiting. This dense wall
of non-communication about what they are doing is what is causing the confusion,
not HMRC or tax experts or whatever.
If they jumped the gun and thought they are the same as an American marketplace
for sales tax purposes, then they should just say so and fix it. It does not
take months and years to fix either. Tax is after all a question of law and fact.
If you factually do not meet the requirements for a legal registration, then
you go change it until you meet what is required. This is not a tax issue, it
is not a tax expert issue, it is not an HMRC issue, it is not even a VAT issue.
It is a management issue which must be managed for the benefit for all stakeholders.
Here is what an online marketplace for UK VAT purposes is - note the requirements
must ALL be met, else the platform cannot collect VAT as a platform and can only
collect VAT on their own turnover.
https://www.gov.uk/guidance/vat-and-overseas-goods-sold-to-customers-in-the-uk-using-online-marketplaces
What is a marketplace?
"HMRC’s definition of an online marketplace is a business using a website
or mobile phone app (such as a marketplace, platform or portal) to handle the
sale of goods to customers which meets all of the following conditions:
in any way sets the terms and conditions on how goods are supplied to the
customer
is involved in any way in authorising or facilitating customers’ payments
is involved in the ordering or delivery of the goods
A business will not be classed as an online marketplace if it only provides one
of the following services:
processing of payments for the supply of the goods to the customer
listing or advertisement of goods
redirection or transferring of customers to other websites or mobile phone
apps where goods are offered for sale, without any further involvement in any
sale that might take place on that website or app"
| then a lot of stores will disappear. They have said
repeatedly that they have no plans on charging vat on orders in the UK, other
than import/export situation.
|
It would be dependent on what the domestic situation is for fulfillment partners
in terms of the actual laws enacted. Here, the platform takes the sale, is responsible
and collects and pays VAT, irrespective if the local partner is registered or
not. The VAT status of the domestic partner is immaterial.
With all due respect, that is what XP will be anyway, and because they are dumping
all the V3 stuff to the classic site to amke XP work, it will have to go that
way. What is the use of saying you do not have to have onsite as a store, but
then buyers cannot checkout if you do not have onsite?
|
Mind you all of this is total speculation and that was mentioned by Russell in
this thread. They are lagging behind on getting this done, which is also increasingly
worrying. When it comes to making progrtammin chnages haste makes waste and they
are very much aware of that.
|
I don't think there is a development team. There is a maintenance team (probably
plumbers) who comes in once a month and sweeps the floor.
|
Exactly what I am thinking. Waiting is not an option. BrickLink should make up
his mind, decide what they are, and take control of its actions.
|
|
Author: | bje | Posted: | Feb 22, 2021 04:42 | Subject: | Re: Brexit | Viewed: | 64 times | Topic: | Suggestions | |
|
| In Suggestions, calsbricks writes:
| In Suggestions, patpendlego writes:
|
...
| | | | The OMP is liable. Not just for VAT, but also for the transaction to the buyer.
A BrickLink Order has become a transaction between 3 parties: the buyer, the
(overseas) seller, and BrickLink is now involed too.
All this because governments/countries want to VAT low valued transactions because
of the high volume and thus high 'income' there is to gain by taxing.
|
So, what does the seller's invoice look like?
|
The seller is not invoicing anymore. BrickLink is. The seller is merely a third-party
provider allowing BrickLink to sell their items. The customer buys from BrickLink.
E.g. like bol.com
|
If that becomes the case, and it has already been said by admin it won't
be (at least for the UK)
|
Hmm, no actually, irrespective of admin says, there is something called a law.
As long as BL is registered as a marketplace, then they have to collect the VAT,
invoice the customer and be responsible for the goods, as Arnoud said. Sellers
are only fulfillment partners, like on Amazon.
If they do not meet ALL of the requirements for an OMP, they should not have
registered as such. They can still change their registration to an ordinary vendor
and actually inform sellers what they are doing while waiting. This dense wall
of non-communication about what they are doing is what is causing the confusion,
not HMRC or tax experts or whatever.
If they jumped the gun and thought they are the same as an American marketplace
for sales tax purposes, then they should just say so and fix it. It does not
take months and years to fix either. Tax is after all a question of law and fact.
If you factually do not meet the requirements for a legal registration, then
you go change it until you meet what is required. This is not a tax issue, it
is not a tax expert issue, it is not an HMRC issue, it is not even a VAT issue.
It is a management issue which must be managed for the benefit for all stakeholders.
Here is what an online marketplace for UK VAT purposes is - note the requirements
must ALL be met, else the platform cannot collect VAT as a platform and can only
collect VAT on their own turnover.
https://www.gov.uk/guidance/vat-and-overseas-goods-sold-to-customers-in-the-uk-using-online-marketplaces
What is a marketplace?
"HMRC’s definition of an online marketplace is a business using a website
or mobile phone app (such as a marketplace, platform or portal) to handle the
sale of goods to customers which meets all of the following conditions:
in any way sets the terms and conditions on how goods are supplied to the
customer
is involved in any way in authorising or facilitating customers’ payments
is involved in the ordering or delivery of the goods
A business will not be classed as an online marketplace if it only provides one
of the following services:
processing of payments for the supply of the goods to the customer
listing or advertisement of goods
redirection or transferring of customers to other websites or mobile phone
apps where goods are offered for sale, without any further involvement in any
sale that might take place on that website or app"
| then a lot of stores will disappear. They have said
repeatedly that they have no plans on charging vat on orders in the UK, other
than import/export situation.
|
It would be dependent on what the domestic situation is for fulfillment partners
in terms of the actual laws enacted. Here, the platform takes the sale, is responsible
and collects and pays VAT, irrespective if the local partner is registered or
not. The VAT status of the domestic partner is immaterial.
With all due respect, that is what XP will be anyway, and because they are dumping
all the V3 stuff to the classic site to amke XP work, it will have to go that
way. What is the use of saying you do not have to have onsite as a store, but
then buyers cannot checkout if you do not have onsite?
|
Mind you all of this is total speculation and that was mentioned by Russell in
this thread. They are lagging behind on getting this done, which is also increasingly
worrying. When it comes to making progrtammin chnages haste makes waste and they
are very much aware of that.
|
I don't think there is a development team. There is a maintenance team (probably
plumbers) who comes in once a month and sweeps the floor.
|
|
Author: | yorbrick | Posted: | Feb 22, 2021 04:17 | Subject: | Re: Brexit | Viewed: | 45 times | Topic: | Suggestions | |
|
| In Suggestions, calsbricks writes:
| In Suggestions, patpendlego writes:
| In Suggestions, Teup writes:
| In Suggestions, patpendlego writes:
| In Suggestions, Teup writes:
[snip]
| Everything is just so backwards, I am not a tax expert by a long shot but let's
just look at this from a logic perspective:
If it was legally valid to write "Bricklink order" on your invoice, then the
EU and the UK would have had an emergency meeting by now because they realised
that almost all of the international trade is being labelled "Bricklink order"
It can't work like that. So yeah, EITHER Bricklink is the seller and WE sell
to Bricklink - thus a US export, export to US rules apply - OR we sell to the
customer in their country AND that country's rules apply.
From the persective of the seller, these are simply the only two ways. As a seller
you need to have invoices that mention the country, and then apply the rules
for THAT country. There is only "United States" or "United Kingdom". There's
simply no such thing as "United Kingdom-but-it's-a-Bricklink-order-and-Bricklink-said-it's-fine"
Or am I too pessimstic about the amount of patience tax agencies have when doing
audits and people come up with stories about platform selling (without hard evidence)?
|
Read the link below, this is not something new. The UK already started in 2016
with quote: "special provisions for online marketplaces".
http://kluwertaxblog.com/2020/02/26/online-marketplaces-and-eu-vat-global-reach-but-compliance-still-local/
These changes to come have been known for 4 years up until Jan 1, 2021.
The OMP is liable. Not just for VAT, but also for the transaction to the buyer.
A BrickLink Order has become a transaction between 3 parties: the buyer, the
(overseas) seller, and BrickLink is now involed too.
All this because governments/countries want to VAT low valued transactions because
of the high volume and thus high 'income' there is to gain by taxing.
|
So, what does the seller's invoice look like?
|
The seller is not invoicing anymore. BrickLink is. The seller is merely a third-party
provider allowing BrickLink to sell their items. The customer buys from BrickLink.
E.g. like bol.com
|
If that becomes the case, and it has already been said by admin it won't
be (at least for the UK) then a lot of stores will disappear. They have said
repeatedly that they have no plans on charging vat on orders in the UK, other
than import/export situation.
Mind you all of this is total speculation and that was mentioned by Russell in
this thread. They are lagging behind on getting this done, which is also increasingly
worrying. When it comes to making progrtammin chnages haste makes waste and they
are very much aware of that.
|
Yes, although some indication of when they will be doing something about it would
be useful. Are they waiting for the EU changes to come in before bothering with
the UK? Are they going to get the UK version up and running to test it works
before the EU changes come in? Are they going to do nothing about it and hope
everyone just gives up and the problem goes away? Nobody really knows anything.
|
|
Author: | calsbricks | Posted: | Feb 22, 2021 03:56 | Subject: | Re: Brexit | Viewed: | 64 times | Topic: | Suggestions | |
|
| In Suggestions, patpendlego writes:
| In Suggestions, Teup writes:
| In Suggestions, patpendlego writes:
| In Suggestions, Teup writes:
[snip]
| Everything is just so backwards, I am not a tax expert by a long shot but let's
just look at this from a logic perspective:
If it was legally valid to write "Bricklink order" on your invoice, then the
EU and the UK would have had an emergency meeting by now because they realised
that almost all of the international trade is being labelled "Bricklink order"
It can't work like that. So yeah, EITHER Bricklink is the seller and WE sell
to Bricklink - thus a US export, export to US rules apply - OR we sell to the
customer in their country AND that country's rules apply.
From the persective of the seller, these are simply the only two ways. As a seller
you need to have invoices that mention the country, and then apply the rules
for THAT country. There is only "United States" or "United Kingdom". There's
simply no such thing as "United Kingdom-but-it's-a-Bricklink-order-and-Bricklink-said-it's-fine"
Or am I too pessimstic about the amount of patience tax agencies have when doing
audits and people come up with stories about platform selling (without hard evidence)?
|
Read the link below, this is not something new. The UK already started in 2016
with quote: "special provisions for online marketplaces".
http://kluwertaxblog.com/2020/02/26/online-marketplaces-and-eu-vat-global-reach-but-compliance-still-local/
These changes to come have been known for 4 years up until Jan 1, 2021.
The OMP is liable. Not just for VAT, but also for the transaction to the buyer.
A BrickLink Order has become a transaction between 3 parties: the buyer, the
(overseas) seller, and BrickLink is now involed too.
All this because governments/countries want to VAT low valued transactions because
of the high volume and thus high 'income' there is to gain by taxing.
|
So, what does the seller's invoice look like?
|
The seller is not invoicing anymore. BrickLink is. The seller is merely a third-party
provider allowing BrickLink to sell their items. The customer buys from BrickLink.
E.g. like bol.com
|
If that becomes the case, and it has already been said by admin it won't
be (at least for the UK) then a lot of stores will disappear. They have said
repeatedly that they have no plans on charging vat on orders in the UK, other
than import/export situation.
Mind you all of this is total speculation and that was mentioned by Russell in
this thread. They are lagging behind on getting this done, which is also increasingly
worrying. When it comes to making progrtammin chnages haste makes waste and they
are very much aware of that.
|
|
Author: | Stellar | Posted: | Feb 22, 2021 03:38 | Subject: | Re: Brexit | Viewed: | 59 times | Topic: | Suggestions | |
|
| In Suggestions, Teup writes:
| In Suggestions, patpendlego writes:
| In Suggestions, Teup writes:
[snip]
| Everything is just so backwards, I am not a tax expert by a long shot but let's
just look at this from a logic perspective:
If it was legally valid to write "Bricklink order" on your invoice, then the
EU and the UK would have had an emergency meeting by now because they realised
that almost all of the international trade is being labelled "Bricklink order"
It can't work like that. So yeah, EITHER Bricklink is the seller and WE sell
to Bricklink - thus a US export, export to US rules apply - OR we sell to the
customer in their country AND that country's rules apply.
From the persective of the seller, these are simply the only two ways. As a seller
you need to have invoices that mention the country, and then apply the rules
for THAT country. There is only "United States" or "United Kingdom". There's
simply no such thing as "United Kingdom-but-it's-a-Bricklink-order-and-Bricklink-said-it's-fine"
Or am I too pessimstic about the amount of patience tax agencies have when doing
audits and people come up with stories about platform selling (without hard evidence)?
|
Read the link below, this is not something new. The UK already started in 2016
with quote: "special provisions for online marketplaces".
http://kluwertaxblog.com/2020/02/26/online-marketplaces-and-eu-vat-global-reach-but-compliance-still-local/
These changes to come have been known for 4 years up until Jan 1, 2021.
The OMP is liable. Not just for VAT, but also for the transaction to the buyer.
A BrickLink Order has become a transaction between 3 parties: the buyer, the
(overseas) seller, and BrickLink is now involed too.
All this because governments/countries want to VAT low valued transactions because
of the high volume and thus high 'income' there is to gain by taxing.
|
So, what does the seller's invoice look like?
|
Like this:
|
|
|
Author: | leggodtshop | Posted: | Feb 22, 2021 02:40 | Subject: | Re: Brexit | Viewed: | 78 times | Topic: | Suggestions | |
|
| In Suggestions, Teup writes:
| In Suggestions, patpendlego writes:
| In Suggestions, Teup writes:
[snip]
| Everything is just so backwards, I am not a tax expert by a long shot but let's
just look at this from a logic perspective:
If it was legally valid to write "Bricklink order" on your invoice, then the
EU and the UK would have had an emergency meeting by now because they realised
that almost all of the international trade is being labelled "Bricklink order"
It can't work like that. So yeah, EITHER Bricklink is the seller and WE sell
to Bricklink - thus a US export, export to US rules apply - OR we sell to the
customer in their country AND that country's rules apply.
From the persective of the seller, these are simply the only two ways. As a seller
you need to have invoices that mention the country, and then apply the rules
for THAT country. There is only "United States" or "United Kingdom". There's
simply no such thing as "United Kingdom-but-it's-a-Bricklink-order-and-Bricklink-said-it's-fine"
Or am I too pessimstic about the amount of patience tax agencies have when doing
audits and people come up with stories about platform selling (without hard evidence)?
|
Read the link below, this is not something new. The UK already started in 2016
with quote: "special provisions for online marketplaces".
http://kluwertaxblog.com/2020/02/26/online-marketplaces-and-eu-vat-global-reach-but-compliance-still-local/
These changes to come have been known for 4 years up until Jan 1, 2021.
The OMP is liable. Not just for VAT, but also for the transaction to the buyer.
A BrickLink Order has become a transaction between 3 parties: the buyer, the
(overseas) seller, and BrickLink is now involed too.
All this because governments/countries want to VAT low valued transactions because
of the high volume and thus high 'income' there is to gain by taxing.
|
So, what does the seller's invoice look like?
|
The seller is not invoicing anymore. BrickLink is. The seller is merely a third-party
provider allowing BrickLink to sell their items. The customer buys from BrickLink.
E.g. like bol.com
|
|
Author: | lmhansmangmail. | Posted: | Feb 21, 2021 16:32 | Subject: | Re: Vat only for new items. | Viewed: | 58 times | Topic: | Suggestions | |
|
| I think it is a little more complicated then that. Yes you have to pay Vat when
you are a professional seller and only on the profit margin, but the consumer
doesn't usually pay VAT on used items so i can understand this question.
In NL they are called margin goods and it is up to the seller to either charge
VAT or to not charge it on their bill and they usually do not. And if you sell
consumer to consumer you do not pay VAT but there is this grey area of when you
are a consumer and when you are in business. When you buy a book read it and
sell it on you do not need to pay VAT even if you sell it for more then you bought
it for but if i you buy it with intention to sell at a profit then you do need
to pay VAT.
So i do understand this question but the rules differ per country that why it
is probably impossible for BL to differentiate
|
|
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