BrickLink Discussion Forum

In Suggestions, Loremonger writes:

This one didn't get much traction either.

http://www.bricklink.com/message.asp?ID=715758

Your suggestion is different, and actually, would probably go further to alleviate
the OP's frustration with the "me too" jumble. Voted yes on yours. Lots of
people here are saying, quite literally, "where's the like button?"

If we could have an "acknowledge" button of any kind, smiley face without a post
entry, whatever, it may reduce the number of posts that wither and die in the
deafening silence of no response and encourage more people, i.e. more variety,
to stay in the forum. And with variety comes more chances for the quality that
the OP wants.

Jason

Author:

jhkc...

Posted:

Mar 18, 2014 14:45

Subject:

Re: Suggestion: Forum voting

Viewed:

65 times

Topic:

In Suggestions, Bricks writes:

For the past 9 years, and most notably lately, I've noticed forum members
reply or create posts often with meaningless content (e.g., "how do I post feedback?,"
"me too," "that was good," etc.) and sometimes with misinformation (such as posting
incorrect info to a question). I myself am guilty of making poor-quality posts
here.

I propose we change the forum model such that posts can be voted up or down.
The more highly voted posts will appear before posts which are not voted as highly.
Very large community-oriented websites such as Stack Exchange and Reddit use
this model to prevent spam and make favored content more visible. These websites
effectively moderate themselves by their own community. We have a very strong
community with good standards, and this feature would allow the discussion forums
to reflect that.

The aforementioned websites use a Wilson score for posts to prevent good but
unvoted posts from being invisible.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Binomial_proportion_confidence_interval#Wilson_score_interval
http://www.evanmiller.org/how-not-to-sort-by-average-rating.html

Currently, the message tree and forum front page show the newest posts first.
If the Wilson score is implemented, favorable content would appear first, while
users would still have the option to have newest content first. This reduces
flaming, abuse, inaccuracies, etc.

What does the community think?

I've come to think of this place as the first definition of community - A
place like a town or neighborhood. Not a group of people defined by a common
interest. There is no common Lego person here. There is no common Lego content.
There isn't even agreement on what to do with our Lego.

So take the first definition. You choose where you live and shop, and you choose
the neighbors and people you interact with. Trying to control things beyond that
starts to feel like a gated community or co-op building with some members voting
on what other members of the community can and can't do. Seems more petty
to me than the meaningless comments you wish to vote down. But that is how the
world works these days, as you mentioned. I'd personally prefer it didn't
do that here.

Jason

Author:

jhkc...

Posted:

Jan 23, 2014 20:35

Subject:

Re: Definition of Shipped

Viewed:

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Topic:

In Suggestions, par016 writes:

In Suggestions, WILYKAT writes:

In Suggestions, par016 writes:

I suggest that BrickLink update it's rules to include a definition of shipping.
I believe that shipping should be defined as a package that is no longer in the
seller's possession but in the possession of some postal delivery company.

I have an order that was marked as shipped December 10th. After 4 inquiries for
the tracking number without any helpful response I filed an NSS. That clearly
got their attention because I got the tracking number within an hour. The tracking
information told me that the shipping information was generated on January 10
(meaning they printed the shipping label), but the package was not received at
the local post office until yesterday January 22. (Side note: Which now that
I think about it means that they actually had the nerve to respond that they
will look for my tracking number when they actually still had the package in
their possession.)

To me this is unacceptable. Printing a label is no different than me writing
the address on a box. I would never write a name on a package and then go and
mark an item as shipped. However, I see this quite frequently (not as extreme
of cases); I will make a purchase on a Sunday or at night, and an hour after
I have paid the seller will mark the item as shipped. Clearly that is impossible.
This needs to be changed.

Thanks for listening and letting me rant a little guys,

Pete

Well, generally it's a good form to update to shipped when you hand it out
to the carrier, to pick up sites, or at suitable drop boxes. Marking it as shipped
on Sunday and Holiday could be done with drop box or mailbox but still... :p
Ice cold, wet, or covered in dog poo due to prank is the reason I prefer to
hand it to carrier or in post office or local UPS pickup location in my nearby
grocery store.

The seller might have misplaced the package, slipped under the car seat maybe?
And didn't realize the specific package wasn't actually shipped yet?
Or maybe the post office had it and put it aside, lost it for a couple weeks?
Those happens.

I did not know it was possible to drop of a shipment on a Holiday or Sunday.
However, I think the situation I was eluding to is quite a different story and
I believe it is quite in my right to leave negative feedback. In the time since
I placed my order this seller has received about 10 neutral feedbacks solely
about their "shipping time." The only reason they are neutral is because the
seller holds feeedback "hostage"

-Pete

I won't speculate on your problem order, but it is most definitely possible,
and even encouraged with those self serve kiosks, to drop off packages at night
and on holidays. When it goes in through that slot, it's sitting inside the
post office, completely shipped as far as BL status goes. Now, until an employee
scans said package, the tracking will say "electronic info received". So, the
buyer may think, oh, this wasn't accepted until this time, they said it was
shipped earlier, the seller must be untruthful, optimistic or mistaken. Not true.
It was shipped last night or on Thanksgiving. The post office just electronically
accepted it the next day, during their normal business hours. Drop off time is
a part of transit time. That's why my Drive thru- thank you says "your package
is in the mail" to be very clear about the status distinction.

Jason

Author:

jhkc...

Posted:

Jan 21, 2014 19:01

Subject:

Re: Verification of new seller for possible fraud

Viewed:

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Topic:

In Suggestions, TexMexSu writes:

snip

We are adults, spending hundreds of dollars on .75 cents worth of molded plastic
kids toys.

p.s. We're all nuts, but most of us are legit!

There's your site banner right there... haha!

Jason

Author:

jhkc...

Posted:

Jan 21, 2014 11:37

Subject:

Re: Verification of new seller for possible fraud

Viewed:

50 times

Topic:

In Suggestions, goshe7 writes:

In Suggestions, jhkc... writes:

In Suggestions, Rob_and_Shelagh writes:

I am saddened by messages like this as overall BrickLinkers are (in my experience)
one of the most trustworthy groups of buyers and sellers you will find anywhere
on-line. I agree that even small numbers of scam stories can damage the reputation
of the site and its' honest sellers so I voted yes to the idea of tightening
up on seller registration.

one other (or additional) option may be to have a voluntary seller quality registration
scheme which could be indicated by a badge or something on the storefront
linking to a buy safety page explaining that such sellers have been checked out,
whatever by the site. New sellers might be required to put up a bond to get it,
established sellers might get it based on existing reputation. It could be shown
alongside the FB score perhaps. Needs more thinking through but I think worthy
of some effort, it could pay back for the site and good sellers. In the mean
time, your advice of buying from sellers with an established record is good,
especially if spending sums of money that you could not afford to lose... big
sets, too good to be true prices, new seller = buyer beware.

Robert

I like the badge idea. The whole idea of a seller verification system is smart,
but allowing serious sellers vet themselves with a voluntary system seems more
business friendly.

It would probably require all sorts of disclaimers on BL's side of things,
but if it's community supported, maybe it would help mitigate buyer risk.

Might need to have several levels of participation to be fair to casual, honest
sellers. You wouldn't want to discourage small, "extra parts folks" with
a strictly two tiered system that unduly taints them as "un-badged" scammers.

Jason

My objections:
1. We don't need to add anything clunky, cumbersome, or non-intuitive to
the BrickLink shopping experience. BrickLink has a steep learning curve and
added a "Trusted Seller" adds complexity to the shopping as new users would need
to learn what this badge means and why it benefits them.
2. If earning the badge is truly a good verification process and stores without
it face a penalty (i.e. being able to filter for only "trusted stores" when
searching) most every legitimate seller will submit to the verification process
anyways. So you are just using a different means to the same end.

I agree. A filter would unfairly penalize good sellers and that would hurt the
market.

That's also why I like Robert's suggestion for a linked page explaining
the designation. Regular members wouldn't need to read it every time. It
would simply serve as another tutorial, for those new members that chose to read
it.

The OP's point about lost customers and negative word of mouth is a big deal,
though. So I hope something can be established.

Jason

Author:

jhkc...

Posted:

Jan 21, 2014 11:08

Subject:

Re: Verification of new seller for possible fraud

Viewed:

50 times

Topic: