Redisplay Messages: Compact | Brief | All | Full Show Messages: All | Without Replies| Author: | Brickitty  | | Posted: | Apr 12, 2024 16:03 | | Subject: | Re: Can't manually edit qty of wanted list items | | Viewed: | 21 times | | Topic: | Technical Issues | |
|
| In Technical Issues, SylvainLS writes:
| | In Technical Issues, Brickitty writes:
| | In Technical Issues, Nubs_Select writes:
Thank you very much! That solved the issue. It was indeed an item I'd added
15 minutes before the problem started. I have no idea how the item got added
twice; I should've received an error message.
|
One sure thing that creates duplicates is when parts are merged in the catalogue.
|
Definitely wasn't that this time.
|
 |
| Author: | Brickitty | | Posted: | Apr 12, 2024 15:29 | | Subject: | Re: Can't manually edit qty of wanted list items | | Viewed: | 27 times | | Topic: | Technical Issues | |
|
| In Technical Issues, Nubs_Select writes:
Thank you very much! That solved the issue. It was indeed an item I'd added
15 minutes before the problem started. I have no idea how the item got added
twice; I should've received an error message.
|
|
| Author: | Brickitty | | Posted: | Apr 12, 2024 15:15 | | Subject: | Can't manually edit qty of wanted list items | | Viewed: | 41 times | | Topic: | Technical Issues | |
|
| While working on my Wanted Lists a few minutes ago through the Add to Wanted
List pop-up from a catalog page, I went back to edit a second time, and the first
edit hadn't saved. Trying repeatedly, it refuses to save any edit to the
Qty or Max Price or Comments of any item already on the Wanted List. Looking
at the work I've done, the issue only seems to have been happening for 15-30
minutes.
Going to the actual Wanted List and attempting to manually edit items also fails,
resulting in the page refusing to save and getting a red error pop-up stating
"Only one item/color combination is allowed per Wanted List" despite
the fact that there is only one, and I'm simply attempting to edit it.
I can only edit a Wanted List item by deleting it and re-adding it, which is
extremely inconvenient. Is anyone else experiencing this issue?
-Jordy (Brickitty)
|
|
| Author: | Brickitty | | Posted: | Jan 24, 2024 18:56 | | Subject: | Re: Important proposal regarding catalog variants | | Viewed: | 41 times | | Topic: | Catalog | |
|
| In Catalog, yorbrick writes:
| | | | I have no idea why you're so biased against vintage
colors and vintage parts, but please just stop.
|
I took a look at your used 3010 1x4 bricks. How does a buyer know which variant
they will get, as you don't differentiate between them? A very tiny minority
of buyers care about the difference in those but have never been able to know
which ones they get. The vast majority will not notice. These new merges will
be similar.
|
As stated in my terms, "I will fulfill special requests for parts from specific
eras, specific shades of color, minor unlisted mold differences, etc. if I have
them available." I've received requests for all sorts of minor differences,
including the tube differences on the undersides of 1x* bricks. I've received
general requests for parts from a certain era, like 1980s bricks, and used my
knowledge of the logos, slight differences in embossing, and minor color differences
to date and send period-accurate parts.
If you read my previous replies in this thread, I'm of two minds concerning
the pending merges. Some (like smooth slopes and frosted lines) are ones I've
advocated for merging before. Others (like 32064, the seat sprues, and the 9-
vs. 7-teeth hinges) I'm more dubious about. I agree that determined buyers
will still be able to hunt down the parts they want because of sellers like me
-- my issues are more around changing the set inventories.
Again, I can see both perspectives on the merges. I'm not a huge fan, but
I've accepted that it's happening. My issue with 1001bricks is not about
the merges. It's that he is repeatedly making factually incorrect statements
about vintage parts sales, drawing conclusions from biased experiences and a
poor understanding of the price guide and statistics in general. I've spent
hundreds and hundreds of hours (literally) studying how vintage parts sales work
on Bricklink, and frankly, I'm offended that he thinks he knows more about
the subject. Understanding how sales of retired parts and colors work is the
basis of my selling strategy and of my entire store. And on top of that, his
claims are just extremely misleading. There are a lot of good arguments as to
why these merges should take place, so why use poor and inaccurate arguments
like his instead?
|
|
| Author: | Brickitty | | Posted: | Jan 24, 2024 17:48 | | Subject: | Re: Important proposal regarding catalog variants | | Viewed: | 62 times | | Topic: | Catalog | |
|
| So you have no grasp over statistics. Okay. Loud and clear. Maybe stop trying
to use them to prove your points if you don't understand something as simple
as relative vs. absolute numbers and how they're applicable to sales stats.
Maybe try using the phrase "I was wrong" sometime. Over the last few
years, I've seen you consistently assert things on this forum that have no
basis in reality, and when someone provides evidence to the contrary, you move
the goalposts or respond rudely. You can be wrong, dude. You frequently are.
You are on the subject of vintage parts.
|
|
| Author: | Brickitty | | Posted: | Jan 24, 2024 17:13 | | Subject: | Re: Important proposal regarding catalog variants | | Viewed: | 63 times | | Topic: | Catalog | |
|
| Wow, seriously? I have a problem with math when you're comparing absolute
numbers instead of relative numbers and percentages? Of course 3069b has more
sold in absolute numbers -- they're more available by a factor of thousands!
Comparing absolute numbers is beyond irrelevant. Maybe try looking at the total
number of sold 3069a Black compared to the total number available, make a percentage
out of it, and then do that with 3069b? See how, relatively, 3069a sell much
better? See how 3069a Black have sold at nearly a 300% rate in the last 6 months
compared to currently-available parts, whereas 3069b have sold at about a 50%
rate? Understanding use cases for absolute numbers versus relative numbers is
basic stats and probabilities, dude.
Stop being so insufferable. You didn't actually respond to any of my points
except that one, because you can't actually refute them. Instead, you just
wrote a few snarky sentences that don't actually counter any of my points.
Your biases are clear, you keep quoting irrelevant info from the price guide
rather than actually relevant statistics, and you're posting ridiculous claims
with no basis in reality. I have no idea why you're so biased against vintage
colors and vintage parts, but please just stop.
|
|
| Author: | Brickitty | | Posted: | Jan 24, 2024 16:29 | | Subject: | Re: Important proposal regarding catalog variants | | Viewed: | 63 times | | Topic: | Catalog | |
|
| In Catalog, 1001bricks writes:
| | In Catalog, stevetq2 writes:
| | Many people want to know the difference between tiles with grooves as the ones
without...
|
Fun stats, mine are literally: zero asked for any without groove, while
40K buyers bought the ones with groove.
I'm sorry to tell you, LEGO is mainly used to play, create and build.
Collectors, specialists of the brand history and sellers/buyers for old Sets
(on eBay?) are really really a tiny tiny minority.
It's not vain or stupid, at the very contrary.
It's just 99.99% of people wish the current version.
While this, some sellers like one I talked to, in France, has 1000x+ 3001old
New (brand New) which are just NOT (neither old or New). Same for 3068a New which
aren't.
That also is much a problem.
|
For crying out loud, PLEASE STOP spreading this incorrect information. You are
basing these ridiculous statements on heavy biases.
Bias #1) You literally only sell New parts. The vast majority of buyers who want
vintage parts buy them Used because of the huge price differences, and because
they're usually completing old used sets. You don't even offer any tiles
without groove for sale, and your story of talking to one seller is anecdotal
at best and completely misleading. The sales history says otherwise, especially
in the U.S.
Bias #2) Vintage mold variations don't sell nearly as well in Europe. I separate
the price guide by currency, and I've looked at nearly all of the old molds
at some point. Almost universally, U.S. buyers want vintage variations at a much
higher rate. Sometimes they're virtually unavailable in the U.S. while there
are 50-100 stores in Europe listing the part. This is true of almost all pre-2005
variations, but especially pre-1990 variations.
Bias #3) Your customers might be "99.99%" people who just want to "play
and create" (probably untrue), but that's not the case for a store that
offers mostly used parts. As one of the biggest used-parts stores in the U.S.,
for many stores like mine, the majority of buyers are collectors, people completing
old sets or adding to a display for them, people completing sets to sell them,
people building MOCs based on old properties like Rock Raiders or Bionicles,
and people who want very precise parts including mold differences. The majority.
Not "0.01%". THE MAJORITY. Over 50% of my customers. Similar to how I
already corrected your assertion that customers don't generally want Old
Grays and Old Browns a few weeks ago -- somewhere around 40% of my orders
contain a part in one of these colors. And again, old colors sell better in the
U.S. than Europe.
Are the majority of buyers on Bricklink not collectors? Sure. Do the majority
not care about mold differences? Sure. Is that number 99%? Or 90%? No way. Not
even close. They're a minority, but not a tiny minority.
Go check out the price guide on the worldwide sales of 3069a Black Tile 1x2 Without
Groove -- used and new -- and then get back to me on how people don't
want tiles without grooves.
You really need to stop asserting ignorant things, buddy. You're part of
the problem.
|
|
| Author: | Brickitty | | Posted: | Jan 23, 2024 21:39 | | Subject: | Re: Fun queries we sellers get... | | Viewed: | 73 times | | Topic: | Selling | |
|
| In Selling, popsicle writes:
| | Over the years we've had our share of let's say 'intriguing'
questions from prospective buyers.
Today's example "How much for all of the Luke’s?" that's it,
nothing further. For context, there are many Luke's listed on BrickLink,
we currently have 10 different Luke's. A brand new member (a few days old)
so they automatically receive an overabundance of understand.
How serious do you or should you, take such inquires though? It actually can
be fun trying pull meaning from the communication of some, to decipher without
asking for clarification, is sort of a challenge
Now curious, how do you sellers typically respond to such messages?
|
Got a message the other day asking if all the parts and minifigures came with
a $2 instruction book (the set averages almost $50). Politely explained that
I was only selling the instruction book.
The odd question I've gotten most often is "how many parts do I receive
if I order one of this?" They aren't even parts with confusing pictures
that show multiple perspectives and could be interpreted as being multiple copies,
as recently discussed in the forum. And why would anyone ever think that putting
a quantity of "one" means you get more than one? I respond by telling
them that a quantity of one means one part, which is what is pictured in the
catalog entry and the listing.
I've gotten my share of "why can't you ship to Canada for $5?"
messages, as I assume most of us have. One potential buyer even got so aggressive
about it that I had to block them -- and I was the only seller in the world
who had the quantity they wanted. It would've been a $100+ order, too, so
I don't understand why $10 of shipping was that important, or why they couldn't
understand that Letter Mail isn't available for $100+ e-commerce orders (or
any e-commerce orders) despite me repeating it three times.
I try to respond to the vast majority of messages politely and without condescension,
unless they're aggressive.
|
|
| Author: | Brickitty | | Posted: | Jan 19, 2024 15:23 | | Subject: | Re: Identification of partial sets | | Viewed: | 28 times | | Topic: | Catalog Identification | |
|
| In Catalog Identification, xnarpy2 writes:
| | Hi
I got a box full of used Lego bricks, with several partly-built sets in it. I
would be glad if you could help me identify them. I'm kinda curious if they
are complete and if I can build them 🙏
The only one that I know is the 10281 Bonsai at the bottom right.
Best regards
|
This is one of the most fun parts of running a Lego store. I highly recommend
learning to do it yourself.
Pick out 3 parts from a chunk that look more unique or are easily recognizable,
find the part numbers on Bricklink or embossed somewhere on the part, and use
this page where you can enter up to 3 different part-color combinations: https://www.bricklink.com/catalogIn.asp
|
|
| Author: | Brickitty | | Posted: | Jan 14, 2024 21:20 | | Subject: | Re: CONTEST - Rare Star Wars Item as Prize | | Viewed: | 33 times | | Topic: | Contests | |
|
| In Contests, popsicle writes:
| | No purchase required. No kidding, just some community fun Inspired by a random
post that's got me thinking again about giving back some more
https://www.bricklink.com/message.asp?ID=1447969
The prize
New/Sealed
The contest:
Guess the USPS declared delivered time and date, of one of our packages dropped
off this morning at our PO. Closest wins
The package was placed this morning with acceptance scan into our PO lobby dropbox.
It's traveling from Washington to New York USPS Ground Advantage.
I will post the actual USPS tracking info/documentation for confirmation of winner,
once delivered.
Contest Rules:
- One entry per member per 24 hour period, posted here, without limit to entries.
- If entries are identical, the first wins.
- For transparency, all entries must be posted as reply here
- Looking for the time and date of declared delivery.
- All members worldwide are welcome to participate, though consider that we'll
cover domestic shipping only, should you win.
-Otherwise no further restrictions
Remember to have fun with it... Goofing off encouraged
~ConstrucToys
|
January 19 at 4:00 pm
|
|
| Author: | Brickitty | | Posted: | Jan 11, 2024 13:43 | | Subject: | Re: Important proposal regarding catalog variants | | Viewed: | 52 times | | Topic: | Catalog | |
|
| In Catalog, Admin_Russell writes:
| | I finished the list this morning:
https://www.bricklink.com/help.asp?helpID=2626
For the Duplo bricks and the Blocked and Vented studs, there are just too many
to list at this time, but people can do a search for them in their stores.
We will need a full list to send out the notification next week though, so that
will be coming.
Concerning the removed vs changed, nothing will technically be removed from the
catalog. All items will be merged to a similar item and the lots in stores will
be preserved. In some cases, just the Item Name and Item Number will be adjusted,
and that may not require any text to be added to the comments section.
But the easiest thing would simply be to add notes to every listing on the list.
I have found it helps buyers have confidence that a variant is correct when a
note is present, even if the note simply duplicates the info in the Item Name.
|
Thank you very much -- that's very helpful!
|
|
| Author: | Brickitty | | Posted: | Jan 10, 2024 14:10 | | Subject: | Re: Important proposal regarding catalog variants | | Viewed: | 50 times | | Topic: | Catalog | |
|
| In Catalog, SylvainLS writes:
| | In Catalog, Brickitty writes:
| | […]
And anyway, these changes encompass a lot of other mold variations that didn't
overlap, or only slightly overlapped.
|
See my point about holes in underside pins on bricks (or plates):
That distinction was never made in the catalogue.
If you want a 1980 part full pins for a 1980 set, maybe you’ll get a 1995¹ part
full pins, is that correct? 15 years apart?
If you want a 1995¹ part full pins for a 1995 set, and you get a 1995¹ part hollow
pins, is that wrong?
The thing is that buyer or seller, you always had to resort to notes and communication
for those variations.
Sure, there’s a loss of information. But there’s also wrong info that will be
removed. And maybe we can have notes added to keep the correct info. Having
the info through the database structure (that is, different entries rather than
free text in notes) allows more automation, but it also multiplies entries and
complicates thing for casual users (who are the majority).
Sure, there’s other solutions: real umbrella entries, options in entries…. But
that’s not what BL chose to do because they require a change in the database
structure.
———
¹ Or whatever year was the last one for ‘full pins’ / the first one for ‘hollow
pins.’
|
Yeah, and when I part together vintage sets, or inventory ones I've bought,
I substitute those solid-pin/hollow-pin 1x* plates as necessary. I'm precise
like that!
But in principle, know that I agree with you. That's part of the reason these
changes are so frustrating, because I'm of two minds. In principle, I agree
-- but as a seller and business owner, this will cost me sales. As a collector,
this will make inventories less precise. So from those perspectives, I don't
agree. It's a difficult space to inhabit mentally, both agreeing and disagreeing.
|
|
| Author: | Brickitty | | Posted: | Jan 10, 2024 14:05 | | Subject: | Re: Important proposal regarding catalog variants | | Viewed: | 47 times | | Topic: | Catalog | |
|
| In Catalog, 1001bricks writes:
| | | | I don't have a niche shop, I have one of the top 5 most diverse inventories
in the USA and am one of the largest used-parts shops in the country.
|
Sorry - confused with replies to oldGreyBricks not sure about the name...
But anyway you've a niche; having a lot of lots (and relatively small quantity)
is a niche in itself. See our reference, Paulo's shop
I mean, it's my humble opinion on this subject.
| | Approximately 40% of my orders contain at least one part in Light Gray, Dark
Gray, Brown, or Old Dark Red.
|
I'm far far those numbers, I'd say maybe 1 order per month?
But again - I'm not sure the current change will badly affect you.
At the contrary; everything's making BrickLink easier will bring a bigger
"market" here, which is good for all of us.
|
Sounds good! To be clear, I think you've got a great store and respect your
opinion, even if mine is a little different.
You know what actually made the biggest difference in my sales in years? Bricklink
shutting down due to the ransom attempt in November. Ever since BL reopened,
I literally haven't had a SINGLE slow day. Not even Christmas or New Year's.
My sales have gone up approximately 30% just since November 8. So even if these
changes lose me some sales, in balance, they'll still be much better than
they were pre-hack
|
|
| Author: | Brickitty | | Posted: | Jan 10, 2024 13:47 | | Subject: | Re: Important proposal regarding catalog variants | | Viewed: | 47 times | | Topic: | Catalog | |
|
| In Catalog, 1001bricks writes:
| | Highly specialized shops are an asset to BrickLink and for people seeking specific
elements or genre. Like Duplo/Fab shops, old colors, Technic, Castle, boats
- and of course licences like SW, HP... there are many specializations, and it's
good for the market in a general meaning.
In short, thank you!
Of course, depending on how exactly it's implemented - I'm think/hope
you wont feel ANY (bad) change in your sales.
|
Again, I'm not highly specialized. I have a huge inventory. I'm simply
more precise than the vast majority of stores are about small variations. I focus
more on vintage parts than modern parts, but only slightly.
I WILL see a change in my sales. I don't think you understand how closely
I track my orders and items sold. I know this will directly affect my sales.
I can only estimate the exact numbers, but yesterday, I sold $25.46 of parts
that I believe will be merged, and I doubt any of those would've sold if
the parts weren't differentiated in set inventories. Which will be the case
in 3 weeks. It won't matter if I differentiate them with comments --
I'll still lose approximately 90% of those sales.
|
|
| Author: | Brickitty | | Posted: | Jan 10, 2024 13:42 | | Subject: | Re: Important proposal regarding catalog variants | | Viewed: | 48 times | | Topic: | Catalog | |
|
| In Catalog, infinibrix writes:
| | Surely its just a case of listing the merged part twice with different comments/prices
for each variant?
|
Did you not read what I wrote? I clearly explained why that's not the case.
If the set inventories are changed, THAT'S what gets rid of the demand. Merging
the parts or separating them with comments is irrelevant. I already do that for
my many minor mold variations that Bricklink has never separated, and those parts
don't sell because. they're. not. differentiated. in. set. inventories.
|
|
| Author: | Brickitty | | Posted: | Jan 10, 2024 13:40 | | Subject: | Re: Important proposal regarding catalog variants | | Viewed: | 37 times | | Topic: | Catalog | |
|
| In Catalog, 1001bricks writes:
| | If you've a niche shop, that's normal many of your buyers come here for
this.
I've a generic shop, and to reply to Nubs, sure I don't have many Light
Grey (I must admit), because it's very very low in demand here according
our stats.
(unfortunately, as LG can be the best color in some cases!)
|
I don't have a niche shop, I have one of the top 5 most diverse inventories
in the USA and am one of the largest used-parts shops in the country.
Yes, based on various sources, vintage parts are in higher demand in the USA
than in Europe. Regardless, your store is obviously not a benchmark for vintage
colors.
Approximately 40% of my orders contain at least one part in Light Gray, Dark
Gray, Brown, or Old Dark Red.
|
|
| Author: | Brickitty | | Posted: | Jan 10, 2024 13:36 | | Subject: | Re: Important proposal regarding catalog variants | | Viewed: | 43 times | | Topic: | Catalog | |
|
| In Catalog, SylvainLS writes:
| | In Catalog, Brickitty writes:
| | […]
That doesn't prove your point; it proves
that whatever is listed in the inventory is believed to be correct,
|
THAT was my point. There’s minifigs that came with only one variant but there’s
many minifigs that came with two variants, and sometimes at the same time, depending
on the factory, not because of a reissue or long life, but the catalogue misleads
people in thinking one is more correct than the other.
|
Okay, I agree with that assertion. But that mostly just applies to the blocked
open stud heads vs hollow heads. And even then, blocked open stud heads existed
for over 15 years before hollow stud heads came along. Do you really thing that
having a hollow stud plain-smiley head on a mid-'90s minifigure is "correct"
in any sense?
And anyway, these changes encompass a lot of other mold variations that didn't
overlap, or only slightly overlapped.
|
|
| Author: | Brickitty | | Posted: | Jan 10, 2024 13:31 | | Subject: | Re: Important proposal regarding catalog variants | | Viewed: | 41 times | | Topic: | Catalog | |
|
| In Catalog, Nubs_Select writes:
| | Thankyou for putting it much better into words then I could
|
You're welcome. I'm spending my workday explaining what I feel should
be self-evident to everyone and not filling 200-lot and 100-lot orders I've
got sitting in my queue, so it feels like a waste. But it is what it is. I've
already resigned myself to the fact that this post wasn't really an opportunity
to object or change what's already been decided; it was simply a heads-up
that it WILL change regardless of what collectors or sellers want. I will lose
sales, and inventories will be less accurate, and I can't do anything about
it. Fortunately, even though these types of mold variations are one of my store's
specialties, they're only a small portion of my total sales. It's frustrating,
but it's not that important in the scheme of things.
|
|
| Author: | Brickitty | | Posted: | Jan 10, 2024 13:23 | | Subject: | Re: Important proposal regarding catalog variants | | Viewed: | 42 times | | Topic: | Catalog | |
|
| In Catalog, 1001bricks writes:
| | | | People care about the variant BECAUSE it's distinguished in the catalog.
It's no more "artificial" than the distinction between Light Gray
and Light Bluish Gray
|
Exactly: maybe 0.00001% of my orders items are for Light Gray.
The remaining (for this Gray) is for Light Bluish Gray.
BrickLink simplifies the approach for 99% of the buyers, while still making possible
for the specialized specialists.
|
That's... really weird. Proportionally to my stock, I easily sell more Light
Gray than Light Bluish Gray (though more LBG in absolute numbers, since far more
parts exist in that color). Though to be fair, I specifically serve a lot of
buyers looking for vintage parts, vintage colors, completing vintage sets, etc,
since I have one of the biggest inventories of vintage parts in the country.
In this case, "simplification" means "being less accurate." Many
buyers won't know they're getting period-incorrect parts. That's
a very different thing.
|
|
| Author: | Brickitty | | Posted: | Jan 10, 2024 13:06 | | Subject: | Re: Important proposal regarding catalog variants | | Viewed: | 49 times | | Topic: | Catalog | |
|
| In Catalog, SylvainLS writes:
| | Then that means people never really cared about the variant. Their want(ed list)s
are guided by an unnecessary or wrong distinction in inventories.
Even when there’s a note about variant head types, a minifig can only have one
type of head in its inventory, and it’s generally the first one found, but many
came with different types of head.
So the inventories are automatically putting one variant above the other, making
people believe that one variant is the “real” one while the other is a later,
somewhat inferior, variation. But there’s no “right” or “better” variant.
Yes, you profited from it, especially as the older and often rarer variant is
the one in the inventories (first one found), but the distinction is artificial.
TL;DR: The distinction and price difference is a lie! Are you comfortable making
money on a lie? 😱 (Joking… though there’s a bit of truth there  )
|
I'm sorry, but that logic is completely circular and absolutely ridiculous.
People care about the variant BECAUSE it's distinguished in the catalog.
It's no more "artificial" than the distinction between Light Gray
and Light Bluish Gray, or between the same torso with two slightly different
prints. Most casual buyers wouldn't notice either of those differences either.
But the differences are factual, and it's factual that they were released
in different sets at different time periods. Finding a hollow-stud head on a
minifigure from 2001 is objectively incorrect. Do people care about the head
stud type? Not technically, because it makes no difference for display or play.
Do collectors care about having period-correct parts for their sets? Absolutely.
If you remove the distinction, of course most buyers will no longer care, BECAUSE
the distinction has been removed. That doesn't prove your point; it proves
that whatever is listed in the inventory is believed to be correct, and buyers
tend to want the correct parts. If you change what is defined as "correct,"
of course it will change many buyers' preferences. But it doesn't change
the objective fact that a certain mold variation was not produced during a certain
time period or in any original copies of a certain minifigure or set. It just
obscures those minor differences and pretends they don't exist, which isn't
the same thing at all. Whether or not people "care" is completely irrelevant.
They bought the variants because there's evidence that they are period-correct,
and they CARE about being CORRECT.
Am I comfortable making more on a Light Gray part than a Light Bluish Gray part?
Absolutely. Am I comfortable making more on a 3942b than a 3942c? Absolutely.
It's not a "lie" -- it's precision. But evidently, Bricklink
wants to be less precise.
|
|
Next Page: 5 More | 10 More | 25 More | 50 More | 100 More
|
USA, Colorado
