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| | | Author: | BLUSER_434837  | | Posted: | Nov 13, 2013 22:24 | | Subject: | Cart Separation and optimization | | Viewed: | 139 times | | Topic: | Suggestions | | Status: | Open | | Vote: | [Yes|No] | |
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| I've got a lot of projects I want to do, I've got them all tidily made
in LDD formats and I export the brick lists for BrickLink. I've yet to purchase
anything, though, because going through hundreds of different bricks (and, hundreds
of different stores/ brick) and trying to get all the separate things put into
carts that are separated by store is really frustrating.
I'm only just now really wanting to get into buying lego parts this way but
the way this website is, it is way too difficult to try to optimize separate
orders. I think what the first priority of the development of the site should
be is to streamline and modernize the ordering process.
A website similar to this is TCGplayer.com , but obviously, for cards. For a
demonstration of the functionality I think this site needs, check this url: http://tinyurl.com/l9tjkp9
(It is a page where I have already input a list of cards and the number of them
I wish to have).
If you do not wish to see this in action, I'll describe it.
After inputting the list of cards and clicking "Add to Cart", the store automatically
creates a cart that contains all the items listed (anything not in stock is left
out and the user is notified that those things were left out). Your cart is made
from various stores and all the price totals from each store are displayed.
This functionality alone would make this website so much more usable, but what
is really great about TCGplayer.com is the cart optimization. It allows you to
order your entire list from all the available stores, but selects the particular
stores that have the lowest price for the particular item you want (it also includes
shipping costs in calculations so that that is also optimized). You click the
optimization button and can then from each listed card select the allowed printings,
editions, and conditions for the entire list, and on an individual card basis.
That way, if you don't care what printing of a card is, you can allow any
one. This could translate to a person allowing any color of a particular brick,
or choosing a list of colors they would allow, as well as the conditions. Then,
when you apply the optimization, your cart is rebuilt with the same cards you
listed, but optimized with whatever specifications you allowed so that you have
the best price you can get from the combined available stores.
I've been looking hard for some sort of similar functionality, or even the
ability to keep track of all of my carts, but I haven't been able to. It's
really disheartening, as it shouldn't take me hours of digging through the
website and comparing prices so build a cart and make an order, and I really
love the idea of this website.
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| | | | | Author: | starbeanie | | Posted: | Nov 13, 2013 22:35 | | Subject: | Re: Cart Separation and optimization | | Viewed: | 62 times | | Topic: | Suggestions | |
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| In Suggestions, Brendan_McCoy writes:
| | I've got a lot of projects I want to do, I've got them all tidily made
in LDD formats and I export the brick lists for BrickLink. I've yet to purchase
anything, though, because going through hundreds of different bricks (and, hundreds
of different stores/ brick) and trying to get all the separate things put into
carts that are separated by store is really frustrating.
I'm only just now really wanting to get into buying lego parts this way but
the way this website is, it is way too difficult to try to optimize separate
orders. I think what the first priority of the development of the site should
be is to streamline and modernize the ordering process.
A website similar to this is TCGplayer.com , but obviously, for cards. For a
demonstration of the functionality I think this site needs, check this url: http://tinyurl.com/l9tjkp9
(It is a page where I have already input a list of cards and the number of them
I wish to have).
If you do not wish to see this in action, I'll describe it.
After inputting the list of cards and clicking "Add to Cart", the store automatically
creates a cart that contains all the items listed (anything not in stock is left
out and the user is notified that those things were left out). Your cart is made
from various stores and all the price totals from each store are displayed.
This functionality alone would make this website so much more usable, but what
is really great about TCGplayer.com is the cart optimization. It allows you to
order your entire list from all the available stores, but selects the particular
stores that have the lowest price for the particular item you want (it also includes
shipping costs in calculations so that that is also optimized). You click the
optimization button and can then from each listed card select the allowed printings,
editions, and conditions for the entire list, and on an individual card basis.
That way, if you don't care what printing of a card is, you can allow any
one. This could translate to a person allowing any color of a particular brick,
or choosing a list of colors they would allow, as well as the conditions. Then,
when you apply the optimization, your cart is rebuilt with the same cards you
listed, but optimized with whatever specifications you allowed so that you have
the best price you can get from the combined available stores.
I've been looking hard for some sort of similar functionality, or even the
ability to keep track of all of my carts, but I haven't been able to. It's
really disheartening, as it shouldn't take me hours of digging through the
website and comparing prices so build a cart and make an order, and I really
love the idea of this website.
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The answer is here.
http://www.eurobricks.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=82975
Bret
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| | | | | | | Author: | BLUSER_434837 | | Posted: | Nov 13, 2013 22:37 | | Subject: | Re: Cart Separation and optimization | | Viewed: | 42 times | | Topic: | Suggestions | |
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... 
That emoticon is all-encompassing of my current state now.
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| | | | | Author: | piecemeal | | Posted: | Nov 13, 2013 22:38 | | Subject: | Re: Cart Separation and optimization | | Viewed: | 39 times | | Topic: | Suggestions | |
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| Have you familiarized yourself with how the Wanted List works?
http://www.bricklink.com/help.asp?topicID=4
Perhaps the most important thing to know after creating a Wanted List (or several
of them, in fact) is to then use the By Shop tab and sort by Lots (Unique). If
you create multiple Wanted Lists you will want to go into your Settings (when
under the Wanted tab) and check the hilariously long-winded box that says " Show
Multiple Wanted Selection Lists as Multiple Options in Stores and My Wanted Items
By Shop."
If you do continue to have questions, this is the right place to ask. "Bricklinking"
does have a steep learning curve but once you get the hang of it, it's not
such an onerous process.
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| | | | | | | Author: | BLUSER_434837 | | Posted: | Nov 13, 2013 22:43 | | Subject: | Re: Cart Separation and optimization | | Viewed: | 44 times | | Topic: | Suggestions | |
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| In Suggestions, piecemeal writes:
| | Have you familiarized yourself with how the Wanted List works?
http://www.bricklink.com/help.asp?topicID=4
Perhaps the most important thing to know after creating a Wanted List (or several
of them, in fact) is to then use the By Shop tab and sort by Lots (Unique). If
you create multiple Wanted Lists you will want to go into your Settings (when
under the Wanted tab) and check the hilariously long-winded box that says " Show
Multiple Wanted Selection Lists as Multiple Options in Stores and My Wanted Items
By Shop."
If you do continue to have questions, this is the right place to ask. "Bricklinking"
does have a steep learning curve but once you get the hang of it, it's not
such an onerous process.
|
I did see that and was excited at first, but it still requires me to evaluate
part by part the prices at that store and what parts are not available at that
store. I think a lot of what may be claimed to be a "steep learning curve" is
really just a case of inadequate design.
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| | | | | | | | | Author: | Brettj666 | | Posted: | Nov 13, 2013 23:00 | | Subject: | Re: Cart Separation and optimization | | Viewed: | 40 times | | Topic: | Suggestions | |
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| sounds like you are wanting something similar to the traveling salesman dilemma.
while it may work ok in small sample sizes, wanted lists can be 1000's
of pieces, multiple wanted lists that and more.
To go and analyze every since store against a wanted list so you get an optimal
formula to save.. $5...
Additionally, it would need to take shipping amounts into account as well. If
your wanted list is breaking up between 5 stores (unnecessarily), because one
store may have a higher value on bricks, but a good deal on plates, or one has
cheap parts and expensive mini-figs, then that has to be taken into account.
I use the wanted list by shop.
I go into the store (usually in Canada), then world wide and look at random prices.
If they are high for some things I'm familiar with, I go out on a limb and
say they are likely high across the board, and I move on.
In Suggestions, Brendan_McCoy writes:
| | In Suggestions, piecemeal writes:
| | Have you familiarized yourself with how the Wanted List works?
http://www.bricklink.com/help.asp?topicID=4
Perhaps the most important thing to know after creating a Wanted List (or several
of them, in fact) is to then use the By Shop tab and sort by Lots (Unique). If
you create multiple Wanted Lists you will want to go into your Settings (when
under the Wanted tab) and check the hilariously long-winded box that says " Show
Multiple Wanted Selection Lists as Multiple Options in Stores and My Wanted Items
By Shop."
If you do continue to have questions, this is the right place to ask. "Bricklinking"
does have a steep learning curve but once you get the hang of it, it's not
such an onerous process.
|
I did see that and was excited at first, but it still requires me to evaluate
part by part the prices at that store and what parts are not available at that
store. I think a lot of what may be claimed to be a "steep learning curve" is
really just a case of inadequate design.
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USA, Michigan
Canada, Ontario