Discussion Forum: Thread 228623

 Author: PaulOfBricks View Messages Posted By PaulOfBricks
 Posted: Nov 27, 2017 10:17
 Subject: No Instant Checkout = Force must offer Quote
 Viewed: 318 times
 Topic: Suggestions
 Status:Open
 Vote:[Yes|No]
Cancel Message
Cancel
Reply to Message
Reply
BrickLink
ID Card

PaulOfBricks (3928)

Location:  United Kingdom, England
Member Since Contact Type Status
Jul 31, 2013 Contact Member Seller
Buying Privileges - OKSelling Privileges - OK
Store: PaulOfBricks UK ϟ
I believe in instant checkout even though I still have a few problems with it
that are still not being addressed. However:

I believe you should know the cost upfront of your cart, fees and shipping before
being obliged to pay.

I recently placed an order and again the fees and extra are so buried within
the terms the parts cost become 34% more! also I was invoiced for the larger
box option, and I know if using the instant checkout the parts would have easily
fit into the smaller letter rate. I read the terms 3 times and still some fees
were still easily missed.

This happens over and over again, its not a one off.


I think it should be mandatory by Bricklink that any seller not using Instant
checkout will

Automatically will have the Quote option enabled.


What is the harm in that?

Every customer can make a decision up front if the fees and postage are reasonable
and acceptable. When im invoiced a total random bunch of fees I am not entered
into the contact agreement before knowing them.
 Author: calsbricks View Messages Posted By calsbricks
 Posted: Nov 27, 2017 10:39
 Subject: Re: No Instant Checkout = Force must offer Quote
 Viewed: 65 times
 Topic: Suggestions
Cancel Message
Cancel
Reply to Message
Reply
BrickLink
ID Card

calsbricks (8503)

Location:  United Kingdom, England
Member Since Contact Type Status
Aug 12, 2008 Contact Member Seller
Buying Privileges - OKSelling Privileges - OK
Store: CalsBricks
In Suggestions, PaulOfBricks writes:
  I believe in instant checkout even though I still have a few problems with it
that are still not being addressed. However:

I believe you should know the cost upfront of your cart, fees and shipping before
being obliged to pay.

I recently placed an order and again the fees and extra are so buried within
the terms the parts cost become 34% more! also I was invoiced for the larger
box option, and I know if using the instant checkout the parts would have easily
fit into the smaller letter rate. I read the terms 3 times and still some fees
were still easily missed.

This happens over and over again, its not a one off.


I think it should be mandatory by Bricklink that any seller not using Instant
checkout will

Automatically will have the Quote option enabled.


What is the harm in that?

Every customer can make a decision up front if the fees and postage are reasonable
and acceptable. When im invoiced a total random bunch of fees I am not entered
into the contact agreement before knowing them.

Sorry Paul - voted no - don't like to see anyone forced into doing something
they don't wish to do. I have never had what happened to you happen to me
and have placed 1000 orders on Bricklink. No quotes asked for - none received.
Graneted postal costs are never our main concern when we need parts and there
are others where it is vitally important.

If I did ask a seller for a quote even if they didn't have it enabled and
they simply didn't respond, I would think they don't want my business
and find the items elsewhere, if possible.

As a seller it is our responsibility, amongst others, to communicate with our
buyers either pre-sale, during processing or post sale. If we don't do that
we are letting ourselves down as well as other stores on the site.

Forcing this as a feature is not, in our opinion, the right way to deal with
it. Avoid those stores and move on - when enough buyers do that and their orders
dwindle or even fall off a cliff, that fixes the problem cause they will disappear,
hopefully.
 Author: PaulOfBricks View Messages Posted By PaulOfBricks
 Posted: Nov 27, 2017 11:13
 Subject: (Cancelled)
 Viewed: 42 times
 Topic: Suggestions
Cancel Message
Cancel
Reply to Message
Reply
BrickLink
ID Card

PaulOfBricks (3928)

Location:  United Kingdom, England
Member Since Contact Type Status
Jul 31, 2013 Contact Member Seller
Buying Privileges - OKSelling Privileges - OK
Store: PaulOfBricks UK ϟ
(Cancelled)
 Author: PaulOfBricks View Messages Posted By PaulOfBricks
 Posted: Nov 27, 2017 11:15
 Subject: Re: No Instant Checkout = Force must offer Quote
 Viewed: 54 times
 Topic: Suggestions
Cancel Message
Cancel
Reply to Message
Reply
BrickLink
ID Card

PaulOfBricks (3928)

Location:  United Kingdom, England
Member Since Contact Type Status
Jul 31, 2013 Contact Member Seller
Buying Privileges - OKSelling Privileges - OK
Store: PaulOfBricks UK ϟ
In Suggestions, calsbricks writes:
  In Suggestions, PaulOfBricks writes:
  I believe in instant checkout even though I still have a few problems with it
that are still not being addressed. However:

I believe you should know the cost upfront of your cart, fees and shipping before
being obliged to pay.

I recently placed an order and again the fees and extra are so buried within
the terms the parts cost become 34% more! also I was invoiced for the larger
box option, and I know if using the instant checkout the parts would have easily
fit into the smaller letter rate. I read the terms 3 times and still some fees
were still easily missed.

This happens over and over again, its not a one off.


I think it should be mandatory by Bricklink that any seller not using Instant
checkout will

Automatically will have the Quote option enabled.


What is the harm in that?

Every customer can make a decision up front if the fees and postage are reasonable
and acceptable. When im invoiced a total random bunch of fees I am not entered
into the contact agreement before knowing them.

Sorry Paul - voted no - don't like to see anyone forced into doing something
they don't wish to do. I have never had what happened to you happen to me
and have placed 1000 orders on Bricklink. No quotes asked for - none received.
Graneted postal costs are never our main concern when we need parts and there
are others where it is vitally important.

If I did ask a seller for a quote even if they didn't have it enabled and
they simply didn't respond, I would think they don't want my business
and find the items elsewhere, if possible.

As a seller it is our responsibility, amongst others, to communicate with our
buyers either pre-sale, during processing or post sale. If we don't do that
we are letting ourselves down as well as other stores on the site.

Forcing this as a feature is not, in our opinion, the right way to deal with
it. Avoid those stores and move on - when enough buyers do that and their orders
dwindle or even fall off a cliff, that fixes the problem cause they will disappear,
hopefully.

I just dont think when placing an order I have to guess what prices you are going
to choose for me.

You currently dont include you packaging materials in the weight, you also say
you may impose the insurance

so I place a 212g order with my cart valued £41

which of the following am I going to pay? (from your chart)

101 - 250 Large Letter
No Tracking - Tracked - 2nd Class
- 1.30 - - - - - - - 2.40 - - - - - - 2.32

101 - 250 Small Parcel
No Tracking - Tracked - 2nd Class
- 3.40 - - - - - - - 4.40 - - - - - - 3.90

or once packaging is added (and I know you package very well in sturdy boxes!)
is it going to take me into 251g-500g range?


251 - 500 Large Letter
No Tracking - Tracked - 2nd Class
- 1.74 - - - - - - - 2.84 - - - - - - 2.68

251 - 500 Small Parcel
No Tracking - Tracked - 2nd Class
- 3.40 - - - - - - - 4.40 - - - - - - 3.90



I think It will fit in the small letter 250g range 1.30 price and I dont want
insurance.

You package it well and takes it into the 251g small parcel brakcet and you also
decide that Im high risk and want to insure it and send it tracked 4.40 or 2nd
class 3.90. Do you think I should not know up front? which one of the 9 prices
it could be? rather than have to guess?

This is just a quick scan or your terms pages, there are other sellers who offer
a simular postage chart that also add package fees and paypal fees that you would
have to calculate also on top of the guessed postage price.

Its only about making the experience as simple as possible for the customer.

Y
 Author: calsbricks View Messages Posted By calsbricks
 Posted: Nov 27, 2017 11:28
 Subject: Re: No Instant Checkout = Force must offer Quote
 Viewed: 44 times
 Topic: Suggestions
Cancel Message
Cancel
Reply to Message
Reply
BrickLink
ID Card

calsbricks (8503)

Location:  United Kingdom, England
Member Since Contact Type Status
Aug 12, 2008 Contact Member Seller
Buying Privileges - OKSelling Privileges - OK
Store: CalsBricks
In Suggestions, PaulOfBricks writes:
  In Suggestions, calsbricks writes:
  In Suggestions, PaulOfBricks writes:
  I believe in instant checkout even though I still have a few problems with it
that are still not being addressed. However:

I believe you should know the cost upfront of your cart, fees and shipping before
being obliged to pay.

I recently placed an order and again the fees and extra are so buried within
the terms the parts cost become 34% more! also I was invoiced for the larger
box option, and I know if using the instant checkout the parts would have easily
fit into the smaller letter rate. I read the terms 3 times and still some fees
were still easily missed.

This happens over and over again, its not a one off.


I think it should be mandatory by Bricklink that any seller not using Instant
checkout will

Automatically will have the Quote option enabled.


What is the harm in that?

Every customer can make a decision up front if the fees and postage are reasonable
and acceptable. When im invoiced a total random bunch of fees I am not entered
into the contact agreement before knowing them.

Sorry Paul - voted no - don't like to see anyone forced into doing something
they don't wish to do. I have never had what happened to you happen to me
and have placed 1000 orders on Bricklink. No quotes asked for - none received.
Graneted postal costs are never our main concern when we need parts and there
are others where it is vitally important.

If I did ask a seller for a quote even if they didn't have it enabled and
they simply didn't respond, I would think they don't want my business
and find the items elsewhere, if possible.

As a seller it is our responsibility, amongst others, to communicate with our
buyers either pre-sale, during processing or post sale. If we don't do that
we are letting ourselves down as well as other stores on the site.

Forcing this as a feature is not, in our opinion, the right way to deal with
it. Avoid those stores and move on - when enough buyers do that and their orders
dwindle or even fall off a cliff, that fixes the problem cause they will disappear,
hopefully.

I just dont think when placing an order I have to guess what prices you are going
to choose for me.

You currently dont include you packaging materials in the weight, you also say
you may impose the insurance

so I place a 212g order with my cart valued £41

which of the following am I going to pay? (from your chart)

101 - 250 Large Letter
No Tracking - Tracked - 2nd Class
- 1.30 - - - - - - - 2.40 - - - - - - 2.32

101 - 250 Small Parcel
No Tracking - Tracked - 2nd Class
- 3.40 - - - - - - - 4.40 - - - - - - 3.90

or once packaging is added (and I know you package very well in sturdy boxes!)
is it going to take me into 251g-500g range?


251 - 500 Large Letter
No Tracking - Tracked - 2nd Class
- 1.74 - - - - - - - 2.84 - - - - - - 2.68

251 - 500 Small Parcel
No Tracking - Tracked - 2nd Class
- 3.40 - - - - - - - 4.40 - - - - - - 3.90



I think It will fit in the small letter 250g range 1.30 price and I dont want
insurance.

You package it well and takes it into the 251g small parcel brakcet and you also
decide that Im high risk and want to insure it and send it tracked 4.40 or 2nd
class 3.90. Do you think I should not know up front? which one of the 9 prices
it could be? rather than have to guess?

This is just a quick scan or your terms pages, there are other sellers who offer
a simular postage chart that also add package fees and paypal fees that you would
have to calculate also on top of the guessed postage price.

Its only about making the experience as simple as possible for the customer.

Y

What you are missing in reading the terms, and I think I am going to do something
about that, shortly is how we deal with an order once received. Our postage tables
reflect nothing more than an image of those from Royal mail - They are meant
as a guideline. When we get an order we send out our own acknowledgement which
is much more detailed than what Bricklink offers and in it we explain how things
work in our store. We inform everyone that they will have rock solid firm shipping
costs/options in 24 - 48 hours after we have pre-processed the order. We pick
all orders first and pre-package them to guarantee postage costs.

We then receive a response from that buyer and invoice them exactly as they are
expecting and have chosen. No guesswork, no gimmicks just a simple process of
picking the order pre-packaging it and advising the buyer of that. I suppose
you could look at that as a quote but not a BL one (Their quote system is flawed,
badly - doesn't work properly on inventory and is not enabled in our store.
I am now going to add to our terms and policies page a reflection of that order
acknowledgement which should make it totally clear what is going to happen, give
the buyers their choices for shipping and confirming that we charge no fees whatsoever
- just postage at cost.
 Author: bb414973 View Messages Posted By bb414973
 Posted: Nov 27, 2017 13:55
 Subject: Re: No Instant Checkout = Force must offer Quote
 Viewed: 46 times
 Topic: Suggestions
Cancel Message
Cancel
Reply to Message
Reply
BrickLink
ID Card

bb414973 (189)

Location:  Belgium, Flemish Brabant
Member Since Contact Type Status
Aug 3, 2013 Contact Member Buyer
No Longer Registered
No Longer Registered
In Suggestions, calsbricks writes:
  In Suggestions, PaulOfBricks writes:
  In Suggestions, calsbricks writes:
  In Suggestions, PaulOfBricks writes:
  I believe in instant checkout even though I still have a few problems with it
that are still not being addressed. However:

I believe you should know the cost upfront of your cart, fees and shipping before
being obliged to pay.

I recently placed an order and again the fees and extra are so buried within
the terms the parts cost become 34% more! also I was invoiced for the larger
box option, and I know if using the instant checkout the parts would have easily
fit into the smaller letter rate. I read the terms 3 times and still some fees
were still easily missed.

This happens over and over again, its not a one off.


I think it should be mandatory by Bricklink that any seller not using Instant
checkout will

Automatically will have the Quote option enabled.


What is the harm in that?

Every customer can make a decision up front if the fees and postage are reasonable
and acceptable. When im invoiced a total random bunch of fees I am not entered
into the contact agreement before knowing them.

Sorry Paul - voted no - don't like to see anyone forced into doing something
they don't wish to do. I have never had what happened to you happen to me
and have placed 1000 orders on Bricklink. No quotes asked for - none received.
Graneted postal costs are never our main concern when we need parts and there
are others where it is vitally important.

If I did ask a seller for a quote even if they didn't have it enabled and
they simply didn't respond, I would think they don't want my business
and find the items elsewhere, if possible.

As a seller it is our responsibility, amongst others, to communicate with our
buyers either pre-sale, during processing or post sale. If we don't do that
we are letting ourselves down as well as other stores on the site.

Forcing this as a feature is not, in our opinion, the right way to deal with
it. Avoid those stores and move on - when enough buyers do that and their orders
dwindle or even fall off a cliff, that fixes the problem cause they will disappear,
hopefully.

I just dont think when placing an order I have to guess what prices you are going
to choose for me.

You currently dont include you packaging materials in the weight, you also say
you may impose the insurance

so I place a 212g order with my cart valued £41

which of the following am I going to pay? (from your chart)

101 - 250 Large Letter
No Tracking - Tracked - 2nd Class
- 1.30 - - - - - - - 2.40 - - - - - - 2.32

101 - 250 Small Parcel
No Tracking - Tracked - 2nd Class
- 3.40 - - - - - - - 4.40 - - - - - - 3.90

or once packaging is added (and I know you package very well in sturdy boxes!)
is it going to take me into 251g-500g range?


251 - 500 Large Letter
No Tracking - Tracked - 2nd Class
- 1.74 - - - - - - - 2.84 - - - - - - 2.68

251 - 500 Small Parcel
No Tracking - Tracked - 2nd Class
- 3.40 - - - - - - - 4.40 - - - - - - 3.90



I think It will fit in the small letter 250g range 1.30 price and I dont want
insurance.

You package it well and takes it into the 251g small parcel brakcet and you also
decide that Im high risk and want to insure it and send it tracked 4.40 or 2nd
class 3.90. Do you think I should not know up front? which one of the 9 prices
it could be? rather than have to guess?

This is just a quick scan or your terms pages, there are other sellers who offer
a simular postage chart that also add package fees and paypal fees that you would
have to calculate also on top of the guessed postage price.

Its only about making the experience as simple as possible for the customer.

Y

What you are missing in reading the terms, and I think I am going to do something
about that, shortly is how we deal with an order once received. Our postage tables
reflect nothing more than an image of those from Royal mail - They are meant
as a guideline. When we get an order we send out our own acknowledgement which
is much more detailed than what Bricklink offers and in it we explain how things
work in our store. We inform everyone that they will have rock solid firm shipping
costs/options in 24 - 48 hours after we have pre-processed the order. We pick
all orders first and pre-package them to guarantee postage costs.

We then receive a response from that buyer and invoice them exactly as they are
expecting and have chosen. No guesswork, no gimmicks just a simple process of
picking the order pre-packaging it and advising the buyer of that. I suppose
you could look at that as a quote but not a BL one (Their quote system is flawed,
badly - doesn't work properly on inventory and is not enabled in our store.
I am now going to add to our terms and policies page a reflection of that order
acknowledgement which should make it totally clear what is going to happen, give
the buyers their choices for shipping and confirming that we charge no fees whatsoever
- just postage at cost.

And at this point, do you allow your customer to cancel the order if the shipping/extra
fees are deemed by them to be excessive?
 Author: calsbricks View Messages Posted By calsbricks
 Posted: Nov 27, 2017 14:34
 Subject: Re: No Instant Checkout = Force must offer Quote
 Viewed: 54 times
 Topic: Suggestions
Cancel Message
Cancel
Reply to Message
Reply
BrickLink
ID Card

calsbricks (8503)

Location:  United Kingdom, England
Member Since Contact Type Status
Aug 12, 2008 Contact Member Seller
Buying Privileges - OKSelling Privileges - OK
Store: CalsBricks
In Suggestions, MarieA writes:
  In Suggestions, calsbricks writes:
  In Suggestions, PaulOfBricks writes:
  In Suggestions, calsbricks writes:
  In Suggestions, PaulOfBricks writes:
  I believe in instant checkout even though I still have a few problems with it
that are still not being addressed. However:

I believe you should know the cost upfront of your cart, fees and shipping before
being obliged to pay.

I recently placed an order and again the fees and extra are so buried within
the terms the parts cost become 34% more! also I was invoiced for the larger
box option, and I know if using the instant checkout the parts would have easily
fit into the smaller letter rate. I read the terms 3 times and still some fees
were still easily missed.

This happens over and over again, its not a one off.


I think it should be mandatory by Bricklink that any seller not using Instant
checkout will

Automatically will have the Quote option enabled.


What is the harm in that?

Every customer can make a decision up front if the fees and postage are reasonable
and acceptable. When im invoiced a total random bunch of fees I am not entered
into the contact agreement before knowing them.

Sorry Paul - voted no - don't like to see anyone forced into doing something
they don't wish to do. I have never had what happened to you happen to me
and have placed 1000 orders on Bricklink. No quotes asked for - none received.
Graneted postal costs are never our main concern when we need parts and there
are others where it is vitally important.

If I did ask a seller for a quote even if they didn't have it enabled and
they simply didn't respond, I would think they don't want my business
and find the items elsewhere, if possible.

As a seller it is our responsibility, amongst others, to communicate with our
buyers either pre-sale, during processing or post sale. If we don't do that
we are letting ourselves down as well as other stores on the site.

Forcing this as a feature is not, in our opinion, the right way to deal with
it. Avoid those stores and move on - when enough buyers do that and their orders
dwindle or even fall off a cliff, that fixes the problem cause they will disappear,
hopefully.

I just dont think when placing an order I have to guess what prices you are going
to choose for me.

You currently dont include you packaging materials in the weight, you also say
you may impose the insurance

so I place a 212g order with my cart valued £41

which of the following am I going to pay? (from your chart)

101 - 250 Large Letter
No Tracking - Tracked - 2nd Class
- 1.30 - - - - - - - 2.40 - - - - - - 2.32

101 - 250 Small Parcel
No Tracking - Tracked - 2nd Class
- 3.40 - - - - - - - 4.40 - - - - - - 3.90

or once packaging is added (and I know you package very well in sturdy boxes!)
is it going to take me into 251g-500g range?


251 - 500 Large Letter
No Tracking - Tracked - 2nd Class
- 1.74 - - - - - - - 2.84 - - - - - - 2.68

251 - 500 Small Parcel
No Tracking - Tracked - 2nd Class
- 3.40 - - - - - - - 4.40 - - - - - - 3.90



I think It will fit in the small letter 250g range 1.30 price and I dont want
insurance.

You package it well and takes it into the 251g small parcel brakcet and you also
decide that Im high risk and want to insure it and send it tracked 4.40 or 2nd
class 3.90. Do you think I should not know up front? which one of the 9 prices
it could be? rather than have to guess?

This is just a quick scan or your terms pages, there are other sellers who offer
a simular postage chart that also add package fees and paypal fees that you would
have to calculate also on top of the guessed postage price.

Its only about making the experience as simple as possible for the customer.

Y

What you are missing in reading the terms, and I think I am going to do something
about that, shortly is how we deal with an order once received. Our postage tables
reflect nothing more than an image of those from Royal mail - They are meant
as a guideline. When we get an order we send out our own acknowledgement which
is much more detailed than what Bricklink offers and in it we explain how things
work in our store. We inform everyone that they will have rock solid firm shipping
costs/options in 24 - 48 hours after we have pre-processed the order. We pick
all orders first and pre-package them to guarantee postage costs.

We then receive a response from that buyer and invoice them exactly as they are
expecting and have chosen. No guesswork, no gimmicks just a simple process of
picking the order pre-packaging it and advising the buyer of that. I suppose
you could look at that as a quote but not a BL one (Their quote system is flawed,
badly - doesn't work properly on inventory and is not enabled in our store.
I am now going to add to our terms and policies page a reflection of that order
acknowledgement which should make it totally clear what is going to happen, give
the buyers their choices for shipping and confirming that we charge no fees whatsoever
- just postage at cost.

And at this point, do you allow your customer to cancel the order if the shipping/extra
fees are deemed by them to be excessive?

simple answer yes but we don't charge any fees just postage at cost
 Author: yorbrick View Messages Posted By yorbrick
 Posted: Nov 27, 2017 15:49
 Subject: Re: No Instant Checkout = Force must offer Quote
 Viewed: 44 times
 Topic: Suggestions
Cancel Message
Cancel
Reply to Message
Reply
BrickLink
ID Card

yorbrick (1182)

Location:  United Kingdom, England
Member Since Contact Type Status
Apr 11, 2011 Contact Member Seller
Buying Privileges - OKSelling Privileges - OK
Store: Yorbricks
And some sellers will allow a buyer to cancel if they think the shipping is higher
than expected, even if it is at cost. Yet others won't. They will say it
is a legal contract, threaten NPB, negative feedback, etc.
 Author: Pippysblocks View Messages Posted By Pippysblocks
 Posted: Nov 27, 2017 10:43
 Subject: Re: No Instant Checkout = Force must offer Quote
 Viewed: 45 times
 Topic: Suggestions
Cancel Message
Cancel
Reply to Message
Reply
BrickLink
ID Card

Pippysblocks (4748)

Location:  United Kingdom, England
Member Since Contact Type Status
May 20, 2017 Contact Member Seller
Buying Privileges - OKSelling Privileges - OK
Store: Pippys Blocks
This is why I have a min buy of £5 and postage at cost, simple and clear.

In Suggestions, PaulOfBricks writes:
  I believe in instant checkout even though I still have a few problems with it
that are still not being addressed. However:

I believe you should know the cost upfront of your cart, fees and shipping before
being obliged to pay.

I recently placed an order and again the fees and extra are so buried within
the terms the parts cost become 34% more! also I was invoiced for the larger
box option, and I know if using the instant checkout the parts would have easily
fit into the smaller letter rate. I read the terms 3 times and still some fees
were still easily missed.

This happens over and over again, its not a one off.


I think it should be mandatory by Bricklink that any seller not using Instant
checkout will

Automatically will have the Quote option enabled.


What is the harm in that?

Every customer can make a decision up front if the fees and postage are reasonable
and acceptable. When im invoiced a total random bunch of fees I am not entered
into the contact agreement before knowing them.
 Author: calsbricks View Messages Posted By calsbricks
 Posted: Nov 27, 2017 10:57
 Subject: Re: No Instant Checkout = Force must offer Quote
 Viewed: 36 times
 Topic: Suggestions
Cancel Message
Cancel
Reply to Message
Reply
BrickLink
ID Card

calsbricks (8503)

Location:  United Kingdom, England
Member Since Contact Type Status
Aug 12, 2008 Contact Member Seller
Buying Privileges - OKSelling Privileges - OK
Store: CalsBricks
In Suggestions, Pippyblocks writes:
  This is why I have a min buy of £5 and postage at cost, simple and clear.

And so do we

  In Suggestions, PaulOfBricks writes:
  I believe in instant checkout even though I still have a few problems with it
that are still not being addressed. However:

I believe you should know the cost upfront of your cart, fees and shipping before
being obliged to pay.

I recently placed an order and again the fees and extra are so buried within
the terms the parts cost become 34% more! also I was invoiced for the larger
box option, and I know if using the instant checkout the parts would have easily
fit into the smaller letter rate. I read the terms 3 times and still some fees
were still easily missed.

This happens over and over again, its not a one off.


I think it should be mandatory by Bricklink that any seller not using Instant
checkout will

Automatically will have the Quote option enabled.


What is the harm in that?

Every customer can make a decision up front if the fees and postage are reasonable
and acceptable. When im invoiced a total random bunch of fees I am not entered
into the contact agreement before knowing them.
 Author: yorbrick View Messages Posted By yorbrick
 Posted: Nov 27, 2017 10:43
 Subject: Re: No Instant Checkout = Force must offer Quote
 Viewed: 42 times
 Topic: Suggestions
Cancel Message
Cancel
Reply to Message
Reply
BrickLink
ID Card

yorbrick (1182)

Location:  United Kingdom, England
Member Since Contact Type Status
Apr 11, 2011 Contact Member Seller
Buying Privileges - OKSelling Privileges - OK
Store: Yorbricks
In Suggestions, PaulOfBricks writes:
  I believe in instant checkout even though I still have a few problems with it
that are still not being addressed. However:

I believe you should know the cost upfront of your cart, fees and shipping before
being obliged to pay.

I recently placed an order and again the fees and extra are so buried within
the terms the parts cost become 34% more! also I was invoiced for the larger
box option, and I know if using the instant checkout the parts would have easily
fit into the smaller letter rate. I read the terms 3 times and still some fees
were still easily missed.

This happens over and over again, its not a one off.


I think it should be mandatory by Bricklink that any seller not using Instant
checkout will

Automatically will have the Quote option enabled.


What is the harm in that?

Every customer can make a decision up front if the fees and postage are reasonable
and acceptable. When im invoiced a total random bunch of fees I am not entered
into the contact agreement before knowing them.

I agree. I think it is perfectly acceptable that a buyer should be able to refuse
to pay if they were not told of the total costs for an order in a clear and simple
way. Some seller's terms are contradictory and / or confusing (for example
charging lot fees but do not consolidate lots), and also not knowing what packaging
the seller will use can change the costs significantly.

Either make quotes mandatory, or allow buyer-led cancellations if they do nto
want to proceed once invoiced with the true total.

I am amazed at how many sellers don't reply to emails asking for quotes.
I've had two sellers that did not reply to messages in the past week, and
one other saying that I should be able to work it out by myeslf from their terms
page. Of course, I couldn't work it out as they don't say how much their
packaging weighs. Not only do they lose a sale now, they will probably lose all
future sales too.
 Author: calsbricks View Messages Posted By calsbricks
 Posted: Nov 27, 2017 11:02
 Subject: Re: No Instant Checkout = Force must offer Quote
 Viewed: 38 times
 Topic: Suggestions
Cancel Message
Cancel
Reply to Message
Reply
BrickLink
ID Card

calsbricks (8503)

Location:  United Kingdom, England
Member Since Contact Type Status
Aug 12, 2008 Contact Member Seller
Buying Privileges - OKSelling Privileges - OK
Store: CalsBricks
In Suggestions, yorbrick writes:
  In Suggestions, PaulOfBricks writes:
  I believe in instant checkout even though I still have a few problems with it
that are still not being addressed. However:

I believe you should know the cost upfront of your cart, fees and shipping before
being obliged to pay.

I recently placed an order and again the fees and extra are so buried within
the terms the parts cost become 34% more! also I was invoiced for the larger
box option, and I know if using the instant checkout the parts would have easily
fit into the smaller letter rate. I read the terms 3 times and still some fees
were still easily missed.

This happens over and over again, its not a one off.


I think it should be mandatory by Bricklink that any seller not using Instant
checkout will

Automatically will have the Quote option enabled.


What is the harm in that?

Every customer can make a decision up front if the fees and postage are reasonable
and acceptable. When im invoiced a total random bunch of fees I am not entered
into the contact agreement before knowing them.

I agree. I think it is perfectly acceptable that a buyer should be able to refuse
to pay if they were not told of the total costs for an order in a clear and simple
way. Some seller's terms are contradictory and / or confusing (for example
charging lot fees but do not consolidate lots), and also not knowing what packaging
the seller will use can change the costs significantly.

We believe that already exists - a buyer can request to cancel an order at any
time and most reasonable sellers will simply cancel and move on, that is what
we do.
  
Either make quotes mandatory, or allow buyer-led cancellations if they do nto
want to proceed once invoiced with the true total.

Don't agree. If you are going to do that why not make all features mandatory
- new layouts, instant checkout etc. Taking away people's choices is never
a good idea.
  
I am amazed at how many sellers don't reply to emails asking for quotes.
I've had two sellers that did not reply to messages in the past week, and
one other saying that I should be able to work it out by myeslf from their terms
page. Of course, I couldn't work it out as they don't say how much their
packaging weighs. Not only do they lose a sale now, they will probably lose all
future sales too.

Never ever had this problem and I do not believe we have ever not responded to
a query pre an order. Again move on and go somewhere that want's your business,
rather than dealing with someone who obviously doesn't.
 Author: yorbrick View Messages Posted By yorbrick
 Posted: Nov 27, 2017 11:40
 Subject: Re: No Instant Checkout = Force must offer Quote
 Viewed: 37 times
 Topic: Suggestions
Cancel Message
Cancel
Reply to Message
Reply
BrickLink
ID Card

yorbrick (1182)

Location:  United Kingdom, England
Member Since Contact Type Status
Apr 11, 2011 Contact Member Seller
Buying Privileges - OKSelling Privileges - OK
Store: Yorbricks
  We believe that already exists - a buyer can request to cancel an order at any
time and most reasonable sellers will simply cancel and move on, that is what
we do.

It doesn't already exist, as sellers can refuse to cancel the order.
 Author: yorbrick View Messages Posted By yorbrick
 Posted: Nov 27, 2017 11:42
 Subject: Re: No Instant Checkout = Force must offer Quote
 Viewed: 36 times
 Topic: Suggestions
Cancel Message
Cancel
Reply to Message
Reply
BrickLink
ID Card

yorbrick (1182)

Location:  United Kingdom, England
Member Since Contact Type Status
Apr 11, 2011 Contact Member Seller
Buying Privileges - OKSelling Privileges - OK
Store: Yorbricks
  Never ever had this problem and I do not believe we have ever not responded to
a query pre an order. Again move on and go somewhere that want's your business,
rather than dealing with someone who obviously doesn't.

What impression does a new user get of the whole of BL when they come across
a seller that won't let them checkout, won't give them a quote and won't
reply to an email asking about postage costs. Bad sellers tarnish all sellers,
especially if the buyer is new.
 Author: calsbricks View Messages Posted By calsbricks
 Posted: Nov 27, 2017 12:02
 Subject: Re: No Instant Checkout = Force must offer Quote
 Viewed: 37 times
 Topic: Suggestions
Cancel Message
Cancel
Reply to Message
Reply
BrickLink
ID Card

calsbricks (8503)

Location:  United Kingdom, England
Member Since Contact Type Status
Aug 12, 2008 Contact Member Seller
Buying Privileges - OKSelling Privileges - OK
Store: CalsBricks
In Suggestions, yorbrick writes:
  
  Never ever had this problem and I do not believe we have ever not responded to
a query pre an order. Again move on and go somewhere that want's your business,
rather than dealing with someone who obviously doesn't.

What impression does a new user get of the whole of BL when they come across
a seller that won't let them checkout, won't give them a quote and won't
reply to an email asking about postage costs. Bad sellers tarnish all sellers,
especially if the buyer is new.

I think you might be stretching it a bit. Bricklink has continued to grow year
on year ever since it started (without either a quote feature or IC). I am sure
that will continue. If the quote system wasn't flawed in the way it handles
inventory, then maybe, just maybe more people might embrace it. As for ic only
time will tell there. some have adopted some haven't. Still quite buggy and
missing key features e.g sales tax,etc. etc.

Quote from recent first time user

Thank you very much for making my first order on bricklink smooth
 Author: Bricklord View Messages Posted By Bricklord
 Posted: Nov 27, 2017 10:57
 Subject: Re: No Instant Checkout = Force must offer Quote
 Viewed: 42 times
 Topic: Suggestions
Cancel Message
Cancel
Reply to Message
Reply
BrickLink
ID Card

Bricklord (17757)

Location:  Canada, Alberta
Member Since Contact Type Status
Jun 11, 2002 Contact Member Seller
Buying Privileges - OKSelling Privileges - OK
Store Closed Store: Bricklord's T. Chest
Fully supported. I have had the Quote function enabled since it was first introduced,
and have no intention of ever screwing myself and my customers over by implementing
that goat rodeo called Instant Checkout. Sellers should be obliged to offer the
Quote Function if they opt not to use Instant Checkout. The latter must not be
made mandatory though. If it does, I and a large number of other sellers will
leave.

That said, the Quote function must be improved. Instead of an obfuscated tab
at the very end of the checkout process, it should be the fork in the road right
at the start.



In Suggestions, PaulOfBricks writes:
  I believe in instant checkout even though I still have a few problems with it
that are still not being addressed. However:

I believe you should know the cost upfront of your cart, fees and shipping before
being obliged to pay.

I recently placed an order and again the fees and extra are so buried within
the terms the parts cost become 34% more! also I was invoiced for the larger
box option, and I know if using the instant checkout the parts would have easily
fit into the smaller letter rate. I read the terms 3 times and still some fees
were still easily missed.

This happens over and over again, its not a one off.


I think it should be mandatory by Bricklink that any seller not using Instant
checkout will

Automatically will have the Quote option enabled.


What is the harm in that?

Every customer can make a decision up front if the fees and postage are reasonable
and acceptable. When im invoiced a total random bunch of fees I am not entered
into the contact agreement before knowing them.
 Author: leopard37 View Messages Posted By leopard37
 Posted: Nov 27, 2017 11:04
 Subject: Re: No Instant Checkout = Force must offer Quote
 Viewed: 35 times
 Topic: Suggestions
Cancel Message
Cancel
Reply to Message
Reply
BrickLink
ID Card

leopard37 (4520)

Location:  Canada, Alberta
Member Since Contact Type Status
Jul 15, 2015 Contact Member Seller
Buying Privileges - OKSelling Privileges - OK
Store: Leopard37
In Suggestions, Bricklord writes:
  Fully supported. I have had the Quote function enabled since it was first introduced,
and have no intention of ever screwing myself and my customers over by implementing
that goat rodeo called Instant Checkout. Sellers should be obliged to offer the
Quote Function if they opt not to use Instant Checkout. The latter must not be
made mandatory though. If it does, I and a large number of other sellers will
leave.

That said, the Quote function must be improved. Instead of an obfuscated tab
at the very end of the checkout process, it should be the fork in the road right
at the start.



I would attend that!

Tyson.
 Author: calsbricks View Messages Posted By calsbricks
 Posted: Nov 27, 2017 11:07
 Subject: Re: No Instant Checkout = Force must offer Quote
 Viewed: 37 times
 Topic: Suggestions
Cancel Message
Cancel
Reply to Message
Reply
BrickLink
ID Card

calsbricks (8503)

Location:  United Kingdom, England
Member Since Contact Type Status
Aug 12, 2008 Contact Member Seller
Buying Privileges - OKSelling Privileges - OK
Store: CalsBricks
In Suggestions, Bricklord writes:
  Fully supported. I have had the Quote function enabled since it was first introduced,
and have no intention of ever screwing myself and my customers over by implementing
that goat rodeo called Instant Checkout. Sellers should be obliged to offer the
Quote Function if they opt not to use Instant Checkout. The latter must not be
made mandatory though. If it does, I and a large number of other sellers will
leave.

That said, the Quote function must be improved. Instead of an obfuscated tab
at the very end of the checkout process, it should be the fork in the road right
at the start.

Nothing should be mandatory as far as this goes. You have over 11,000 unique
sellers on this site and they will all have an opinion of whether they want to
offer quotes or instant checkout - leave it that way and you may end up filtering
out the 'damaged goods sellers' that seem to happen - this is really
odd, I must say all this talk about sellers not responding etc. We have been
buying for a very long time on this site and have never had a seller not respond
to any query we had pre, during or post sale. Most of them are happy to get their
orders in and process them and certainly do not want to turn away business. Maybe
people should name and shame them .
  


In Suggestions, PaulOfBricks writes:
  I believe in instant checkout even though I still have a few problems with it
that are still not being addressed. However:

I believe you should know the cost upfront of your cart, fees and shipping before
being obliged to pay.

I recently placed an order and again the fees and extra are so buried within
the terms the parts cost become 34% more! also I was invoiced for the larger
box option, and I know if using the instant checkout the parts would have easily
fit into the smaller letter rate. I read the terms 3 times and still some fees
were still easily missed.

This happens over and over again, its not a one off.


I think it should be mandatory by Bricklink that any seller not using Instant
checkout will

Automatically will have the Quote option enabled.


What is the harm in that?

Every customer can make a decision up front if the fees and postage are reasonable
and acceptable. When im invoiced a total random bunch of fees I am not entered
into the contact agreement before knowing them.
 Author: Bricklord View Messages Posted By Bricklord
 Posted: Nov 27, 2017 11:14
 Subject: Re: No Instant Checkout = Force must offer Quote
 Viewed: 31 times
 Topic: Suggestions
Cancel Message
Cancel
Reply to Message
Reply
BrickLink
ID Card

Bricklord (17757)

Location:  Canada, Alberta
Member Since Contact Type Status
Jun 11, 2002 Contact Member Seller
Buying Privileges - OKSelling Privileges - OK
Store Closed Store: Bricklord's T. Chest
Respectfully, the key flaw in your position is that you actually make 'pre,
during and post' queries to stores you shop in. Far to many others can't
be bothered, and then whine and complain afterwards, or become NPB's. Make
it harder for prospective buyers to act blindly on this site, and it will significantly
reduce the headaches and frustrations that sellers endure.



In Suggestions, calsbricks writes:
  In Suggestions, Bricklord writes:
  Fully supported. I have had the Quote function enabled since it was first introduced,
and have no intention of ever screwing myself and my customers over by implementing
that goat rodeo called Instant Checkout. Sellers should be obliged to offer the
Quote Function if they opt not to use Instant Checkout. The latter must not be
made mandatory though. If it does, I and a large number of other sellers will
leave.

That said, the Quote function must be improved. Instead of an obfuscated tab
at the very end of the checkout process, it should be the fork in the road right
at the start.

Nothing should be mandatory as far as this goes. You have over 11,000 unique
sellers on this site and they will all have an opinion of whether they want to
offer quotes or instant checkout - leave it that way and you may end up filtering
out the 'damaged goods sellers' that seem to happen - this is really
odd, I must say all this talk about sellers not responding etc. We have been
buying for a very long time on this site and have never had a seller not respond
to any query we had pre, during or post sale. Most of them are happy to get their
orders in and process them and certainly do not want to turn away business. Maybe
people should name and shame them .
  


In Suggestions, PaulOfBricks writes:
  I believe in instant checkout even though I still have a few problems with it
that are still not being addressed. However:

I believe you should know the cost upfront of your cart, fees and shipping before
being obliged to pay.

I recently placed an order and again the fees and extra are so buried within
the terms the parts cost become 34% more! also I was invoiced for the larger
box option, and I know if using the instant checkout the parts would have easily
fit into the smaller letter rate. I read the terms 3 times and still some fees
were still easily missed.

This happens over and over again, its not a one off.


I think it should be mandatory by Bricklink that any seller not using Instant
checkout will

Automatically will have the Quote option enabled.


What is the harm in that?

Every customer can make a decision up front if the fees and postage are reasonable
and acceptable. When im invoiced a total random bunch of fees I am not entered
into the contact agreement before knowing them.
 Author: chetzler View Messages Posted By chetzler
 Posted: Nov 27, 2017 11:27
 Subject: Re: No Instant Checkout = Force must offer Quote
 Viewed: 52 times
 Topic: Suggestions
Cancel Message
Cancel
Reply to Message
Reply
BrickLink
ID Card

chetzler (2315)

Location:  USA, Minnesota
Member Since Contact Type Status
Feb 12, 2005 Contact Member Seller
Buying Privileges - OKSelling Privileges - OK
Store: Lost Boys' Brick Shop
In Suggestions, calsbricks writes:
  In Suggestions, Bricklord writes:
  Fully supported. I have had the Quote function enabled since it was first introduced,
and have no intention of ever screwing myself and my customers over by implementing
that goat rodeo called Instant Checkout. Sellers should be obliged to offer the
Quote Function if they opt not to use Instant Checkout. The latter must not be
made mandatory though. If it does, I and a large number of other sellers will
leave.

That said, the Quote function must be improved. Instead of an obfuscated tab
at the very end of the checkout process, it should be the fork in the road right
at the start.

Nothing should be mandatory as far as this goes. You have over 11,000 unique
sellers on this site and they will all have an opinion of whether they want to
offer quotes or instant checkout - leave it that way and you may end up filtering
out the 'damaged goods sellers' that seem to happen - this is really
odd, I must say all this talk about sellers not responding etc.

I am convinced there is a lot of exaggeration in the forum as people struggle
to make their points. ONE person has to file two NPBs in a month and suddenly
it's, "WE need to do something about ALL of these deadbeat buyers!!!" ONE
person comes across a couple of shops with shady terms and then, "OMG ALL the
sellers on BrickLink are trying to rip me off!!!"

I have no doubt people experience frustration with a small group of buyers or
sellers and rarely someone may have a string of bad luck, but those are all anecdotes
and not indicative of the general atmosphere on the site.

  We have been
buying for a very long time on this site and have never had a seller not respond
to any query we had pre, during or post sale. Most of them are happy to get their
orders in and process them and certainly do not want to turn away business. Maybe
people should name and shame them .
  


In Suggestions, PaulOfBricks writes:
  I believe in instant checkout even though I still have a few problems with it
that are still not being addressed. However:

I believe you should know the cost upfront of your cart, fees and shipping before
being obliged to pay.

I recently placed an order and again the fees and extra are so buried within
the terms the parts cost become 34% more! also I was invoiced for the larger
box option, and I know if using the instant checkout the parts would have easily
fit into the smaller letter rate. I read the terms 3 times and still some fees
were still easily missed.

This happens over and over again, its not a one off.


I think it should be mandatory by Bricklink that any seller not using Instant
checkout will

Automatically will have the Quote option enabled.


What is the harm in that?

Every customer can make a decision up front if the fees and postage are reasonable
and acceptable. When im invoiced a total random bunch of fees I am not entered
into the contact agreement before knowing them.
 Author: popsicle View Messages Posted By popsicle
 Posted: Nov 27, 2017 12:13
 Subject: Re: No Instant Checkout = Force must offer Quote
 Viewed: 83 times
 Topic: Suggestions
Cancel Message
Cancel
Reply to Message
Reply
BrickLink
ID Card

popsicle (6654)

Location:  USA, Washington
Member Since Contact Type Status
Feb 21, 2006 Contact Member Seller
Buying Privileges - OKSelling Privileges - OK
Store: ConstrucToys
In Suggestions, chetzler writes:
  In Suggestions, calsbricks writes:
  In Suggestions, Bricklord writes:
  Fully supported. I have had the Quote function enabled since it was first introduced,
and have no intention of ever screwing myself and my customers over by implementing
that goat rodeo called Instant Checkout. Sellers should be obliged to offer the
Quote Function if they opt not to use Instant Checkout. The latter must not be
made mandatory though. If it does, I and a large number of other sellers will
leave.

That said, the Quote function must be improved. Instead of an obfuscated tab
at the very end of the checkout process, it should be the fork in the road right
at the start.

Nothing should be mandatory as far as this goes. You have over 11,000 unique
sellers on this site and they will all have an opinion of whether they want to
offer quotes or instant checkout - leave it that way and you may end up filtering
out the 'damaged goods sellers' that seem to happen - this is really
odd, I must say all this talk about sellers not responding etc.

I am convinced there is a lot of exaggeration in the forum as people struggle
to make their points. ONE person has to file two NPBs in a month and suddenly
it's, "WE need to do something about ALL of these deadbeat buyers!!!" ONE
person comes across a couple of shops with shady terms and then, "OMG ALL the
sellers on BrickLink are trying to rip me off!!!"

I have no doubt people experience frustration with a small group of buyers or
sellers and rarely someone may have a string of bad luck, but those are all anecdotes
and not indicative of the general atmosphere on the site.


Wow....this is the best, succinct wording of what is seldom spoken of but is
a fundamental truth about the BL forum. It frankly worried me when back during
the takeover, the new owner's admins who were new to the site, jumped in
and were taking much of the hyperbole on the forum as being indicative of the
overall site's issues and concerns. I believe I even posted my concerns about
it, when it was taking place. I also believe the admins understand now, that
the forum's anecdotes are not always the best place to evaluate or discover
site problems.

I understood why the new admins were going to the forum, not really knowing where
else to turn, to better understand the site, it was expedient. I worried, as
I've seen the effects of taking exaggerated cases as the norm, in-the-real-world.
It NEVER leads to solving problems (often imagined) but does create a whole new
batch of actual problems.

-Cory
  
  We have been
buying for a very long time on this site and have never had a seller not respond
to any query we had pre, during or post sale. Most of them are happy to get their
orders in and process them and certainly do not want to turn away business. Maybe
people should name and shame them .
  


In Suggestions, PaulOfBricks writes:
  I believe in instant checkout even though I still have a few problems with it
that are still not being addressed. However:

I believe you should know the cost upfront of your cart, fees and shipping before
being obliged to pay.

I recently placed an order and again the fees and extra are so buried within
the terms the parts cost become 34% more! also I was invoiced for the larger
box option, and I know if using the instant checkout the parts would have easily
fit into the smaller letter rate. I read the terms 3 times and still some fees
were still easily missed.

This happens over and over again, its not a one off.


I think it should be mandatory by Bricklink that any seller not using Instant
checkout will

Automatically will have the Quote option enabled.


What is the harm in that?

Every customer can make a decision up front if the fees and postage are reasonable
and acceptable. When im invoiced a total random bunch of fees I am not entered
into the contact agreement before knowing them.
 Author: chetzler View Messages Posted By chetzler
 Posted: Nov 27, 2017 11:14
 Subject: Re: No Instant Checkout = Force must offer Quote
 Viewed: 42 times
 Topic: Suggestions
Cancel Message
Cancel
Reply to Message
Reply
BrickLink
ID Card

chetzler (2315)

Location:  USA, Minnesota
Member Since Contact Type Status
Feb 12, 2005 Contact Member Seller
Buying Privileges - OKSelling Privileges - OK
Store: Lost Boys' Brick Shop
In Suggestions, Bricklord writes:
  Fully supported. I have had the Quote function enabled since it was first introduced,
and have no intention of ever screwing myself and my customers over by implementing
that goat rodeo called Instant Checkout. Sellers should be obliged to offer the
Quote Function if they opt not to use Instant Checkout. The latter must not be
made mandatory though. If it does, I and a large number of other sellers will
leave.


Why on Earth would you make all of that extra work for yourself? Am I reading
you correctly? You would prefer to be forced to quote every single order you
receive?

  That said, the Quote function must be improved. Instead of an obfuscated tab
at the very end of the checkout process, it should be the fork in the road right
at the start.



In Suggestions, PaulOfBricks writes:
  I believe in instant checkout even though I still have a few problems with it
that are still not being addressed. However:

I believe you should know the cost upfront of your cart, fees and shipping before
being obliged to pay.

I recently placed an order and again the fees and extra are so buried within
the terms the parts cost become 34% more! also I was invoiced for the larger
box option, and I know if using the instant checkout the parts would have easily
fit into the smaller letter rate. I read the terms 3 times and still some fees
were still easily missed.

This happens over and over again, its not a one off.


I think it should be mandatory by Bricklink that any seller not using Instant
checkout will

Automatically will have the Quote option enabled.


What is the harm in that?

Every customer can make a decision up front if the fees and postage are reasonable
and acceptable. When im invoiced a total random bunch of fees I am not entered
into the contact agreement before knowing them.
 Author: Bricklord View Messages Posted By Bricklord
 Posted: Nov 27, 2017 12:24
 Subject: Re: No Instant Checkout = Force must offer Quote
 Viewed: 39 times
 Topic: Suggestions
Cancel Message
Cancel
Reply to Message
Reply
BrickLink
ID Card

Bricklord (17757)

Location:  Canada, Alberta
Member Since Contact Type Status
Jun 11, 2002 Contact Member Seller
Buying Privileges - OKSelling Privileges - OK
Store Closed Store: Bricklord's T. Chest
What extra work? One has to calculate the shipping on every order to invoice
for it anyway. This is simply a buffer between the prospective buyer committing
to an order and simply getting a quote. If they decide the shipping is acceptable,
they accept the quote and you are already done. Invoice them from the order itself,
and once paid pull, pack and ship. There is no extra work, and far fewer NPB's.




In Suggestions, chetzler writes:
  In Suggestions, Bricklord writes:
  Fully supported. I have had the Quote function enabled since it was first introduced,
and have no intention of ever screwing myself and my customers over by implementing
that goat rodeo called Instant Checkout. Sellers should be obliged to offer the
Quote Function if they opt not to use Instant Checkout. The latter must not be
made mandatory though. If it does, I and a large number of other sellers will
leave.


Why on Earth would you make all of that extra work for yourself? Am I reading
you correctly? You would prefer to be forced to quote every single order you
receive?

  That said, the Quote function must be improved. Instead of an obfuscated tab
at the very end of the checkout process, it should be the fork in the road right
at the start.



In Suggestions, PaulOfBricks writes:
  I believe in instant checkout even though I still have a few problems with it
that are still not being addressed. However:

I believe you should know the cost upfront of your cart, fees and shipping before
being obliged to pay.

I recently placed an order and again the fees and extra are so buried within
the terms the parts cost become 34% more! also I was invoiced for the larger
box option, and I know if using the instant checkout the parts would have easily
fit into the smaller letter rate. I read the terms 3 times and still some fees
were still easily missed.

This happens over and over again, its not a one off.


I think it should be mandatory by Bricklink that any seller not using Instant
checkout will

Automatically will have the Quote option enabled.


What is the harm in that?

Every customer can make a decision up front if the fees and postage are reasonable
and acceptable. When im invoiced a total random bunch of fees I am not entered
into the contact agreement before knowing them.
 Author: chetzler View Messages Posted By chetzler
 Posted: Nov 27, 2017 12:33
 Subject: Re: No Instant Checkout = Force must offer Quote
 Viewed: 41 times
 Topic: Suggestions
Cancel Message
Cancel
Reply to Message
Reply
BrickLink
ID Card

chetzler (2315)

Location:  USA, Minnesota
Member Since Contact Type Status
Feb 12, 2005 Contact Member Seller
Buying Privileges - OKSelling Privileges - OK
Store: Lost Boys' Brick Shop
In Suggestions, Bricklord writes:
  What extra work? One has to calculate the shipping on every order to invoice
for it anyway. This is simply a buffer between the prospective buyer committing
to an order and simply getting a quote. If they decide the shipping is acceptable,
they accept the quote and you are already done. Invoice them from the order itself,
and once paid pull, pack and ship. There is no extra work, and far fewer NPB's.

How often (if ever) do you have to re-issue a quote because some of the items
on the order were already sold? It was my understanding that if parts on a quote
are sold then the quote is immediately cancelled. Is that still the case?


  



In Suggestions, chetzler writes:
  In Suggestions, Bricklord writes:
  Fully supported. I have had the Quote function enabled since it was first introduced,
and have no intention of ever screwing myself and my customers over by implementing
that goat rodeo called Instant Checkout. Sellers should be obliged to offer the
Quote Function if they opt not to use Instant Checkout. The latter must not be
made mandatory though. If it does, I and a large number of other sellers will
leave.


Why on Earth would you make all of that extra work for yourself? Am I reading
you correctly? You would prefer to be forced to quote every single order you
receive?

  That said, the Quote function must be improved. Instead of an obfuscated tab
at the very end of the checkout process, it should be the fork in the road right
at the start.



In Suggestions, PaulOfBricks writes:
  I believe in instant checkout even though I still have a few problems with it
that are still not being addressed. However:

I believe you should know the cost upfront of your cart, fees and shipping before
being obliged to pay.

I recently placed an order and again the fees and extra are so buried within
the terms the parts cost become 34% more! also I was invoiced for the larger
box option, and I know if using the instant checkout the parts would have easily
fit into the smaller letter rate. I read the terms 3 times and still some fees
were still easily missed.

This happens over and over again, its not a one off.


I think it should be mandatory by Bricklink that any seller not using Instant
checkout will

Automatically will have the Quote option enabled.


What is the harm in that?

Every customer can make a decision up front if the fees and postage are reasonable
and acceptable. When im invoiced a total random bunch of fees I am not entered
into the contact agreement before knowing them.
 Author: Bricklord View Messages Posted By Bricklord
 Posted: Nov 27, 2017 12:42
 Subject: Re: No Instant Checkout = Force must offer Quote
 Viewed: 41 times
 Topic: Suggestions
Cancel Message
Cancel
Reply to Message
Reply
BrickLink
ID Card

Bricklord (17757)

Location:  Canada, Alberta
Member Since Contact Type Status
Jun 11, 2002 Contact Member Seller
Buying Privileges - OKSelling Privileges - OK
Store Closed Store: Bricklord's T. Chest
That is the case. If any of the items in an open quote are sold below the quantity
within that quote before that quote is accepted, then the system automatically
cancels the quote. I have only had this happen once to a potential buyer.


In Suggestions, chetzler writes:
  In Suggestions, Bricklord writes:
  What extra work? One has to calculate the shipping on every order to invoice
for it anyway. This is simply a buffer between the prospective buyer committing
to an order and simply getting a quote. If they decide the shipping is acceptable,
they accept the quote and you are already done. Invoice them from the order itself,
and once paid pull, pack and ship. There is no extra work, and far fewer NPB's.

How often (if ever) do you have to re-issue a quote because some of the items
on the order were already sold? It was my understanding that if parts on a quote
are sold then the quote is immediately cancelled. Is that still the case?


  



In Suggestions, chetzler writes:
  In Suggestions, Bricklord writes:
  Fully supported. I have had the Quote function enabled since it was first introduced,
and have no intention of ever screwing myself and my customers over by implementing
that goat rodeo called Instant Checkout. Sellers should be obliged to offer the
Quote Function if they opt not to use Instant Checkout. The latter must not be
made mandatory though. If it does, I and a large number of other sellers will
leave.


Why on Earth would you make all of that extra work for yourself? Am I reading
you correctly? You would prefer to be forced to quote every single order you
receive?

  That said, the Quote function must be improved. Instead of an obfuscated tab
at the very end of the checkout process, it should be the fork in the road right
at the start.



In Suggestions, PaulOfBricks writes:
  I believe in instant checkout even though I still have a few problems with it
that are still not being addressed. However:

I believe you should know the cost upfront of your cart, fees and shipping before
being obliged to pay.

I recently placed an order and again the fees and extra are so buried within
the terms the parts cost become 34% more! also I was invoiced for the larger
box option, and I know if using the instant checkout the parts would have easily
fit into the smaller letter rate. I read the terms 3 times and still some fees
were still easily missed.

This happens over and over again, its not a one off.


I think it should be mandatory by Bricklink that any seller not using Instant
checkout will

Automatically will have the Quote option enabled.


What is the harm in that?

Every customer can make a decision up front if the fees and postage are reasonable
and acceptable. When im invoiced a total random bunch of fees I am not entered
into the contact agreement before knowing them.
 Author: chetzler View Messages Posted By chetzler
 Posted: Nov 27, 2017 12:48
 Subject: Re: No Instant Checkout = Force must offer Quote
 Viewed: 58 times
 Topic: Suggestions
Cancel Message
Cancel
Reply to Message
Reply
BrickLink
ID Card

chetzler (2315)

Location:  USA, Minnesota
Member Since Contact Type Status
Feb 12, 2005 Contact Member Seller
Buying Privileges - OKSelling Privileges - OK
Store: Lost Boys' Brick Shop
In Suggestions, Bricklord writes:
  That is the case. If any of the items in an open quote are sold below the quantity
within that quote before that quote is accepted, then the system automatically
cancels the quote. I have only had this happen once to a potential buyer.


Hmm...maybe I'll try it out. I just don't want to be forced to try it
out!

  
In Suggestions, chetzler writes:
  In Suggestions, Bricklord writes:
  What extra work? One has to calculate the shipping on every order to invoice
for it anyway. This is simply a buffer between the prospective buyer committing
to an order and simply getting a quote. If they decide the shipping is acceptable,
they accept the quote and you are already done. Invoice them from the order itself,
and once paid pull, pack and ship. There is no extra work, and far fewer NPB's.

How often (if ever) do you have to re-issue a quote because some of the items
on the order were already sold? It was my understanding that if parts on a quote
are sold then the quote is immediately cancelled. Is that still the case?


  



In Suggestions, chetzler writes:
  In Suggestions, Bricklord writes:
  Fully supported. I have had the Quote function enabled since it was first introduced,
and have no intention of ever screwing myself and my customers over by implementing
that goat rodeo called Instant Checkout. Sellers should be obliged to offer the
Quote Function if they opt not to use Instant Checkout. The latter must not be
made mandatory though. If it does, I and a large number of other sellers will
leave.


Why on Earth would you make all of that extra work for yourself? Am I reading
you correctly? You would prefer to be forced to quote every single order you
receive?

  That said, the Quote function must be improved. Instead of an obfuscated tab
at the very end of the checkout process, it should be the fork in the road right
at the start.



In Suggestions, PaulOfBricks writes:
  I believe in instant checkout even though I still have a few problems with it
that are still not being addressed. However:

I believe you should know the cost upfront of your cart, fees and shipping before
being obliged to pay.

I recently placed an order and again the fees and extra are so buried within
the terms the parts cost become 34% more! also I was invoiced for the larger
box option, and I know if using the instant checkout the parts would have easily
fit into the smaller letter rate. I read the terms 3 times and still some fees
were still easily missed.

This happens over and over again, its not a one off.


I think it should be mandatory by Bricklink that any seller not using Instant
checkout will

Automatically will have the Quote option enabled.


What is the harm in that?

Every customer can make a decision up front if the fees and postage are reasonable
and acceptable. When im invoiced a total random bunch of fees I am not entered
into the contact agreement before knowing them.
 Author: leopard37 View Messages Posted By leopard37
 Posted: Nov 27, 2017 14:58
 Subject: Re: No Instant Checkout = Force must offer Quote
 Viewed: 41 times
 Topic: Suggestions
Cancel Message
Cancel
Reply to Message
Reply
BrickLink
ID Card

leopard37 (4520)

Location:  Canada, Alberta
Member Since Contact Type Status
Jul 15, 2015 Contact Member Seller
Buying Privileges - OKSelling Privileges - OK
Store: Leopard37
In Suggestions, chetzler writes:
  In Suggestions, Bricklord writes:
  That is the case. If any of the items in an open quote are sold below the quantity
within that quote before that quote is accepted, then the system automatically
cancels the quote. I have only had this happen once to a potential buyer.


Hmm...maybe I'll try it out. I just don't want to be forced to try it
out!


Keep in mind Bricklord's amount of items exceeds most other stores out there!
I've had 3 or 4 quotes automatically close without any sort of warning to
me or the buyer. It's still useful.

Think of yourself as a customer. I want to buy the Winter Village listed at $X,
but I know there will be shipping. Hmm I can't figure out what package store
XXX would charge me to ship that so $Y suggested shipping cost is send with quote
totaling $Z. Thanks store XXX I think that's reasonable for the total cost
of Winter Village. Buy.

Instant checkout provides this information right away while the customer is still
in the haze of impulse buy mode. Which is why I would enable it if I were you.

Tyson.
 Author: PurpleDave View Messages Posted By PurpleDave
 Posted: Nov 27, 2017 19:22
 Subject: Re: No Instant Checkout = Force must offer Quote
 Viewed: 51 times
 Topic: Suggestions
Cancel Message
Cancel
Reply to Message
Reply
BrickLink
ID Card

PurpleDave (969)

Location:  USA, Michigan
Member Since Contact Type Status
Jun 28, 2003 Member Does Not Allow Contact Buyer
Buying Privileges - OK
In Suggestions, Bricklord writes:
  What extra work? One has to calculate the shipping on every order to invoice
for it anyway. This is simply a buffer between the prospective buyer committing
to an order and simply getting a quote. If they decide the shipping is acceptable,
they accept the quote and you are already done. Invoice them from the order itself,
and once paid pull, pack and ship. There is no extra work, and far fewer NPB's.

I regularly shop in waves. I might get a Want List notification for something
I _really_ want and just place an order for that to secure it (something Quote
pointedly interferes with because it would leave me hanging out there waiting
for turnaround on a quote while literally everyone else on the site could just
pop it in their cart and buy it while I'm waiting). Afterwards, when I have
more free time, I might browse the store to see if there's anything else
I feel like picking up. When I'm designing stuff for shows, I might order
parts for one MOC, design something else, and order parts for that MOC with open
orders usually getting preference for any additional parts I need to buy. So,
for any orders like that, I'd have to request a quote for each additional
wave of parts I want to order. If any of those parts sell out, I'd have
to request new quotes from that and probably other stores. If it throws the
order too far out of whack, I may have to drop all of my quoted orders and figure
out new options...and request more quotes. And by the time all of those delays
have been sorted out, I'd be lucky to even finish paying for everything before
I'd hoped to display the result, let alone actually have time for the parts
to arrive so I can build stuff.

And of course, if _everyone_ is asking for quotes instead of placing orders,
you're going to have a ton of overlap on certain elements, with only one
of them being able to actually complete the order causing all of the other quotes
to become invalid. So, you might be getting a few quotes that fall off because
the parts got sold to someone else, but if you start quoting every order I suspect
that rate will go up exponentially.
 Author: chetzler View Messages Posted By chetzler
 Posted: Nov 27, 2017 11:02
 Subject: Re: No Instant Checkout = Force must offer Quote
 Viewed: 49 times
 Topic: Suggestions
Cancel Message
Cancel
Reply to Message
Reply
BrickLink
ID Card

chetzler (2315)

Location:  USA, Minnesota
Member Since Contact Type Status
Feb 12, 2005 Contact Member Seller
Buying Privileges - OKSelling Privileges - OK
Store: Lost Boys' Brick Shop
In Suggestions, PaulOfBricks writes:
  I believe in instant checkout even though I still have a few problems with it
that are still not being addressed. However:

I believe you should know the cost upfront of your cart, fees and shipping before
being obliged to pay.

I recently placed an order and again the fees and extra are so buried within
the terms the parts cost become 34% more! also I was invoiced for the larger
box option, and I know if using the instant checkout the parts would have easily
fit into the smaller letter rate. I read the terms 3 times and still some fees
were still easily missed.

This happens over and over again, its not a one off.


I think it should be mandatory by Bricklink that any seller not using Instant
checkout will

No, No, NO! Voted no.
  
Automatically will have the Quote option enabled.


What is the harm in that?


-Someone else buys the parts while the customer is waiting on the quote!
-It makes the purchase process longer!
-It's a draconian one-size-fits all approach!

  Every customer can make a decision up front if the fees and postage are reasonable
and acceptable. When im invoiced a total random bunch of fees I am not entered
into the contact agreement before knowing them.

And they still can in my shop and many others! I charge no additional fees and
my shipping rates are quite clear (I usually end up paying some of the shipping
myself). Don't try to force me to run my shop in a particular way just because
a few other sellers are shady!

"Request for invoice" works just fine and my sales have remained steady even
after the instant checkout debacle, so people are still OK with using this method.

Instant checkout still does NOT allow for calculation of sales taxes and even
though this is on the road map I have very little faith that it will be implemented
properly. IC also (as far as I can tell) calculates shipping strictly on weight
and volume. I would appreciate a system that mirrors my shipping tables: give
the customer one price if his order contains a set and another if it contains
only parts. This would be far easier to implement.

I'm sorry you ran across a bad seller, but again, I'm am getting very,
VERY tired of the knee-jerk reactions around here that propose up-ending the
processes of a bunch of good sellers just because a few bad sellers are jerks.
If you have to read the terms multiple times that should be a sign to leave
that store.

Some people are always going to try to game the system, IC or not. "Caveat emptor"
will always be good advice, just do a little research as always and stick to
sellers with a good track record.
 Author: calsbricks View Messages Posted By calsbricks
 Posted: Nov 27, 2017 11:08
 Subject: Re: No Instant Checkout = Force must offer Quote
 Viewed: 41 times
 Topic: Suggestions
Cancel Message
Cancel
Reply to Message
Reply
BrickLink
ID Card

calsbricks (8503)

Location:  United Kingdom, England
Member Since Contact Type Status
Aug 12, 2008 Contact Member Seller
Buying Privileges - OKSelling Privileges - OK
Store: CalsBricks
In Suggestions, chetzler writes:
  In Suggestions, PaulOfBricks writes:
  I believe in instant checkout even though I still have a few problems with it
that are still not being addressed. However:

I believe you should know the cost upfront of your cart, fees and shipping before
being obliged to pay.

I recently placed an order and again the fees and extra are so buried within
the terms the parts cost become 34% more! also I was invoiced for the larger
box option, and I know if using the instant checkout the parts would have easily
fit into the smaller letter rate. I read the terms 3 times and still some fees
were still easily missed.

This happens over and over again, its not a one off.


I think it should be mandatory by Bricklink that any seller not using Instant
checkout will

No, No, NO! Voted no.
  
Automatically will have the Quote option enabled.


What is the harm in that?


-Someone else buys the parts while the customer is waiting on the quote!
-It makes the purchase process longer!
-It's a draconian one-size-fits all approach!

  Every customer can make a decision up front if the fees and postage are reasonable
and acceptable. When im invoiced a total random bunch of fees I am not entered
into the contact agreement before knowing them.

And they still can in my shop and many others! I charge no additional fees and
my shipping rates are quite clear (I usually end up paying some of the shipping
myself). Don't try to force me to run my shop in a particular way just because
a few other sellers are shady!

"Request for invoice" works just fine and my sales have remained steady even
after the instant checkout debacle, so people are still OK with using this method.

Instant checkout still does NOT allow for calculation of sales taxes and even
though this is on the road map I have very little faith that it will be implemented
properly. IC also (as far as I can tell) calculates shipping strictly on weight
and volume. I would appreciate a system that mirrors my shipping tables: give
the customer one price if his order contains a set and another if it contains
only parts. This would be far easier to implement.

I'm sorry you ran across a bad seller, but again, I'm am getting very,
VERY tired of the knee-jerk reactions around here that propose up-ending the
processes of a bunch of good sellers just because a few bad sellers are jerks.
If you have to read the terms multiple times that should be a sign to leave
that store.

Some people are always going to try to game the system, IC or not. "Caveat emptor"
will always be good advice, just do a little research as always and stick to
sellers with a good track record.


+111111111111 - wholeheartedly agree.
 Author: PaulOfBricks View Messages Posted By PaulOfBricks
 Posted: Nov 27, 2017 12:09
 Subject: Re: No Instant Checkout = Force must offer Quote
 Viewed: 45 times
 Topic: Suggestions
Cancel Message
Cancel
Reply to Message
Reply
BrickLink
ID Card

PaulOfBricks (3928)

Location:  United Kingdom, England
Member Since Contact Type Status
Jul 31, 2013 Contact Member Seller
Buying Privileges - OKSelling Privileges - OK
Store: PaulOfBricks UK ϟ
In Suggestions, PaulOfBricks writes:
  I believe in instant checkout even though I still have a few problems with it
that are still not being addressed. However:

I believe you should know the cost upfront of your cart, fees and shipping before
being obliged to pay.

I recently placed an order and again the fees and extra are so buried within
the terms the parts cost become 34% more! also I was invoiced for the larger
box option, and I know if using the instant checkout the parts would have easily
fit into the smaller letter rate. I read the terms 3 times and still some fees
were still easily missed.

This happens over and over again, its not a one off.


I think it should be mandatory by Bricklink that any seller not using Instant
checkout will

Automatically will have the Quote option enabled.


What is the harm in that?

Every customer can make a decision up front if the fees and postage are reasonable
and acceptable. When im invoiced a total random bunch of fees I am not entered
into the contact agreement before knowing them.

Just to clarify I’m only saying if you don’t use instant checkout, you must offer
the request quote option.

It doesn’t mean your customer has to use it.

If they do not care what the postage fees and other costs may be and still want
to checkout (or play postage and additional fees roulette) they still can. I
just think there should be an option at the beginning to know the costs.ie quote
option.
 Author: chetzler View Messages Posted By chetzler
 Posted: Nov 27, 2017 12:38
 Subject: Re: No Instant Checkout = Force must offer Quote
 Viewed: 51 times
 Topic: Suggestions
Cancel Message
Cancel
Reply to Message
Reply
BrickLink
ID Card

chetzler (2315)

Location:  USA, Minnesota
Member Since Contact Type Status
Feb 12, 2005 Contact Member Seller
Buying Privileges - OKSelling Privileges - OK
Store: Lost Boys' Brick Shop
In Suggestions, PaulOfBricks writes:
  In Suggestions, PaulOfBricks writes:
  I believe in instant checkout even though I still have a few problems with it
that are still not being addressed. However:

I believe you should know the cost upfront of your cart, fees and shipping before
being obliged to pay.

I recently placed an order and again the fees and extra are so buried within
the terms the parts cost become 34% more! also I was invoiced for the larger
box option, and I know if using the instant checkout the parts would have easily
fit into the smaller letter rate. I read the terms 3 times and still some fees
were still easily missed.

This happens over and over again, its not a one off.


I think it should be mandatory by Bricklink that any seller not using Instant
checkout will

Automatically will have the Quote option enabled.


What is the harm in that?

Every customer can make a decision up front if the fees and postage are reasonable
and acceptable. When im invoiced a total random bunch of fees I am not entered
into the contact agreement before knowing them.

Just to clarify I’m only saying if you don’t use instant checkout, you must offer
the request quote option.


Thank you, that clarification does make the suggestion less onerous but I still
bristle at being told how to run my store when I am an established seller with
a spotless record.

I could understand imposing certain restrictions on new sellers or established
sellers with multiple complaints--a sort of probationary period may not be
a bad idea. But for the majority of us that are running our stores without problems,
I suspect most of us would rather just be left alone.

  It doesn’t mean your customer has to use it.

If they do not care what the postage fees and other costs may be and still want
to checkout (or play postage and additional fees roulette) they still can. I
just think there should be an option at the beginning to know the costs.ie quote
option.
 Author: Teup View Messages Posted By Teup
 Posted: Nov 27, 2017 18:59
 Subject: Re: No Instant Checkout = Force must offer Quote
 Viewed: 39 times
 Topic: Suggestions
Cancel Message
Cancel
Reply to Message
Reply
BrickLink
ID Card

Teup (6592)

Location:  Netherlands, Utrecht
Member Since Contact Type Status
May 6, 2004 Contact Member Seller
Buying Privileges - OKSelling Privileges - OK
Store: BLOKJESKONING
Hmmm, voted no. I used the quote function for some time but I ended up messing
up my shop with it. I had to sort orders to be sure about the quote, only to
put it back later and/or end up in an administrative chaos. Quote is not for
everybody.

In Suggestions, PaulOfBricks writes:
  I recently placed an order and again the fees and extra are so buried within
the terms the parts cost become 34% more! also I was invoiced for the larger
box option, and I know if using the instant checkout the parts would have easily
fit into the smaller letter rate. I read the terms 3 times and still some fees
were still easily missed.

If I understand you correctly, you were charged MORE by manual processing than
instant checkout in that same store? This should just be disallowed. Manual processing
should not be a roulette that could lead to higher charges than what the buyer
is being offered by the instant checkout. Bricklink should install some ceiling
here when entering custom amounts of charges. Right? I think that's a clear
no-no. Or is there some legitimate scenario I missed?
 Author: PurpleDave View Messages Posted By PurpleDave
 Posted: Nov 27, 2017 19:57
 Subject: Re: No Instant Checkout = Force must offer Quote
 Viewed: 57 times
 Topic: Suggestions
Cancel Message
Cancel
Reply to Message
Reply
BrickLink
ID Card

PurpleDave (969)

Location:  USA, Michigan
Member Since Contact Type Status
Jun 28, 2003 Member Does Not Allow Contact Buyer
Buying Privileges - OK
In Suggestions, PaulOfBricks writes:
  I think it should be mandatory by Bricklink that any seller not using Instant
checkout will

Automatically will have the Quote option enabled.


What is the harm in that?

I voted No. On the surface, I don't really care if sellers enable the Quote
function, but I don't want to see it become a mandatory part of my shopping
experience. I have zero interest in Instant Checkout. If someone doesn't
have one key element that is the only reason I placed the order, I'd rather
be able to just cancel out of it without having my money even get involved, much
less having to wait for refunds to clear (something which can take a few weeks
if PayPal flags the refund for investigation like I've had happen a few times
in the past), where IC forces you to pay up front and hope your seller has their
inventory locked down.

For Quote, my main concern would be that if everyone is forced to have it turned
on, and sellers start getting thoroughly sick of having quotes auto-cancel because
elements end up being short due to other orders coming through during the turnaround,
we might see stores restricting sales to quoted orders, preventing me from being
able to just place my order and be done with it.

I'm looking at the amounts you're talking about, and in the one example
all I can see is maybe a $2 difference. I'm not big on just throwing away
money, but I've run into stores where simply placing the order could cost
$20-50 more for very basic parts. $2 extra in shipping costs seems like a bargain
at that point. I've placed orders where the cost of the parts was less than
1% of the invoiced total, not because the seller decided to rake me over the
coals on shipping, but because the order was for maybe $0.25 in parts. Generally,
that would be a very cost-prohibitive way to order parts, but sometimes I find
that there's literally only one store without a massive minimum buy that
has something I need for a MOC, and they have absolutely nothing else I want
to buy from them. So, I can either suck it up and pay shipping on maybe one
or two pieces, I can scrap my plans and see if I can come up with a new design,
or I can play the long game and hope someone else lists that part under more
favorable conditions...and probably cut my output down to nothing in the process.
 Author: PaulOfBricks View Messages Posted By PaulOfBricks
 Posted: Nov 28, 2017 05:04
 Subject: Re: No Instant Checkout = Force must offer Quote
 Viewed: 52 times
 Topic: Suggestions
Cancel Message
Cancel
Reply to Message
Reply
BrickLink
ID Card

PaulOfBricks (3928)

Location:  United Kingdom, England
Member Since Contact Type Status
Jul 31, 2013 Contact Member Seller
Buying Privileges - OKSelling Privileges - OK
Store: PaulOfBricks UK ϟ
In Suggestions, PurpleDave writes:
  In Suggestions, PaulOfBricks writes:
  I think it should be mandatory by Bricklink that any seller not using Instant
checkout will

Automatically will have the Quote option enabled.


What is the harm in that?

I voted No. On the surface, I don't really care if sellers enable the Quote
function, but I don't want to see it become a mandatory part of my shopping
experience. I have zero interest in Instant Checkout. If someone doesn't
have one key element that is the only reason I placed the order, I'd rather
be able to just cancel out of it without having my money even get involved, much
less having to wait for refunds to clear (something which can take a few weeks
if PayPal flags the refund for investigation like I've had happen a few times
in the past), where IC forces you to pay up front and hope your seller has their
inventory locked down.

For Quote, my main concern would be that if everyone is forced to have it turned
on, and sellers start getting thoroughly sick of having quotes auto-cancel because
elements end up being short due to other orders coming through during the turnaround,
we might see stores restricting sales to quoted orders, preventing me from being
able to just place my order and be done with it.

I'm looking at the amounts you're talking about, and in the one example
all I can see is maybe a $2 difference. I'm not big on just throwing away
money, but I've run into stores where simply placing the order could cost
$20-50 more for very basic parts. $2 extra in shipping costs seems like a bargain
at that point. I've placed orders where the cost of the parts was less than
1% of the invoiced total, not because the seller decided to rake me over the
coals on shipping, but because the order was for maybe $0.25 in parts. Generally,
that would be a very cost-prohibitive way to order parts, but sometimes I find
that there's literally only one store without a massive minimum buy that
has something I need for a MOC, and they have absolutely nothing else I want
to buy from them. So, I can either suck it up and pay shipping on maybe one
or two pieces, I can scrap my plans and see if I can come up with a new design,
or I can play the long game and hope someone else lists that part under more
favorable conditions...and probably cut my output down to nothing in the process.



I should of made it clearer but everybody seems to be missing that fact I'm
only saying it quote should be 'offered'

Buyers do not have to use it.

If you don't care about all the fees, or which shipping charge you will get,
and you want to guarantee the parts are yours, fine you can check out as normal.

I'm just saying Quote should be enabled if your fees and postage are not
calculated (by instant checkout) before being legally obliged to pay
 Author: yorbrick View Messages Posted By yorbrick
 Posted: Nov 28, 2017 05:17
 Subject: Re: No Instant Checkout = Force must offer Quote
 Viewed: 36 times
 Topic: Suggestions
Cancel Message
Cancel
Reply to Message
Reply
BrickLink
ID Card

yorbrick (1182)

Location:  United Kingdom, England
Member Since Contact Type Status
Apr 11, 2011 Contact Member Seller
Buying Privileges - OKSelling Privileges - OK
Store: Yorbricks
  I'm just saying Quote should be enabled if your fees and postage are not
calculated (by instant checkout) before being legally obliged to pay

I think this is the main problem here. In quite a lot of countries, you are not
legally obliged to pay for the order if you have not been told the total costs
of the order. Not just putting them in a table in a terms page, but actually
told what the order will cost. BL may use the language "legally binding order"
but in many cases, it is not.

If sellers don't like the "forced to offer quotes" route, then "forced to
accept cancellations once the total has been notified" should apply, at least
within Europe.
 Author: Rob_and_Shelagh View Messages Posted By Rob_and_Shelagh
 Posted: Nov 28, 2017 05:22
 Subject: Re: No Instant Checkout = Force must offer Quote
 Viewed: 58 times
 Topic: Suggestions
Cancel Message
Cancel
Reply to Message
Reply
BrickLink
ID Card

Rob_and_Shelagh (26291)

Location:  United Kingdom, England
Member Since Contact Type Status
Nov 3, 2005 Contact Member Seller
Buying Privileges - OKSelling Privileges - OK
Store: YELLOW FARM BRICKS
In Suggestions, PaulOfBricks writes:
  In Suggestions, PurpleDave writes:
  In Suggestions, PaulOfBricks writes:
  I think it should be mandatory by Bricklink that any seller not using Instant
checkout will

Automatically will have the Quote option enabled.


What is the harm in that?

I voted No. On the surface, I don't really care if sellers enable the Quote
function, but I don't want to see it become a mandatory part of my shopping
experience. I have zero interest in Instant Checkout. If someone doesn't
have one key element that is the only reason I placed the order, I'd rather
be able to just cancel out of it without having my money even get involved, much
less having to wait for refunds to clear (something which can take a few weeks
if PayPal flags the refund for investigation like I've had happen a few times
in the past), where IC forces you to pay up front and hope your seller has their
inventory locked down.

For Quote, my main concern would be that if everyone is forced to have it turned
on, and sellers start getting thoroughly sick of having quotes auto-cancel because
elements end up being short due to other orders coming through during the turnaround,
we might see stores restricting sales to quoted orders, preventing me from being
able to just place my order and be done with it.

I'm looking at the amounts you're talking about, and in the one example
all I can see is maybe a $2 difference. I'm not big on just throwing away
money, but I've run into stores where simply placing the order could cost
$20-50 more for very basic parts. $2 extra in shipping costs seems like a bargain
at that point. I've placed orders where the cost of the parts was less than
1% of the invoiced total, not because the seller decided to rake me over the
coals on shipping, but because the order was for maybe $0.25 in parts. Generally,
that would be a very cost-prohibitive way to order parts, but sometimes I find
that there's literally only one store without a massive minimum buy that
has something I need for a MOC, and they have absolutely nothing else I want
to buy from them. So, I can either suck it up and pay shipping on maybe one
or two pieces, I can scrap my plans and see if I can come up with a new design,
or I can play the long game and hope someone else lists that part under more
favorable conditions...and probably cut my output down to nothing in the process.



I should of made it clearer but everybody seems to be missing that fact I'm
only saying it quote should be 'offered'

Buyers do not have to use it.

If you don't care about all the fees, or which shipping charge you will get,
and you want to guarantee the parts are yours, fine you can check out as normal.

I'm just saying Quote should be enabled if your fees and postage are not
calculated (by instant checkout) before being legally obliged to pay

I agree with the suggestion but note you are not "legally obliged" to pay for
an order online if you change your mind and no longer want it. The only problem
here is those sellers that try to enforce you to pay for all those add-on fees,
won't let you cancel and give you an NPB saying an order is legally binding
and their fees were stated (or hidden) in their terms somewhere. Although those
sellers are the minority that is why your suggestion gets my support.

Robert
 Author: chetzler View Messages Posted By chetzler
 Posted: Nov 28, 2017 13:08
 Subject: Re: No Instant Checkout = Force must offer Quote
 Viewed: 87 times
 Topic: Suggestions
Cancel Message
Cancel
Reply to Message
Reply
BrickLink
ID Card

chetzler (2315)

Location:  USA, Minnesota
Member Since Contact Type Status
Feb 12, 2005 Contact Member Seller
Buying Privileges - OKSelling Privileges - OK
Store: Lost Boys' Brick Shop
In Suggestions, Rob_and_Shelagh writes:
  In Suggestions, PaulOfBricks writes:
  In Suggestions, PurpleDave writes:
  In Suggestions, PaulOfBricks writes:
  I think it should be mandatory by Bricklink that any seller not using Instant
checkout will

Automatically will have the Quote option enabled.


What is the harm in that?

I voted No. On the surface, I don't really care if sellers enable the Quote
function, but I don't want to see it become a mandatory part of my shopping
experience. I have zero interest in Instant Checkout. If someone doesn't
have one key element that is the only reason I placed the order, I'd rather
be able to just cancel out of it without having my money even get involved, much
less having to wait for refunds to clear (something which can take a few weeks
if PayPal flags the refund for investigation like I've had happen a few times
in the past), where IC forces you to pay up front and hope your seller has their
inventory locked down.

For Quote, my main concern would be that if everyone is forced to have it turned
on, and sellers start getting thoroughly sick of having quotes auto-cancel because
elements end up being short due to other orders coming through during the turnaround,
we might see stores restricting sales to quoted orders, preventing me from being
able to just place my order and be done with it.

I'm looking at the amounts you're talking about, and in the one example
all I can see is maybe a $2 difference. I'm not big on just throwing away
money, but I've run into stores where simply placing the order could cost
$20-50 more for very basic parts. $2 extra in shipping costs seems like a bargain
at that point. I've placed orders where the cost of the parts was less than
1% of the invoiced total, not because the seller decided to rake me over the
coals on shipping, but because the order was for maybe $0.25 in parts. Generally,
that would be a very cost-prohibitive way to order parts, but sometimes I find
that there's literally only one store without a massive minimum buy that
has something I need for a MOC, and they have absolutely nothing else I want
to buy from them. So, I can either suck it up and pay shipping on maybe one
or two pieces, I can scrap my plans and see if I can come up with a new design,
or I can play the long game and hope someone else lists that part under more
favorable conditions...and probably cut my output down to nothing in the process.



I should of made it clearer but everybody seems to be missing that fact I'm
only saying it quote should be 'offered'

Buyers do not have to use it.

If you don't care about all the fees, or which shipping charge you will get,
and you want to guarantee the parts are yours, fine you can check out as normal.

I'm just saying Quote should be enabled if your fees and postage are not
calculated (by instant checkout) before being legally obliged to pay

I agree with the suggestion but note you are not "legally obliged" to pay for
an order online if you change your mind and no longer want it. The only problem
here is those sellers that try to enforce you to pay for all those add-on fees,
won't let you cancel and give you an NPB saying an order is legally binding
and their fees were stated (or hidden) in their terms somewhere. Although those
sellers are the minority that is why your suggestion gets my support.

Robert

So you are actually OK with allowing a few bad sellers to dictate terms to the
rest of us? Why is that it OK with you? I find it unacceptable. This is just
totally backwards! Why can't anyone think of a way to penalize the FEW bad
sellers instead of the MANY good sellers?

Where does it end? Will you be as supportive of this attitude when you are forced
to ship every order with insurance or tracking because of a few untrustworthy
buyers? I don't particularly like receiving large orders in bubble mailers
because the mailers are prone to damage and the pieces get scratched; I think
every order should be shipped in a box. In fact, I think we should FORCE every
seller to ship orders in boxes because that's what I do for 99% of my orders
already--no skin off my back! That's not a big deal, right?

We just HAVE to get away from this one-size-fits-all make-everyone-conform mindset.
This attitude is why most all of our governments are bloated and ineffectual.
I will again put forth the idea of a probabtionary period for new sellers and
problem sellers (an idea that actually addresses the root cause!) Once you've
shown you are a good actor, restrictions are lifted. As for the rest of us,
please just leave us in peace and let us run our stores as we see fit!
 Author: popsicle View Messages Posted By popsicle
 Posted: Nov 28, 2017 13:21
 Subject: Re: No Instant Checkout = Force must offer Quote
 Viewed: 56 times
 Topic: Suggestions
Cancel Message
Cancel
Reply to Message
Reply
BrickLink
ID Card

popsicle (6654)

Location:  USA, Washington
Member Since Contact Type Status
Feb 21, 2006 Contact Member Seller
Buying Privileges - OKSelling Privileges - OK
Store: ConstrucToys
In Suggestions, chetzler writes:
  In Suggestions, Rob_and_Shelagh writes:
  In Suggestions, PaulOfBricks writes:
  In Suggestions, PurpleDave writes:
  In Suggestions, PaulOfBricks writes:
  I think it should be mandatory by Bricklink that any seller not using Instant
checkout will

Automatically will have the Quote option enabled.


What is the harm in that?

I voted No. On the surface, I don't really care if sellers enable the Quote
function, but I don't want to see it become a mandatory part of my shopping
experience. I have zero interest in Instant Checkout. If someone doesn't
have one key element that is the only reason I placed the order, I'd rather
be able to just cancel out of it without having my money even get involved, much
less having to wait for refunds to clear (something which can take a few weeks
if PayPal flags the refund for investigation like I've had happen a few times
in the past), where IC forces you to pay up front and hope your seller has their
inventory locked down.

For Quote, my main concern would be that if everyone is forced to have it turned
on, and sellers start getting thoroughly sick of having quotes auto-cancel because
elements end up being short due to other orders coming through during the turnaround,
we might see stores restricting sales to quoted orders, preventing me from being
able to just place my order and be done with it.

I'm looking at the amounts you're talking about, and in the one example
all I can see is maybe a $2 difference. I'm not big on just throwing away
money, but I've run into stores where simply placing the order could cost
$20-50 more for very basic parts. $2 extra in shipping costs seems like a bargain
at that point. I've placed orders where the cost of the parts was less than
1% of the invoiced total, not because the seller decided to rake me over the
coals on shipping, but because the order was for maybe $0.25 in parts. Generally,
that would be a very cost-prohibitive way to order parts, but sometimes I find
that there's literally only one store without a massive minimum buy that
has something I need for a MOC, and they have absolutely nothing else I want
to buy from them. So, I can either suck it up and pay shipping on maybe one
or two pieces, I can scrap my plans and see if I can come up with a new design,
or I can play the long game and hope someone else lists that part under more
favorable conditions...and probably cut my output down to nothing in the process.



I should of made it clearer but everybody seems to be missing that fact I'm
only saying it quote should be 'offered'

Buyers do not have to use it.

If you don't care about all the fees, or which shipping charge you will get,
and you want to guarantee the parts are yours, fine you can check out as normal.

I'm just saying Quote should be enabled if your fees and postage are not
calculated (by instant checkout) before being legally obliged to pay

I agree with the suggestion but note you are not "legally obliged" to pay for
an order online if you change your mind and no longer want it. The only problem
here is those sellers that try to enforce you to pay for all those add-on fees,
won't let you cancel and give you an NPB saying an order is legally binding
and their fees were stated (or hidden) in their terms somewhere. Although those
sellers are the minority that is why your suggestion gets my support.

Robert

So you are actually OK with allowing a few bad sellers to dictate terms to the
rest of us? Why is that it OK with you? I find it unacceptable. This is just
totally backwards! Why can't anyone think of a way to penalize the FEW bad
sellers instead of the MANY good sellers?

Where does it end? Will you be as supportive of this attitude when you are forced
to ship every order with insurance or tracking because of a few untrustworthy
buyers? I don't particularly like receiving large orders in bubble mailers
because the mailers are prone to damage and the pieces get scratched; I think
every order should be shipped in a box. In fact, I think we should FORCE every
seller to ship orders in boxes because that's what I do for 99% of my orders
already--no skin off my back! That's not a big deal, right?

We just HAVE to get away from this one-size-fits-all make-everyone-conform mindset.
This attitude is why most all of our governments are bloated and ineffectual.
I will again put forth the idea of a probabtionary period for new sellers and
problem sellers (an idea that actually addresses the root cause!) Once you've
shown you are a good actor, restrictions are lifted. As for the rest of us,
please just leave us in peace and let us run our stores as we see fit!

Again, well put. +1
 Author: calsbricks View Messages Posted By calsbricks
 Posted: Nov 28, 2017 13:56
 Subject: Re: No Instant Checkout = Force must offer Quote
 Viewed: 54 times
 Topic: Suggestions
Cancel Message
Cancel
Reply to Message
Reply
BrickLink
ID Card

calsbricks (8503)

Location:  United Kingdom, England
Member Since Contact Type Status
Aug 12, 2008 Contact Member Seller
Buying Privileges - OKSelling Privileges - OK
Store: CalsBricks
In Suggestions, chetzler writes:
  In Suggestions, Rob_and_Shelagh writes:
  In Suggestions, PaulOfBricks writes:
  In Suggestions, PurpleDave writes:
  In Suggestions, PaulOfBricks writes:
  I think it should be mandatory by Bricklink that any seller not using Instant
checkout will

Automatically will have the Quote option enabled.


What is the harm in that?

I voted No. On the surface, I don't really care if sellers enable the Quote
function, but I don't want to see it become a mandatory part of my shopping
experience. I have zero interest in Instant Checkout. If someone doesn't
have one key element that is the only reason I placed the order, I'd rather
be able to just cancel out of it without having my money even get involved, much
less having to wait for refunds to clear (something which can take a few weeks
if PayPal flags the refund for investigation like I've had happen a few times
in the past), where IC forces you to pay up front and hope your seller has their
inventory locked down.

For Quote, my main concern would be that if everyone is forced to have it turned
on, and sellers start getting thoroughly sick of having quotes auto-cancel because
elements end up being short due to other orders coming through during the turnaround,
we might see stores restricting sales to quoted orders, preventing me from being
able to just place my order and be done with it.

I'm looking at the amounts you're talking about, and in the one example
all I can see is maybe a $2 difference. I'm not big on just throwing away
money, but I've run into stores where simply placing the order could cost
$20-50 more for very basic parts. $2 extra in shipping costs seems like a bargain
at that point. I've placed orders where the cost of the parts was less than
1% of the invoiced total, not because the seller decided to rake me over the
coals on shipping, but because the order was for maybe $0.25 in parts. Generally,
that would be a very cost-prohibitive way to order parts, but sometimes I find
that there's literally only one store without a massive minimum buy that
has something I need for a MOC, and they have absolutely nothing else I want
to buy from them. So, I can either suck it up and pay shipping on maybe one
or two pieces, I can scrap my plans and see if I can come up with a new design,
or I can play the long game and hope someone else lists that part under more
favorable conditions...and probably cut my output down to nothing in the process.



I should of made it clearer but everybody seems to be missing that fact I'm
only saying it quote should be 'offered'

Buyers do not have to use it.

If you don't care about all the fees, or which shipping charge you will get,
and you want to guarantee the parts are yours, fine you can check out as normal.

I'm just saying Quote should be enabled if your fees and postage are not
calculated (by instant checkout) before being legally obliged to pay

I agree with the suggestion but note you are not "legally obliged" to pay for
an order online if you change your mind and no longer want it. The only problem
here is those sellers that try to enforce you to pay for all those add-on fees,
won't let you cancel and give you an NPB saying an order is legally binding
and their fees were stated (or hidden) in their terms somewhere. Although those
sellers are the minority that is why your suggestion gets my support.

Robert

So you are actually OK with allowing a few bad sellers to dictate terms to the
rest of us? Why is that it OK with you? I find it unacceptable. This is just
totally backwards! Why can't anyone think of a way to penalize the FEW bad
sellers instead of the MANY good sellers?

Where does it end? Will you be as supportive of this attitude when you are forced
to ship every order with insurance or tracking because of a few untrustworthy
buyers? I don't particularly like receiving large orders in bubble mailers
because the mailers are prone to damage and the pieces get scratched; I think
every order should be shipped in a box. In fact, I think we should FORCE every
seller to ship orders in boxes because that's what I do for 99% of my orders
already--no skin off my back! That's not a big deal, right?

We just HAVE to get away from this one-size-fits-all make-everyone-conform mindset.
This attitude is why most all of our governments are bloated and ineffectual.
I will again put forth the idea of a probabtionary period for new sellers and
problem sellers (an idea that actually addresses the root cause!) Once you've
shown you are a good actor, restrictions are lifted. As for the rest of us,
please just leave us in peace and let us run our stores as we see fit!

Well said - here, here - All individuals may be equal but that doesn't make
them the same and the same applies to BL stores. Why in earth's name would
we want to implement features that just aren't needed? If you find a store
that isn't communicative or helpful just move on - it will not take many
people moving on for them to disappear. Leave appropriate feedback when you have
to to warn others. There are lots and lots of ways to deal with this other than
forcing something down someone's throat. We are totally against that, and
that is in addition to the fact that the quote system is flawed in thought and
design. Let each and every store run its business - BL holds the marketplace
and they get paid a generous sum of money to do that but if you allow them to
start dictating how you have to run your store, then the marketplace loses its
individuality and identity I don't believe anyone really wants that.

The probationary period isn't a bad concept to look into and there are other
ways as well to get at the sellers who seem to create this type of thread in
the forum.
 Author: Rob_and_Shelagh View Messages Posted By Rob_and_Shelagh
 Posted: Nov 29, 2017 04:33
 Subject: Re: No Instant Checkout = Force must offer Quote
 Viewed: 55 times
 Topic: Suggestions
Cancel Message
Cancel
Reply to Message
Reply
BrickLink
ID Card

Rob_and_Shelagh (26291)

Location:  United Kingdom, England
Member Since Contact Type Status
Nov 3, 2005 Contact Member Seller
Buying Privileges - OKSelling Privileges - OK
Store: YELLOW FARM BRICKS
In Suggestions, chetzler writes:
  
  
I agree with the suggestion but note you are not "legally obliged" to pay for
an order online if you change your mind and no longer want it. The only problem
here is those sellers that try to enforce you to pay for all those add-on fees,
won't let you cancel and give you an NPB saying an order is legally binding
and their fees were stated (or hidden) in their terms somewhere. Although those
sellers are the minority that is why your suggestion gets my support.

Robert

So you are actually OK with allowing a few bad sellers to dictate terms to the
rest of us? Why is that it OK with you? I find it unacceptable. This is just
totally backwards! Why can't anyone think of a way to penalize the FEW bad
sellers instead of the MANY good sellers?


You make a very good point there and generally I agree with you. Yes I wish someone
would come up with a way of penalising or removing the bad sellers, the minority
that give the site a non-deserved reputation.

  Where does it end? Will you be as supportive of this attitude when you are forced
to ship every order with insurance or tracking because of a few untrustworthy
buyers?

I note you don't ship to my country but here that is by law a seller decision
to insure or not - you cannot pass the risk to the buyer. You can of course include
costs for insurance in your shipping charges.

  I don't particularly like receiving large orders in bubble mailers
because the mailers are prone to damage and the pieces get scratched; I think
every order should be shipped in a box. In fact, I think we should FORCE every
seller to ship orders in boxes because that's what I do for 99% of my orders
already--no skin off my back! That's not a big deal, right?


I know that one was just to prove your point but we ship in boxes anyway; due
to UK postal size limits many of our small orders would cost 3X as much to ship
in bubble mailers, other countries may vary and some sellers can pack some small
orders well enough in bubble mailers. "Large" order is not defined but common
sense says heavy orders do not ship well in bubble mailers.

  We just HAVE to get away from this one-size-fits-all make-everyone-conform mindset.
This attitude is why most all of our governments are bloated and ineffectual.
I will again put forth the idea of a probabtionary period for new sellers and
problem sellers (an idea that actually addresses the root cause!) Once you've
shown you are a good actor, restrictions are lifted. As for the rest of us,
please just leave us in peace and let us run our stores as we see fit!

More probationary control I do support.

I know BL is just a platform but from all the issues that get raised here it
is clear self-regulation alone is not enough, all the good stores are not distinguished
from the dodgy or even illegal ones. A good marketplace has sufficient regulation
to keep standards up. For us experienced with the site it is easy to avoid getting
ripped off but over the years we have seen on this forum so many new buyers who
have purchased on price guide only, complained and not returned. On this particular
issue, I don't think it is unreasonable to expect a buyer to be able to know
how much an order will cost before committing to buying, a legal requirement
in some places anyway! Perhaps the answer is to provide simple search filters
for buyers here, we can already search for stores offering instant checkout,
maybe combine with that one offering quotes too. An updated help guide with some
good advice for buyers would be a good thing too.

Robert
 Author: yorbrick View Messages Posted By yorbrick
 Posted: Nov 29, 2017 05:23
 Subject: Re: No Instant Checkout = Force must offer Quote
 Viewed: 34 times
 Topic: Suggestions
Cancel Message
Cancel
Reply to Message
Reply
BrickLink
ID Card

yorbrick (1182)

Location:  United Kingdom, England
Member Since Contact Type Status
Apr 11, 2011 Contact Member Seller
Buying Privileges - OKSelling Privileges - OK
Store: Yorbricks
  On this particular
issue, I don't think it is unreasonable to expect a buyer to be able to know
how much an order will cost before committing to buying, a legal requirement
in some places anyway! Perhaps the answer is to provide simple search filters
for buyers here, we can already search for stores offering instant checkout,
maybe combine with that one offering quotes too.

Even knowing whether a store does quotes would be a benefit. At the moment it
seems you have to add something to your cart, then progress through checkout
until the last step to find out.

But rather than force sellers to give quotes (if they don't do IC), I'd
prefer it that buyers are allowed to cancel once invoiced for the order total
- so invoices essentially become quotes, but also allow a buyer to checkout straight
away if they agree with the total order cost.
 Author: Rob_and_Shelagh View Messages Posted By Rob_and_Shelagh
 Posted: Nov 29, 2017 05:33
 Subject: Re: No Instant Checkout = Force must offer Quote
 Viewed: 40 times
 Topic: Suggestions
Cancel Message
Cancel
Reply to Message
Reply
BrickLink
ID Card

Rob_and_Shelagh (26291)

Location:  United Kingdom, England
Member Since Contact Type Status
Nov 3, 2005 Contact Member Seller
Buying Privileges - OKSelling Privileges - OK
Store: YELLOW FARM BRICKS
In Suggestions, yorbrick writes:
  
  On this particular
issue, I don't think it is unreasonable to expect a buyer to be able to know
how much an order will cost before committing to buying, a legal requirement
in some places anyway! Perhaps the answer is to provide simple search filters
for buyers here, we can already search for stores offering instant checkout,
maybe combine with that one offering quotes too.

Even knowing whether a store does quotes would be a benefit. At the moment it
seems you have to add something to your cart, then progress through checkout
until the last step to find out.


Agreed.

  But rather than force sellers to give quotes (if they don't do IC), I'd
prefer it that buyers are allowed to cancel once invoiced for the order total
- so invoices essentially become quotes, but also allow a buyer to checkout straight
away if they agree with the total order cost.

Hmmm, then you could tie up a store's inventory with no intention to buy
making it unavailable to other buyers. I think quote still has a role here (especially
for those stores who don't offer IC).

Robert
 Author: yorbrick View Messages Posted By yorbrick
 Posted: Nov 29, 2017 05:56
 Subject: Re: No Instant Checkout = Force must offer Quote
 Viewed: 31 times
 Topic: Suggestions
Cancel Message
Cancel
Reply to Message
Reply
BrickLink
ID Card

yorbrick (1182)

Location:  United Kingdom, England
Member Since Contact Type Status
Apr 11, 2011 Contact Member Seller
Buying Privileges - OKSelling Privileges - OK
Store: Yorbricks
  
  But rather than force sellers to give quotes (if they don't do IC), I'd
prefer it that buyers are allowed to cancel once invoiced for the order total
- so invoices essentially become quotes, but also allow a buyer to checkout straight
away if they agree with the total order cost.

Hmmm, then you could tie up a store's inventory with no intention to buy
making it unavailable to other buyers. I think quote still has a role here (especially
for those stores who don't offer IC).

Robert

Yes it would. But you can do that already.
 Author: Rob_and_Shelagh View Messages Posted By Rob_and_Shelagh
 Posted: Nov 29, 2017 06:18
 Subject: Re: No Instant Checkout = Force must offer Quote
 Viewed: 50 times
 Topic: Suggestions
Cancel Message
Cancel
Reply to Message
Reply
BrickLink
ID Card

Rob_and_Shelagh (26291)

Location:  United Kingdom, England
Member Since Contact Type Status
Nov 3, 2005 Contact Member Seller
Buying Privileges - OKSelling Privileges - OK
Store: YELLOW FARM BRICKS
In Suggestions, yorbrick writes:
  
  
  But rather than force sellers to give quotes (if they don't do IC), I'd
prefer it that buyers are allowed to cancel once invoiced for the order total
- so invoices essentially become quotes, but also allow a buyer to checkout straight
away if they agree with the total order cost.

Hmmm, then you could tie up a store's inventory with no intention to buy
making it unavailable to other buyers. I think quote still has a role here (especially
for those stores who don't offer IC).

Robert

Yes it would. But you can do that already.

True. It would work OK if stores and buyers were responsive and the seller could
set a time limit for the order having to be "accepted" after invoice after which
the inventory would get released. Buyers that keep placing orders with no intent
to buy would just get stoplisted I guess. Overall, the quote avoids that issue
by not tying up the inventory in the 1st place and it works well enough. Having
the option of quote and firm order seems to cover buyers' needs but over
time I guess most orders will be IC anyway.

Robert
 Author: PurpleDave View Messages Posted By PurpleDave
 Posted: Nov 28, 2017 10:00
 Subject: Re: No Instant Checkout = Force must offer Quote
 Viewed: 45 times
 Topic: Suggestions
Cancel Message
Cancel
Reply to Message
Reply
BrickLink
ID Card

PurpleDave (969)

Location:  USA, Michigan
Member Since Contact Type Status
Jun 28, 2003 Member Does Not Allow Contact Buyer
Buying Privileges - OK
In Suggestions, PaulOfBricks writes:
  I should of made it clearer but everybody seems to be missing that fact I'm
only saying it quote should be 'offered'

Yeah, I got that. I didn't at first, but I only had time to read the first
post before I got home. By the time I did, you'd clarified your position.
However, if something becomes a mandatory option, it's very easy to make
it a mandatory process. If someone is forced to adopt to a quote system, they
may find it's too much trouble to run quotes alongside non-quoted purchases,
and start forcing everyone to go through the same quote system even when they
don't want to.

And it's not that I don't care about the shipping prices. I stopped
ordering from Czech stores because of the horrible VAT-exemption laws there (everyone
there charges VAT worldwide, or a hefty flat fee for filing paperwork to prove
exemption status). But I'm not going to freak out over $4 vs $2 for shipping
on an order.
 Author: bagelboybugle View Messages Posted By bagelboybugle
 Posted: Nov 30, 2017 13:53
 Subject: Re: No Instant Checkout = Force must offer Quote
 Viewed: 71 times
 Topic: Suggestions
Cancel Message
Cancel
Reply to Message
Reply
BrickLink
ID Card

bagelboybugle (3408)

Location:  United Kingdom, England
Member Since Contact Type Status
Mar 5, 2006 Contact Member Seller
Buying Privileges - OKSelling Privileges - OK
Store Closed Store: Bagels clearout
In Suggestions, PaulOfBricks writes:
  I believe in instant checkout even though I still have a few problems with it
that are still not being addressed. However:

I believe you should know the cost upfront of your cart, fees and shipping before
being obliged to pay.

Absolutely, added fees should be a defence in the NPB system, its been a couple
of years since I weighed in on a debate of this nature, but when I last did I
looked at a hundred or so stores and noticed that sellers charging daft fees
had a significantly higher rate of negative feedback left for NPB, coincidence?
I think not.

  I recently placed an order and again the fees and extra are so buried within
the terms the parts cost become 34% more! also I was invoiced for the larger
box option, and I know if using the instant checkout the parts would have easily
fit into the smaller letter rate. I read the terms 3 times and still some fees
were still easily missed.

This happens over and over again, its not a one off.

This is also a reason I have only bought once here in well over a year.

  I think it should be mandatory by Bricklink that any seller not using Instant
checkout will

Automatically will have the Quote option enabled.

What is the harm in that?

Some sellers dont like it apparantly. Incidentally, a similar % of sellers were
well set against introducing a multi-currency platform, funnily enough not many
of them packed up shop in protest when it was implemented. Its a different idea
of course.

  Every customer can make a decision up front if the fees and postage are reasonable
and acceptable. When im invoiced a total random bunch of fees I am not entered
into the contact agreement before knowing them.

Given the nature of what we do here is quite different to most other places on
the interwebs that people shop, it makes sense to have greater pre-order transparancy
where possible.

I understand that people don't want to pick orders to get a shipping estimate
before the order is confirmed, but you know what, if you don't know your
product well enough to figure out a reasonably accurate estimate from the information
you have in the quote request, you probably shouldnt be selling that product
to start with. Its not hard, overestimate slightly, you can always drop a partial
refund if you get to the post office and the cost ends up being a bit lower

G
 Author: PurpleDave View Messages Posted By PurpleDave
 Posted: Nov 30, 2017 21:46
 Subject: Re: No Instant Checkout = Force must offer Quote
 Viewed: 41 times
 Topic: Suggestions
Cancel Message
Cancel
Reply to Message
Reply
BrickLink
ID Card

PurpleDave (969)

Location:  USA, Michigan
Member Since Contact Type Status
Jun 28, 2003 Member Does Not Allow Contact Buyer
Buying Privileges - OK
In Suggestions, bagelboybugle writes:
  Some sellers dont like it apparantly. Incidentally, a similar % of sellers were
well set against introducing a multi-currency platform, funnily enough not many
of them packed up shop in protest when it was implemented. Its a different idea
of course.

Multiple currencies cease to be much of an issue when, as a seller, you can choose
to only accept the one you actually use on a daily basis, and when, as a buyer,
you can usually let PayPal deal with the hassle of currency conversion. Quotes
are absolutely going to mean more work for sellers. And the more orders they
process on a daily basis, the more often they'll end up with quotes that
become voided when other buyers buy inventory that's included in those quotes.
The simple way to make the quote system not cause you headaches as a seller
appears to be exactly what so many sellers have chosen to do: Leave quotes turned
off.
 Author: PaulOfBricks View Messages Posted By PaulOfBricks
 Posted: Dec 1, 2017 14:56
 Subject: Re: No Instant Checkout = Force must offer Quote
 Viewed: 54 times
 Topic: Suggestions
Cancel Message
Cancel
Reply to Message
Reply
BrickLink
ID Card

PaulOfBricks (3928)

Location:  United Kingdom, England
Member Since Contact Type Status
Jul 31, 2013 Contact Member Seller
Buying Privileges - OKSelling Privileges - OK
Store: PaulOfBricks UK ϟ
Some great arguments both ways, it nice to have healthy debate, Glad no one went
totally chicken oriental over it. :o)))



In Suggestions, bagelboybugle writes:
  if you don't know your
product well enough to figure out a reasonably accurate estimate from the information
you have in the quote request, you probably shouldnt be selling that product
to start with. Its not hard

Totally Agree


In Suggestions, PurpleDave writes:
   Quotes are absolutely going to mean more work for sellers.

I have used quote function since its creation and the most I have recieved in
one month is three or four, just a 10 sec click and sent, no different from invoicing.
But since Instant Checkout no quotes at all. (Could also be because its placement
has moved)


So much better to be able to just click quote, instead of looking at the terms
and trying to figure out what the total cost could be. Roulette spin X throw
of the dice +10% X packaging cost / package girth X postage + payment Fee 5%
= ???