Site Improvements & General FAQs

[stephen_rockefeller]

You guys are doing great!!! do you and Ed have full time jobs? If y'all do then it makes this site even more amazing! Do you ever for see this generating enough income for you two to do this for a living?

[Jeff Mack]

You guys are doing great!!! do you and Ed have full time jobs? If y'all do then it makes this site even more amazing! Do you ever for see this generating enough income for you two to do this for a living?

Oh yeah, we have full time jobs. Too many jobs. Like Brickset, we generate revenue from people buying things from Amazon, eBay, etc. Our costs are quite high because of the data we purchase from eBay, so the main thing now is that we earn money to pay for that data. It's quite expensive. Plus costs for hosting, etc. Brickset I am sure does pretty well. They have a massive amount of traffic, but they have been around for more than 10 years and for a long time, one of the only good sites available. That is a great website and deserves all the success it has had.

Do I think we can make enough to do this for a living full time? I don't really think so. Our goal for sure is to cover the cost of the website so that we can keep the site going and continue to grow, possibly hire programmers to help build more features and give me a hand. The site would need to be generating hundreds of thousands of dollars in revenue. That is a lot of clicks and purchases If it does happen, that would be fantastic!!! You never know, anything can happen.

[M4x18]

Oh yeah, we have full time jobs. Too many jobs. Like Brickset, we generate revenue from people buying things from Amazon, eBay, etc. Our costs are quite high because of the data we purchase from eBay, so the main thing now is that we earn money to pay for that data. It's quite expensive. Plus costs for hosting, etc. Brickset I am sure does pretty well. They have a massive amount of traffic, but they have been around for more than 10 years and for a long time, one of the only good sites available. That is a great website and deserves all the success it has had.

Do I think we can make enough to do this for a living full time? I don't really think so. Our goal for sure is to cover the cost of the website so that we can keep the site going and continue to grow, possibly hire programmers to help build more features and give me a hand. The site would need to be generating hundreds of thousands of dollars in revenue. That is a lot of clicks and purchases If it does happen, that would be fantastic!!! You never know, anything can happen.

When you consider hiring programmers, count me in !

On a side note, I found a bug. Here's the scenario where I found it and have been able to reproduce it several times just to make sure:

If you search for the term 'ninjago' from the homepage, you get to page one of results, but once you click to get to the second page, it sort of loses the search parameter and takes you to the second page of all sets. Sessions attributes maybe?

[Jeff Mack]

On a side note, I found a bug. Here's the scenario where I found it and have been able to reproduce it several times just to make sure:

If you search for the term 'ninjago' from the homepage, you get to page one of results, but once you click to get to the second page, it sort of loses the search parameter and takes you to the second page of all sets. Sessions attributes maybe?

Good catch, i just took a quick look and put in a fix for it. I will double check it more in a bit, but it is working and paging correctly now.

[Ed Mack]

I am very experienced in BASIC computing language, but Jeff doesn't let me help with the site.

[legoman666]

A couple things: 1: Are there plans to add a "Add this set to my brickfolio" button to each item page? Seems kind of silly to find a certain set's page via search but then have to search again to add it to your brickfolio. 2: Have you considered pulling price data from bricklink? They have average price data going back 6 months or so, although no details on individual sales... IE http://www.bricklink.com/catalogPG.asp?S=10129-1 3: Increase the amount of time before logging us out?

[Ed Mack]

A couple things:

1: Are there plans to add a "Add this set to my brickfolio" button to each item page? Seems kind of silly to find a certain set's page via search but then have to search again to add it to your brickfolio.

2: Have you considered pulling price data from bricklink? They have average price data going back 6 months or so, although no details on individual sales... IE http://www.bricklink.com/catalogPG.asp?S=10129-1

3: Increase the amount of time before logging us out?

1. There will be a host of improvements made to the Brickfolio in the next several months. This is the second version and many more versions will come. We will add the ability to add a set to your Brickfolio from the Price/Set Guide page. The Brickfolio will have more options with currencies. We will give you the ability to add custom MOCs, displays and bulk to your Brickfolio and we will improve and quicken navigation. It is a work in progress and it all takes a lot of time to change even little issues.

2. Sure. We would love to add Bricklink to our database, but the current administration does not want to share their data, even when it could benefit them. We would love to work with them.

3. I'll talk to Jeff about this. What is the current log out time? I never paid attention to be honest.

Hope that helps...

[legoman666]

1. There will be a host of improvements made to the Brickfolio in the next several months. This is the second version and many more versions will come. We will add the ability to add a set to your Brickfolio from the Price/Set Guide page. The Brickfolio will have more options with currencies. We will give you the ability to add custom MOCs, displays and bulk to your Brickfolio and we will improve and quicken navigation. It is a work in progress and it all takes a lot of time to change even little issues.

2. Sure. We would love to add Bricklink to our database, but the current administration does not want to share their data, even when it could benefit them. We would love to work with them.

3. I'll talk to Jeff about this. What is the current log out time? I never paid attention to be honest.

Hope that helps...

1. Awesome!

2. Lame on their part. I just read one of the forum posts on Brinklink by one of the admins and they seemed like pissy teenagers.

3. Not sure, seems to be around 4-6 hours. If I log in at work during lunch, I'm logged again out by 5pm.

Thanks for the reply!

[Ed Mack]

1. Awesome!

2. Lame on their part. I just read one of the forum posts on Brinklink by one of the admins and they seemed like pissy teenagers.

3. Not sure, seems to be around 4-6 hours. If I log in at work during lunch, I'm logged again out by 5pm.

Thanks for the reply!

Bricklink has some issues at the moment. After the recent security breach and subsequent problems with the site, I don't get the impression they are ready to deal with outsiders messing with their data. I know Huw from Brickset has reached out to them numerous ocassions and had little success dealing with the new people in charge of Bricklink. My brother Jeff contacted them with the same results. Maybe it is a situation where no one is really in charge and no one can make a decision. I don't know, but their site and data is valuable and we would gladly work with them if their views on the subject changes.

[CelesAurivern]

Bricklink has some issues at the moment. After the recent security breach and subsequent problems with the site, I don't get the impression they are ready to deal with outsiders messing with their data. I know Huw from Brickset has reached out to them numerous ocassions and had little success dealing with the new people in charge of Bricklink. My brother Jeff contacted them with the same results. Maybe it is a situation where no one is really in charge and no one can make a decision. I don't know, but their site and data is valuable and we would gladly work with them if their views on the subject changes.

It's hard so get people to share a gold mine, but have you tried contacting the owners directly?

The site admin(hired family friends?) is not exactly a friendly bunch.

[Ed Mack]

It's hard so get people to share a gold mine, but have you tried contacting the owners directly?

The site admin(hired family friends?) is not exactly a friendly bunch.

If you have anyone in mind, you could private message Jeff or I. I believe it would be a win-win-win. Win for us to get the Bricklink data. Win for Bricklink and their sellers in that their exposure is increased. Win for the LEGO fan in that they would be able to see super accurate figures for all 9000+ LEGO sets. Let me know if you have anyone in mind that we should speak with. Thanks.

[ericholm]

Hello, I get really excited when I see posts about amazing deals, but generally they end up being for USA members only! and I am gutted being here in the UK. Can anything be done? Maybe a seperate thread for USA specific deals? Although I guess members can post in any thread. Thanks. keep up the good work. P.S - any update on when we might see a GBP

[Jeff Mack]

Hello,

I get really excited when I see posts about amazing deals, but generally they end up being for USA members only! and I am gutted being here in the UK.

Can anything be done? Maybe a seperate thread for USA specific deals? Although I guess members can post in any thread.

Thanks. keep up the good work.

P.S - any update on when we might see a GBP

[fxdl96]

A "remember me" checkbox at logon would be cool...

[Damnation666]

A "remember me" checkbox at logon would be cool...

I believe there is one.

[fxdl96]

I believe there is one. Sorry, my mistake, I loggd out and I saw it in the top dialog.

[TheOrcKing]

Took me a few days, but I am FINALLY done (for now) with my Brickfolio! Jeeze louis... Anyway, I found this odd listing. Set 6836 - UFO "V-Wing Fighter" is listed as a Star Wars set, and the pictures shown are for set 6205 - STAR WARS "V-Wing Fighter". Course it would help if they weren't called the same bloody thing! The eBay listings & such are correct, it's just the UFO set is listed in the wrong theme, that's all. Still, I managed to get my collection sorted thanks to your site and brickfolio feature. Now I really know just how much LEGO I actually do have!

[Ed Mack]

Took me a few days, but I am FINALLY done (for now) with my Brickfolio! Jeeze louis...

Anyway, I found this odd listing.

Set 6836 - UFO "V-Wing Fighter" is listed as a Star Wars set,

and the pictures shown are for set 6205 - STAR WARS "V-Wing Fighter".

Course it would help if they weren't called the same bloody thing!

The eBay listings & such are correct, it's just the UFO set is listed in the wrong theme, that's all.

Still, I managed to get my collection sorted thanks to your site and brickfolio feature.

Now I really know just how much LEGO I actually do have!

Corrected. Thanks for the heads up.

[ColoradoBricks]

Hello, I listened to your interview on beyond the brick and then joined your site. I really like it so far Not sure if it was suggested yet, but I think an option in the Brickfolio list (like in the edit/delete column) to create a quick eBay listing for that set would be a big asset. At minimum, it could prompt for a few info (auction/BIN, price, etc), pull the product description from eBay if it exists, import set pictures, etc. It would not have to create an active listing, but a listing ready to submit (so we can include our own picture, shipping, etc) Thanks, CB

[bRickmeister]

Would you consider adding a small notes field to the Brickfolio. I know the retail price, but maybe i received it as a gift, or my retail prices does or does not include sales tax paid. Just need a couple dozen characters for notes to self... thanks.

[Ed Mack]

Hello,

I listened to your interview on beyond the brick and then joined your site. I really like it so far

Not sure if it was suggested yet, but I think an option in the Brickfolio list (like in the edit/delete column) to create a quick eBay listing for that set would be a big asset.

At minimum, it could prompt for a few info (auction/BIN, price, etc), pull the product description from eBay if it exists, import set pictures, etc. It would not have to create an active listing, but a listing ready to submit (so we can include our own picture, shipping, etc)

Thanks,

CB

Sounds like a quality idea that could be addressed at a later time. I'll have Jeff take a look. Thanks for your idea.

[Ed Mack]

Would you consider adding a small notes field to the Brickfolio. I know the retail price, but maybe i received it as a gift, or my retail prices does or does not include sales tax paid. Just need a couple dozen characters for notes to self... thanks.

Yes, this is an idea I discussed with Jeff previously. We discussed the option of adding photos of sets, displays and custom models, along with the ability for an individual to input their own value for a custom item. There are just some MOCs and displays that we do not have values for and it would be easier for you to input a figure.

Jeff and I really do appreciate all the ideas. There are many things that we are kicking around right now and there will be various updates and upgrades to the site. It is a never ending battle to stay relevant and state of the art...

[Desultor]

Hey there, thanks for a fantastic site, even without any further updates! Forgive me if there's already this feature (and please point me the way), but I there a way to be notified when a set on my wish list (I'm thinking of my linked brickset list here) is put on sale? Ideally we could dial in a target percentage, or even specific percentages for each set on my list. I would pay money for an iOS app that notified me with notifications in this manner. Thanks for the consideration / pointer!

[Ed Mack]

Hey there, thanks for a fantastic site, even without any further updates!

Forgive me if there's already this feature (and please point me the way), but I there a way to be notified when a set on my wish list (I'm thinking of my linked brickset list here) is put on sale? Ideally we could dial in a target percentage, or even specific percentages for each set on my list. I would pay money for an iOS app that notified me with notifications in this manner.

Thanks for the consideration / pointer!

Yes, it is a feature we are already working on. We even have a name for it(which I'll keep to myself right now). We are also working on a mobile app. Hurricane Sandy is going to mess with our ability to do anything over the next week or two, so please be patient.

[bacon1986]

I tried searching to see if you've already addressed this question, but didn't find anything. Would you consider changing the retail price that the "Amazon Discounts" prices compare to? Sometimes Amazon inflates the retail price, and then drops their listed price back down to retail, but it shows a percentage off of over 40%. If you instead compared the listed price to the MSRP in your database, then it would always show the correct percentage discount.