Bricklink/BrickOwl - Discussion, questions, & answers

[Thumper]

3 hours ago, BP said:

Question,

I parted out a few sets in bricklink and wasn't paying too much attention

Turns out I parted out one set and forgot to consolidate and thus merge the amount of new parts together with the already existing (and for sale) parts in my inventory. 

Is there any other way to merge than going through my inventory and deleting them by hand? 

I mean like an easy search function through my inventory? 

Probably not but can't blame a man for trying. 

Thx. 

You can also do this in native Bricklink by going to your "My Inventory" page, on the right hand side select "Parts" (for example) & check the box for "Non-Unique" hit GO and you should see a listing of all your duplicate entries, you can manually modify & delete lots here as you need.

also... when you make a set partout mistake you can always add a -1 (or however many you entered) as the number of sets to add to basically remove the entries, then reenter the set with the consolidate option set.

Edited August 13, 2016 by Thumper

[dustyshelf]

Also, you could import your inventory into Brickstock, consolidate your lots and reupload your inventory.

[Phil B]

Had my first NPB ... Buyer accepted the cancellation (NPX) and I cancelled the order. I see that I am allowed to leave feedback. This was a low-feedback buyer from overseas and I already suspected they didn't realize that even just shipping the bricks was going to cost $20-$25 for a moderately sized set, and I guess their noobness is to blame for not nicely and courteously cancelling the order with me.

Anyway, I noticed that I can leave feedback. I'm thinking to not utilize this, as this seems to be a beginner and we all make mistakes. Or should I?

[TigerEyez]

52 minutes ago, Phil B said:

Had my first NPB ... Buyer accepted the cancellation (NPX) and I cancelled the order. I see that I am allowed to leave feedback. This was a low-feedback buyer from overseas and I already suspected they didn't realize that even just shipping the bricks was going to cost $20-$25 for a moderately sized set, and I guess their noobness is to blame for not nicely and courteously cancelling the order with me.

Anyway, I noticed that I can leave feedback. I'm thinking to not utilize this, as this seems to be a beginner and we all make mistakes. Or should I?

I had my first a couple weeks ago. It was his first order and he was domestic. Never replied to one attempt to contact. Locked up a set for nearly a month and I had to pay my monthly fee while waiting to cancel. So yes, give them bad feedback and maybe save someone else later. Pretty sure I'm about to have another NPB with the same set. 

[Thumper]

1 hour ago, Phil B said:

Had my first NPB ... Buyer accepted the cancellation (NPX) and I cancelled the order. I see that I am allowed to leave feedback. This was a low-feedback buyer from overseas and I already suspected they didn't realize that even just shipping the bricks was going to cost $20-$25 for a moderately sized set, and I guess their noobness is to blame for not nicely and courteously cancelling the order with me.

Anyway, I noticed that I can leave feedback. I'm thinking to not utilize this, as this seems to be a beginner and we all make mistakes. Or should I?

No, never leave feedback for cancelled orders as the buyers can do the same.  This is especially true if your buyer is a very low, zero feedback or buyer only account, if you leave them a negative or neutral (In bricklink stats all neutrals count against you as a strike against your 100% rating) you will very likely get one back in return, this will crash your statistics and will have no penalty at all to a zero fb buyers as they will simply just create another account (it's so very easy to do) and start over all fresh & shiny again while you're left wearing the bruise against your seller account forever.

allot of noob buyers just login the once to test the waters & never come back anyway so there's absolutely no benefit to you as a seller or to any other sellers leaving a non-positive feedback in this case.   best to just let it go & move on...

 

[Phil B]

No, never leave feedback for cancelled orders as the buyers can do the same.  This is especially true if your buyer is a very low, zero feedback or buyer only account, if you leave them a negative or neutral (In bricklink stats all neutrals count against you as a strike against your 100% rating) you will very likely get one back in return, this will crash your statistics and will have no penalty at all to a zero fb buyers as they will simply just create another account (it's so very easy to do) and start over all fresh & shiny again while you're left wearing the bruise against your seller account forever.

allot of noob buyers just login the once to test the waters & never come back anyway so there's absolutely no benefit to you as a seller or to any other sellers leaving a non-positive feedback in this case.   best to just let it go & move on...

 

The UI shows a big red X for their feedback, so I thought this meant they cannot leave feedback?

This buyer has a few previous purchases so they are not just a flyby.

[mikemcd]

7 minutes ago, Thumper said:

No, never leave feedback for cancelled orders as the buyers can do the same.  This is especially true if your buyer is a very low, zero feedback or buyer only account, if you leave them a negative or neutral (In bricklink stats all neutrals count against you as a strike against your 100% rating) you will very likely get one back in return, this will crash your statistics and will have no penalty at all to a zero fb buyers as they will simply just create another account (it's so very easy to do) and start over all fresh & shiny again while you're left wearing the bruise against your seller account forever.

allot of noob buyers just login the once to test the waters & never come back anyway so there's absolutely no benefit to you as a seller or to any other sellers leaving a non-positive feedback in this case.   best to just let it go & move on...

 

The order is NPX not just a cancelled order. Buyer cannot leave feedback for that order.

If the buyer communicated and explained I would not leave feedback. If buyer never returned messages or explained/replied to NPB then he needs NEG.

[Phil B]

11 minutes ago, mikemcd said:

The order is NPX not just a cancelled order. Buyer cannot leave feedback for that order.

If the buyer communicated and explained I would not leave feedback. If buyer never returned messages or explained/replied to NPB then he needs NEG.

Buyer never communicated anything (apart from a cryptic message when the order was placed suggesting we do a Family & Friends paypal transaction "to reduce fees" which I wouldn't have done anyways). I filed an NPB after a week, to which the buyer responded by accepting the option to cancel (which turned the status to NPX - so I never got any message/request from the buyer). Once I saw the NPX (and looked up what that meant) I canceled the order - which then allowed me to post feedback, without a feedback option for the buyer.

Again, I'm thinking to let it slide and chalk it up to beginner mistakes, but want to hear some opinions.

[Guest betsy805]

1 minute ago, Phil B said:

Buyer never communicated anything (apart from a cryptic message when the order was placed suggesting we do a Family & Friends paypal transaction "to reduce fees" which I wouldn't have done anyways). I filed an NPB after a week, to which the buyer responded by accepting the option to cancel (which turned the status to NPX - so I never got any message/request from the buyer). Once I saw the NPX (and looked up what that meant) I canceled the order - which then allowed me to post feedback, without a feedback option for the buyer.

Again, I'm thinking to let it slide and chalk it up to beginner mistakes, but want to hear some opinions.

I've had buyers use that 'friends and family' option before.  Didn't notice until I try to print a label and it won't let me....I have to wonder why they do that because I'm assuming it waives their privilege to open a case with paypal should things go awry.  In regards to the NPB, I'd probably let it slide too.  Shipping has gotten ridiculously expensive overseas and I've had many new buyers this year with sticker shock when they see the shipping charge. 

[Phil B]

4 minutes ago, betsy805 said:

I've had buyers use that 'friends and family' option before.  Didn't notice until I try to print a label and it won't let me....I have to wonder why they do that because I'm assuming it waives their privilege to open a case with paypal should things go awry.

I don't get it either - As the seller, I pay fees, they don't. So by using Friends & Family they are giving me a break on fees, and waive their rights with Paypal should I not deliver. Sounds like win-loose to me. Again, more reasons to just chalk this up to beginner mistakes.

[mikemcd]

Out of 26 NPBs in the past 16 months I have left 13 negs and let the others slide. I do check the buyers other feedback to see if they have a history of not paying others. The USPS rate hike has caught some international buyers that were used to paying $6.50 so I have let them all slide, but they have all communicated about the doubled shipping cost which I understand. 

The f/f paypal he was probably hoping you would pass the fee savings on to him in a credit to help with shipping cost. It only amounts to a few dollars so hard to say. I am not aware of any friend/family paypal scam, maybe there is. What was the reason you did not want to use that form of payment?

 

[Phil B]

5 hours ago, mikemcd said:

Out of 26 NPBs in the past 16 months I have left 13 negs and let the others slide. I do check the buyers other feedback to see if they have a history of not paying others. The USPS rate hike has caught some international buyers that were used to paying $6.50 so I have let them all slide, but they have all communicated about the doubled shipping cost which I understand. 

The f/f paypal he was probably hoping you would pass the fee savings on to him in a credit to help with shipping cost. It only amounts to a few dollars so hard to say. I am not aware of any friend/family paypal scam, maybe there is. What was the reason you did not want to use that form of payment?

 

Since it doesn't save him any money, I was just going to use the standard method which gives him security. But we never got that far - I send him an invoice with details about the shipping rate, he never responded.

[donbee]

I would say give them a neutral. Not too harmful to them, but useful to other sellers.
I thought they could leave feedback too.
I had an overseas order from a newb, but he contacted me immediately asking to cancel. So I did. And he left me a positive feedback. I didn't leave any for him. Thought it was fair.

[tacsniper]

Is first class bubble mailer with tracking the absolute cheapest way to mail minifigures?

[RedBaron]

Most buyers outside the US have no idea how high the shipping cost is.  I made the decision to send a message explaining the high shipping cost for every international order prior to sending an invoice.  This gives the buyer the option to cancel or agree to complete the order knowing what the cost will be.  It seems to me this cuts down a lot of bad will from international buyers.  I am thinking about adding the USPS rate schedule to my terms page, but have not done so yet. 

 

[Stragus]

20 minutes ago, RedBaron said:

I am thinking about adding the USPS rate schedule to my terms page, but have not done so yet. 

Why exactly haven't you done so already?

It's a big world, people have no idea what the USPS rates are, it's your job to provide the information on your store's shipping rates.

[RedBaron]

 

22 minutes ago, Stragus said:

Why exactly haven't you done so already?

It's a big world, people have no idea what the USPS rates are, it's your job to provide the information on your store's shipping rates.

I am concerned it will drive business away.  Without the rates posted, at least I would have the chance to make a sale, or at least get a shipping quote request.  If the rates are posted, a potential customer may just move on.  This is probably false logic, but just my thoughts.

 

22 minutes ago, Stragus said:

Why exactly haven't you done so already?

It's a big world, people have no idea what the USPS rates are, it's your job to provide the information on your store's shipping rates.

I am concerned it will drive business away.  Without the rates posted, at least I would have the chance to make a sale, or at least get a shipping quote request.  If the rates are posted, a potential customer may just move on.  This is probably false logic, but just my thoughts.

[TomOOO]

As a UK buyer and seller I know that that I never buy from US after one purchase, nothing wrong with the seller of course, but the total cost of not just the postage but then there is the customs, and then at least a minimum £12 ( !!) to send the package from customs to my door.   As a buyer I would never back down from an order - though I agree that it is always a problem that a failed buyer can nuke your reviews as a seller.   I provide postage costs on my splash page and before I send an invoice I send a "fast and expensive or cheap and slow option" on postage email - , and a failed sale at that point is OK.  (Not had one so far but then I am a small time seller).

[Stragus]

4 hours ago, RedBaron said:

I am concerned it will drive business away.  Without the rates posted, at least I would have the chance to make a sale, or at least get a shipping quote request.  If the rates are posted, a potential customer may just move on.  This is probably false logic, but just my thoughts.

I completely disagree.

I'm from Canada. Knowing the USPS rates, I would never place tiny orders in the U.S. ... but I have no problem placing large orders of several kilograms! The shipping rate isn't so bad for large orders.

Why would you deny your buyers the information allowing them to make the best decisions for themselves? A buyer who has been burned by a high shipping rate will not return.

[donbee]

As a UK buyer and seller I know that that I never buy from US after one purchase, nothing wrong with the seller of course, but the total cost of not just the postage but then there is the customs, and then at least a minimum £12 ( !!) to send the package from customs to my door.  

You have to pay customs? I've never had to charge customs for a BL order. And have never heard of customs holding on to a package. Granted I've only mailed maybe 3 times to the UK. And they've been small orders.

I'm always curious about what happens to the package after it leaves the US.

[TomOOO]

Sorry - to clarify :

I sell on the basis of buyer has to pay postage and customs.

As a buyer the rules in the UK are ....

1) If Europe (at the moment) no customs on any amount

2) Outside Europe - for present/gift : duty paid on orders over £100 (ish - forgot exact), for any other - orders over £15. 

+ if it gets stopped at customs then you must pay postage from customs to your door which is at least £12 but can be much higher, which means anything over £15 will cost you +20% VAT + postage - £12 or more. 

[Phil B]

The only reason I don't have international shipping posted on my BL store page is that I have the choice of either posting the entire country-by-country table of shipping costs (including weights), or go by the generic Priority Mail International Small/Medium/Large Package rate, which is fairly excessive.

I might just go for the PM International route with a note "If a cheaper shipping option is available this will show on your invoice" kind of thing.

[donbee]

I guess My store is small enough not to have worry much about it. I'd say about 1/3 of my sales are international (including Canada). But a good 3/4 of my income is from there. My international buyers buy my new/complete sets. And then when I tell them they could order more for the same shooing cost, they often do.

[BP]

I've noticed from my last two recieved order that it takes quite some time to actually recieve an order. 

For example, I just now (20:08) recieved an email regarding a new order:

BrickLink(tm) Distribution reports that the following transaction has taken place on Oct 4, 2016 13:53

 

That means it took 6 hours for me to actually recieve this order. 

Is this normal? 

[Phil B]

1 minute ago, BP said:

I've noticed from my last two recieved order that it takes quite some time to actually recieve an order. 

For example, I just now (20:08) recieved an email regarding a new order:

BrickLink(tm) Distribution reports that the following transaction has taken place on Oct 4, 2016 13:53

 

That means it took 6 hours for me to actually recieve this order. 

Is this normal? 

BL is registered in the US, so I assume 13:53 is EST, meaning 19:53 your time. So it took 15 mins.