BrickLink Discussion Forum

In Help, Shintaku writes:

Hello,

today something very bad happened.

An user made me an order, paid, and I shipped it.
Out of 233 parts, he declared that 1 was incorrect and 5 missing.

I went on my shop to see if I could reship the missing/wrong items but to my
surprise, none of them were available.

I don't want problems, so for a few bucks, I refunded those parts.

Probably, this buyer saw me weak because he then became demanding.

- I'm not happy with the refund. Either you send me half the shipping price
as a compensation, or I will cancel the entire order and ship it back on your
behalf.

Once noted that PayPal states that though he's entitled to, it's on HIS
behalf it became.

- No it's on your behalf. If before I said that I was ok with half shipping
price, now it's full shipping price, or I will cancel the order and open
a claim as "not as described".

I remarked that the parts not as described were refunded, but he said that he
was not needing the order as a whole.

I then went on his feedback profile and see that he already tried this trick
before. A seller paid him to ship the order back, and he never did.

Can we do something in these cases, or are we totally powerless?

I'm not speaking about the PayPal claim, I know I will win it.

But is there a way to defend ourselves from this kind of users?

How much was shipping?

half off doesn't tell us much.

I usually offer to cover shipping if I can't replace something. Often that's
the same amount they paid just for shipping or close to it.

So for example, if shipping was $8, and they have to pay $4 to get the parts
from someone else, that's totally a reasonable request IMO.

Crystal

Author:

Adjour

Posted:

Apr 27, 2024 19:58

Subject:

Re: Package type on ShipStation

Viewed:

40 times

Topic:

Shipping

In Shipping, journey2020 writes:

Hi all, I am just starting out to print labels through Shipstation. I am choosing
USPS ground advantage. I tried choosing the package type of bubble mailer or
flat envelope but it tells me that is an "invalid type". What are you
all using as a package type? Thanks.

You aren't going to use the "flats" option for pretty much anything
(unless you want to for books) because it doesn't have tracking. Even a bubble
mailer isn't a flat.

weigh and measure you parcel (bubble mailers would be 1" or more) and then
it will give you your options from there.

Crystal

Author:

Adjour

Posted:

Apr 24, 2024 11:17

Subject:

Re: How does USPS even operate? A short rant.

Viewed:

59 times

Topic:

Shipping

I turned off international shipping recently. For different reasons, but I did
have something similar happen during covid. Parcel took 10 weeks with no update
to Europe.

On a different site I use UPS a lot and they have a habit of marking things "delivered"
and then actually delivering it 2-3 days later. They also sometimes forget to
scan things in transit. So that is fun.

Fedex is notorious for employee theft, crushing parcels, and of course, shipping
surcharges that are insane.

Honestly I don't know how all this is going to function a decade from now.
I've already lost the world market a couple years ago, which used to be 1/3
of my sales.

and I'm already noticing that most of my buyers on other sites are from
the states surrounding mine, which means calculated shipping is getting too expensive
to anyone past Texas in my case. I've been looking more and more into local
selling options in person, which of course, has its own set of drawbacks.

Crystal

Author:

Adjour

Posted:

Apr 23, 2024 18:17

Subject:

Re: Help with Unidentified legs

Viewed:

32 times

Topic:

In Help, Linsfruit writes:

Appreciate some help identifying which figure this belongs to 🙏

Thanks in advance
Linda

The print is crooked, probably custom printed

Crystal

Author:

Adjour

Posted:

Apr 22, 2024 22:38

Subject:

Re: BrickLink Cant Do Math

Viewed:

68 times

Topic:

Technical Issues

In Technical Issues, Shiny_Stuff writes:

My second BL glitch in 48 hours. The other one was an order item that my records
and my BL emails prove I sold about 6 weeks ago, but appeared in a new order.

this happens to me too much. Always happens in groups, like they backed up our
inventory from an old database.

Recently, BL sold a torso I never had listed. I thought perhaps I had imputed
it accidentally, apologized to the customer, and made sure I did not have any
more in my inventory. This was some odd/rare torso in a non existent color.

a few days later, bl sells it AGAIN. Same song and dance.

It sold yet a third time.

The orders were not cancelled, just given credit for the "missing" part,
so I have no idea how it kept getting put back in my inventory and selling over
and over when it was never in my inventory to begin with.

I've had this happen about 1-2 times a year but always figured I was at fault
even though it didn't seem that way, after the whole recent fiasco I don't
think its me.

Crystal

Author:

Adjour

Posted:

Apr 22, 2024 19:14

Subject:

Re: How do you remove ink from legos?

Viewed:

26 times

Topic:

In Help, 1001bricks writes:

In Help, Adjour writes:

In Help, legoranger00 writes:

How can I remove marker ink and pen ink from my legos?

Rubbing alcohol.

I sell a wide variety of toys and it also works on plushies and vinyl toys.

Crystal

Crystal clear!

Haha yes!

I'm actually more shocked these days when I can't remove a stain, between
acetone, alcohol and H2O2 and the fabulous magic eraser (do not use on lego though,
I've learned the hard way you can see the scratches)

Crystal

Author:

Adjour

Posted:

Apr 22, 2024 14:34

Subject:

Re: How do you remove ink from legos?

Viewed:

39 times

Topic:

In Help, legoranger00 writes:

How can I remove marker ink and pen ink from my legos?

Rubbing alcohol.

I sell a wide variety of toys and it also works on plushies and vinyl toys.

Crystal

Author:

Adjour

Posted:

Apr 21, 2024 16:26

Subject:

Re: Item purchased for less?

Viewed:

46 times

Topic:

In Help, Davidpkaiser2 writes:

New seller. First order. Buyer purchased set for a price which I believe is less
than I listed for, but I cannot confirm what I listed it for. Is there a place
to do that?

It's way more likely you fat fingered a typo on the price than a glitch.

Author:

Adjour

Posted:

Apr 17, 2024 21:27

Subject:

Re: Pay to sort

Viewed:

71 times

Topic:

In Help, Dhobeck writes:

In Help, The_Boyz_Bricks writes:

In Help, Dhobeck writes:

In Help, The_Boyz_Bricks writes:

Hello all! How much would you pay someone to sort a 12 gallon tub of Lego?
I buy Lego at about $2 - $4 a pound if that helps

How would you want it sorted by color or category or size?

Categories.

We sort into 19 different categories. The same ones that the Great Brick Lab
(GBL) uses to sort their Lego. I’ll post a link to the sorting sheet later.

Here's the link to the sorting sheet.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1809BBSWvmC6HrqpWcbQa-YP6alDrJOIe/view

They share it in the description for this video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iSr8117iiIQ&t=7s

I printed it out and sort 1 pound of Lego into the category’s and it took around
50 minutes so I’m think maybe $2 a pound. But maybe state that you have to finish
sorting the entire bin to get paid. I would also pull out category #16 just as
a per caution. Also it should not be snowing this time of year

I'm cackling, thank you XD

Author:

Adjour

Posted:

Apr 14, 2024 20:11

Subject:

Re: Bulk Used Brick Sale

Viewed:

46 times

Topic:

Sales

In Sales, kzinti writes:

In Sales, Adjour writes:

In Sales, kzinti writes:

My storage closet runneth over, looking to move some bulk out. I've been
busier at my day job and I don't seem to be finding time to get this sorted.

https://store.bricklink.com/kzinti?p=kzinti&itemID=230735353#/shop?o={%22invID%22:%22230735353%22}

4,892 lots available. Wow you weren't kidding

Crystal

That's about half. Think I might have a slight Lego hoarding problem.

I sold mine down a lot after I moved, but I had several tons for a while, always
a fun topic of conversation when meeting the new nosy neighbors lol.

Best of luck with your sales

Crystla

Author:

Adjour

Posted:

Apr 14, 2024 16:49

Subject:

Re: Bulk Used Brick Sale

Viewed:

62 times

Topic:

Sales

In Sales, kzinti writes:

4,892 lots available. Wow you weren't kidding

Crystal

Author:

Adjour

Posted:

Apr 12, 2024 19:55

Subject:

Re: Help identifying loose pieces

Viewed:

40 times

Topic:

Searching

In Searching, osborne311 writes:

Have a lot of these in a loose collection I recently acquired and cannot figure
out what they are. Any help would be appreciated. Thank You

I feel so very old now. Getting one of these was so awesome when they came out.
They didn't come with sets like the new ones do

Crystal

Author:

Adjour

Posted:

Apr 12, 2024 14:07

Subject:

Re: Finding the right (old) variant in shops?

Viewed:

32 times

Topic:

Searching

In Searching, mzmzmz writes:

Hi,

I am trying to complete my old Lego sets that are mostly from the 1980s, and
created several wanted lists (1 per set) in order to buy the missing parts.

Question:
How can I be sure that I am buying the (era)correct part?

Example: set "6951 Robot Command Center" from 1984 is missing 1x "Brick,
Round 2 x 2 with Axle Hole" = part 3941 in White.
However, the new part has a 'bottom ring' visible and the original parts
did not have that
(https://www.bricklink.com/v2/catalog/catalogitem.page?P=3941&C=1#T=C&C=1).

So when using the 'buy all' option or selection all wanted lists that
I want to buy parts for, how do I know I get the correct part and not the newer
version?

Or has this option fully disappeared from Bricklink now?
In that case: what parts-buying site does still make the distinction between
versions of a part?

Many thanks for your help.
Kind regards,
Menno

Some sellers (like myself, though I'm probably too far away for you) sell
in a niche of vintage parts.

I have many parts with notations as to decade made and even what set its pulled
from. I'm sure you can find someone in Europe doing this, perhaps searching
the word "vintage" in shops that interest you. I know that works in mine

Good luck

Crystal

Author:

Adjour

Posted:

Apr 10, 2024 16:55

Subject:

Re: ID help

Viewed:

32 times

Topic:

Catalog Identification

In Catalog Identification, WildBricks writes:

Definitely a Belville figure shoe:

Minifig No: belvfemale75 Name: Belville Female - Girl with Bright Pink Top with Fur and Bow Detail, Gold Horseshoe Brooch, Dark Pink Shoes and Long Black Hair

belvfemale75 Belville Female - Girl with Bright Pink Top with Fur and Bow Detail, Gold Horseshoe Brooch, Dark Pink Shoes and Long Black Hair
Minifigures: Belville

Life is Good.
~Ed.

Well, that goes in the "parts I'll never use, but am afraid to throw
out" drawer.

I've sold dismembered belville parts like this before, but granted that was
on another platform in small lots, but people do buy them

Crystal

Author:

Adjour

Posted:

Apr 8, 2024 19:56

Subject:

Re: Insurance for your collection

Viewed:

47 times

Topic:

In Help, Carissamiss writes:

I’m in Canada, but here my collection is insured as a specific addition to the
“contents” portion of my home insurance. So if there’s a claim they pay x for
the home structure, x for replacement of general contents and x to replace the
LEGO collection.
I would call the home insurance company back and ask if your general contents
policy is enough to replace the LEGO and everything else in your house, or
if you need to write in the addition. They do that for things like artwork and
jewelry too so it’s not unusual.

In Help, afexx37 writes:

Hello all,

I was wondering how you insure your collections. My collection is worth a substantial
amount of money, and we get a lot of fires in our area. I spoke to our current
company that we have home, auto and pet insurance through; and they said they
don't do that. They said I would want to look into Inland Marine insurance,
and that wasn't correct.

How do you insure yours? Who do you go through? Does it fall in to another category
of some kind?

I'm not getting answers on my end, and would appreciate any advice you could
offer.

Thank you!

This is also how mine is covered. They basically just asked me to state a number
and then add it on to the value of the house. No proof needed.

Crystal

Author:

Adjour

Posted:

Mar 6, 2024 13:39

Subject:

Re: Seriously?

Viewed:

71 times

Topic:

In Catalog, randyf writes:

In Catalog, Tracyd writes:

In Catalog, Adjour writes:

In Catalog, oukexergon writes:

In Catalog, Adjour writes:

BL will survive just fine this time, but if
another batch of merges ever comes, at least they will lose my business.

Yet another user making another empty, histrionic threat. It's almost a script
at this point.

Threat? How is this a threat? The site will literally lose its value if it continues
down this path (not saying it has yet).

If you literally can't understand how you threatening to stop shopping here
is a considered a threat. I can't help you.

In the end people will need a different source to complete sets accurately.

Ok. I sort of agree with that point, but I don't get the emotional gyrations.
It is what it is. You don't own the site.

You and the other, 10 ish people who are super upset could be putting all that
energy and time into creating that if it matters as much as you all insist. But
no, time is better spent complaining. Per usual.

Crystal

What she said. I am getting so tired of hearing the same thing over and over.

Then ignore the posts. There is no need to respond to all of them so that you
in turn keep getting responding to. Break the cycle. Unfortunately, it seems
there are too many strong personalities here that have a hard time doing that.

The only other thing I have to say on this subject is this: people have a right
to be upset, so let them be upset and deal with the changes in their own ways.
Some go quietly, but some need to let go of it in more open displays of disappointment.
In the end, it won't matter one way or another because the changes have for
the most part been done. That means people will either move on and stay here
or just move on. There are many of us who lost a significant portion of our lives
to the merges that just occurred, and we have every right to mourn the loss of
that information and the significant time and money we poured into the obtaining
of that information for the use of the worldwide LEGO-fan community. A little
empathy will go a long way towards moving people through this time of anguish
and hurt.

And on that note, I have pretty much concluded my transition through this process.
I debated what I could, helped to save some entries from getting merged, and
I will do what I can to keep the site moving forward through the process. There
are always other things to look forward to, and I still have many accomplishments
on this site that I am very proud of (and more to come).

Cheers,
Randy

I agree 100% you your "just ignore" it sentiment, but as you know from
deep inside yourself from your own posts, it's really hard to do that sometimes.

I've been posting since 2017, a large swath of that I ignored alot of this.
Sales picked up and I'm here more again. Perhaps I need to just have a different
tab open when pulling orders.

Anyway, I'm human and care when people are upset. Unfortunately my way of
doing that (reality checks) is admittedly not a method that works on more emotionally
based types, but in defense of myself, does work on my thinking based personalities.

Either way, closing tab.

Crystal

Author:

Adjour

Posted:

Mar 6, 2024 13:15

Subject:

Re: Seriously?

Viewed:

69 times

Topic:

In Catalog, axaday writes:

In Catalog, randyf writes:

There are many of us who lost a significant portion of our lives
to the merges that just occurred, and we have every right to mourn the loss of
that information and the significant time and money we poured into the obtaining
of that information for the use of the worldwide LEGO-fan community.

I came a hair's breadth from losing my marriage recently and the time I have
poured into Bricklink was a major factor in it. Less than a hair's breadth.
She left for 70 days. So in any case, I have to cut back. But what I cut back
would have been a lot more difficult to decide without this coming along at the
same time. It stings VERY MUCH. VERY MUCH. To find out that they don't
even value what I was doing. I almost lost my family doing a labor that I believed
would help the community, but it won't because the leaders of the community
threw it in garbage half done.

It doesn't look like the vitriol in these thread got directed at me personally,
but to read someone saying "Hey it wasn't your decision. Don't be
so entitled" feels very personal.

I respect you, so please don't view anything I say negatively.

I personally, don't understand why people keep complaining, and then KEEP
HELPING. Like if a person IRL doesn't respect your opinion, or time, continuing
to give that person your advice and time, is honestly not healthy. At all.

I appreciate your honesty here. I admit I see low key signs of addiction to the
site (and/or the product) in many many Lego users, including many popular youtubers
and bricklink store owners. It seems alot of you (general you) get stuck

obsessing over this place, and then freak out when something out of your control
happens. The whole thing looks irrational to myself and several other users and
we aren't trying to pick on you guys, but its honestly the very concerning
(to me personally at least) to see people get SO upset, over what in reality
is not a big deal.

I know I come off as blunt and uncarring, but really I know, at least I am personally
responding the same way I would if someone in real life was freaking out, try
to point of they are overreacting.

Anyway in closing, if the merge (or anything I've seen people get upset about
over the years) causes so much emotional anguish that you (general) can't
let it go, its time to go touch grass, and I mean that in a kind way. Honestly

Author:

Adjour

Posted:

Mar 5, 2024 16:56

Subject:

Re: Seriously?

Viewed:

79 times

Topic:

In Catalog, oukexergon writes:

In Catalog, Adjour writes:

BL will survive just fine this time, but if
another batch of merges ever comes, at least they will lose my business.

Yet another user making another empty, histrionic threat. It's almost a script
at this point.

Threat? How is this a threat? The site will literally lose its value if it continues
down this path (not saying it has yet).

If you literally can't understand how you threatening to stop shopping here
is a considered a threat. I can't help you.

In the end people will need a different source to complete sets accurately.

Author:

Adjour

Posted:

Mar 5, 2024 16:39

Subject:

Re: Seriously?

Viewed:

67 times

Topic:

BL will survive just fine this time, but if
another batch of merges ever comes, at least they will lose my business.

Yet another user making another empty, histrionic threat. It's almost a script
at this point.

Author:

Adjour

Posted:

Mar 5, 2024 16:04

Subject:

Re: Phishing email UPDATE March 5

Viewed:

75 times

Topic:

Administrative