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| | | Author: | Teup  | | Posted: | Aug 30, 2018 08:55 | | Subject: | New parameter for lots: max per buyer | | Viewed: | 316 times | | Topic: | Suggestions | | Status: | Open | | Vote: | [Yes|No] | |
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| I would really like to see a new parameter for lots that limits the amount a
buyer can buy of a certain part in any one order. The part would then turn up
in search results and in store inventory showing not more than the value specified.
It's something that many online stores use, notably also LEGO themselves.
So far the way to do this is to offer the desired max amount, put in remarks
how much is left, and put the item on retain. This has several drawbacks, most
of all:
- You have to manually reoffer and modify the remarks all the time
- You cannot see or accurately modify the price and other stats of your inventory
because part of the amount of what you have is hidden in remarks
This could all be solved by 1 simple extra field, that is left on 0 when unused.
Of course, the item should not appear updated for users that still have an order
that has not yet reached the packed status. Of course buyers can buy again after
that, but separate shipping and handling fees should be sufficient to bar the
effect of buyers blowing sudden holes in your inventory.
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| | | | | Author: | LearnedBrick | | Posted: | Aug 30, 2018 09:03 | | Subject: | Re: New parameter for lots: max per buyer | | Viewed: | 83 times | | Topic: | Suggestions | |
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| In Suggestions, Teup writes:
| | I would really like to see a new parameter for lots that limits the amount a
buyer can buy of a certain part in any one order. The part would then turn up
in search results and in store inventory showing not more than the value specified.
It's something that many online stores use, notably also LEGO themselves.
So far the way to do this is to offer the desired max amount, put in remarks
how much is left, and put the item on retain. This has several drawbacks, most
of all:
- You have to manually reoffer and modify the remarks all the time
- You cannot see or accurately modify the price and other stats of your inventory
because part of the amount of what you have is hidden in remarks
This could all be solved by 1 simple extra field, that is left on 0 when unused.
Of course, the item should not appear updated for users that still have an order
that has not yet reached the packed status. Of course buyers can buy again after
that, but separate shipping and handling fees should be sufficient to bar the
effect of buyers blowing sudden holes in your inventory.
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While I understand the concept of this request, I have a simple question: What
is the virtue of this feature? What makes it good?
Isn't the intended effect of offering products for sale that customers buy
them? Shouldn't the primary goal be to offer the customer what they need?
And if they need all the items in a certain lot, shouldn't we allow them
the delight in purchasing them?
There may be a specific need in your store for always keeping a certain amount
of items in a lot set aside, but I am at a loss to understand why. In an effort
to solve one problem in your store, you may indeed be creating another.
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| | | | | | | Author: | SylvainLS | | Posted: | Aug 30, 2018 09:19 | | Subject: | Re: New parameter for lots: max per buyer | | Viewed: | 77 times | | Topic: | Suggestions | |
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| In Suggestions, LearnedBrick writes:
| | […]
While I understand the concept of this request, I have a simple question: What
is the virtue of this feature? What makes it good? […]
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One obvious use is to do like S@H: limit resale potential, er, I mean, allow
more customers to be served.
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| | | | | | | | | Author: | WhiteHorseMatt | | Posted: | Aug 30, 2018 15:16 | | Subject: | Re: New parameter for lots: max per buyer | | Viewed: | 61 times | | Topic: | Suggestions | |
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| In Suggestions, SylvainLS writes:
| | In Suggestions, LearnedBrick writes:
| | […]
While I understand the concept of this request, I have a simple question: What
is the virtue of this feature? What makes it good? […]
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One obvious use is to do like S@H: limit resale potential, er, I mean, allow
more customers to be served.
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But as a Bricklink seller?
There are lots less overheads involved in selling 10 items to one buyer, than
one each to 10 buyers.
Unless OP was intending it to be like S&H's gift with purchase, i.e. spend
X and you can buy this item cheap.
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| | | | | | | | | | | Author: | bje | | Posted: | Aug 30, 2018 15:38 | | Subject: | Re: New parameter for lots: max per buyer | | Viewed: | 55 times | | Topic: | Suggestions | |
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| In Suggestions, WhiteHorseMatt writes:
| | In Suggestions, SylvainLS writes:
| | In Suggestions, LearnedBrick writes:
| | […]
While I understand the concept of this request, I have a simple question: What
is the virtue of this feature? What makes it good? […]
|
One obvious use is to do like S@H: limit resale potential, er, I mean, allow
more customers to be served.
|
But as a Bricklink seller?
There are lots less overheads involved in selling 10 items to one buyer, than
one each to 10 buyers.
Unless OP was intending it to be like S&H's gift with purchase, i.e. spend
X and you can buy this item cheap.
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Supermarket specials? Those that go buy X for Y price limited to two or six or
whatever per customer. That would be one I would use this for. Another, an idea
I've been toying with because of long lead times, would be to limit numbers
per customer where the stock levels gets seriously low too quickly and there
is a long wait for new inventory to arrive. At least you end up helping a few
more people than just one or two. Stockrooms and tiered pricing just does not
help for this at all.
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| | | | | | | | | | | Author: | Teup | | Posted: | Aug 30, 2018 15:52 | | Subject: | Re: New parameter for lots: max per buyer | | Viewed: | 65 times | | Topic: | Suggestions | |
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| In Suggestions, WhiteHorseMatt writes:
| | In Suggestions, SylvainLS writes:
| | In Suggestions, LearnedBrick writes:
| | […]
While I understand the concept of this request, I have a simple question: What
is the virtue of this feature? What makes it good? […]
|
One obvious use is to do like S@H: limit resale potential, er, I mean, allow
more customers to be served.
|
But as a Bricklink seller?
There are lots less overheads involved in selling 10 items to one buyer, than
one each to 10 buyers.
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But at least you will have 10 buyers rather than 1 
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| | | | | | | | | | | | | Author: | 62Bricks | | Posted: | Aug 30, 2018 17:07 | | Subject: | Re: New parameter for lots: max per buyer | | Viewed: | 53 times | | Topic: | Suggestions | |
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| In Suggestions, Teup writes:
| | In Suggestions, WhiteHorseMatt writes:
| | In Suggestions, SylvainLS writes:
| | In Suggestions, LearnedBrick writes:
| | […]
While I understand the concept of this request, I have a simple question: What
is the virtue of this feature? What makes it good? […]
|
One obvious use is to do like S@H: limit resale potential, er, I mean, allow
more customers to be served.
|
But as a Bricklink seller?
There are lots less overheads involved in selling 10 items to one buyer, than
one each to 10 buyers.
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But at least you will have 10 buyers rather than 1
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This would not give you more buyers. If anything it will turn away buyers.
There are no buyers out there specifically looking for sellers who limit what
they can buy. On the other hand, there may be buyers out there who want to buy
more than your max. I see no possible upside.
This appears, like lot limits, to be a "solution" for sellers who believe the
only way to make money is to keep their customers from taking up their time filling
orders.
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| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Author: | Teup | | Posted: | Aug 30, 2018 19:47 | | Subject: | Re: New parameter for lots: max per buyer | | Viewed: | 43 times | | Topic: | Suggestions | |
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| In Suggestions, 62Bricks writes:
| | In Suggestions, Teup writes:
| | In Suggestions, WhiteHorseMatt writes:
| | In Suggestions, SylvainLS writes:
| | In Suggestions, LearnedBrick writes:
| | […]
While I understand the concept of this request, I have a simple question: What
is the virtue of this feature? What makes it good? […]
|
One obvious use is to do like S@H: limit resale potential, er, I mean, allow
more customers to be served.
|
But as a Bricklink seller?
There are lots less overheads involved in selling 10 items to one buyer, than
one each to 10 buyers.
|
But at least you will have 10 buyers rather than 1
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This would not give you more buyers. If anything it will turn away buyers.
There are no buyers out there specifically looking for sellers who limit what
they can buy. On the other hand, there may be buyers out there who want to buy
more than your max. I see no possible upside.
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Buyers are always limited in what they can buy. A buyer won't see the difference
between a seller offering their stock in doses and a seller who does not have
alot of stock. It will absolutely bring more buyers and it is used widely by
online stores and actually by most physical stores as well. Many physical stores
have stockrooms and will fill up gaps in the store inventory whenever they appear.
As I explained, if someone from outside the VAT zone takes a whole lot that is
cheap for them, that leaves alot of my regular market without those parts. I
would much rather serve alot of buyers to their satisfaction rather than 1 Chinese
reseller. It would enable me to offer parts at lower prices, too. It's difficult
to stay in a competitive price range for local markets which are most relevant,
if it makes you appear extra cheap to buyers elsewhere, who will buy you out,
reduce your lot count, and thereby reduce your number of orders (which is mostly
linked to lot count).
| | This appears, like lot limits, to be a "solution" for sellers who believe the
only way to make money is to keep their customers from taking up their time filling
orders.
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That's a pretty extreme point of view, basically what you are advocating
is to abolish the stockroom option and allow buyers access to everything a seller
owns. I think many sellers use the stockroom option and do not want to offer
everything they have on hand straight away and all at once. This is just a tool
to use the stockroom more efficiently. It's not similar to lot limits in
any way, that is intended to make orders smaller and it's something I would
never want to use. This suggestion is aimed at serving more buyers with the same
stock and be able to dump parts and have sales with greater effect.
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| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Author: | DeLuca | | Posted: | Aug 30, 2018 19:52 | | Subject: | Re: New parameter for lots: max per buyer | | Viewed: | 49 times | | Topic: | Suggestions | |
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| In Suggestions, 62Bricks writes:
| | This would not give you more buyers. If anything it will turn away buyers.
There are no buyers out there specifically looking for sellers who limit what
they can buy. On the other hand, there may be buyers out there who want to buy
more than your max. I see no possible upside.
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I agree completely. If I want to buy, for example, ~30 blasters (to replace
the stud-shooters in Battlepacks), and I can only buy them in batches of 5-10
at a certain store, I will purchase them from a store with no lot-limits,
and will not make three (or more) orders from the store with limits.
Aside from driving away buyers (particularly new buyers, large-scale MOC-ers,
and army-builders), there is the potential for abuse of such a system. If a store
sets a minimum-buy, then sets low lot-limits, it could possibly force buyers
to purchase numerous items that they do not need/want (to raise the price of
each cart), in order to be able to buy what they do want (and in the desired
quantities). While in most cases, such a scenario as described above would simply
drive the buyer away, but, when the items in question are rare, buyers may have
no choice other than to be gouged, if they want the aforementioned items.
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| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Author: | Teup | | Posted: | Aug 30, 2018 20:15 | | Subject: | Re: New parameter for lots: max per buyer | | Viewed: | 38 times | | Topic: | Suggestions | |
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| In Suggestions, DeLuca writes:
| | In Suggestions, 62Bricks writes:
| | This would not give you more buyers. If anything it will turn away buyers.
There are no buyers out there specifically looking for sellers who limit what
they can buy. On the other hand, there may be buyers out there who want to buy
more than your max. I see no possible upside.
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I agree completely. If I want to buy, for example, ~30 blasters (to replace
the stud-shooters in Battlepacks), and I can only buy them in batches of 5-10
at a certain store, I will purchase them from a store with no lot-limits,
and will not make three (or more) orders from the store with limits.
Aside from driving away buyers (particularly new buyers, large-scale MOC-ers,
and army-builders), there is the potential for abuse of such a system. If a store
sets a minimum-buy, then sets low lot-limits, it could possibly force buyers
to purchase numerous items that they do not need/want (to raise the price of
each cart), in order to be able to buy what they do want (and in the desired
quantities). While in most cases, such a scenario as described above would simply
drive the buyer away, but, when the items in question are rare, buyers may have
no choice other than to be gouged, if they want the aforementioned items.
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You're making it sound like this option will force you to do certain things,
but that's not the case at all. You are free to buy wherever you like and
if a seller does not find buyers because they don't offer enough, they know
they need to buy more or make more available. The scenario where it's part
of a bad mix with features is as much a complaint about those other features
as it is about this one. Minimum order is also a fine feature which by itself
already 'forces' you to buy things you don't need.
This is really not any different from me shopping for Star Wars minifigs and
a store having only some of them while some others they are keeping in their
stockroom and are not available to me. I think that's an extremely common
situation, and I don't see why keeping part of a lot in stockroom
is that fundamentally different from keeping some lots in stockroom and offering
others.
You should consider not just the side where you do not find the 30 blasters.
You should also consider the side where you do find the 30 blasters because
a reseller or another big guy was unable to buy all 6948 of them. They can be
cheaper without being instantly gone. To you this is not visible, but I lose
some lots that I could have served many buyers with to their full satisfaction.
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| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Author: | danielclark | | Posted: | Aug 30, 2018 20:36 | | Subject: | Re: New parameter for lots: max per buyer | | Viewed: | 33 times | | Topic: | Suggestions | |
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| I'd be less inclined to shop in a store that restricts how much of an item
I could buy, especially if I could see they had more. When I search for parts
it's by highest quantity for my most desired elements. If a store is going
to retain some inventory then it's going to show further down on that list.
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| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Author: | Teup | | Posted: | Aug 30, 2018 20:42 | | Subject: | Re: New parameter for lots: max per buyer | | Viewed: | 45 times | | Topic: | Suggestions | |
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| In Suggestions, danielclark writes:
| | I'd be less inclined to shop in a store that restricts how much of an item
I could buy, especially if I could see they had more. When I search for parts
it's by highest quantity for my most desired elements. If a store is going
to retain some inventory then it's going to show further down on that list.
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I agree, you should not see it. It would work exactly the same as the stockroom
currently works: You don't see what's back there that you cannot order.
The shop simply appears as a smaller shop, so yes, they will pay for it by showing
further down the highest quantity list just like you say. The seller can't
eat the cake and have it too
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| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Author: | DeLuca | | Posted: | Aug 30, 2018 21:46 | | Subject: | Re: New parameter for lots: max per buyer | | Viewed: | 31 times | | Topic: | Suggestions | |
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| In Suggestions, Teup writes:
| | In Suggestions, danielclark writes:
| | I'd be less inclined to shop in a store that restricts how much of an item
I could buy, especially if I could see they had more. When I search for parts
it's by highest quantity for my most desired elements. If a store is going
to retain some inventory then it's going to show further down on that list.
|
I agree, you should not see it. It would work exactly the same as the stockroom
currently works: You don't see what's back there that you cannot order.
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The full quantity of a given item would not be visible on the item's Catalog
entry, but would it be visible on the item's entry in the store? It
is my understanding that it would, hence my concerns.
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| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Author: | Teup | | Posted: | Aug 31, 2018 05:02 | | Subject: | Re: New parameter for lots: max per buyer | | Viewed: | 31 times | | Topic: | Suggestions | |
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| In Suggestions, DeLuca writes:
| | In Suggestions, Teup writes:
| | In Suggestions, danielclark writes:
| | I'd be less inclined to shop in a store that restricts how much of an item
I could buy, especially if I could see they had more. When I search for parts
it's by highest quantity for my most desired elements. If a store is going
to retain some inventory then it's going to show further down on that list.
|
I agree, you should not see it. It would work exactly the same as the stockroom
currently works: You don't see what's back there that you cannot order.
|
The full quantity of a given item would not be visible on the item's Catalog
entry, but would it be visible on the item's entry in the store? It
is my understanding that it would, hence my concerns.
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No, it should not be visible anywhere, just like a stockroom items is not visible.
If I have a lot of 5000 but limit it to 500 per buyer, it should show as a 500
size lot everywhere on Bricklink.
I intended it as a more automated version of the current way to do the same thing,
listing 500, switching on "retain" and writing "4500 left" in the remarks.
I agree it would be annoying to see things you couldn't buy.
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| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Author: | yorbrick | | Posted: | Aug 31, 2018 05:26 | | Subject: | Re: New parameter for lots: max per buyer | | Viewed: | 33 times | | Topic: | Suggestions | |
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| In Suggestions, Teup writes:
| | In Suggestions, DeLuca writes:
| | In Suggestions, Teup writes:
| | In Suggestions, danielclark writes:
| | I'd be less inclined to shop in a store that restricts how much of an item
I could buy, especially if I could see they had more. When I search for parts
it's by highest quantity for my most desired elements. If a store is going
to retain some inventory then it's going to show further down on that list.
|
I agree, you should not see it. It would work exactly the same as the stockroom
currently works: You don't see what's back there that you cannot order.
|
The full quantity of a given item would not be visible on the item's Catalog
entry, but would it be visible on the item's entry in the store? It
is my understanding that it would, hence my concerns.
|
No, it should not be visible anywhere, just like a stockroom items is not visible.
If I have a lot of 5000 but limit it to 500 per buyer, it should show as a 500
size lot everywhere on Bricklink.
I intended it as a more automated version of the current way to do the same thing,
listing 500, switching on "retain" and writing "4500 left" in the remarks.
I agree it would be annoying to see things you couldn't buy.
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There is a small downside that if a buyer places an order for 500, then happens
to browse the store again while not logged in, then they see that more stock
is available. So they log in and the stock is no longer available to them as
they have a current order.
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| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Author: | Teup | | Posted: | Aug 31, 2018 05:31 | | Subject: | Re: New parameter for lots: max per buyer | | Viewed: | 26 times | | Topic: | Suggestions | |
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| In Suggestions, yorbrick writes:
| | In Suggestions, Teup writes:
| | In Suggestions, DeLuca writes:
| | In Suggestions, Teup writes:
| | In Suggestions, danielclark writes:
| | I'd be less inclined to shop in a store that restricts how much of an item
I could buy, especially if I could see they had more. When I search for parts
it's by highest quantity for my most desired elements. If a store is going
to retain some inventory then it's going to show further down on that list.
|
I agree, you should not see it. It would work exactly the same as the stockroom
currently works: You don't see what's back there that you cannot order.
|
The full quantity of a given item would not be visible on the item's Catalog
entry, but would it be visible on the item's entry in the store? It
is my understanding that it would, hence my concerns.
|
No, it should not be visible anywhere, just like a stockroom items is not visible.
If I have a lot of 5000 but limit it to 500 per buyer, it should show as a 500
size lot everywhere on Bricklink.
I intended it as a more automated version of the current way to do the same thing,
listing 500, switching on "retain" and writing "4500 left" in the remarks.
I agree it would be annoying to see things you couldn't buy.
|
There is a small downside that if a buyer places an order for 500, then happens
to browse the store again while not logged in, then they see that more stock
is available. So they log in and the stock is no longer available to them as
they have a current order.
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You're right about that. Though I don't think it's really a problem
that the quanitity would change - right now prices also change when you log in,
because of currencies and taxes.
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| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Author: | yorbrick | | Posted: | Aug 31, 2018 06:31 | | Subject: | Re: New parameter for lots: max per buyer | | Viewed: | 32 times | | Topic: | Suggestions | |
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| | | You're right about that. Though I don't think it's really a problem
that the quanitity would change - right now prices also change when you log in,
because of currencies and taxes.
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Yes, I don't mind prices changing as the base currency does that. But here,
a buyer would see a store has been and still is purposely stopping a buyer from
buying something in their inventory. I'd find that annoying, especially if
I originally wanted to buy more and end up having to place another order with
either the same seller or a different seller when it could have been possible
beforehand if the seller had not hidden that inventory.
Of course, exactly the same can happen now, it is just not so instant that the
extra inventory appears available to others as soon as you checkout but not available
to you via a second batch.
If a seller wants to stop buyers from buying all their inventory, I think I prefer
it when they list say 100 at their real price and the rest of their inventory
of that part at a higher price. At least that way a buyer can decide to pay a
bit more if they are after a lot of the item. Although I know some people hate
this and complain that a seller has two different prices for the same part.
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| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Author: | qwertyboy | | Posted: | Aug 31, 2018 13:56 | | Subject: | Re: New parameter for lots: max per buyer | | Viewed: | 33 times | | Topic: | Suggestions | |
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| In Suggestions, yorbrick writes:
| | In Suggestions, Teup writes:
| | In Suggestions, DeLuca writes:
| | In Suggestions, Teup writes:
| | In Suggestions, danielclark writes:
| | I'd be less inclined to shop in a store that restricts how much of an item
I could buy, especially if I could see they had more. When I search for parts
it's by highest quantity for my most desired elements. If a store is going
to retain some inventory then it's going to show further down on that list.
|
I agree, you should not see it. It would work exactly the same as the stockroom
currently works: You don't see what's back there that you cannot order.
|
The full quantity of a given item would not be visible on the item's Catalog
entry, but would it be visible on the item's entry in the store? It
is my understanding that it would, hence my concerns.
|
No, it should not be visible anywhere, just like a stockroom items is not visible.
If I have a lot of 5000 but limit it to 500 per buyer, it should show as a 500
size lot everywhere on Bricklink.
I intended it as a more automated version of the current way to do the same thing,
listing 500, switching on "retain" and writing "4500 left" in the remarks.
I agree it would be annoying to see things you couldn't buy.
|
There is a small downside that if a buyer places an order for 500, then happens
to browse the store again while not logged in, then they see that more stock
is available. So they log in and the stock is no longer available to them as
they have a current order.
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It would take more than just a few changes. For instance, if you set a max of
100 per customer, and someone buys 100, when would your shop show 100 in inventory
again? If it gets shown right away (assuming you have enough set up), the customer
would see another 100, and could potentially add them to his existing order.
If you expect BL to block this particular customer from seeing the new lot, when
would this "lock" be lifted? At payment time? After shipping? Maybe never? Or
do you accept them being able to see the new 100 and do an order addition, thus
being able to buy them all in several order additions?
There would be quite a few checks etc needed, with many options for fringe cases
messing things up.
I do appreciate the idea, but I don't think it would be easy to implement.
Niek.
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| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Author: | yorbrick | | Posted: | Aug 31, 2018 15:53 | | Subject: | Re: New parameter for lots: max per buyer | | Viewed: | 39 times | | Topic: | Suggestions | |
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| In Suggestions, qwertyboy writes:
| | In Suggestions, yorbrick writes:
| | In Suggestions, Teup writes:
| | In Suggestions, DeLuca writes:
| | In Suggestions, Teup writes:
| | In Suggestions, danielclark writes:
| | I'd be less inclined to shop in a store that restricts how much of an item
I could buy, especially if I could see they had more. When I search for parts
it's by highest quantity for my most desired elements. If a store is going
to retain some inventory then it's going to show further down on that list.
|
I agree, you should not see it. It would work exactly the same as the stockroom
currently works: You don't see what's back there that you cannot order.
|
The full quantity of a given item would not be visible on the item's Catalog
entry, but would it be visible on the item's entry in the store? It
is my understanding that it would, hence my concerns.
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No, it should not be visible anywhere, just like a stockroom items is not visible.
If I have a lot of 5000 but limit it to 500 per buyer, it should show as a 500
size lot everywhere on Bricklink.
I intended it as a more automated version of the current way to do the same thing,
listing 500, switching on "retain" and writing "4500 left" in the remarks.
I agree it would be annoying to see things you couldn't buy.
|
There is a small downside that if a buyer places an order for 500, then happens
to browse the store again while not logged in, then they see that more stock
is available. So they log in and the stock is no longer available to them as
they have a current order.
|
It would take more than just a few changes. For instance, if you set a max of
100 per customer, and someone buys 100, when would your shop show 100 in inventory
again? If it gets shown right away (assuming you have enough set up), the customer
would see another 100, and could potentially add them to his existing order.
If you expect BL to block this particular customer from seeing the new lot, when
would this "lock" be lifted? At payment time? After shipping? Maybe never? Or
do you accept them being able to see the new 100 and do an order addition, thus
being able to buy them all in several order additions?
There would be quite a few checks etc needed, with many options for fringe cases
messing things up.
I do appreciate the idea, but I don't think it would be easy to implement.
Niek.
|
It isn't my idea. But I think teup has replied to the same question already
- I think he wrote once the order is marked as shipped or packed or similar.
Presumably once the order cannot be added to, so that any new purchase comes
in as a second order.
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| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Author: | Teup | | Posted: | Sep 1, 2018 04:03 | | Subject: | Re: New parameter for lots: max per buyer | | Viewed: | 30 times | | Topic: | Suggestions | |
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| In Suggestions, qwertyboy writes:
| | In Suggestions, yorbrick writes:
| | In Suggestions, Teup writes:
| | In Suggestions, DeLuca writes:
| | In Suggestions, Teup writes:
| | In Suggestions, danielclark writes:
| | I'd be less inclined to shop in a store that restricts how much of an item
I could buy, especially if I could see they had more. When I search for parts
it's by highest quantity for my most desired elements. If a store is going
to retain some inventory then it's going to show further down on that list.
|
I agree, you should not see it. It would work exactly the same as the stockroom
currently works: You don't see what's back there that you cannot order.
|
The full quantity of a given item would not be visible on the item's Catalog
entry, but would it be visible on the item's entry in the store? It
is my understanding that it would, hence my concerns.
|
No, it should not be visible anywhere, just like a stockroom items is not visible.
If I have a lot of 5000 but limit it to 500 per buyer, it should show as a 500
size lot everywhere on Bricklink.
I intended it as a more automated version of the current way to do the same thing,
listing 500, switching on "retain" and writing "4500 left" in the remarks.
I agree it would be annoying to see things you couldn't buy.
|
There is a small downside that if a buyer places an order for 500, then happens
to browse the store again while not logged in, then they see that more stock
is available. So they log in and the stock is no longer available to them as
they have a current order.
|
It would take more than just a few changes. For instance, if you set a max of
100 per customer, and someone buys 100, when would your shop show 100 in inventory
again? If it gets shown right away (assuming you have enough set up), the customer
would see another 100, and could potentially add them to his existing order.
If you expect BL to block this particular customer from seeing the new lot, when
would this "lock" be lifted? At payment time? After shipping? Maybe never? Or
do you accept them being able to see the new 100 and do an order addition, thus
being able to buy them all in several order additions?
There would be quite a few checks etc needed, with many options for fringe cases
messing things up.
I do appreciate the idea, but I don't think it would be easy to implement.
Niek.
|
You're right it would take a bit of extra infrastructure. But I think if
items would be hidden (or quantity substracted) to buyers who have an order that
has not yet reached "packed", that should be fairly unambiguous. That would suit
my purposes and I hope that to the others who voted yes that's good as well.
That should be enough to solve the buyout issue.
So yes, it would take for users to see something else when they log on than when
they log off. But I think this should be easy to make and it's already the
case with user blocks, currency conversions and VAT calculations that apply as
soon as a user logs in. Though I just hope that putting all displayed quantities
through this extra bit of code would not slow the website in any way, otherwise
it wouldn't be worth it.
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| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Author: | DeLuca | | Posted: | Aug 30, 2018 21:41 | | Subject: | Re: New parameter for lots: max per buyer | | Viewed: | 31 times | | Topic: | Suggestions | |
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| In Suggestions, Teup writes:
| | In Suggestions, DeLuca writes:
| | In Suggestions, 62Bricks writes:
| | This would not give you more buyers. If anything it will turn away buyers.
There are no buyers out there specifically looking for sellers who limit what
they can buy. On the other hand, there may be buyers out there who want to buy
more than your max. I see no possible upside.
|
I agree completely. If I want to buy, for example, ~30 blasters (to replace
the stud-shooters in Battlepacks), and I can only buy them in batches of 5-10
at a certain store, I will purchase them from a store with no lot-limits,
and will not make three (or more) orders from the store with limits.
Aside from driving away buyers (particularly new buyers, large-scale MOC-ers,
and army-builders), there is the potential for abuse of such a system. If a store
sets a minimum-buy, then sets low lot-limits, it could possibly force buyers
to purchase numerous items that they do not need/want (to raise the price of
each cart), in order to be able to buy what they do want (and in the desired
quantities). While in most cases, such a scenario as described above would simply
drive the buyer away, but, when the items in question are rare, buyers may have
no choice other than to be gouged, if they want the aforementioned items.
|
You are free to buy wherever you like and if a seller does not find buyers because they don't offer enough, they know they need to buy more or make more available.
|
Though you say it in disagreement, this is actually what I said (that I would
just buy what I want from a store without lot-limits, and that those with
limits will lose buyers). Additionally, your suggested solution seems to run
counter to the stated purpose of increasing a store's sales (as it
essentially proposes that stores revert to the current system - In which case,
why make a significant change to the system?).
| | The scenario where it's part of a bad mix with features is as much a complaint about those other features as it is about this one. Minimum order is also a fine feature which by itself already 'forces' you to buy things you don't need.
|
While you are correct that I dislike minimum-buys (and I already avoid stores
with ones that are unreasonably high), I can usually bump the price up by purchasing,
say, six Stormtroopers, instead of five. If there is a five-lot-limit on Stormtroopers,
however, I would need to find an additional $4-5 item (that I may not need) to
raise the price of the cart. Minimum-buys are already fairly common, so adding
lot-limits on top will just hurt stores that have them even more.
| | This is really not any different from me shopping for Star Wars minifigs and a store having only some of them while some others they are keeping in their stockroom and are not available to me.
|
It, to me, is more like going into a store and finding piles of (40299) (the
Kessel Mine Worker), but only being able to buy them in batches of two, having
to go out of the store and come back in in order to buy more, and having to buy
a CMF or two each time (representing shipping/fees/etc).
| | I think that's an extremely common situation, and I don't see why keeping part of a lot in stockroom is that fundamentally different from keeping some lots in stockroom and offering others.
|
The difference is this: If am browsing through a store and see only five of a
piece that I want (but in a higher quantity), I may buy all five. If I am browsing
through a store and see 400 of that same piece, but I can only buy five,
I will probably not buy any. I recognise that this may seem illogical,
but (to me, at least), it is a psychological difference between seeing what I
can have, and seeing what I could have, if not for an imposed restriction.
This results in frustration, similar to that regarding one-per-box CMFs (particularly
Percival Graves); LEGO could include more, but they choose to create
artificial scarcity. Lot-limits are, in my view, much the same.
| | You should consider not just the side where you do not find the 30 blasters. You should also consider the side where you do find the 30 blasters because a reseller or another big guy was unable to buy all 6948 of them. They can be cheaper without being instantly gone.
|
In the case of the 6948 blasters, the problem could be solved within the confines
of the current system, by simply listing the blasters in batches of 60 at any
given time. This prevents the mass-buyout that you fear, but also does not drive
buyers away (or to frustration) by limiting the blasters to, for example, ten-per-order.
| | To you this is not visible, but I lose some lots that I could have served many buyers with to their full satisfaction.
|
I do understand and appreciate that this side of the issue exists, and I am not
trying to negate it. I am simply trying to bring the concerns of a buyer
to the table, as nearly all who have commented on (and supported) this proposal
are sellers, so that all perspectives can be examined before making a
significant change to the purchasing system.
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| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Author: | Teup | | Posted: | Aug 31, 2018 05:10 | | Subject: | Re: New parameter for lots: max per buyer | | Viewed: | 34 times | | Topic: | Suggestions | |
|
| In Suggestions, DeLuca writes:
| | In Suggestions, Teup writes:
| | In Suggestions, DeLuca writes:
| | In Suggestions, 62Bricks writes:
| | This would not give you more buyers. If anything it will turn away buyers.
There are no buyers out there specifically looking for sellers who limit what
they can buy. On the other hand, there may be buyers out there who want to buy
more than your max. I see no possible upside.
|
I agree completely. If I want to buy, for example, ~30 blasters (to replace
the stud-shooters in Battlepacks), and I can only buy them in batches of 5-10
at a certain store, I will purchase them from a store with no lot-limits,
and will not make three (or more) orders from the store with limits.
Aside from driving away buyers (particularly new buyers, large-scale MOC-ers,
and army-builders), there is the potential for abuse of such a system. If a store
sets a minimum-buy, then sets low lot-limits, it could possibly force buyers
to purchase numerous items that they do not need/want (to raise the price of
each cart), in order to be able to buy what they do want (and in the desired
quantities). While in most cases, such a scenario as described above would simply
drive the buyer away, but, when the items in question are rare, buyers may have
no choice other than to be gouged, if they want the aforementioned items.
|
You are free to buy wherever you like and if a seller does not find buyers because they don't offer enough, they know they need to buy more or make more available.
|
Though you say it in disagreement, this is actually what I said (that I would
just buy what I want from a store without lot-limits, and that those with
limits will lose buyers). Additionally, your suggested solution seems to run
counter to the stated purpose of increasing a store's sales (as it
essentially proposes that stores revert to the current system - In which case,
why make a significant change to the system?).
| | The scenario where it's part of a bad mix with features is as much a complaint about those other features as it is about this one. Minimum order is also a fine feature which by itself already 'forces' you to buy things you don't need.
|
While you are correct that I dislike minimum-buys (and I already avoid stores
with ones that are unreasonably high), I can usually bump the price up by purchasing,
say, six Stormtroopers, instead of five. If there is a five-lot-limit on Stormtroopers,
however, I would need to find an additional $4-5 item (that I may not need) to
raise the price of the cart. Minimum-buys are already fairly common, so adding
lot-limits on top will just hurt stores that have them even more.
| | This is really not any different from me shopping for Star Wars minifigs and a store having only some of them while some others they are keeping in their stockroom and are not available to me.
|
It, to me, is more like going into a store and finding piles of (40299) (the
Kessel Mine Worker), but only being able to buy them in batches of two, having
to go out of the store and come back in in order to buy more, and having to buy
a CMF or two each time (representing shipping/fees/etc).
| | I think that's an extremely common situation, and I don't see why keeping part of a lot in stockroom is that fundamentally different from keeping some lots in stockroom and offering others.
|
The difference is this: If am browsing through a store and see only five of a
piece that I want (but in a higher quantity), I may buy all five. If I am browsing
through a store and see 400 of that same piece, but I can only buy five,
I will probably not buy any. I recognise that this may seem illogical,
but (to me, at least), it is a psychological difference between seeing what I
can have, and seeing what I could have, if not for an imposed restriction.
This results in frustration, similar to that regarding one-per-box CMFs (particularly
Percival Graves); LEGO could include more, but they choose to create
artificial scarcity. Lot-limits are, in my view, much the same.
| | You should consider not just the side where you do not find the 30 blasters. You should also consider the side where you do find the 30 blasters because a reseller or another big guy was unable to buy all 6948 of them. They can be cheaper without being instantly gone.
|
In the case of the 6948 blasters, the problem could be solved within the confines
of the current system, by simply listing the blasters in batches of 60 at any
given time. This prevents the mass-buyout that you fear, but also does not drive
buyers away (or to frustration) by limiting the blasters to, for example, ten-per-order.
| | To you this is not visible, but I lose some lots that I could have served many buyers with to their full satisfaction.
|
I do understand and appreciate that this side of the issue exists, and I am not
trying to negate it. I am simply trying to bring the concerns of a buyer
to the table, as nearly all who have commented on (and supported) this proposal
are sellers, so that all perspectives can be examined before making a
significant change to the purchasing system.
|
So I guess alot of the concern is remedied if what's left in stock really
is invisible. That way, you can hardly blame a store for not selling it any more
than you can blame a small store for not being large
What I meant to say was, I think there's no need to worry lots will suddenly
become small. It's a tradeoff to the seller, because big lots really sell
better. He will have to find the sweet spot of having ample parts available while
sheltering them from large scale buy-outs. I'm thinking more in terms of
thousands, or perhaps Voldemorts that I want to sell individually and not all
10 at once. For some things there's this tipping point where either you are
stuck with them or they are all bought instantly.
But really, nobody understands the value of being able to offer large lots more
than I do. I'm the guy who parted out 20 Ninjago cities just for that purpose.
Spent all my savings just to get big lots 
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| | | | | | | Author: | Teup | | Posted: | Aug 30, 2018 09:19 | | Subject: | Re: New parameter for lots: max per buyer | | Viewed: | 74 times | | Topic: | Suggestions | |
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| In Suggestions, LearnedBrick writes:
| | In Suggestions, Teup writes:
| | I would really like to see a new parameter for lots that limits the amount a
buyer can buy of a certain part in any one order. The part would then turn up
in search results and in store inventory showing not more than the value specified.
It's something that many online stores use, notably also LEGO themselves.
So far the way to do this is to offer the desired max amount, put in remarks
how much is left, and put the item on retain. This has several drawbacks, most
of all:
- You have to manually reoffer and modify the remarks all the time
- You cannot see or accurately modify the price and other stats of your inventory
because part of the amount of what you have is hidden in remarks
This could all be solved by 1 simple extra field, that is left on 0 when unused.
Of course, the item should not appear updated for users that still have an order
that has not yet reached the packed status. Of course buyers can buy again after
that, but separate shipping and handling fees should be sufficient to bar the
effect of buyers blowing sudden holes in your inventory.
|
While I understand the concept of this request, I have a simple question: What
is the virtue of this feature? What makes it good?
Isn't the intended effect of offering products for sale that customers buy
them? Shouldn't the primary goal be to offer the customer what they need?
And if they need all the items in a certain lot, shouldn't we allow them
the delight in purchasing them?
There may be a specific need in your store for always keeping a certain amount
of items in a lot set aside, but I am at a loss to understand why. In an effort
to solve one problem in your store, you may indeed be creating another.
|
I think it is actually quite common practise for sellers who are not looking
to really get rid of their store to sometimes keep some items in stockroom and
not offer them. The way I see it, it is either one or the other; Following your
logic the stockroom should not exist, or, if we accomodate for sellers keeping
some things from sight, we should also have this feature in order for that to
be more effective.
You can still offer people what they need if you allow, say, 500 of some slope.
There's a difference between a buyer who needs 500 and, say, a reseller from
China who buys out 5000 all at once. I have this thing with 1x1 bricks for excample.
I don't want to overprice, but because of VAT not applying outside the EU
I tend to lose them all very quickly to overseas buyers if I don't, and when
I do, nobody buys them..
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| | | | | | | | | Author: | axaday | | Posted: | Aug 30, 2018 09:53 | | Subject: | Re: New parameter for lots: max per buyer | | Viewed: | 58 times | | Topic: | Suggestions | |
|
| In Suggestions, Teup writes:
| | I have this thing with 1x1 bricks for excample.
I don't want to overprice, but because of VAT not applying outside the EU
I tend to lose them all very quickly to overseas buyers if I don't, and when
I do, nobody buys them..
|
What happens if you lose them?
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| | | | | | | | | | | Author: | SylvainLS | | Posted: | Aug 30, 2018 09:58 | | Subject: | Re: New parameter for lots: max per buyer | | Viewed: | 59 times | | Topic: | Suggestions | |
|
| In Suggestions, axaday writes:
| | In Suggestions, Teup writes:
| | I have this thing with 1x1 bricks for excample.
I don't want to overprice, but because of VAT not applying outside the EU
I tend to lose them all very quickly to overseas buyers if I don't, and when
I do, nobody buys them..
|
What happens if you lose them?
|
Then he doesn’t have enough to lure, er, attract other buyers.
(Just kidding with the vocabulary. It’s a genuine concern for a seller to have
variety and staples.)
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| | | | | | | | | | | | | Author: | Teup | | Posted: | Aug 30, 2018 10:07 | | Subject: | Re: New parameter for lots: max per buyer | | Viewed: | 68 times | | Topic: | Suggestions | |
|
| In Suggestions, SylvainLS writes:
| | In Suggestions, axaday writes:
| | In Suggestions, Teup writes:
| | I have this thing with 1x1 bricks for excample.
I don't want to overprice, but because of VAT not applying outside the EU
I tend to lose them all very quickly to overseas buyers if I don't, and when
I do, nobody buys them..
|
What happens if you lose them?
|
Then he doesn’t have enough to lure, er, attract other buyers.
(Just kidding with the vocabulary. It’s a genuine concern for a seller to have
variety and staples.)
|
Exactly, when I have plenty of them in grays, black and white, I have alot of
buyers for them, but then sooner or later there's always that guy who buys
them all 
Actually buyers should be happy for this feature, as overpricing is the alternative.
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| | | | | Author: | BrickBuy | | Posted: | Aug 30, 2018 10:03 | | Subject: | Re: New parameter for lots: max per buyer | | Viewed: | 83 times | | Topic: | Suggestions | |
|
| I would like this! I would love to offer some of the items I have in my store
for a low price. For instance, I have lots of poly bags of the same type that
I would love for customers to be able to get for just $1 or $2 (or even for free).
However, if I'd list them for $1 or $2, someone would buy them all. Listing
them with "you may only buy one" does not work, someone will just buy them all
anyway, and I'll have to re-upload them. A big Yes from me.
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| | | | | Author: | brickconnector | | Posted: | Aug 30, 2018 16:51 | | Subject: | Re: New parameter for lots: max per buyer | | Viewed: | 48 times | | Topic: | Suggestions | |
|
| In Suggestions, Teup writes:
| | I would really like to see a new parameter for lots that limits the amount a
buyer can buy of a certain part in any one order.
|
I understand the problem very well. I really want to help as many people as possible
in some parts (and therefore get more orders), but some things are always immediately
all bought at once.
For me and I think for many others this option would be perfect.
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| | | | | Author: | Pippysblocks | | Posted: | Aug 30, 2018 16:59 | | Subject: | Re: New parameter for lots: max per buyer | | Viewed: | 41 times | | Topic: | Suggestions | |
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| | A big yes from me |
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| | | | | Author: | enig | | Posted: | Aug 30, 2018 18:03 | | Subject: | Re: New parameter for lots: max per buyer | | Viewed: | 71 times | | Topic: | Suggestions | |
|
| In Suggestions, Teup writes:
| | I would really like to see a new parameter for lots that limits the amount a
buyer can buy of a certain part in any one order. The part would then turn up
in search results and in store inventory showing not more than the value specified.
It's something that many online stores use, notably also LEGO themselves.
So far the way to do this is to offer the desired max amount, put in remarks
how much is left, and put the item on retain. This has several drawbacks, most
of all:
- You have to manually reoffer and modify the remarks all the time
- You cannot see or accurately modify the price and other stats of your inventory
because part of the amount of what you have is hidden in remarks
This could all be solved by 1 simple extra field, that is left on 0 when unused.
Of course, the item should not appear updated for users that still have an order
that has not yet reached the packed status. Of course buyers can buy again after
that, but separate shipping and handling fees should be sufficient to bar the
effect of buyers blowing sudden holes in your inventory.
|
I like the idea. I really do and it would be super useful. But just as with many
things - it works well if sellers use it for the actual purpose that you have
outlined here. If it starts to be abused it would have a potential to ruin many
things.
What would stop sellers from creating a new lot for every single item they sell
and set it to 0.01 , (higher for the more expensive stuff ofc) to work as a form
of an advertisement. Now they have all the listings at the top. Imagine 15 sellers
doing that. 50 sellers?
That would also mess up the avg listed prices, as well as 6 month avg since some
of these would actually sell.
Just look at the superlot listings of CMF's. Averages become useless. Average
prices for the most part actually are useless anyway.. but try explaining
that to a customer.
Would this trick actually help and generate some sales for these sellers? Probably
not a lot, of at all. A little more elaborate usage, however, probably would.
Heck, I myself would gladly give away a couple EUR worth of cheap parts for free
that every single seller has an over-stock of anyway, if it also helped to make
a sale of other items that are priced well.
Ever went to a supermarket just to get that awesome deal that you saw
in an advertisement?  And came back with a trunk-full of stuff? Oh yes.
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| | | | | | | Author: | Teup | | Posted: | Aug 30, 2018 19:23 | | Subject: | Re: New parameter for lots: max per buyer | | Viewed: | 53 times | | Topic: | Suggestions | |
|
| In Suggestions, enig writes:
| | In Suggestions, Teup writes:
| | I would really like to see a new parameter for lots that limits the amount a
buyer can buy of a certain part in any one order. The part would then turn up
in search results and in store inventory showing not more than the value specified.
It's something that many online stores use, notably also LEGO themselves.
So far the way to do this is to offer the desired max amount, put in remarks
how much is left, and put the item on retain. This has several drawbacks, most
of all:
- You have to manually reoffer and modify the remarks all the time
- You cannot see or accurately modify the price and other stats of your inventory
because part of the amount of what you have is hidden in remarks
This could all be solved by 1 simple extra field, that is left on 0 when unused.
Of course, the item should not appear updated for users that still have an order
that has not yet reached the packed status. Of course buyers can buy again after
that, but separate shipping and handling fees should be sufficient to bar the
effect of buyers blowing sudden holes in your inventory.
|
I like the idea. I really do and it would be super useful. But just as with many
things - it works well if sellers use it for the actual purpose that you have
outlined here. If it starts to be abused it would have a potential to ruin many
things.
What would stop sellers from creating a new lot for every single item they sell
and set it to 0.01 , (higher for the more expensive stuff ofc) to work as a form
of an advertisement. Now they have all the listings at the top. Imagine 15 sellers
doing that. 50 sellers?
That would also mess up the avg listed prices, as well as 6 month avg since some
of these would actually sell.
Just look at the superlot listings of CMF's. Averages become useless. Average
prices for the most part actually are useless anyway.. but try explaining
that to a customer.
Would this trick actually help and generate some sales for these sellers? Probably
not a lot, of at all. A little more elaborate usage, however, probably would.
Heck, I myself would gladly give away a couple EUR worth of cheap parts for free
that every single seller has an over-stock of anyway, if it also helped to make
a sale of other items that are priced well.
Ever went to a supermarket just to get that awesome deal that you saw
in an advertisement? And came back with a trunk-full of stuff? Oh yes.
|
You have some good points and I agree they need to be addressed in some way should
this feature ever make it to implementation. You're right the priceguide
for current listings would appear lower but maybe the by-quantity priceguide
would be OK. Maybe there should also be a minimum quantity, although then it
quickly becomes tricky where to draw the line, and expensive items like minifigs
should be OK to list just 1 of.
However, while these issues are real, do keep in mind it's already possible
to do this, but just manually by using remarks and retain. So it won't be
a 100% new mechanic, just something that exists but will become more prominent.
And people who are blessed with understanding of the obscure BL API or who are
developing third party tools may already make this feature available by supporting
certain tags in the remarks field.
I agree with you that these are issues that need to be remedied somehow, either
by accomodating to the effects it causes or by limiting excessive use. Either
way I think it's really worth solving that, because the benefits can be pretty
great - sellers could get more sales and buyers could find more complete inventories
as well as lower prices, if the lots are protected against instant buy-outs.
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| | | | | | | | | Author: | yorbrick | | Posted: | Aug 31, 2018 05:32 | | Subject: | Re: New parameter for lots: max per buyer | | Viewed: | 41 times | | Topic: | Suggestions | |
|
| In Suggestions, Teup writes:
| | In Suggestions, enig writes:
| | In Suggestions, Teup writes:
| | I would really like to see a new parameter for lots that limits the amount a
buyer can buy of a certain part in any one order. The part would then turn up
in search results and in store inventory showing not more than the value specified.
It's something that many online stores use, notably also LEGO themselves.
So far the way to do this is to offer the desired max amount, put in remarks
how much is left, and put the item on retain. This has several drawbacks, most
of all:
- You have to manually reoffer and modify the remarks all the time
- You cannot see or accurately modify the price and other stats of your inventory
because part of the amount of what you have is hidden in remarks
This could all be solved by 1 simple extra field, that is left on 0 when unused.
Of course, the item should not appear updated for users that still have an order
that has not yet reached the packed status. Of course buyers can buy again after
that, but separate shipping and handling fees should be sufficient to bar the
effect of buyers blowing sudden holes in your inventory.
|
I like the idea. I really do and it would be super useful. But just as with many
things - it works well if sellers use it for the actual purpose that you have
outlined here. If it starts to be abused it would have a potential to ruin many
things.
What would stop sellers from creating a new lot for every single item they sell
and set it to 0.01 , (higher for the more expensive stuff ofc) to work as a form
of an advertisement. Now they have all the listings at the top. Imagine 15 sellers
doing that. 50 sellers?
That would also mess up the avg listed prices, as well as 6 month avg since some
of these would actually sell.
Just look at the superlot listings of CMF's. Averages become useless. Average
prices for the most part actually are useless anyway.. but try explaining
that to a customer.
Would this trick actually help and generate some sales for these sellers? Probably
not a lot, of at all. A little more elaborate usage, however, probably would.
Heck, I myself would gladly give away a couple EUR worth of cheap parts for free
that every single seller has an over-stock of anyway, if it also helped to make
a sale of other items that are priced well.
Ever went to a supermarket just to get that awesome deal that you saw
in an advertisement? And came back with a trunk-full of stuff? Oh yes.
|
You have some good points and I agree they need to be addressed in some way should
this feature ever make it to implementation. You're right the priceguide
for current listings would appear lower but maybe the by-quantity priceguide
would be OK. Maybe there should also be a minimum quantity, although then it
quickly becomes tricky where to draw the line, and expensive items like minifigs
should be OK to list just 1 of.
However, while these issues are real, do keep in mind it's already possible
to do this, but just manually by using remarks and retain. So it won't be
a 100% new mechanic, just something that exists but will become more prominent.
And people who are blessed with understanding of the obscure BL API or who are
developing third party tools may already make this feature available by supporting
certain tags in the remarks field.
I agree with you that these are issues that need to be remedied somehow, either
by accomodating to the effects it causes or by limiting excessive use. Either
way I think it's really worth solving that, because the benefits can be pretty
great - sellers could get more sales and buyers could find more complete inventories
as well as lower prices, if the lots are protected against instant buy-outs.
|
Another downside is that it would be a good way of hiding how much inventory
is really out there. Someone could have a lot of an apparently rare part and
would crash the market if they listed it all. Yet if they list it with a maximum
of 10, then there appears to be little stock available. Of course, this can be
done manually but have an automatic tool to do it will make it much more simple.
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| | | | | Author: | leopard37 | | Posted: | Aug 30, 2018 22:42 | | Subject: | Re: New parameter for lots: max per buyer | | Viewed: | 45 times | | Topic: | Suggestions | |
|
| Voted no,
You are here to sell items no? If someone from China can make money on your part
with shipping. Let them, TLG has made their cut, you make yours, than let them
make theirs.
You've already said there is a way of doing it with the remarks and retain,
do it...
Tyson.
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| | | | | Author: | Geniac | | Posted: | Aug 30, 2018 23:40 | | Subject: | Re: New parameter for lots: max per buyer | | Viewed: | 41 times | | Topic: | Suggestions | |
|
| In Suggestions, Teup writes:
| | ...to bar the effect of buyers blowing sudden holes in your inventory.
|
I have no desire to bar anybody from buying as much of my inventory at once as
they want. I'm here to sell Lego. If somebody wants to buy all I have of
a part, that's fine with me.
Shaun
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| | | | | | | Author: | Teup | | Posted: | Aug 31, 2018 04:59 | | Subject: | Re: New parameter for lots: max per buyer | | Viewed: | 29 times | | Topic: | Suggestions | |
|
| In Suggestions, Geniac writes:
| | In Suggestions, Teup writes:
| | ...to bar the effect of buyers blowing sudden holes in your inventory.
|
I have no desire to bar anybody from buying as much of my inventory at once as
they want. I'm here to sell Lego. If somebody wants to buy all I have of
a part, that's fine with me.
Shaun
|
So you leave the field 0
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| | | | | Author: | leggodtshop | | Posted: | Aug 31, 2018 05:12 | | Subject: | Re: New parameter for lots: max per buyer | | Viewed: | 35 times | | Topic: | Suggestions | |
|
| First of all: be my guest, if you want to use this option go ahead it's your
store and your items to sell. No problem at all.
But.. just for arguments sake... what would be the buyer experience of this?
It's all psychology, so think it through I would say, place yourself in a
buyer shoes.
Also... technically, wouldn't there be many easy ways to simply go around
this 'restriction'? I don't know... just a thought... aren't
you just trying to influence something which is just an idea in your head but
has nothing to do with reality?
I think I would not use this option.
Enjoy,
Arnoud
In Suggestions, Teup writes:
| | I would really like to see a new parameter for lots that limits the amount a
buyer can buy of a certain part in any one order. The part would then turn up
in search results and in store inventory showing not more than the value specified.
It's something that many online stores use, notably also LEGO themselves.
So far the way to do this is to offer the desired max amount, put in remarks
how much is left, and put the item on retain. This has several drawbacks, most
of all:
- You have to manually reoffer and modify the remarks all the time
- You cannot see or accurately modify the price and other stats of your inventory
because part of the amount of what you have is hidden in remarks
This could all be solved by 1 simple extra field, that is left on 0 when unused.
Of course, the item should not appear updated for users that still have an order
that has not yet reached the packed status. Of course buyers can buy again after
that, but separate shipping and handling fees should be sufficient to bar the
effect of buyers blowing sudden holes in your inventory.
|
|
|
|
| | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | Author: | Teup | | Posted: | Aug 31, 2018 05:21 | | Subject: | Re: New parameter for lots: max per buyer | | Viewed: | 36 times | | Topic: | Suggestions | |
|
| Funny you should say that, I logged on to BO just now and found that a Chinese
guy has bought out 2 lots Now my store offers round 1x1 plates in all colours
except trans clear
I don't have a proper workaround, because the remarks option makes my inventory
appear smaller than it is. That's not good for my administration and inventory
management. You could list separate lots, but I don't know, seems rather
tedious to me. There could be some alternatives I haven't thought of, if
you have any let me know
In Suggestions, patpendlego writes:
| | First of all: be my guest, if you want to use this option go ahead it's your
store and your items to sell. No problem at all.
But.. just for arguments sake... what would be the buyer experience of this?
It's all psychology, so think it through I would say, place yourself in a
buyer shoes.
Also... technically, wouldn't there be many easy ways to simply go around
this 'restriction'? I don't know... just a thought... aren't
you just trying to influence something which is just an idea in your head but
has nothing to do with reality?
I think I would not use this option.
Enjoy,
Arnoud
In Suggestions, Teup writes:
| | I would really like to see a new parameter for lots that limits the amount a
buyer can buy of a certain part in any one order. The part would then turn up
in search results and in store inventory showing not more than the value specified.
It's something that many online stores use, notably also LEGO themselves.
So far the way to do this is to offer the desired max amount, put in remarks
how much is left, and put the item on retain. This has several drawbacks, most
of all:
- You have to manually reoffer and modify the remarks all the time
- You cannot see or accurately modify the price and other stats of your inventory
because part of the amount of what you have is hidden in remarks
This could all be solved by 1 simple extra field, that is left on 0 when unused.
Of course, the item should not appear updated for users that still have an order
that has not yet reached the packed status. Of course buyers can buy again after
that, but separate shipping and handling fees should be sufficient to bar the
effect of buyers blowing sudden holes in your inventory.
|
|
|
|
|
| | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | Author: | leggodtshop | | Posted: | Sep 1, 2018 04:51 | | Subject: | Re: New parameter for lots: max per buyer | | Viewed: | 23 times | | Topic: | Suggestions | |
|
| It seems like this proposal is not to aid buyer(s) but to overcome a limitation
as seller.
Just thinking outloud:
Selling new items, and as seller you want availability of all items/colors in
your store all the time for all buyers? Correct? So I would say just add more
stock. But your own resources (to add more stock) are likely limited, as seller
you cannot add indefinitely. So, to overcome this limited resources issue, the
solution is to shove the limitation on to the buyer(s)... somehow...
I guess in a way this is always the case, either by limiting lots, or raising
prices, or other means
In Suggestions, Teup writes:
| | Funny you should say that, I logged on to BO just now and found that a Chinese
guy has bought out 2 lots Now my store offers round 1x1 plates in all colours
except trans clear
I don't have a proper workaround, because the remarks option makes my inventory
appear smaller than it is. That's not good for my administration and inventory
management. You could list separate lots, but I don't know, seems rather
tedious to me. There could be some alternatives I haven't thought of, if
you have any let me know
In Suggestions, patpendlego writes:
| | First of all: be my guest, if you want to use this option go ahead it's your
store and your items to sell. No problem at all.
But.. just for arguments sake... what would be the buyer experience of this?
It's all psychology, so think it through I would say, place yourself in a
buyer shoes.
Also... technically, wouldn't there be many easy ways to simply go around
this 'restriction'? I don't know... just a thought... aren't
you just trying to influence something which is just an idea in your head but
has nothing to do with reality?
I think I would not use this option.
Enjoy,
Arnoud
In Suggestions, Teup writes:
| | I would really like to see a new parameter for lots that limits the amount a
buyer can buy of a certain part in any one order. The part would then turn up
in search results and in store inventory showing not more than the value specified.
It's something that many online stores use, notably also LEGO themselves.
So far the way to do this is to offer the desired max amount, put in remarks
how much is left, and put the item on retain. This has several drawbacks, most
of all:
- You have to manually reoffer and modify the remarks all the time
- You cannot see or accurately modify the price and other stats of your inventory
because part of the amount of what you have is hidden in remarks
This could all be solved by 1 simple extra field, that is left on 0 when unused.
Of course, the item should not appear updated for users that still have an order
that has not yet reached the packed status. Of course buyers can buy again after
that, but separate shipping and handling fees should be sufficient to bar the
effect of buyers blowing sudden holes in your inventory.
|
|
|
|
|
|
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | Author: | Teup | | Posted: | Sep 1, 2018 05:19 | | Subject: | Re: New parameter for lots: max per buyer | | Viewed: | 34 times | | Topic: | Suggestions | |
|
| Yes, that is correct. In a world with unlimited stock everyone could buy as much
as they like without limitations When I upload a part-out there are always
a few lots that I just know will not survive it through a month. I had some ninjago
quivers and armor parts that could've served several buyers but someone bought
all of them right the day after I uploaded the part-out, even though it was listed
at current average price. I don't really complain, because it's nice
to sell.. but still, I will never encounter these parts again and only had them
in my store for 1 day. Not a disaster but it would have been nice to feature
them a bit longer without overpricing.
I guess a big reason why this would be useful is the existence of this tipping
point. Either you list at a normal price and you sell all at once because you're
a high quantity seller, OR you price them slightly higher but that makes you
end up alot lower in the search results so buyers pick other shops instead and
leave you alone entirely. Ideally you'd sell more gradually but for some
parts that seems hard..
In Suggestions, patpendlego writes:
| | It seems like this proposal is not to aid buyer(s) but to overcome a limitation
as seller.
Just thinking outloud:
Selling new items, and as seller you want availability of all items/colors in
your store all the time for all buyers? Correct? So I would say just add more
stock. But your own resources (to add more stock) are likely limited, as seller
you cannot add indefinitely. So, to overcome this limited resources issue, the
solution is to shove the limitation on to the buyer(s)... somehow...
I guess in a way this is always the case, either by limiting lots, or raising
prices, or other means
In Suggestions, Teup writes:
| | Funny you should say that, I logged on to BO just now and found that a Chinese
guy has bought out 2 lots Now my store offers round 1x1 plates in all colours
except trans clear
I don't have a proper workaround, because the remarks option makes my inventory
appear smaller than it is. That's not good for my administration and inventory
management. You could list separate lots, but I don't know, seems rather
tedious to me. There could be some alternatives I haven't thought of, if
you have any let me know
In Suggestions, patpendlego writes:
| | First of all: be my guest, if you want to use this option go ahead it's your
store and your items to sell. No problem at all.
But.. just for arguments sake... what would be the buyer experience of this?
It's all psychology, so think it through I would say, place yourself in a
buyer shoes.
Also... technically, wouldn't there be many easy ways to simply go around
this 'restriction'? I don't know... just a thought... aren't
you just trying to influence something which is just an idea in your head but
has nothing to do with reality?
I think I would not use this option.
Enjoy,
Arnoud
In Suggestions, Teup writes:
| | I would really like to see a new parameter for lots that limits the amount a
buyer can buy of a certain part in any one order. The part would then turn up
in search results and in store inventory showing not more than the value specified.
It's something that many online stores use, notably also LEGO themselves.
So far the way to do this is to offer the desired max amount, put in remarks
how much is left, and put the item on retain. This has several drawbacks, most
of all:
- You have to manually reoffer and modify the remarks all the time
- You cannot see or accurately modify the price and other stats of your inventory
because part of the amount of what you have is hidden in remarks
This could all be solved by 1 simple extra field, that is left on 0 when unused.
Of course, the item should not appear updated for users that still have an order
that has not yet reached the packed status. Of course buyers can buy again after
that, but separate shipping and handling fees should be sufficient to bar the
effect of buyers blowing sudden holes in your inventory.
|
|
|
|
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| | | | | Author: | Bricklord | | Posted: | Aug 31, 2018 12:55 | | Subject: | Re: New parameter for lots: max per buyer | | Viewed: | 37 times | | Topic: | Suggestions | |
|
| I fully support this; it is years overdue as an option for a seller to have in
their store.
What also needs to be implemented is the option for a seller to refuse to allow
buyers to add to an existing order. No more batches, any further ordering comes
in as a separate order. Far, far simpler and easier for sellers to process and
fill. Shipping multiple orders together is not a problem, it is the filling and
process of the orders that requires these to be implemented. The current lack
of is a gross deficiency that must be rectified.
Bricklord
In Suggestions, Teup writes:
| | I would really like to see a new parameter for lots that limits the amount a
buyer can buy of a certain part in any one order. The part would then turn up
in search results and in store inventory showing not more than the value specified.
It's something that many online stores use, notably also LEGO themselves.
So far the way to do this is to offer the desired max amount, put in remarks
how much is left, and put the item on retain. This has several drawbacks, most
of all:
- You have to manually reoffer and modify the remarks all the time
- You cannot see or accurately modify the price and other stats of your inventory
because part of the amount of what you have is hidden in remarks
This could all be solved by 1 simple extra field, that is left on 0 when unused.
Of course, the item should not appear updated for users that still have an order
that has not yet reached the packed status. Of course buyers can buy again after
that, but separate shipping and handling fees should be sufficient to bar the
effect of buyers blowing sudden holes in your inventory.
|
|
|
|
| | | | | |
| | | | | Author: | DeLuca | | Posted: | Aug 31, 2018 16:37 | | Subject: | Re: New parameter for lots: max per buyer | | Viewed: | 41 times | | Topic: | Suggestions | |
|
| In Suggestions, Teup writes:
| | I would really like to see a new parameter for lots that limits the amount a
buyer can buy of a certain part in any one order. The part would then turn up
in search results and in store inventory showing not more than the value specified.
It's something that many online stores use, notably also LEGO themselves.
So far the way to do this is to offer the desired max amount, put in remarks
how much is left, and put the item on retain. This has several drawbacks, most
of all:
- You have to manually reoffer and modify the remarks all the time
- You cannot see or accurately modify the price and other stats of your inventory
because part of the amount of what you have is hidden in remarks
This could all be solved by 1 simple extra field, that is left on 0 when unused.
Of course, the item should not appear updated for users that still have an order
that has not yet reached the packed status. Of course buyers can buy again after
that, but separate shipping and handling fees should be sufficient to bar the
effect of buyers blowing sudden holes in your inventory.
|
One additional concern that I have with this idea, is that buyers may start assuming
that stores have far more items available than are showing up (particularly if
the store is large, and the item in question is relatively common). This assumption
may lead prospective buyers to contact stores in an attempt to circumvent the
limit (which places the sellers in a difficult position), or simply to look elsewhere.
|
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| | | | | |
| | | | | Author: | hullboxer | | Posted: | Sep 1, 2018 14:55 | | Subject: | Re: New parameter for lots: max per buyer | | Viewed: | 29 times | | Topic: | Suggestions | |
|
| As a buyer, I would not place an order in a store with this type of restriction.
I would pay more, likely more than an additional orders shipping (which would
be the proposed ‘penalty’ for a full/larger above the restricted size order)
for the items in a store without these restrictions. Further, I would be inclined
not to revisit stores using these restrictions just to reduce my own frustration
with stores penalizing me for ordering more of an item(s).
Don’t care for it at Lego store either and have left before and purchased here
or other retail outlets. Just my 2 cents but can’t imagine many buyers seeing
this in a positive light.
Lois
Suggestions, Teup writes:
| | I would really like to see a new parameter for lots that limits the amount a
buyer can buy of a certain part in any one order. The part would then turn up
in search results and in store inventory showing not more than the value specified.
It's something that many online stores use, notably also LEGO themselves.
So far the way to do this is to offer the desired max amount, put in remarks
how much is left, and put the item on retain. This has several drawbacks, most
of all:
- You have to manually reoffer and modify the remarks all the time
- You cannot see or accurately modify the price and other stats of your inventory
because part of the amount of what you have is hidden in remarks
This could all be solved by 1 simple extra field, that is left on 0 when unused.
Of course, the item should not appear updated for users that still have an order
that has not yet reached the packed status. Of course buyers can buy again after
that, but separate shipping and handling fees should be sufficient to bar the
effect of buyers blowing sudden holes in your inventory.
|
|
|
|
| | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | Author: | SylvainLS | | Posted: | Sep 1, 2018 15:30 | | Subject: | Re: New parameter for lots: max per buyer | | Viewed: | 38 times | | Topic: | Suggestions | |
|
| In Suggestions, hullboxer writes:
| | As a buyer, I would not place an order in a store with this type of restriction.[…]
|
You have two ways of seeing this suggestion:
— as a new restriction upon the buyer (like done on S@H),
— or as a stockroom feature for sellers, an automation of what can already be
done manually (i.e. move stock from stockroom to store once an order has emptied
the (s)lot).
What I understand from Teup’s explanations is that the latter is more how he
sees/wants this feature.
In this case, first, there are already stores who do that, manually or with
their own inventory management tools. And, second, the buyer generally doesn’t
know about it unless they come back later, like with this suggestion.
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Netherlands, Utrecht
USA, Kentucky
France, Nouvelle-Aquitaine
United Kingdom, England
South Africa, Western Cape
Canada, Alberta
Lithuania, Panevėžys
