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| | | Author: | jennnifer  | | Posted: | Jan 25, 2024 10:12 | | Subject: | Variant merge - specific answers needed | | Viewed: | 231 times | | Topic: | Catalog | | Status: | Open | |
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| Hello,
Regardless of my thoughts toward losing some valuable variants in our Catalog,
I have now read the message twice, and read most of the main Forum thread, and
I still have no idea how technically this is going to work.
You are going to take two active catalog items, 3747b and 3747a for example,
choose a main Image, choose one Image for each of the color thumbnails, choose
1 Price Guide (or does this merge also), and add a new Note explaining the 2
different versions. Is an experienced Catalog Expert going to do this or someone
else? Will the deleted info be archived in case of errors?
Then, you are going to merge the two items in the Catalog.
Seller shop inventory
Seller's shop items will be merged unless they paste a specific string of
text on the entry ahead of time. If not, they will not get to choose which price
is used or any of the other lot data. They will not be given a log of exactly
what was merged or changed.
It's not as if sellers are already prone to blaming BrickLink for errors
in their inventory. Now BrickLink will be actively changing their store listings.
We have no way of testing if this going to work and no way of flagging or logging
errors created.
Set Inventories
All Set Inventories that have these items will change to just one item. Any sets
that have the parts listed as Alternates will ?? Any Match ID's affected
will ?? Links to Change Requests discussing these items will ??
Everything else
All Wanted Lists that have these items listed will have the parts merged? What
if they are in separate projects? Isn't there an issue with Wanted Lists
already that involves problems with duplicate items?
All external links to one (or both) of the item variants will break or ??
All the people who write related software will have to adjust, rewrite, debug,
and ??
To sum up:
There is a reason it took so long to Mark Items for Deletion and then actually
delete them. It's to avoid all this trouble and uncertainty.
What happens 3 months from now when a seller who's been away reopens his
shop and doesn't understand what happened? You simply cannot count on every
single member receiving, reading, and understanding the email message sent out.
Will they receive any Action Items within BrickLink to understand the changes?
I wonder how much Catalog Credit will just vanish on Feb 15th. Credit for images,
items, inventories, ... all gone.
Thanks,
~Jen
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| | | | | Author: | jennnifer | | Posted: | Jan 25, 2024 10:36 | | Subject: | Re: Variant merge - specific answers needed | | Viewed: | 84 times | | Topic: | Catalog | |
|
| In Catalog, jennnifer writes:
| |
Seller shop inventory
Seller's shop items will be merged unless they paste a specific string of
text on the entry ahead of time. If not, they will not get to choose which price
is used or any of the other lot data. They will not be given a log of exactly
what was merged or changed.
It's not as if sellers are already prone to blaming BrickLink for errors
in their inventory. Now BrickLink will be actively changing their store listings.
We have no way of testing if this going to work and no way of flagging or logging
errors created.
|
From the email message:
'Because this plan includes merging a number of variant entries, those of
you who wish to maintain the distinction between these variants will need to
add a short line of text in the notes for each lot affected.'
So, store listings don't have 'notes', we have Comments and Remarks.
In which text field does this string of text need to be entered? Does other text
need to be removed? If not, what should separate the existing text and the string
that BL is looking for?
~Jen
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| | | | | | | Author: | viejos | | Posted: | Jan 26, 2024 15:47 | | Subject: | Re: Variant merge - specific answers needed | | Viewed: | 56 times | | Topic: | Catalog | |
|
| In Catalog, jennnifer writes:
| | In Catalog, jennnifer writes:
| |
Seller shop inventory
Seller's shop items will be merged unless they paste a specific string of
text on the entry ahead of time. If not, they will not get to choose which price
is used or any of the other lot data. They will not be given a log of exactly
what was merged or changed.
It's not as if sellers are already prone to blaming BrickLink for errors
in their inventory. Now BrickLink will be actively changing their store listings.
We have no way of testing if this going to work and no way of flagging or logging
errors created.
|
From the email message:
'Because this plan includes merging a number of variant entries, those of
you who wish to maintain the distinction between these variants will need to
add a short line of text in the notes for each lot affected.'
So, store listings don't have 'notes', we have Comments and Remarks.
In which text field does this string of text need to be entered? Does other text
need to be removed? If not, what should separate the existing text and the string
that BL is looking for?
~Jen
|
Technically it's called the Comments field. It needs to be the one that customers
can see.
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| | | | | | | | | Author: | zorbanj | | Posted: | Jan 26, 2024 15:49 | | Subject: | (Cancelled) | | Viewed: | 37 times | | Topic: | Catalog | |
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| | (Cancelled) |
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| | | | | Author: | SylvainLS | | Posted: | Jan 25, 2024 10:44 | | Subject: | Re: Variant merge - specific answers needed | | Viewed: | 71 times | | Topic: | Catalog | |
|
| In Catalog, jennnifer writes:
| | […]
Seller shop inventory
Seller's shop items will be merged unless they paste a specific string of
text on the entry ahead of time. If not, they will not get to choose which price
is used or any of the other lot data. They will not be given a log of exactly
what was merged or changed.[…]
|
AFAIU, lots in stores won’t be merged. You’ll “just” have two lots for the same
ID, with different prices and comments.
Before:
— id 2454, New, Black, $0.5, your remarks & comments
— id 46212, New, Black, $5.0, your remarks & comments
After:
— id 2454, New, Black, $0.5, your remark & comments
— id 2454, New, Black, $5.0, your remark & comments
(I didn’t check the PG. It’s only an example in which I’m imagining/guessing
the 46212 in Black would be more expensive because it’s older.)
You only need to add “notes” (either in remark or comments) if you want to easily
know which was which.
So you would add “genuine older version without inner supports!” to the comments
for 46212.
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| | | | | | | Author: | StarBrick | | Posted: | Jan 25, 2024 11:05 | | Subject: | Re: Variant merge - specific answers needed | | Viewed: | 60 times | | Topic: | Catalog | |
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| And can this be facilitated by BL with some script instead of manually going
over all the entries....?
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| | | | | | | | | Author: | SylvainLS | | Posted: | Jan 25, 2024 11:13 | | Subject: | Re: Variant merge - specific answers needed | | Viewed: | 67 times | | Topic: | Catalog | |
|
| In Catalog, StarBrick writes:
| | And can this be facilitated by BL with some script instead of manually going
over all the entries....?
|
Well, they could make a script to change ALL the comments (or remarks or both)
to add the text… but it would need a big one-use-only process to make it optional.
Also, what if the field is already full?
And the “easiest” way I see to make it optional would be to have it working only
on a store and to only use it when the store explicitly asks for it. So that
needs someone dedicated to that for some time.
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| | | | | | | | | | | Author: | StarBrick | | Posted: | Jan 25, 2024 11:41 | | Subject: | Re: Variant merge - specific answers needed | | Viewed: | 60 times | | Topic: | Catalog | |
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| I get that, and I am definitly NOT a coder/programmer....
I was more thinking of a specific webpage attached to your inventory where at
the back the 4000+ lines of items that will be affected are used to filter ones
inventory.
So that would make a subset (out of your complete inv) and there it can be manually
edited.
Or even better:
- add the 'optional text to be added to the lot' to that page in the
script
- add a yes/no button to it
- sellers can click each filtered lots to their liking.
That would be some nice feature and customer service  !
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| | | | | Author: | Leftoverbricks | | Posted: | Jan 25, 2024 12:01 | | Subject: | Re: Variant merge - specific answers needed | | Viewed: | 63 times | | Topic: | Catalog | |
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| I very much agree with all your critical and, in my opinion, justified comments
about this change. Moreover, you are one of the active inventory contributors,
so your comments have a lot of weight for me.
I can only hope that everything goes well, but I honestly don't have much
confidence in it, given the often poor communication by BL in the past. This
is further aggravated by the well-known spaghetti code, which means BL cannot
achieve much when it comes to automation.
Meanwhile it's a definite thing so we can only keep our fingers crossed.
Personally, I cannot escape the impression that now that TLG is the owner of
Bricklink, this has been pushed through.
Martin
In Catalog, jennnifer writes:
| | Hello,
Regardless of my thoughts toward losing some valuable variants in our Catalog,
I have now read the message twice, and read most of the main Forum thread, and
I still have no idea how technically this is going to work.
You are going to take two active catalog items, 3747b and 3747a for example,
choose a main Image, choose one Image for each of the color thumbnails, choose
1 Price Guide (or does this merge also), and add a new Note explaining the 2
different versions. Is an experienced Catalog Expert going to do this or someone
else? Will the deleted info be archived in case of errors?
Then, you are going to merge the two items in the Catalog.
Seller shop inventory
Seller's shop items will be merged unless they paste a specific string of
text on the entry ahead of time. If not, they will not get to choose which price
is used or any of the other lot data. They will not be given a log of exactly
what was merged or changed.
It's not as if sellers are already prone to blaming BrickLink for errors
in their inventory. Now BrickLink will be actively changing their store listings.
We have no way of testing if this going to work and no way of flagging or logging
errors created.
Set Inventories
All Set Inventories that have these items will change to just one item. Any sets
that have the parts listed as Alternates will ?? Any Match ID's affected
will ?? Links to Change Requests discussing these items will ??
Everything else
All Wanted Lists that have these items listed will have the parts merged? What
if they are in separate projects? Isn't there an issue with Wanted Lists
already that involves problems with duplicate items?
All external links to one (or both) of the item variants will break or ??
All the people who write related software will have to adjust, rewrite, debug,
and ??
To sum up:
There is a reason it took so long to Mark Items for Deletion and then actually
delete them. It's to avoid all this trouble and uncertainty.
What happens 3 months from now when a seller who's been away reopens his
shop and doesn't understand what happened? You simply cannot count on every
single member receiving, reading, and understanding the email message sent out.
Will they receive any Action Items within BrickLink to understand the changes?
I wonder how much Catalog Credit will just vanish on Feb 15th. Credit for images,
items, inventories, ... all gone.
Thanks,
~Jen
|
|
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| | | | | Author: | Give.Me.A.Brick | | Posted: | Jan 25, 2024 12:10 | | Subject: | Re: Variant merge - specific answers needed | | Viewed: | 62 times | | Topic: | Catalog | |
|
| Russell said a few times already that lots will not be merged in stores:
| | When catalog entries are merged, they do not combine lots in stores or wanted
lists. So separate lots will be retained with whichever note is attached. Only
the Item Name and Item Number of the item will change.
|
https://www.bricklink.com/message.asp?ID=1447429
|
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| | | | | | | Author: | jennnifer | | Posted: | Jan 25, 2024 12:26 | | Subject: | Re: Variant merge - specific answers needed | | Viewed: | 63 times | | Topic: | Catalog | |
|
| In Catalog, Give.Me.A.Brick writes:
| | Russell said a few times already that lots will not be merged in stores:
| | When catalog entries are merged, they do not combine lots in stores or wanted
lists. So separate lots will be retained with whichever note is attached. Only
the Item Name and Item Number of the item will change.
|
https://www.bricklink.com/message.asp?ID=1447429
|
Wow. Got it. So, the 'notes' we are adding is just a suggestion for ourselves
to be using to follow up on all the changes? That was as clear as mud in my opinion.
But, at least, that's one less thing to worry about!
~Jen
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| | | | | Author: | jennnifer | | Posted: | Jan 25, 2024 12:41 | | Subject: | Re: Variant merge - specific answers needed | | Viewed: | 65 times | | Topic: | Catalog | |
|
| Reposting for clarity and questions answered:
Hello,
Regardless of my thoughts toward losing some valuable variants in our Catalog,
I have now read the message twice, and read most of the main Forum thread, and
I still have no idea how technically this is going to work.
You are going to take two active catalog items, 3747b and 3747a for example,
choose a main Image, choose one Image for each of the color thumbnails, choose
1 Price Guide (or does this merge also), and add a new Note explaining the 2
different versions. Is an experienced Catalog Expert going to do this or someone
else? Will the deleted info be archived in case of errors?
Then, you are going to merge the two items in the Catalog.
Seller shop inventory
Sellers get to go through their inventory after all this and clean up their resulting
duplicate lots. They should add 'notes' everywhere now to get ahead of
the issue. Any items that are in active orders when the change occurs... well,
be sure to make 'notes' on those so your buyer gets what they ordered.
Set Inventories
All Set Inventories that have these items will change to just one item. Any sets
that have the parts listed as Alternates will ?? Any Match ID's affected
will ?? Links to Change Requests discussing these items will ??
Everything else
All Wanted Lists that have these items listed will have the parts merged? What
if they are in separate projects? Isn't there an issue with Wanted Lists
already that involves problems with duplicate items?
All external links to one (or both) of the item variants will break or ??
All the people who write related software will have to adjust, rewrite, debug,
and ??
To sum up:
There is a reason it took so long to Mark Items for Deletion and then actually
delete them. It's to avoid all this trouble and uncertainty.
What happens 3 months from now when a seller who's been away reopens his
shop and doesn't understand what happened? You simply cannot count on every
single member receiving, reading, and understanding the email message sent out.
Will they receive any Action Items within BrickLink to understand the changes?
I wonder how much Catalog Credit will just vanish on Feb 15th. Credit for images,
items, inventories, ... all gone.
Thanks,
~Jen
|
|
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| | | | | | | Author: | jennnifer | | Posted: | Jan 25, 2024 12:53 | | Subject: | Re: Variant merge - specific answers needed | | Viewed: | 69 times | | Topic: | Catalog | |
|
| New question:
What's to happen to the number sequences of all the decorated parts?
Do I understand correctly that
[p=3626b]
[p=3626c]
[p=28621]
are all to be one listing? Presumably 3626 something?
Will the 210 Vented Stud heads currently in the catalog be renumbered into the
3626 series? Will there be a Change Log entry to document this change?
~Jen
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| | | | | | | | | | | Author: | jennnifer | | Posted: | Jan 26, 2024 16:13 | | Subject: | Re: Variant merge - specific answers needed | | Viewed: | 57 times | | Topic: | Catalog | |
|
| In Catalog, Admin_Russell writes:
| | In Catalog, jennnifer writes:
| | New question:
What's to happen to the number sequences of all the decorated parts?
|
They will need to be renumbered.
| | Do I understand correctly that
[p=3626b]
[p=3626c]
[p=28621]
are all to be one listing? Presumably 3626 something?
|
Yes, and yes.
| | Will the 210 Vented Stud heads currently in the catalog be renumbered into the
3626 series? Will there be a Change Log entry to document this change?
|
Yes. All "vented" and "blocked open" descriptors everywhere will
disappear. We will not distinguish them.
Even though it will take longer to run everything through the public change log
system, I will do it for the sake of transparency.
|
Yes, and also for the sake of those of us who have our stock labeled and sorted
by number!
Thanks,
~Jen
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| | | | | | | | | | | Author: | Give.Me.A.Brick | | Posted: | Jan 26, 2024 16:36 | | Subject: | Re: Variant merge - specific answers needed | | Viewed: | 56 times | | Topic: | Catalog | |
|
| In Catalog, Admin_Russell writes:
| | In Catalog, jennnifer writes:
| | New question:
What's to happen to the number sequences of all the decorated parts?
|
They will need to be renumbered.
| | Do I understand correctly that
[p=3626b]
[p=3626c]
[p=28621]
are all to be one listing? Presumably 3626 something?
|
Yes, and yes.
| | Will the 210 Vented Stud heads currently in the catalog be renumbered into the
3626 series? Will there be a Change Log entry to document this change?
|
Yes. All "vented" and "blocked open" descriptors everywhere will
disappear. We will not distinguish them.
Even though it will take longer to run everything through the public change log
system, I will do it for the sake of transparency.
|
If I understand correctly, as of now, the 4 digits on 3626bpb**** and 3626cpb****
don't collide am I right? (Except when they are variants of the same head.)
So that would mean that the 4 digits will stay the same, which would be handy.
I mean:
3626cpb0909 will become 3626pb909 (3626bpb0909 doesn't exist)
3626cpb0912 and 3626bpb0912 will both merge into 3626pb0912
For the 28621pb**** the 4 digits will have to change, right?
|
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| | | | | | | | | | | | | Author: | Admin_Russell | | Posted: | Jan 26, 2024 17:05 | | Subject: | Re: Variant merge - specific answers needed | | Viewed: | 96 times | | Topic: | Catalog | |
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|
BrickLink
ID CardAdmin_Russell
|
Location:  USA, California |
| Member Since |
Contact |
Type |
Status |
| May 9, 2017 |
 |
Admin |
|
|
| BrickLink Administrator |
|
| In Catalog, Give.Me.A.Brick writes:
| | In Catalog, Admin_Russell writes:
| | In Catalog, jennnifer writes:
| | New question:
What's to happen to the number sequences of all the decorated parts?
|
They will need to be renumbered.
| | Do I understand correctly that
[p=3626b]
[p=3626c]
[p=28621]
are all to be one listing? Presumably 3626 something?
|
Yes, and yes.
| | Will the 210 Vented Stud heads currently in the catalog be renumbered into the
3626 series? Will there be a Change Log entry to document this change?
|
Yes. All "vented" and "blocked open" descriptors everywhere will
disappear. We will not distinguish them.
Even though it will take longer to run everything through the public change log
system, I will do it for the sake of transparency.
|
If I understand correctly, as of now, the 4 digits on 3626bpb**** and 3626cpb****
don't collide am I right? (Except when they are variants of the same head.)
So that would mean that the 4 digits will stay the same, which would be handy.
I mean:
3626cpb0909 will become 3626pb909 (3626bpb0909 doesn't exist)
3626cpb0912 and 3626bpb0912 will both merge into 3626pb0912
|
Yes, that is the idea. The aim is to be practical!
| | For the 28621pb**** the 4 digits will have to change, right?
|
We will need new numbers for them, just as if we had never distinguished them.
But all the old part numbers will be retained as alternates.
|
|
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| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Author: | Give.Me.A.Brick | | Posted: | Jan 26, 2024 17:23 | | Subject: | Re: Variant merge - specific answers needed | | Viewed: | 51 times | | Topic: | Catalog | |
|
| In Catalog, Admin_Russell writes:
| | In Catalog, Give.Me.A.Brick writes:
| | In Catalog, Admin_Russell writes:
| | In Catalog, jennnifer writes:
| | New question:
What's to happen to the number sequences of all the decorated parts?
|
They will need to be renumbered.
| | Do I understand correctly that
[p=3626b]
[p=3626c]
[p=28621]
are all to be one listing? Presumably 3626 something?
|
Yes, and yes.
| | Will the 210 Vented Stud heads currently in the catalog be renumbered into the
3626 series? Will there be a Change Log entry to document this change?
|
Yes. All "vented" and "blocked open" descriptors everywhere will
disappear. We will not distinguish them.
Even though it will take longer to run everything through the public change log
system, I will do it for the sake of transparency.
|
If I understand correctly, as of now, the 4 digits on 3626bpb**** and 3626cpb****
don't collide am I right? (Except when they are variants of the same head.)
So that would mean that the 4 digits will stay the same, which would be handy.
I mean:
3626cpb0909 will become 3626pb909 (3626bpb0909 doesn't exist)
3626cpb0912 and 3626bpb0912 will both merge into 3626pb0912
|
Yes, that is the idea. The aim is to be practical!
| | For the 28621pb**** the 4 digits will have to change, right?
|
We will need new numbers for them, just as if we had never distinguished them.
But all the old part numbers will be retained as alternates.
|
That's swell, thank you!
|
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| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Author: | Teup | | Posted: | Jan 26, 2024 18:12 | | Subject: | Re: Variant merge - specific answers needed | | Viewed: | 57 times | | Topic: | Catalog | |
|
| In Catalog, Admin_Russell writes:
| | In Catalog, Give.Me.A.Brick writes:
| | In Catalog, Admin_Russell writes:
| | In Catalog, jennnifer writes:
| | New question:
What's to happen to the number sequences of all the decorated parts?
|
They will need to be renumbered.
| | Do I understand correctly that
[p=3626b]
[p=3626c]
[p=28621]
are all to be one listing? Presumably 3626 something?
|
Yes, and yes.
| | Will the 210 Vented Stud heads currently in the catalog be renumbered into the
3626 series? Will there be a Change Log entry to document this change?
|
Yes. All "vented" and "blocked open" descriptors everywhere will
disappear. We will not distinguish them.
Even though it will take longer to run everything through the public change log
system, I will do it for the sake of transparency.
|
If I understand correctly, as of now, the 4 digits on 3626bpb**** and 3626cpb****
don't collide am I right? (Except when they are variants of the same head.)
So that would mean that the 4 digits will stay the same, which would be handy.
I mean:
3626cpb0909 will become 3626pb909 (3626bpb0909 doesn't exist)
3626cpb0912 and 3626bpb0912 will both merge into 3626pb0912
|
Yes, that is the idea. The aim is to be practical!
| | For the 28621pb**** the 4 digits will have to change, right?
|
We will need new numbers for them, just as if we had never distinguished them.
But all the old part numbers will be retained as alternates.
|
Wow. ALL those numbers will change? Yikes. This is going to cause a gigantic
administrative headache over here. All of this REALLY REALLY could have been
explained in much clearer detail so we'd all understand much earlier on what
EXACTLY is going to happen. (If so many users misunderstand what exactly will
happen, it's really not all those users' fault..)
Not to mention all the inventory gremlins this is going to cause for months/years
to come.
|
|
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| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Author: | SylvainLS | | Posted: | Jan 26, 2024 18:21 | | Subject: | Re: Variant merge - specific answers needed | | Viewed: | 35 times | | Topic: | Catalog | |
|
| In Catalog, Teup writes:
| | […]
Wow. ALL those numbers will change? Yikes. This is going to cause a gigantic
administrative headache over here. All of this REALLY REALLY could have been
explained in much clearer detail so we'd all understand much earlier on what
EXACTLY is going to happen. (If so many users misunderstand what exactly will
happen, it's really not all those users' fault..)
Not to mention all the inventory gremlins this is going to cause for months/years
to come.
|
I don’t know how you handle changes but there will be both a change of the IDs
AND of the names.
(I know my local solution can only manage to automatically recover from a change
of one of those: by looking for the other.)
|
|
|
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Author: | Teup | | Posted: | Jan 26, 2024 18:32 | | Subject: | Re: Variant merge - specific answers needed | | Viewed: | 53 times | | Topic: | Catalog | |
|
| In Catalog, SylvainLS writes:
| | In Catalog, Teup writes:
| | […]
Wow. ALL those numbers will change? Yikes. This is going to cause a gigantic
administrative headache over here. All of this REALLY REALLY could have been
explained in much clearer detail so we'd all understand much earlier on what
EXACTLY is going to happen. (If so many users misunderstand what exactly will
happen, it's really not all those users' fault..)
Not to mention all the inventory gremlins this is going to cause for months/years
to come.
|
I don’t know how you handle changes but there will be both a change of the IDs
AND of the names.
(I know my local solution can only manage to automatically recover from a change
of one of those: by looking for the other.)
|
Thanks, yes, names don't matter to me, but the IDs will be a real puzzle.
(It's ok, but communication would have been key..)
Btw, some advice for all sellers who... well... for all sellers (because this
mess will affect us all): On 1 Feb when this hits, you can go to your inventory
page and check the box at "Non-Unique" and press "Go!". This
will take you to all of your duplicate lots so you can eliminate or comment them.
(Maybe this was obvious but I was today years old when I discovered this  )
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| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Author: | Teup | | Posted: | Jan 26, 2024 18:49 | | Subject: | Re: Variant merge - specific answers needed | | Viewed: | 77 times | | Topic: | Catalog | |
|
| In Catalog, Teup writes:
| | In Catalog, SylvainLS writes:
| | In Catalog, Teup writes:
| | […]
Wow. ALL those numbers will change? Yikes. This is going to cause a gigantic
administrative headache over here. All of this REALLY REALLY could have been
explained in much clearer detail so we'd all understand much earlier on what
EXACTLY is going to happen. (If so many users misunderstand what exactly will
happen, it's really not all those users' fault..)
Not to mention all the inventory gremlins this is going to cause for months/years
to come.
|
I don’t know how you handle changes but there will be both a change of the IDs
AND of the names.
(I know my local solution can only manage to automatically recover from a change
of one of those: by looking for the other.)
|
Thanks, yes, names don't matter to me, but the IDs will be a real puzzle.
(It's ok, but communication would have been key..)
Btw, some advice for all sellers who... well... for all sellers (because this
mess will affect us all): On 1 Feb when this hits, you can go to your inventory
page and check the box at "Non-Unique" and press "Go!". This
will take you to all of your duplicate lots so you can eliminate or comment them.
(Maybe this was obvious but I was today years old when I discovered this )
|
I realize now that this is REALLY going to wreck our sync and inventory management
in a way that I don't yet know how to repair.
Thanks Bricklink, for again proving to be an unreliable business partner. Exactly
the type of antics why we've already moved most of our business away from
this platform..
|
|
|
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Author: | zorbanj | | Posted: | Jan 26, 2024 21:15 | | Subject: | Re: Variant merge - specific answers needed | | Viewed: | 63 times | | Topic: | Catalog | |
|
| If you wait until then, you won't be able to differentiate the duplicate
lots without pulling them from inventory. If you are planning on adding comments
I think it's easier to do it now.
In Catalog, Teup writes:
| |
Btw, some advice for all sellers who... well... for all sellers (because this
mess will affect us all): On 1 Feb when this hits, you can go to your inventory
page and check the box at "Non-Unique" and press "Go!". This
will take you to all of your duplicate lots so you can eliminate or comment them.
(Maybe this was obvious but I was today years old when I discovered this )
|
|
|
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | Author: | Nubs_Select | | Posted: | Jan 26, 2024 16:51 | | Subject: | Re: Variant merge - specific answers needed | | Viewed: | 50 times | | Topic: | Catalog | |
|
| In Catalog, Admin_Russell writes:
| | In Catalog, jennnifer writes:
| | New question:
What's to happen to the number sequences of all the decorated parts?
|
They will need to be renumbered.
| | Do I understand correctly that
[p=3626b]
[p=3626c]
[p=28621]
are all to be one listing? Presumably 3626 something?
|
Yes, and yes.
| | Will the 210 Vented Stud heads currently in the catalog be renumbered into the
3626 series? Will there be a Change Log entry to document this change?
|
Yes. All "vented" and "blocked open" descriptors everywhere will
disappear. We will not distinguish them.
Even though it will take longer to run everything through the public change log
system, I will do it for the sake of transparency.
|
will any of the head-type data be in the data you mentioned will be archived?
and will any info in regards to figures that had one or both versions be saved,
or should we just wait until the pages are done so we can see and then archive
any other data that isn't if we want it?
|
|
|
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | Author: | oukexergon | | Posted: | Jan 26, 2024 16:51 | | Subject: | Re: Variant merge - specific answers needed | | Viewed: | 56 times | | Topic: | Catalog | |
|
| In Catalog, Admin_Russell writes:
| |
Yes. All "vented" and "blocked open" descriptors everywhere will
disappear. We will not distinguish them.
|
This is a difference that could actually save a child's life. The vents are
designed in part to help potentially prevent choking in the case of an accidental
swallow by a small child. At least venting and non-venting (the whole or hollow
studs) need to be differentiated.
Of course, something like this applies to all these distinctions. They may not
have an incredible array of functional differences--but they constitute important
differences that buyers and sellers wish to mark. They also are crucial for the
completion of vintage sets (and in some cases, not so very vintage!). This has
been beaten to a pulp and the few still defending this are unable to say anything
other than, "most people don't care," which is a non-argument to
those of us who do care and don't take into account anyone in the future
starting to care.
|
|
|
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | Author: | jennnifer | | Posted: | Jan 26, 2024 17:40 | | Subject: | Re: Variant merge - specific answers needed | | Viewed: | 77 times | | Topic: | Catalog | |
|
| In Catalog, oukexergon writes:
| | In Catalog, Admin_Russell writes:
| |
Yes. All "vented" and "blocked open" descriptors everywhere will
disappear. We will not distinguish them.
|
This is a difference that could actually save a child's life. The vents are
designed in part to help potentially prevent choking in the case of an accidental
swallow by a small child. At least venting and non-venting (the whole or hollow
studs) need to be differentiated.
|
Hasn't this been debunked at some point?
~Jen
|
|
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Author: | RecycledBrick | | Posted: | Jan 26, 2024 17:48 | | Subject: | (Cancelled) | | Viewed: | 61 times | | Topic: | Catalog | |
|
| | (Cancelled) |
|
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Author: | 1001bricks | | Posted: | Jan 26, 2024 18:08 | | Subject: | Re: Variant merge - specific answers needed | | Viewed: | 43 times | | Topic: | Catalog | |
|
| In Catalog, jennnifer writes:
| | In Catalog, oukexergon writes:
| | In Catalog, Admin_Russell writes:
| |
Yes. All "vented" and "blocked open" descriptors everywhere will
disappear. We will not distinguish them.
|
This is a difference that could actually save a child's life. The vents are
designed in part to help potentially prevent choking in the case of an accidental
swallow by a small child. At least venting and non-venting (the whole or hollow
studs) need to be differentiated.
|
Hasn't this been debunked at some point?
|
An adult would require something like a full inch (2.54cm) tube to breath.
Even if we're talking about a small child, I don't think that tiny "vented"
Minifigure Head holes would help in anything.
In short, I'd say it's Urban Legend.
|
|
|
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Author: | SylvainLS | | Posted: | Jan 26, 2024 18:17 | | Subject: | Re: Variant merge - specific answers needed | | Viewed: | 49 times | | Topic: | Catalog | |
|
| In Catalog, 1001bricks writes:
| | […]
An adult would require something like a full inch (2.54cm) tube to breath.
Even if we're talking about a small child, I don't think that tiny "vented"
Minifigure Head holes would help in anything.
In short, I'd say it's Urban Legend.
|
Maybe it started with
[p=3062b]
?
If you put one in your mouth and (accidentally) suck, there’s way fewer chances
to swallow it than the full stud variant.
Now, the question is: If it’s true for round bricks or heads, why do 1x1 bricks
still have a full stud? (The square shape doesn’t make them harder to swallow
or to block your baby’s windpipe.)
Or for other parts? There’s several modern
parts with about the same size and no hole, no vent in the stud, like
(No baby was hurt during the procedure.)
|
|
|
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Author: | 1001bricks | | Posted: | Jan 26, 2024 18:27 | | Subject: | Re: Variant merge - specific answers needed | | Viewed: | 42 times | | Topic: | Catalog | |
|
| In Catalog, SylvainLS writes:
| | In Catalog, 1001bricks writes:
| | […]
An adult would require something like a full inch (2.54cm) tube to breath.
Even if we're talking about a small child, I don't think that tiny "vented"
Minifigure Head holes would help in anything.
In short, I'd say it's Urban Legend.
|
Maybe it started with
[p=3062b]
?
If you put one in your mouth and (accidentally) suck, there’s way fewer chances
to swallow it than the full stud variant.
Now, the question is: If it’s true for round bricks or heads, why do 1x1 bricks
still have a full stud? (The square shape doesn’t make them harder to swallow
or to block your baby’s windpipe.)
|
Or for other parts? There’s several modern
| | parts with about the same size and no hole, no vent in the stud, like
|
Maybe it's why they molded those
Because those ones were really dangerous to swallow!
See, they've even got the BURP sound in the name.
|
|
|
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Author: | SylvainLS | | Posted: | Jan 26, 2024 18:28 | | Subject: | Re: Variant merge - specific answers needed | | Viewed: | 38 times | | Topic: | Catalog | |
|
| In Catalog, 1001bricks writes:
| | […]
Maybe it's why they molded those
Because those ones were really dangerous to swallow!
See, they've even got the BURP sound in the name.
|
Yummy! 
|
|
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Author: | SylvainLS | | Posted: | Mar 2, 2024 15:57 | | Subject: | Re: Variant merge - specific answers needed | | Viewed: | 43 times | | Topic: | Catalog | |
|
| In Catalog, SylvainLS writes:
| | In Catalog, 1001bricks writes:
| | […]
An adult would require something like a full inch (2.54cm) tube to breath.
Even if we're talking about a small child, I don't think that tiny "vented"
Minifigure Head holes would help in anything.
In short, I'd say it's Urban Legend.
|
Maybe it started with
[p=3062b]
?
If you put one in your mouth and (accidentally) suck, there’s way fewer chances
to swallow it than the full stud variant.
Now, the question is: If it’s true for round bricks or heads, why do 1x1 bricks
still have a full stud? (The square shape doesn’t make them harder to swallow
or to block your baby’s windpipe.) Or for other parts? There’s several modern
parts with about the same size and no hole, no vent in the stud, like
(No baby was hurt during the procedure.)
|
(Reviving this only now because I kept forgetting to do it before.)
BTW, I think the venting (open, blocked, or vented) is to prevent a suction effect.
The air is chased when you put the brick/head on a stud/neck, and poof, that
makes a void and you get the Magdeburg hemispheres.
Well… not to the point you’ll need horses to fail to separate them but enough
to make it too hard for a 7-year-old.
No need for a vent in square bricks because there’s room for the air to circulate
around the stud.
No need for a vent in 86975 because the stud is held by struts, not by a cylinder.
|
|
|
| | | | | |
| | | | | Author: | Admin_Russell | | Posted: | Jan 26, 2024 15:36 | | Subject: | Re: Variant merge - specific answers needed | | Viewed: | 269 times | | Topic: | Catalog | |
|
|
BrickLink
ID CardAdmin_Russell
|
| Location: USA, California |
| Member Since |
Contact |
Type |
Status |
| May 9, 2017 |
|
Admin |
|
|
| BrickLink Administrator |
|
| In Catalog, jennnifer writes:
| | Regardless of my thoughts toward losing some valuable variants in our Catalog,
I have now read the message twice, and read most of the main Forum thread, and
I still have no idea how technically this is going to work.
You are going to take two active catalog items, 3747b and 3747a for example,
choose a main Image, choose one Image for each of the color thumbnails, choose
1 Price Guide (or does this merge also), and add a new Note explaining the 2
different versions. Is an experienced Catalog Expert going to do this or someone
else? Will the deleted info be archived in case of errors?
|
| | Then, you are going to merge the two items in the Catalog.
|
I will do all of these changes myself. There are too many steps to mention here,
but here is a list of the results:
1) In our current system, no images are ever lost. They may be moved to a place
where users can't see the credit, but they will be there in the system. Any
valuable image with historic information will be retained as visible.
2) The price guide is merged. We don't lose the specifics, but the prices
will all be listed under one entry.
3) Notes will be added manually to the catalog entry as needed. As you know,
we try to be careful not to get too carried away with catalog notes.
4) We will (and already have) archived most of the data. It won't necessarily
be in a format people can easily use, so that is why we are preparing Help pages
for some of the retired variants, to give an overview of the information.
| | Seller shop inventory
Seller's shop items will be merged unless they paste a specific string of
text on the entry ahead of time. If not, they will not get to choose which price
is used or any of the other lot data. They will not be given a log of exactly
what was merged or changed.
|
No lots will be merged. However, lots will be renumbered and renamed. That is
why, if you want to retain distinctions between lots, you will need to add a
note in the publicly viewable field.
| | It's not as if sellers are already prone to blaming BrickLink for errors
in their inventory. Now BrickLink will be actively changing their store listings.
We have no way of testing if this going to work and no way of flagging or logging
errors created.
|
We will not be changing sellers listings. In the case that sellers do NOT add
the desciption to their notes, they may wish to consolidate their lots. Of course,
this would only be necessary if the seller had listed under both versions of
a merged variant.
I've never seen an error stemming from a catalog merge. We do this all the
time and have had no reports of issues with stores. As one of the earliest functions
on BrickLink, it's among the safest we have.
| | Set Inventories
All Set Inventories that have these items will change to just one item. Any sets
that have the parts listed as Alternates will ?? Any Match ID's affected
will ?? Links to Change Requests discussing these items will ??
|
You'll end up seeing the same part in the Regular and Alternate sections,
and they will need to be adjusted manually, including all match IDs.
| | Everything else
All Wanted Lists that have these items listed will have the parts merged? What
if they are in separate projects? Isn't there an issue with Wanted Lists
already that involves problems with duplicate items?
|
This will produce an action item in the wanted list, similar to action items
in the Global Cart when an item price or availability has changed. We have performed
thousands of xref changes in the catalog (whcih produces the same condition in
the wanted list) and it has not been a significant issue.
| | All external links to one (or both) of the item variants will break or ??
|
We're going to be extra pedantic about moving retired item numbers to the
alternate item field so that no reference links are broken. However, macro tags
already in the Forum and message system may not work, and the download feature
I believe still does not include alternate IDs.
| | All the people who write related software will have to adjust, rewrite, debug,
and ??
|
Maybe. We never know what kind of impact this has on third parties, but will
be sending lists to our affiliates (Brickset and Rebrickable) and Brickstore
just in case. Most of the changes should be absorbed by normal processes, but
our concern here is volume. We will make the changes batch by batch, and not
all on the same day.
| |
To sum up:
There is a reason it took so long to Mark Items for Deletion and then actually
delete them. It's to avoid all this trouble and uncertainty.
|
Nothing is ever really deleted from the catalog. Deletions are either:
a) the expunging of listings and related links plus a merge to a generic entry
like this one:
b) the retention of listings and related links plus a merge to a related item.
We do have the ability to simply remove things, but that has to be done on the
back end (no tools for that) and we reserve that method for big corrections,
like the removal of BrickArms items (and colors, and categories). We recently
used that method to correct the 402 Reddish Orange issue.
| | What happens 3 months from now when a seller who's been away reopens his
shop and doesn't understand what happened? You simply cannot count on every
single member receiving, reading, and understanding the email message sent out.
Will they receive any Action Items within BrickLink to understand the changes?
|
All sellers who had logged in in the last 6 months were notified by email. As
you may recall, originally a seller's inventory would be completely deleted
after 6 months of inactivity. Now it's not of course, but if they wait a
year, the whole account gets anonymized.
So relative to that, I would say this is not a monumental thing for people who
happen to be inactive for a while. It will probably mean they will need to consolidate
a few lots in their store.
| | I wonder how much Catalog Credit will just vanish on Feb 15th. Credit for images,
items, inventories, ... all gone.
|
Merges don't touch any of that stuff. It's all retained, but it may not
be retained in the same format as before. For example, inventory change requests
will still show in the logs and in the Forum messages. It's just that in
the logs, it may look like an item was changed to the same item. But the Forum
saves it just as it is, with all the comments and supporting documentation.
|
|
|
| | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | Author: | randyf | | Posted: | Jan 26, 2024 16:06 | | Subject: | Re: Variant merge - specific answers needed | | Viewed: | 67 times | | Topic: | Catalog | |
|
| In Catalog, Admin_Russell writes:
| | | | I wonder how much Catalog Credit will just vanish on Feb 15th. Credit for images,
items, inventories, ... all gone.
|
Merges don't touch any of that stuff.
|
That is not true. If you were the person who added an item to the catalog that
is going to be merged, you definitely lose credit for adding that item to the
catalog, along with any other information that you originally added with it,
such as weight, dimensions, PCCs, etc.
|
|
| | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | Author: | jennnifer | | Posted: | Jan 26, 2024 17:17 | | Subject: | Re: Variant merge - specific answers needed | | Viewed: | 65 times | | Topic: | Catalog | |
|
| | | In Catalog, Admin_Russell writes:
|
Thanks for taking the time to answer these questions. It's good to have more
of the specifics.
| |
| | What happens 3 months from now when a seller who's been away reopens his
shop and doesn't understand what happened? You simply cannot count on every
single member receiving, reading, and understanding the email message sent out.
Will they receive any Action Items within BrickLink to understand the changes?
|
All sellers who had logged in in the last 6 months were notified by email. As
you may recall, originally a seller's inventory would be completely deleted
after 6 months of inactivity. Now it's not of course, but if they wait a
year, the whole account gets anonymized.
So relative to that, I would say this is not a monumental thing for people who
happen to be inactive for a while. It will probably mean they will need to consolidate
a few lots in their store.
|
The results may not be monumental, but they may not understand what's going
on. If they've missed the one announcement, they are going to find a bunch
of duplicate lots. It's going to seem to them that a bunch of items are 'missing'
when they go to look for a merged variant. There's going to be confusion
and then many, many questions here in the Forum. (See sales tax / onsite payment
threads for an example of how long a miscommunication can exist.)
I think there should be a visible notification in the My Actions List similar
to the ## Lots Marked for Deletion. It should be a log of: Lots Affected by Merged
Variants. Sellers should be able to click on it and see every affected lot in
their shop.
| |
| | I wonder how much Catalog Credit will just vanish on Feb 15th. Credit for images,
items, inventories, ... all gone.
|
Merges don't touch any of that stuff. It's all retained, but it may not
be retained in the same format as before. For example, inventory change requests
will still show in the logs and in the Forum messages. It's just that in
the logs, it may look like an item was changed to the same item. But the Forum
saves it just as it is, with all the comments and supporting documentation.
|
I expect to lose plenty of Catalog Credit. (I don't really mind, I was just
making a point.) I added many of these 3626b and c heads and their images over
the years.
Last thing that you may have missed when I reposted my original list of questions:
What's to happen to lots in active open orders when this change occurs? If
a seller doesn't choose to make a note on every affected lot, it's possible
a buyer will have ordered one specific variant that is merged by the time the
seller goes to pull the part.
Thanks again,
~Jen
|
|
|
| | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | Author: | Admin_Russell | | Posted: | Jan 26, 2024 18:28 | | Subject: | Re: Variant merge - specific answers needed | | Viewed: | 95 times | | Topic: | Catalog | |
|
|
BrickLink
ID CardAdmin_Russell
|
| Location: USA, California |
| Member Since |
Contact |
Type |
Status |
| May 9, 2017 |
|
Admin |
|
|
| BrickLink Administrator |
|
| In Catalog, jennnifer writes:
| | | | In Catalog, Admin_Russell writes:
|
Thanks for taking the time to answer these questions. It's good to have more
of the specifics.
| |
| | What happens 3 months from now when a seller who's been away reopens his
shop and doesn't understand what happened? You simply cannot count on every
single member receiving, reading, and understanding the email message sent out.
Will they receive any Action Items within BrickLink to understand the changes?
|
All sellers who had logged in in the last 6 months were notified by email. As
you may recall, originally a seller's inventory would be completely deleted
after 6 months of inactivity. Now it's not of course, but if they wait a
year, the whole account gets anonymized.
So relative to that, I would say this is not a monumental thing for people who
happen to be inactive for a while. It will probably mean they will need to consolidate
a few lots in their store.
|
The results may not be monumental, but they may not understand what's going
on. If they've missed the one announcement, they are going to find a bunch
of duplicate lots. It's going to seem to them that a bunch of items are 'missing'
when they go to look for a merged variant. There's going to be confusion
and then many, many questions here in the Forum. (See sales tax / onsite payment
threads for an example of how long a miscommunication can exist.)
I think there should be a visible notification in the My Actions List similar
to the ## Lots Marked for Deletion. It should be a log of: Lots Affected by Merged
Variants. Sellers should be able to click on it and see every affected lot in
their shop.
|
I wish we were at the place where we could deploy something like that for occasional
use. The best I believe we will have to offer is an XML list which we are still
working on.
| | | | | | I wonder how much Catalog Credit will just vanish on Feb 15th. Credit for images,
items, inventories, ... all gone.
|
Merges don't touch any of that stuff. It's all retained, but it may not
be retained in the same format as before. For example, inventory change requests
will still show in the logs and in the Forum messages. It's just that in
the logs, it may look like an item was changed to the same item. But the Forum
saves it just as it is, with all the comments and supporting documentation.
|
I expect to lose plenty of Catalog Credit. (I don't really mind, I was just
making a point.) I added many of these 3626b and c heads and their images over
the years.
Last thing that you may have missed when I reposted my original list of questions:
What's to happen to lots in active open orders when this change occurs? If
a seller doesn't choose to make a note on every affected lot, it's possible
a buyer will have ordered one specific variant that is merged by the time the
seller goes to pull the part.
|
Unfortunately the data linked to a catalog entry is dynamic in orders, so the
only thing that is recorded there is the number behind the number - the index
for that entry, which never changes.
So if a lot is purchased before the seller adds the note, the lot will show up
as a merged entry in the order if the catalog entry is merged.
|
|
|
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | Author: | SylvainLS | | Posted: | Jan 26, 2024 18:36 | | Subject: | Re: Variant merge - specific answers needed | | Viewed: | 40 times | | Topic: | Catalog | |
|
| In Catalog, Admin_Russell writes:
| | […]
Unfortunately the data linked to a catalog entry is dynamic in orders, so the
only thing that is recorded there is the number behind the number - the index
for that entry, which never changes.
So if a lot is purchased before the seller adds the note, the lot will show up
as a merged entry in the order if the catalog entry is merged.
|
Maybe it’s the hour (already tomorrow here ) but even with an idea of what
you’re trying to say, I’m not sure I understand.
So, an example:
1. Buyer orders variant A from store lot N and variant B from store lot M.
2. Seller doesn’t add the note.
3. Catalogue entries are merged.
4. Order shows two lines for the new part, from store lots N and M.
Right?
|
|
|
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | Author: | Admin_Russell | | Posted: | Jan 26, 2024 18:51 | | Subject: | Re: Variant merge - specific answers needed | | Viewed: | 98 times | | Topic: | Catalog | |
|
|
BrickLink
ID CardAdmin_Russell
|
| Location: USA, California |
| Member Since |
Contact |
Type |
Status |
| May 9, 2017 |
|
Admin |
|
|
| BrickLink Administrator |
|
| In Catalog, SylvainLS writes:
| | In Catalog, Admin_Russell writes:
| | […]
Unfortunately the data linked to a catalog entry is dynamic in orders, so the
only thing that is recorded there is the number behind the number - the index
for that entry, which never changes.
So if a lot is purchased before the seller adds the note, the lot will show up
as a merged entry in the order if the catalog entry is merged.
|
Maybe it’s the hour (already tomorrow here ) but even with an idea of what
you’re trying to say, I’m not sure I understand.
So, an example:
1. Buyer orders variant A from store lot N and variant B from store lot M.
2. Seller doesn’t add the note.
3. Catalogue entries are merged.
4. Order shows two lines for the new part, from store lots N and M.
Right?
|
Yes.
|
|
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| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Author: | SylvainLS | | Posted: | Jan 26, 2024 19:00 | | Subject: | Re: Variant merge - specific answers needed | | Viewed: | 47 times | | Topic: | Catalog | |
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| In Catalog, Admin_Russell writes:
👍 Thanks.
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| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Author: | jennnifer | | Posted: | Jan 29, 2024 09:27 | | Subject: | Re: Variant merge - specific answers needed | | Viewed: | 85 times | | Topic: | Catalog | |
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| In Catalog, Admin_Russell writes:
| | In Catalog, SylvainLS writes:
| | In Catalog, Admin_Russell writes:
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Unfortunately the data linked to a catalog entry is dynamic in orders, so the
only thing that is recorded there is the number behind the number - the index
for that entry, which never changes.
So if a lot is purchased before the seller adds the note, the lot will show up
as a merged entry in the order if the catalog entry is merged.
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Maybe it’s the hour (already tomorrow here ) but even with an idea of what
you’re trying to say, I’m not sure I understand.
So, an example:
1. Buyer orders variant A from store lot N and variant B from store lot M.
2. Seller doesn’t add the note.
3. Catalogue entries are merged.
4. Order shows two lines for the new part, from store lots N and M.
Right?
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Yes.
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This is concerning to me as a seller and as a BL member. I think it's very
important to protect the integrity of our system. I've never heard of a change
affecting open orders before. I realize that this may be a small issue, and that
a seller who ends up in this situation may well be able to resolve it from other
clues. However, I think BrickLink should be VERY proactive in this regard and
protect sellers from any potential errors.
Thanks,
~Jen
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| | | | | Author: | SnarkBricks | | Posted: | Feb 1, 2024 14:43 | | Subject: | Re: Variant merge - specific answers needed | | Viewed: | 51 times | | Topic: | Catalog | |
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| XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
These variants ALL have different price points. Some are vital to re-creating
the authenticity of the older sets. Merging would be a MISTAKE!
Not only that, BUT Brick Link is a platform for sellers to sell by the "penny",
in merging and removing these specific parts....you call upon the seller to be
MORE communicative and invest more time for these same "pennies". Not
cool!
I think a BETTER way to implement is to discontinue the items...all of them...
Then, no one can add the item into the catalog and it would force a notice in
the "ACTION ITEMS" for all sellers who list these specific items and
give them the option to slowly merge them into the desirable variants should
they CHOOSE to.... That way the select parts that DO have a higher valuation,
due to seller purchase point or rarity can remain. We should be able to control
our stores not backward manage them...
Give this post a +1 if you agree in part or in whole....
Also, just thinking after reading Jennifer's thread - WHAT HAPPENS TO OUR
LOCATION NOTES IN THE REMARKS SECTION??????? 
Snark Bricks
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
In Catalog, jennnifer writes:
| | Hello,
Regardless of my thoughts toward losing some valuable variants in our Catalog,
I have now read the message twice, and read most of the main Forum thread, and
I still have no idea how technically this is going to work.
You are going to take two active catalog items, 3747b and 3747a for example,
choose a main Image, choose one Image for each of the color thumbnails, choose
1 Price Guide (or does this merge also), and add a new Note explaining the 2
different versions. Is an experienced Catalog Expert going to do this or someone
else? Will the deleted info be archived in case of errors?
Then, you are going to merge the two items in the Catalog.
Seller shop inventory
Seller's shop items will be merged unless they paste a specific string of
text on the entry ahead of time. If not, they will not get to choose which price
is used or any of the other lot data. They will not be given a log of exactly
what was merged or changed.
It's not as if sellers are already prone to blaming BrickLink for errors
in their inventory. Now BrickLink will be actively changing their store listings.
We have no way of testing if this going to work and no way of flagging or logging
errors created.
Set Inventories
All Set Inventories that have these items will change to just one item. Any sets
that have the parts listed as Alternates will ?? Any Match ID's affected
will ?? Links to Change Requests discussing these items will ??
Everything else
All Wanted Lists that have these items listed will have the parts merged? What
if they are in separate projects? Isn't there an issue with Wanted Lists
already that involves problems with duplicate items?
All external links to one (or both) of the item variants will break or ??
All the people who write related software will have to adjust, rewrite, debug,
and ??
To sum up:
There is a reason it took so long to Mark Items for Deletion and then actually
delete them. It's to avoid all this trouble and uncertainty.
What happens 3 months from now when a seller who's been away reopens his
shop and doesn't understand what happened? You simply cannot count on every
single member receiving, reading, and understanding the email message sent out.
Will they receive any Action Items within BrickLink to understand the changes?
I wonder how much Catalog Credit will just vanish on Feb 15th. Credit for images,
items, inventories, ... all gone.
Thanks,
~Jen
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| | | | | | | Author: | SylvainLS | | Posted: | Feb 1, 2024 14:58 | | Subject: | Re: Variant merge - specific answers needed | | Viewed: | 48 times | | Topic: | Catalog | |
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| Please, don’t repeat the same message over and over, that’s called flooding and
not permitted here.
In Catalog, SnarkBricks writes:
| | […]
Also, just thinking after reading Jennifer's thread - WHAT HAPPENS TO OUR
LOCATION NOTES IN THE REMARKS SECTION???????
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Nothing.
Merging the entries in the catalogue won’t change merge the lots in your store
and won’t touch your remarks.
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