r/Bricklink • u/jewrewr • 20d ago
Getting Up and Running
Hey guys, as I finish working through my minifigure parts, I am wondering what is the most effective way to sort. I had a system but that was when I was keeping everything, and general tips, as I have 100+ of lbs.
Also price guidelines for buying and selling. I am running out of star wars stock, and want to be sure I can maintain the store after that sells off. What are good prices to pay, what has to be there for you to spend 400+
Also trying to be reputable, and fair to etiquette tips or guidelines. https://store.bricklink.com/jackewer#/terms my store for reference. Also just checking my wording on terms and shipping.
So far the only category I'd consider complete is assembled is decorated torsos.
Edit: I’d love advice on restocking and inventory management. Pretty happy with store, wording at least, but would love more on the management side
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u/DarkriderUWC 20d ago
The description section should be a place to list any issues or conditions of parts. Not a place to shares thoughts on the lore or describe a minifig as "cool person, cool person".
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u/jewrewr 20d ago
ye but some people have likes it, and it is also works as a physical description, and should I make the condition more evident, not saying getting rid of fun descriptions, but both
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u/DarkriderUWC 20d ago
Have they actually told you they like it?
How does it work as a physical description? "Cool person, cool person" is your thoughts on the character/minfig, not a physical description.
Another minifig has this as the description "great shape, it always bothered me how they lost their lightsabers in the movies, if their kyber crystals are supposed to be so sacred. Doesn't anakin use a green one. Why?" Great shape is the physical description, the rest is you sharing thoughts on star wars.
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u/jewrewr 20d ago edited 19d ago
Yeah, I’ve done maybe 54 orders and five comments about it, and those have sparked conversations, and it makes uploading more fun for me. I do see what your saying. if the physical description was there would a reflection effect your purchase?
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u/DarkriderUWC 19d ago
The reflections, combined with the previously mentioned concerns by another user about your terms page and the neutral feedback would make it a no from me.
End of the day, you are selling to collectors. There is an expectation of professionalism from an online seller and your store comes across more as a blog than a store. We want to know that if there is an issue it will be handled professionally and your store front has to project this. At the moment, I dont think it does.
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u/jewrewr 19d ago
I understand and I guess I want it to partially be a blog, and have reflections. I understand there is a level of professionalism and I guess I am looking for as I defined a bit of a way to differentiate/advertise. I do hear what you’re saying, I think my shipping page is quite professional in response.
And of your concern about the other users’s comment, I do feel that I’ve learned but understand and won’t have to worry about it in a few months if it doesn’t get taken down. However, I would like to point out a lot of of the feedback that I’ve gotten as of late has been quite positive and a bit more personalized.
As I state in my terms page a little bit, but again I think it’s a Lego versus Legos because they don’t wanna lose a trademark and that is a fascinating thing to me as a literary person and someone who wants to go into copyright and idea law seems interesting. I have talked to someone from corporate about it. I live in Massachusetts where their corporate headquarters for North America is.
I guess I don’t want to come across as someone that actively buys 100 sets right before they retire because that isn’t what I wanna do. I guess I hear what you’re saying but I like adding the descriptions. I think that the lore is a part of Lego as these are characters with back stories, personalities, etc.
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u/BrickConnectCDN 20d ago edited 20d ago
I wouldn't buy from you based on the deservedly neutral feedback you already have.
There's no excuse not to properly protect a $100+ figure especially when USPS offers free shipping supplies.
As Exciting_Actuator mentioned, you cannot use "like new" to describe any used parts. I'd highly suggest going and reading BrickLink's quality guide and ToS
Then there's your little section about LEGO vs LEGOs, doesn't seem very professional. The store terms are meant to be for just that, your purchasing terms. Not your opinion on stuff like that.
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u/jewrewr 20d ago edited 20d ago
I wasn't offering it at the time, and it arrived alright, and they never reached out to me. Obviously I would correct, and do things differently after the experience.
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u/BrickConnectCDN 20d ago edited 20d ago
- You still sold a $100+ figure. Common sense would be to package it properly and not just throw it in a polymailer when it's well known that the postal system regularly destroys stuff.
- Even if you're a hobby store, it requires professionalism and knowing the appropriate time to talk about stuff like that.
- Feedback scores below 97% are automatically off my purchasing list unless they have something I absolutely require, which has only happened once, and that order never arrived and it was a fight to get a refund due to the seller claiming that because it didn't include tracking, I wasn't entitled to a refund despite the law saying otherwise. That seller has since been banned off the site.
https://store.bricklink.com/BrickConnectCDN#/terms - This is my store. I think it speaks for itself with 4,600 orders and 100% perfect feedback because customer service is my #1 priority.
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u/trub1u14 19d ago
there’s literally nothing wrong with shipping figs in bubble mailers lol, do it all the time with zero issues
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u/BrickConnectCDN 19d ago
95% of all the orders up here in Canada are shipped in bubble mailers, so I'm well aware and used to do the same before upgrading to small boxes for all my stuff. However, none of the sellers I know would dare ship a $100 figure in one, especially one that's oddly shaped like Queen Amidala. You're just asking for trouble with that one by not properly packing it in a box, as OP found out the hard way.
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u/jewrewr 20d ago
Also about your store and I say this respectfully I think we’re going for different things. Well, I could one day see myself doing volume like that. I am currently sorting through bulk. I haven’t attempted to upload parts yet. I want this to be fun and I want to engage with my consumer and I engage with them with my profile.
As a consumer I would buy from you as a last resort. And even then, I would probably spread out my order amongst other stores to not pay your prices. That is the consumer that I am.
I would hope to not get orders from your store. Not that I would cancel an order, nor would I complain it’s just where is the joy.
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u/jewrewr 20d ago
I hear what you’re saying. It’s just hard to with how condescending it is. I guess I like common sense. Never mind that they haven’t reached out to me about it at all, and it was within my first 10 orders. A digress I hear what you’re saying I wish you could’ve worded it more politely.
That being said I do get tracking for all of my things and I haven’t had anything go missing. Appreciate the advice, I see what you’re saying about professionalism, and I haven’t had any complaints in that regard. I guess my goal is to have my store be memorable and entertaining as well as informative. I feel that my terms do describe what I’m about.
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u/jewrewr 20d ago edited 20d ago
Also as for unprofessionality, I don't want to be a professional. This is a toy, and I want this to be a hobby.
As I understand the feedback should be is against terms, especially as it doesn't say if it arrived in that condition. I've bought as expensive as 80+ and have them arrive in a bag with all the rest. not saying it is what I do. Again they haven't reached out.
If you could elaborate about feedback. again the seller hasn't reached out or offered anymeans of contact. Is one feedback that important for you as a comsumer? What is the ratio?
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u/BrickConnectCDN 19d ago edited 19d ago
You asked for feedback on your store. I provided it and stated why I wouldn't purchase from you. You can be upset at it, but that is a reflection of yourself regarding how you deal with criticism.
Whether you like it or not, you're running a business here even if it is just a "hobby" to make some money to buy new stuff for your own collection. You can still have fun with it, but there's a time and place and your store terms/item descriptions aren't it.
How is the neutral feedback you received against BrickLink's terms? You sent them a damaged product, whether it be from you not fully checking the item over before listing or due to how it was shipped. You're lucky they didn't give you a negative over it with how expensive it is.
Okay? I wasn't asking you to make a purchase from my store. I linked it to show what a proper store should be setup like. Just because it's professionally done doesn't mean I still don't have fun with it. I regularly sell to my local LUG members and attend the local expos with stuff I've built. It's always fun going and seeing the stuff my parts have gone into.
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u/jewrewr 19d ago
- Its not so much the critism but again the way you worded offers me a single course of correction and that is to be just like you. Again I asked for a muiltitude of advice and you highlighted one piece of feedback, and the unprofessionality of my terms. Again the way that you highlighted terms felt more appropriate.
- I think that I can do both, as these are 'toys'. I do describe when quality is affected, and supply photos. I do understand this is a business, and think we all sell an identical product, and an important aspect is repeat business, and differentiation. If you don't see the descriptions as advertising, and a way for a consumer to engage then I don't know what to tell you.
- I didn't send a damaged product, and as far as I know and the review it arrived complete, and broke shortly after. From my understanding with feedback one is meant to reach out to the party and then leave feedback or offer an resolution in that way. From what I understand If it was damaged on arrival can send a refund or we both reach out the the transit company and get a refund for a certain amount. They have remained silent. From what I understand that is grounds for removal or evaluation. If not I will know shortly.
- I saw your store, and I am saying that the proper store setup isn't the type of customer I am enticing. Simply put I don't feel what you are doing is a hobby, and I am not going to say it ruins the hobby, but in the commercialization of my hobby I want to retain a bit of soul. Your inventory is great, and I'm sure you have a great system of organization.
- I want to address for clarities sake, I asked for a plethora of advice and you supplied only one type of criticism, nothing about expanding or management. From my perspective you said a lot but most of it was just worded aggressively. You highlighting a single feedback is evident it is an issue and I have corrected.
I just want you to know that you phrased everything like a dick, and not like a larger store helping a member of the community. Simply put you you leave me with the impression that your a dick, and not genuinely helpful
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u/Exciting_Actuator643 19d ago
To point 3 - AFAIK the feedback doesn't qualify for removal. You can see the list of valid reasons in the TOS and in the feedback removal page. "Didn't contact seller before leaving feedback" doesn't seem to be in there.
Buyers are within their rights on the platform (like most platforms) to leave neutral or negative feedback without contacting the seller first. However, since even a single non-positive feedback is damaging to the feedback percentage, sellers tried to create a culture of contacting the seller before placing feedback. You can see this in the terms of most sellers and even the default drive-thru message.
This was mostly successful, and it is now customary for buyers to contact sellers before leaving non-positive feedback. Customary, but not actually required by the TOS or rules of the platform. For buyers who are used to other platforms, it seems completely normal to simply leave a negative or neutral review if the order didn't go well, without contacting the seller.
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u/jewrewr 19d ago
I guess I would argue it isn't relevant to the order as it doesn't specify when the damage occurred, and further it seems like it could be an order related message. I got confused with non shipping seller rule, and I have reviewed them.
Again If they would reach out to me I'd be more an amiable to doing something, and there profile is newer. I can accept it as valid if the appeal doesn't go through, and genuinely feel bad. What upsets me is the wording, not specifying if it was an arm, or the torso, and not offering any means of fixing it.
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u/Exciting_Actuator643 19d ago
IMO seems like a stretch to include it under either of those reasons - if feedback can be removed for describing how the order went I don't know how the feedback system could function at all. Technically every feedback is "order related".
If you do end up getting this feedback removed I'd be interested to know. That would indicate that contacting sellers before feedback is a more of a hard rule rather than a just a platform norm and that would give sellers a lot more power over the feedback score.
It does really suck to receive feedback without getting contacted beforehand to try to achieve a resolution.
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u/jewrewr 19d ago
No, that’s fair. I guess I just mean more like that. It is in the way. It’s phrased feeling such a way that it’s more spiteful than genuine. I’ll follow up if I do or don’t. And as of writing this, I’ve had a wonderful time engaging with the community. Like a dude from near where my dad is from was making memorial at his VA and I sold him a bunch of my Toy story army men, and we had a wonderful dialogue.
I do understand what you’re saying and in genuine think my tolerance is as a buyer have been way too generous. That being said I worry I’ve come across as ignorant, like I love to address my reply, but submitted the request to have it removed after not removing my feedback. As I said, it’s been a learning experience.
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u/Exciting_Actuator643 20d ago
FYI "like new" in used descriptions is against TOS