@patpendlego if you're talking about quantity, don't you think 5-10 is pretty low? Even if you would have 100.000 of each, there isn't much to choose from.. Seems like a weird business strategy, but maybe it's just me..
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BL and BO might be completely different in many ways, but the orders I'm getting are pretty much similar on both marketplaces. Small, medium and large, I have them on both sites. If you don't like BL, move away from there. Same for BO.. And if you're unsatisfied of both of them, there are more ways of selling your stuff. I believe both have their pros and cons. If you can't accept the cons, build your own site.
Fair enough. The BO culture is definitely different to BL, for good and bad, and the sooner people get over that shock, the easier it is to settle into things.
I'm not sure what you mean by "all about quantity here" - or how you've formed that opinion.
@Dimi_DBB I have to start with something correct? 5-10 to get it all set up, later on expand I'm not in a hurry
BL/BO there is not much difference if you ask me, both OMP, both LEGO, both have to implement Taxes/VAT.. both take a percentage fee, etc. etc. It's not a big deal for me, I just want to know what each site is best in and then adhere a strategy.
Pat, you asked about good place to buy LEGO in bulk. I have the best luck in the US with Craigs List (you can always find a parent selling their teen's LEGOs it seems like) and your local Goodwill store... there is also always eBay and other online auction forums! :-)
I do disagree it's all about quantity here if you mean this site... that is DEFINITELY one sales approach and will draw you the big buyers (hardcore MOCers). For me, I focus on diversity in parts for people looking to part out their own sets, which gives me steady business... that provides an alternative sales avenue for you. Part diversity also pops you more on the wish lists. :-)
So there are multiple ways to look to stand out here! Some stores I notice narrowly focus on a specific theme, e.g., I know there are several sellers here that focus purely on minfigs, or Technic. Or you can attack a popular theme that people don't always like to stock due to part size (Bionicle) or seemingly lesser popularity (Friends). Good luck!!
What I mean by all about quantity here is not the sales but the presentation of BO as OMP: the terms and conditions, the rules, the metric, the statistics, the conditions for suspending store, etc. all are about quantity. Have you seen the statistics on the Catalog Contributions page? 129 numbers all "how many"! Quantity. Respond to messages within 48h? Quantity. The Store Statistics page. All about quantity. Just three examples.
So, my conclusion (for now) is that BO is all about quantity. Apparently that is the site's strength. It serves my business model the best to use that strength to the fullest, ergo inventory in large quantities of a limited number of new items (and of course to avoid anything that is not quantitative). An additional advantage of such an inventory is that there will be very little need for sending messages to me about the items: you know what you get without asking. So, the 48h rule will most likely have very little effect then. If I would have a different inventory that raises many/more questions, the 48h rule might become a problem. I would be forced to check messages regularly just to comply to the 48h rule ... plus... I do not like others telling me how to run my business.
So best to avoid that. There are a number of ways to do that. One is the suggestion to get optional timeframes instead of one fixed 48h frame. It seems unlikely though that it will be implemented. Another way is automated respons messages. Lawrence already stated he would not count those as replies. (He would then however be forced to implement some kind of routine to recognize automated responses, since I doubt he will read all responses manually. But that is his problem, imo a consequence of BO's own rigid rule of 48h. But that aside.) Yet another option is having inventory, and store terms/conditions, that poses none or very little questions a/o need to send messages. Which means inventory and t&c should be as predictable as possible. A fourth option of course is not to start selling here at all, which at this moment is the current situation for me since I've cleared all inventory until I've prepared all that is needed for one of the other options. I have no doubt there will be a fifth option as well but haven't come up with one yet.
How do you get from noticing the presence of a 'league table' of contributors to the logical conclusion that your best bet is to stock a few lots with high quantities. It makes zero sense to me.
"I do not like others telling me how to run my business." - but you seem to be unconcerned with trying to shape BO's running of theirs?
Being in business requires working within parameters set by numerous third parties. The tax authorities, the post office and other shipping agents, PayPal and other payment providers, whoever you bank with and buy packaging supplies from, the people and companies you get your stock from. All of them have their own requirements when it comes to your interactions with them. Some of them will be rigid and strict.
You seem fixated on the 48h rule regards the messages. Admin has already clarified that stores will not be permanently suspended if they miss this window. I've missed this window myself on a few occasions and have never even been temporarily suspended.
The fifth option would be open your store and work to solve issues as they present themselves, tweaking your settings and working methods as needed to help mitigate future reoccurrences. In my near eight years here I can count issues I've encountered on one hand, and none of them stopped me getting orders or altered my workflow in any drastic way.
Here may be your deal-breaker though - to the best of my knowledge BO does not permit you to have or enforce your own terms and conditions. Most buyers never even visit your home page which is where those stores who still like to post them usually put them.
That's okay, you do not have to follow the line of thinking
" but you seem to be unconcerned with trying to shape BO's running of theirs?" - wrong, I'm not trying to do that, I have made a suggestion.
You have your opinion, I have mine. I have my own business to run, indeed as you mentioned within all boundaries and parameters, and therefore I have my conciderations to make. You do not have to understand it all, since you are not running my business. As I am not running yours. Quite simple.
@Hoddie I'm quite surprised by the personal approach/attack you take on me. I am not on you. So please be a bit more friendly, thank you. Keep up the reputation of this site thank you.
I'm always friendly. Had you not barged into the place like a bull in a china shop, and got settled before starting to make demands that BO adjust its business just so they might earn a few quid from you, you'd know that. Anyways, good luck with your store.
@Lawrence I just wondering what triggers the platform/system, to turn a shop into suspend mode?
As you described: “This is not to say that we suspend every store every time they have a single overdue order”
About the messages: How does the system knows a message it is overdue? Or how does it know, I must reply? “Unanswered messages are indicated by a number next to your user profile, and on the store dashboard.”
I got this, because I always reply with Outlook, only if necessary. In my dashboard it says “50 Messages waiting for a response….., So I cleaned up all the messages into the “no response needed” thing.
“Similarly, we do not suspend stores for having messages they took too long to reply to, which are no longer overdue. Stores are only suspended for overdue messages if they have overdue messages.”
What kind of messages are these : having messages they took too long to reply to and no longer overdue?
On the forum it was my first contribution, asking for help. Not knowing the impact with other members. But still I think It was the message thing, that return my shop into suspend. Otherwise I really don’t know. Maybe you can specify a little to all of us?
@Lawrence I concur with the above, it just raises questions.
How is this supposed to protect the reputation of this site? It looks like store suspension without prior notice or communication with the store owner, without solid underling data to show for...
It seems like BrickOwl being unreliable as platform for store owners, building inventory and positive feedback but each day in doubt if or when your store will be closed by some automated program. Doing your normal business and then all at once store closed...
@Hoddie clearly you are not interested and not giving any constructive feedback so I suggest best to stay away from this thread, unless you have anything usefull to add?
I was trying to help the OP until it turned out he was not being entirely honest. You say BO is unreliable as a platform which 99.9% of sellers here will tell you that simply isn't true.
"How does the system knows a message it is overdue? Or how does it know, I must reply?" - Each message has a date & time so if you haven't replied in 48 hours then it's overdue. There is an indicator on each message that tells it whether a reply is needed or not, if it's not needed it won't go overdue.
“Unanswered messages are indicated by a number next to your user profile, and on the store dashboard.” - So you can always see if you have messages that need your attention.
"In my dashboard it says “50 Messages waiting for a response"" - Presumably that's why you got suspended. I'm actually surprised that BO allows it to get that high before suspending a store. So if that's your mistake you know how to stop it happening again.
"What kind of messages are these : having messages they took too long to reply to and no longer overdue?" - Messages that you took longer than 48 hours to reply to, so they were overdue, but you have now replied or marked them as no response needed so now they're not overdue.
I've never replied to a message directly on email, I've always gone through the BO messaging system. So 2 more questions -
@Wereldstenen when you reply to emails directly in Outlook are you replying to the BO generated email address?
Anyone - if you reply directly to an email using the BO generated email address which therefore must go through BO, does that become part of the BO messaging system? Is it listed under your messages in your profile or does it just get sent as a discrete email?
@Mrs Swoop : as long as email is send to the BO generated mail address, it goes in the system. Even the updates with tracking information from postal services are stored in the BO-system, since the only email address I have from buyers is the one generated by BO.
I think it is a very solid system, since all messages are stored here, whether I use Outlook for the responses or directly here.
I always reply any messages but like to know why there no deletion options as I really want my messages to be deleted after use like in BL and all other sites? I still have messages as far as back in 2014 which no point to keep clustering up in my inbox. I delete them in BL every month or so.
@Wereldstenen Others have confirmed that replying in Outlook to the BO generated email address would update the BO system, so you had 50 messages you hadn't responded to at all. Can you not see that that's a problem?
@Mrs%20Swoop Thank you, for the solution. The 50 messages are all thank you messages or not needed to respond messages. Also from 6 months ago. Because it seems you can't delete any old message, like in BL. Or I don't no how. So I changed all the messages on the website into "no respond needed" make an action plan to Lawrence and tell him how the issue occurred. But his reaction which I described in my first message in this thread"
" Hello,
The action plan would need to refer to the reason for the suspension which was overdue orders and messages. It is not a requirement to update the “response needed” status on a message so this is not related.
Lawrence James "
Maybe it turned automatic into suspension, because it reaches the 50 message? (only guessing.)
@Hoddie The 20 or so back and forth messages between me and Lawrence is quite simple to explane.
I ask him several times for detailed info about the Overdue orders and messages. But he does not want, or can't give me this info. So I can only quess, what it could be. That's why I asked for help in the forum.
The respons is always the same. Asking for an action plan and how the the issues occurred and will prevent in future.
The last mail from me, was send last week, waiting for respons..
About the payment, I think @Lawrence did not checked my account for payment (only guessing.)
payment message now "Commission is now overdue. Payment must be made as soon possible to avoid store suspension." Well my store is still suspended for 1,5 month now
@patpendlego I agree with this. @Lawrence is the one who can end this disscusion and explain, how automatic systems on his platform works and what I missed. For all of us it's only guessing and hope it will not happen to my shop...
If you had 50 messages outstanding or waiting for a response, and you've now corrected that, sounds like all you need to say is something like "I hadn't realised that I needed to click "mark as no response required" if the message was just a thank-you/etc., but now I know about it I will be better in future."
Regards the commission, it's all automatic - if it says you owe, you owe, the link I posted should confirm your last payment went through.
I would note also that if you are enabling affiliate sales, once BO or any affiliate fees are due at $5 or greater (I assume it's 5 pounds or euros, etc, if you live in Western Europe), you will have a payment due the 1st of every month.
It's important to note though, you may have to make more than one payment at the 1st - BO fees are one payment. If say one of your affiliates broke the $5 barrier, that is a SECOND, separate payment due. Each affiliate once it hits $5 is a separate payment on the first (these do not concatenate). So even if you paid on June 1st, that may have been for your BO fees only... if one of your affiliates finally broke $5, you have to make a second payment for them. :-)
Automatic suspension.. okay, I can understand that, don't like it but okay so be it. However, I would expect much more assistance from @Lawrence right away to get you up and running again asap. It's in nobody's interest to let it linger along so long. Regrettable. After much guessing and (mis)communication maybe it get solved now? Hope so.
@patpendlego No, the problem is still not solved, for 2 months now. With a "automatic" suspension, I get a standard response from @Lawrence. "We do need to be provided with a valid action plan, and cannot reopen your store, without a valid action plan. The action plan needs to detail how the issues occurred, and how they will be prevented from reoccurring in the future etc.. .
Well You have read all the conversation between me and Lawrence.
It's frustrated... but what can I do, if he does not provide me the order id or message id? Or maybe it is the external mailprogram, which cause the problem? And when does the shop goes in suspension? 10, 20 message overdue? 1-2 orders overdue? >50 messages"response needed" I really don't know.
Comments
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BL and BO might be completely different in many ways, but the orders I'm getting are pretty much similar on both marketplaces. Small, medium and large, I have them on both sites.
If you don't like BL, move away from there. Same for BO..
And if you're unsatisfied of both of them, there are more ways of selling your stuff.
I believe both have their pros and cons. If you can't accept the cons, build your own site.
I'm not sure what you mean by "all about quantity here" - or how you've formed that opinion.
BL/BO there is not much difference if you ask me, both OMP, both LEGO, both have to implement Taxes/VAT.. both take a percentage fee, etc. etc. It's not a big deal for me, I just want to know what each site is best in and then adhere a strategy.
I do disagree it's all about quantity here if you mean this site... that is DEFINITELY one sales approach and will draw you the big buyers (hardcore MOCers). For me, I focus on diversity in parts for people looking to part out their own sets, which gives me steady business... that provides an alternative sales avenue for you. Part diversity also pops you more on the wish lists. :-)
So there are multiple ways to look to stand out here! Some stores I notice narrowly focus on a specific theme, e.g., I know there are several sellers here that focus purely on minfigs, or Technic. Or you can attack a popular theme that people don't always like to stock due to part size (Bionicle) or seemingly lesser popularity (Friends). Good luck!!
What I mean by all about quantity here is not the sales but the presentation of BO as OMP: the terms and conditions, the rules, the metric, the statistics, the conditions for suspending store, etc. all are about quantity. Have you seen the statistics on the Catalog Contributions page? 129 numbers all "how many"! Quantity. Respond to messages within 48h? Quantity. The Store Statistics page. All about quantity. Just three examples.
So, my conclusion (for now) is that BO is all about quantity. Apparently that is the site's strength. It serves my business model the best to use that strength to the fullest, ergo inventory in large quantities of a limited number of new items (and of course to avoid anything that is not quantitative). An additional advantage of such an inventory is that there will be very little need for sending messages to me about the items: you know what you get without asking. So, the 48h rule will most likely have very little effect then. If I would have a different inventory that raises many/more questions, the 48h rule might become a problem. I would be forced to check messages regularly just to comply to the 48h rule ... plus... I do not like others telling me how to run my business.
So best to avoid that. There are a number of ways to do that. One is the suggestion to get optional timeframes instead of one fixed 48h frame. It seems unlikely though that it will be implemented. Another way is automated respons messages. Lawrence already stated he would not count those as replies. (He would then however be forced to implement some kind of routine to recognize automated responses, since I doubt he will read all responses manually. But that is his problem, imo a consequence of BO's own rigid rule of 48h. But that aside.) Yet another option is having inventory, and store terms/conditions, that poses none or very little questions a/o need to send messages. Which means inventory and t&c should be as predictable as possible. A fourth option of course is not to start selling here at all, which at this moment is the current situation for me since I've cleared all inventory until I've prepared all that is needed for one of the other options. I have no doubt there will be a fifth option as well but haven't come up with one yet.
"I do not like others telling me how to run my business." - but you seem to be unconcerned with trying to shape BO's running of theirs?
Being in business requires working within parameters set by numerous third parties. The tax authorities, the post office and other shipping agents, PayPal and other payment providers, whoever you bank with and buy packaging supplies from, the people and companies you get your stock from. All of them have their own requirements when it comes to your interactions with them. Some of them will be rigid and strict.
You seem fixated on the 48h rule regards the messages. Admin has already clarified that stores will not be permanently suspended if they miss this window. I've missed this window myself on a few occasions and have never even been temporarily suspended.
The fifth option would be open your store and work to solve issues as they present themselves, tweaking your settings and working methods as needed to help mitigate future reoccurrences. In my near eight years here I can count issues I've encountered on one hand, and none of them stopped me getting orders or altered my workflow in any drastic way.
Here may be your deal-breaker though - to the best of my knowledge BO does not permit you to have or enforce your own terms and conditions. Most buyers never even visit your home page which is where those stores who still like to post them usually put them.
" but you seem to be unconcerned with trying to shape BO's running of theirs?" - wrong, I'm not trying to do that, I have made a suggestion.
You have your opinion, I have mine. I have my own business to run, indeed as you mentioned within all boundaries and parameters, and therefore I have my conciderations to make. You do not have to understand it all, since you are not running my business. As I am not running yours. Quite simple.
@Hoddie I'm quite surprised by the personal approach/attack you take on me. I am not on you. So please be a bit more friendly, thank you. Keep up the reputation of this site thank you.
I just wondering what triggers the platform/system, to turn a shop into suspend mode?
As you described:
“This is not to say that we suspend every store every time they have a single overdue order”
About the messages:
How does the system knows a message it is overdue? Or how does it know, I must reply?
“Unanswered messages are indicated by a number next to your user profile, and on the store dashboard.”
I got this, because I always reply with Outlook, only if necessary. In my dashboard it says “50 Messages waiting for a response….., So I cleaned up all the messages into the “no response needed” thing.
“Similarly, we do not suspend stores for having messages they took too long to reply to, which are no longer overdue. Stores are only suspended for overdue messages if they have overdue messages.”
What kind of messages are these : having messages they took too long to reply to and no longer overdue?
On the forum it was my first contribution, asking for help. Not knowing the impact with other members. But still I think It was the message thing, that return my shop into suspend. Otherwise I really don’t know. Maybe you can specify a little to all of us?
How is this supposed to protect the reputation of this site? It looks like store suspension without prior notice or communication with the store owner, without solid underling data to show for...
It seems like BrickOwl being unreliable as platform for store owners, building inventory and positive feedback but each day in doubt if or when your store will be closed by some automated program. Doing your normal business and then all at once store closed...
Could you please enlighted or clarify?
For what it's worth, I doubt anyone except the OP or you have an issue with it any longer.
"How does the system knows a message it is overdue? Or how does it know, I must reply?" - Each message has a date & time so if you haven't replied in 48 hours then it's overdue. There is an indicator on each message that tells it whether a reply is needed or not, if it's not needed it won't go overdue.
“Unanswered messages are indicated by a number next to your user profile, and on the store dashboard.” - So you can always see if you have messages that need your attention.
"In my dashboard it says “50 Messages waiting for a response"" - Presumably that's why you got suspended. I'm actually surprised that BO allows it to get that high before suspending a store. So if that's your mistake you know how to stop it happening again.
"What kind of messages are these : having messages they took too long to reply to and no longer overdue?" - Messages that you took longer than 48 hours to reply to, so they were overdue, but you have now replied or marked them as no response needed so now they're not overdue.
I've never replied to a message directly on email, I've always gone through the BO messaging system. So 2 more questions -
@Wereldstenen when you reply to emails directly in Outlook are you replying to the BO generated email address?
Anyone - if you reply directly to an email using the BO generated email address which therefore must go through BO, does that become part of the BO messaging system? Is it listed under your messages in your profile or does it just get sent as a discrete email?
I think it is a very solid system, since all messages are stored here, whether I use Outlook for the responses or directly here.
Your commission from your orders received last month is now overdue. Please pay the overdue commission as soon as possible from your store dashboard.
And ofcourse, I already paid 7 May together with the BL fees.
@Lawrence please help.
@Mrs%20Swoop "when you reply to emails directly in Outlook are you replying to the BO generated email address?"
Yes I do.
""So if that's your mistake you know how to stop it happening again."
I thought it was... as you can read in the first message of this tread.
https://www.brickowl.com/mystore/orders/account
@Lawrence
"
Hello,
The action plan would need to refer to the reason for the suspension which was overdue orders and messages. It is not a requirement to update the “response needed” status on a message so this is not related.
Lawrence James
"
Maybe it turned automatic into suspension, because it reaches the 50 message? (only guessing.)
@Hoddie
The 20 or so back and forth messages between me and Lawrence is quite simple to explane.
I ask him several times for detailed info about the Overdue orders and messages. But he does not want, or can't give me this info. So I can only quess, what it could be. That's why I asked for help in the forum.
The respons is always the same. Asking for an action plan and how the the issues occurred and will prevent in future.
The last mail from me, was send last week, waiting for respons..
About the payment, I think @Lawrence did not checked my account for payment (only guessing.)
payment message now "Commission is now overdue. Payment must be made as soon possible to avoid store suspension."
Well my store is still suspended for 1,5 month now
@patpendlego I agree with this. @Lawrence is the one who can end this disscusion and explain, how automatic systems on his platform works and what I missed. For all of us it's only guessing and hope it will not happen to my shop...
If you had 50 messages outstanding or waiting for a response, and you've now corrected that, sounds like all you need to say is something like "I hadn't realised that I needed to click "mark as no response required" if the message was just a thank-you/etc., but now I know about it I will be better in future."
Regards the commission, it's all automatic - if it says you owe, you owe, the link I posted should confirm your last payment went through.
It's important to note though, you may have to make more than one payment at the 1st - BO fees are one payment. If say one of your affiliates broke the $5 barrier, that is a SECOND, separate payment due. Each affiliate once it hits $5 is a separate payment on the first (these do not concatenate). So even if you paid on June 1st, that may have been for your BO fees only... if one of your affiliates finally broke $5, you have to make a second payment for them. :-)
It's only guessing ...
I already paid 7 May and after that my shop was (is still) suspendend, so no new orders after that.
Thanks, that's super coincidence that the invoices were both at the same time. I didn't know it was different. Just paid the fees every month
Well You have read all the conversation between me and Lawrence.
It's frustrated... but what can I do, if he does not provide me the order id or message id? Or maybe it is the external mailprogram, which cause the problem? And when does the shop goes in suspension? 10, 20 message overdue? 1-2 orders overdue? >50 messages"response needed" I really don't know.