Admin... PLEASE do something about multiple identical listings

Thor

Admin... could you PLEASE do something to prohibit or discourage multiple identical listings? Perhaps automatically combine those listings into one lot or show only the largest lot for any one seller in the search results.

I am seeing more and more of these multiple identical listings from the same few sellers here on BO and BL. Take, for example, this item in new condition:

http://brickowl.com/catalog/lego-yellow-brick-1-x-4-with-4-studs-on-1-side-30414

One seller has 66 of these parts listed in 4 lots at the exact same price and minimum purchase quantity. Why????? It makes no sense. It also is unfair to other sellers who want to appear near the top of the search. Listings at the top of the search results is PRIME REAL ESTATE that should not be monopolized by one seller. I don't have to have the cheapest price, but when I see these multiple identical listings I am forced to price my goods lower than I want just so I can appear NEAR (not AT) the top of the search results. Although this example shows "only" 4 identical listings from the same seller, I have come across listings where the same seller has a DOZEN or more of these identical listings for the same item. I wonder how others would feel if more and more sellers started doing this? Or if a seller made 20 identical listings so only they would appear on the first page of search results. In addition to this being grossly unfair to other sellers, it is confusing to and disliked by many buyers, and it needlessly clutters up the catalog. It also makes it less likely your listings will make it on wanted or wish lists. For example, if I want 50 of one part, listing 4 lots of the same part in quantities of 14, 12, 27 and 33 will NOT notify me.

I know some sellers justify these listings by saying they need to list separate lots because they store different quantities of the same item in different locations. I am sorry, but that does not give you the right to hog or monopolize the search results, confuse buyers or clutter up the catalog. Either get better organized or use the remarks box with each listing to make notes to yourself where everything is stored. The search results belong to ALL sellers and buyers; not just you. Please show some courtesy and consideration.

Sorry for my rant, but this has long been one of my biggest pet peeves on BL. Such needless duplication just reeks of disorganization and lack of consideration for others.

My apologies also to Jason. He is an excellent seller and one of my personal favorites. It is just that this one thing bugs the heck out of me. He did not used to do this and only started recently. However, regardless of who does it, these multiple identical listings really are quite unnecessary and are, in fact, detrimental to one's business. Other sellers AND buyers have told me several times that they will least favorite sellers who habitually do this.

OK, rant over... for now.

Thor

theHellmouth

I hunt these duplicate lots down in my own inventory but it takes time. They come from first syncing with BrickLink and then later on adding new inventory, because the synced bricklink lot has a bricklink id on it, new inventory is added in a new lot. But I agree multiple lots should be shown as one in search results. It is not something that could be implemented? Let seller who want to define multiple lots for whatever reason they feel like, be allowed to do so, but let buyers enjoy one search result and only one listing?

Thor

I am not sure these multiple identical listings are caused by syncing with BL and later adding new inventory. Because if that were true these listings would show with a lot more sellers. But they don't. There are only a few sellers who have almost all of these multiple identical listings.

Here are some more examples I found during only the past 10-15 minutes (limit your search results to new/US sellers):

http://brickowl.com/catalog/lego-dark-brown-container-barrel-2-x-2-x-2-2489

http://brickowl.com/catalog/lego-transparent-red-cone-1-x-1-with-top-groove-64288

http://brickowl.com/catalog/lego-dark-red-brick-1-x-1-x-5-2453

http://brickowl.com/catalog/lego-red-cone-1-x-1-with-top-groove-59900

http://brickowl.com/catalog/lego-dark-purple-window-1-x-4-x-3-train-with-shutter-holes-and-solid-studs-on-ends-6556

http://brickowl.com/catalog/lego-green-plant-brick-round-1-x-1-with-3-bamboo-leaves-30176

Again, I don't mean to pick on one seller (who is one of the best there is), but this is just what I found after some quick searching.

Thor

bluedragon

the Hellmouth is right- I had the same problem. Every lot imported from BL has a lot number attached. If you subsequently import using a brickstore file, even if the merge option is selected, a new lot will be created for any parts that had previously been imported from BL.

The way I solved the problem was by not using the sync feature and manually hunting and merging every duplicated lot. It took a while but I think I eradicated them. Of course my store is considerably smaller than some of the others with multiple lots!

Thor

Thanks for the input. And thank you for making the time and effort to consolidate your lots!

So then, if there is a technical reason for this then it should be a simple matter for Admin to correct?

Thor

DadsAfol

For the record, I would prefer not to have these visible either. But there are some constraints in the BL inventory system that necessitate it for my cost accounting needs.

I posted this suggestion which might help... http://forum.brickowl.com/discussion/comment/1809#Comment_1809

and I also posted a suggestion about allowing BL syncers to choose what to do with their "comments" fields which would present some solutions.
http://forum.brickowl.com/discussion/298

Thor

Would these cost restraints involve having slightly different costs for each of these multiple identical listings? If so, may I suggest cost averaging when you consolidate these lots. For example, if you have 40 white 2x4 bricks with a cost of 8 cents each and 60 white bricks with a cost of 7 cents each, the combined 100 brick lot would have an average cost of 7.4 cents each.

As for your two suggestions, I like them. But I don't see how they relate to or resolve the problem of having multiple identical listings. And since most sellers here are also BL sellers, I don't see why they don't have the same cost restraints and accounting issues that you do.

Jason, I don't mean to get down on you. You are an excellent seller with an excellent store. But I don't see why your problems or constraints are any different than the vast majority of all us other sellers who do NOT have these multiple identical listings. Surely you understand how unfair it is for you or any other seller to monopolize and clutter the top search results with unnecessary and confusing multiple identical listings. So I am respectfully asking that YOU do something about them. Please. Thank you.

Thor

Lawrence

I've added this to the list, I will probably do some kind of either "merging them" on the buy tab, or maybe only showing the first one if they are all the same. I will consider it carefully and discuss it here before I do anything though.

Graham

I would REALLY like to see identical lots merged automatically, I have yet to figure out how multiples occur, as I always select the import options that will (should) merge them. I am not a big store, and to have lots split means that I may quite possibly fall off someone's wanted list due to showing a smaller qty than I actually have.
Also it has caused me to update quantities erroneously - go and pick something - find I have more remaining than shows - apply correction - NOT good.

I can see NO good reason to even allow it, other than lesser quality (then sell as used - that's what I do anyway) OR different bulk pricing.

I DO see how big stores may like it, from what you said, pushes the smaller stores down the listings [..]
... Graham