Shipping - Minifigs

fitbricks

I have noticed of late that many of the minifigs (but not all) quote a shipping option well above what I'd expect.
Most are giving the option of small parcel. Though it wasn't a problem until recently, I've had a brief look at my shipping sizing and can't fathom out what is wrong? A more expert eye is needed if anyone is willing?
I took a look at the minifig body parts dimensions - Legs, Torso, head and wig / hair / hat and all, if unconnected, will fit in my smallest shipping option.
Thanks in advance and sorry if I've overlooked the obvious.

leopard37

I have noticed the same, do any of them have one piece with missing data? eg. a helmet

robernat

@waynstar You're probably in best position to check your own store yourself (as you can see which figs/items might have missing dimensions), you can simulate a cart and switch countries: try to recreate the buyers cart with the 'odd' item and go check the shipping options. I did a small test in your store and noticed on a fig with a large transclear helmet, that you don't have any shipping methods leading to 'small package' to USA and Canada (just tested those ones as they are the more frequent possible shoppers), so either you're settings ain't right for small packages or you missed setting it up for certain countries. It did work for Belgium with another fig and had like 4 options (padded mail, small package and the 'tracked' version of those), but not for NA (request quote). With figs with no dimensions, I only had 1 option (small package) for Belgium not the 'tracked' option, so you might have an issue with some of your settings, on top of unknown dimensions for figs.
Best would be going over you're own inventory to fill missing dimension data, lot's of figs can be calculated without building them (if you prefer leaving them unbuilt) or in worst case you can file a standard 'shipping dimension' for the figs.

robernat

Sidenote: people seem to forget the size (or weight for that matter) of a minifig doesn't change if the color of the hair (or headgear), or the decoration of the torso and/or legs differs. If you messure 1 fig, you can add the dimensions/weight of several (or dozens of) figs who are composed 'identically', and you don't actually have to measure it, you can check the older ones in the same composition to know dimensions and weights. example: henry (boid 421033) has the same composition as Joachim Löw (BOID 99764 ) for which I provided dimensions and weight, so just copy it to Henry, takes 30 secondes, and you can quickly go over all figs with hair 15500...

fitbricks

Hi @robernat.
Thanks for having a look.
"try to recreate the buyers cart with the 'odd' item and go check the shipping options."
That's how I realised there were issues and I totally put it down to my shipping options and item dimensions or even a combi of both. I see it's common in other stores too.
Looks like I'll have to put aside some time to fully investigate my shipping size / weight options and double check minifig body parts and any included accessories.
Those I've looked at so far (from a UK perspective) still leave me in the dark because they clearly fit within my smallest package option. That said, I've only checked a few and I didn't keep any notes as I knew I'd have more detailed work to do here.

"you don't have any shipping methods leading to 'small package' to USA and Canada..."
There is a Large Letter shipping option to World Zones 1 & 2.
Royal Mail International Standard (LL) World Zone 1 and the same for WZ2.
This should encompass the USA, Canada, Australia, Japan and so on. In fact I've already used it for Australia, New Zealand, Canada & USA. I think the minimum thickness of 18mm might be the prob and I'll risk changing it to 20mm to see if it has the desired effect. 25mm is the max external dimensions permitted for package height by RM Large Letter but obviously I have to allow for the external dimensions of any packaging materials.

Well, many thanks for your help - a bit to check and do as a result.
Happy New Year by the way!

robernat

> @waynstar said:
I think the minimum thickness of 18mm might be the prob and I'll risk changing it to 20mm to see if it has the desired effect. 25mm is the max external dimensions permitted for package height by RM Large Letter but obviously I have to allow for the external dimensions of any packaging materials.
>
Minimum? You mean maximum I assume?
I've always used 3mm less then allowed size, so in you're case 22mm might even do.
Bubblewrap mailers tends to be no thicker then 3mm when they are around parts.
Funny RM uses a 25mm limit (Canada 20mm), the international standard is 30mm, it means you cannot ship a 30mm letter to UK (regardless whether padded mailer or box) yet I ship those to UK (or canada for that matter) all the time and your postmen need to deliver them just as well, pretty dumb RM rule if you ask me.

robernat

> @waynstar said:
> There is a Large Letter shipping option to World Zones 1 & 2.

Yes, those showed up on 'smaller' figs, but soon a fig is oversized, or doesn't have dimensions (so automaticly 'oversized' by BO) I saw no 'small package' option for those countries (the option did show up for Belgium and a few other EU countries I tried), so the only remaining option was 'quote request' when I selected the jellyfish fig in your store. So technicly you don't have a 'small package' option outside of the EU (so neither 'rest of Europe' neither world zones 1 and 2), but those are crucial when figs have missing dimensions > it's easier to refund if you manage to get it in the letter format compared to answering quote requests all the time.

Lawrence

@Robernat I forgot about your trick of copying dimensions from similar Minifigures, I've now automated that. There is now a system that checks for similar Minifigure with dimensions, and averages the dimensions of those figures, and then submits them as a submission. I will run it in batches as it takes a while to sanity check hundreds of dimensions though. Thank you for the idea, that's done about 1200 already.

leopard37

@Lawrence Could you post when your done your batches, that was going to be my next project, I'll start in a different category than minifigs, but it would be helpful to know when your done to catch the stragglers.

Thanks, Tyson.

Lawrence

Sure, I'll keep a note of this

robernat

@lawrence Now that's just awesome and will be a huge time saver on standard minifig combinations and will certainly improve autocheckout on many. Thanks! Great start of the year :-)

Lawrence

Thank you. The process is finished, it got 4700 down to 2700 ish, it will take another 24-hours for the missing data to update here https://www.brickowl.com/search/catalog?query=lego&show_missing=1&missing_data=12&cat=2&order=bestselling&page=1

fitbricks

@robernat.

In relation to the small packet options (internationally), they have been set up and used. But like you pointed out, there were some missing dimensions. In some cases it was the assembled minifigure and in other cases - possibly - it may have been a part within the minifig inventory that was missing data.
One example would be, "Ham Minifigure" (BOID: 88382). Turns out the hat (uncoloured) was missing dimensions.
Submitted dimensions for a couple of other minifigure parts for the same reason as well as submitting whole minifigure dimensions where they were missing.
Did all that before I read Lawrence's comments above.

Only thing is, I hate wasting anyone's time by making silly mistakes with submissions, but I must admit, I do get confused at times with the process and occasionally screw up, as Lawrence will testify.
That said, it is better to tackle the learning curve than to ignore it and run away.

Lawrence

Just to clarify, the shipping system for minifigures is based on the dimensions entered for the minifigure itself, as opposed for it component parts. Even if its inventory has no data, aslong as the minifigure has weight and dimensions entered it will be fine.