Getting Started on BrickLink

aldredd

I hope this is allowed (did try and find the forum rules to refresh myself, but couldn't find them), but I recently wrote an article on getting started as a buyer on BrickLink.
I know most people on here will be more than familiar, but sure there will be others who are new to Lego, and are daunted by BrickLink (as I was when I started using it) and would benefit from a few pointers.
It's by no means definitive, but is fairly detailed step-by-step guide for the first time user.
wp.me/p3I6DS-7n

Hope it's ok to post this, and that it helps someone!

Huw

It's perfectly fine to talk about and link to BrickLink here.

That looks like a useful guide!

DanGP

As someone who's toyed with using BrickLink but has never quite gotten around to it due in part to the structure of the website this guide could be the thing that finally gets me started. I thank you @aldredd‌ but my wallet probably won't.

graphite

Something you may want to add as a "tip" in the finding a part section is to add a "*" after the part number when searching. A good example for the reasoning is part 4085. If you search "4085" you get the undetermined part type which wont have much for sale but if you search "4085*" you get the a b c d variants which if you just need a clip and don't care which you then have more options. It also helps for finding the printed parts of a particular part type like a slope like 3298. Searching "3298*" shows all the printed ones.

Canuck26

@graphite - I have been using BrickLink for several years now and never knew about adding the "*" to a search. Thanks for the tip. That is useful information.

RevBlues

That's helpful - thanks. BrickLink isn't daunting to the uninitiated, it's downright intimidating. A UI from about 1998 doesn't help. I haven't taken the plunge yet, but am preparing to dip a toe into the water soon as there are at least 20 parts I need in order to build some MOCs and motorise my modified #79111 (the LR team has been given redundancy notices and the set converted to a Winter Village railway).

aldredd

Thanks for the feedback guys - it's appreciated.
@graphite‌ - good tip. I wanted to keep it fairly 'basics' to begin with, but I think there's certainly space to back and add some useful tips where appropriate, thanks!

CCC

There are of course different strategies, depending on what you want. If I want a part not many people sell, then I tend to find the cheapest and fill up on their other good value parts that might be useful in future, rather than needed now. Especially if you are paying for a parcel, you might as well fill it up.