Ordering from BrickLink

Macsrbeast2

I was wondering if BrickLink is a trustworthy, reliable, and safe place for one to shop and sell Legos. Please post your input (pros & cons).

Crackseed

I highly recommend Bricklink. Hell the only con I'd list is that it's addictive, hence why people call it Cracklink. I've ordered hundreds of dollars worth of sets and elements off that site and never had a single concern. I recommend it over eBay to be honest - while you can find some crazy deals on eBay, Bricklink often has sets for same or lower prices and from a much wider selection.

I was hunting for a Space Police SP Striker 1 set and eBay never had any available whereas once I took a peek at Bricklink, I found multiple sets with conditions listed and reasonable prices.

In short - thou shalt love thy bricklink and it will love you back ;)

Enbric

It absolutely is if you know what you're doing.

Pros:
- Ability to buy specific pieces easily and in bulk
- Good prices if you need to buy large amounts of pieces
- Sellers are (usually) AFOLs, who (usually) give the same respect you would to ordered pieces
- Wanted list, price guide, and catalog functions can all be invaluable for collectors
- Sellers are usually happy to refund or make amends if an order is missing a piece or goes awry
- Wide range of payment options
- For sellers: fees are much more reasonable than Ebay
- For sellers: usually pictures are already supplied, no need to take your own
- Ability to tap the international market easily
- The forum

Cons:
- Set prices are usually higher than on Ebay
- Invoice process adds to total transaction time
- Site has a learning curve, somewhat hard to use and some outdated technology
- Shipping is added after order submitted, ie you don't know shipping cost immediately
- For sellers: much more time to upkeep Bricklink store vs Ebay store
- The forum

Bricklink is a phenomenal resource for completing mocs and unfinished sets. I've made a few orders and haven't had any issues. I haven't purchased used pieces, so I can't comment on the general quality of those.

You'll understand what I mean about the forum if you become more familiar with the site.

I highly recommend at least trying it out.

madforLEGO

I have made hundreds of orders, being ripped off once by a seller in Europe, unfortunately..
So I would say stay in your country at first in terms of purchasing... get the feel for it then move to other countries.
Also, try to stick to those sellers who have lots of feedback.. I am hesitant to say that as I am about to start selling but for larger items I would say stick to those who at least have 10 seller feedbacks, just to show you they make good on the items they are advertising...
But like others have said, it is a FABULOUS place for finding that one or two parts missing from your set... Plus it has a wanted list that will notify you of a part you are looking for as well, which has helped me out a bunch...
AS for condition, well they are supposed to note what condition is, and you can always ask the store owner a question if you have them.
I have bought both new and used parts.. and while sometimes the line gets a bit blurred most sellers are quick to fix their issues.. after all they have feedback on BL as well....

dougts

I'm new to BL, but I've thus far bought 4 parts orders from 4 different sellers, and thus far all have arrived quickly and in excellent condition.

I've also been selling whole high-dollar sets (can't part with my parts), almost entirely to Australia, and it sounds like those have been win-wins. I make a few bucks (i am not out to gouge people), and the Aussies get the high value sets for less than they can buy them from LEGO - even with the shipping costs. so far so good...

JRDA0406

I started buying on Bricklink about a month ago. I have made about 20 purchasing transactions and most have been good, however atleast 4 have had pieces missing. 4 have also had parts chewed, off colour, or both. It's important you check off the items recieved against the items ordered. It can be time consuming when the postman arrives with 6+ packages!

bluemoose

I've been buying from Bricklink for a long time (since the 'brickbay' days); I tend to buy from UK sellers if possible, then European, then US/Canadian/RotW in priority order. This is based on my experiences - I've had fewer mail-related issues with the more locally sourced parts. In many dozens of purchases, I don't think I've ever had one that hasn't worked out fine eventually - any problems I've had (missing parts, sub-standard quality, etc.) have been easily resolved by emailing the seller. The only frustrations I've had have been with very long delays in getting the stuff I've ordered - sometimes because the seller can take a week or two to get the items in the post, and sometimes because of very slow postal services (and, in a couple of instances, the packages getting held up in foreign postal workers strikes).

So, in summary - Bricklink itself is great; some Bricklink sellers are better than others, but all (in my experience) come good in the end; postal systems are variable & not to be relied upon if you're in a hurry for parts. Minimise the distance the parts have to travel if you're in a hurry for them. Build up a relationship with a couple of sellers & use them for most of your purchases. The sellers I've grown to use most are people whom I've met in real life, so that helps enormously.

kor

I've been on bricklink for years. Even when I'm not looking to buy something its still one of my favorite sites to kill some time on. The amount of detailed information on there is incredible!

With that being said I tend to stay away from used pieces unless: A) the seller has noted that they are in good condition, B) its a rare part/parts and I just need them.

Hob

ordered some parts the other day one from the US and one from about 4 miles from where i live.

The US one sent same day i paid and the UK one am still waiting for it to be posted.

I wasn't sure about using the service but it's straight forward and liek others have said addictive, seen about 100 parts i would like to order, shame one seller dosen't have the lots so i could order from one person.

Will order more if and when i have the money.

jwsmart

I've never had a problem with a BrickLink seller that wasn't fixed when I complained about it...
The process can take a whole lot of time (I've had a couple of month-long open orders), because this usually isn't the day job for whomever is running the store.
Carefully read the store's terms page, and shipping shouldn't be too much of a surprise.

My first BrickLink expedition was building an SP Striker from parts. It took several weeks, but was quite a bit cheaper then just buying the set.

StuBoy

I've made over 45 purchases on Bricklink, mostly from overseas sellers, and the worst that has happened to me is missing one or two pieces from the order, (and once had pieces in wrong colour!) On all occasions the sellers issued me with generous coupons or discounts to make up for the error. If you look for sellers with positive feedback you will most likely be pretty safe.

Si_UKNZ

I've always avoided Bricklink as it's such an antiquated system and it's never clear how much you'll pay before you commit, which never seemed right to me. Made the big plunge eventually and have made about 30 orders in the last month.

Main good points:
- You can buy pretty much anything
- Ability to part out a set

Main bad points:
- buying stuff is so labour intensive its like a part time job -its an utterly horrible experience.
- because their system is so antiquated you need to design and manage a big excel sheet to track and manage your purchases.
- the feedback system is meaningless, e.g. if a buyer tries to slap hidden charges on you cant give feedback to warn others.
- the system for resolving problems is flawed e.g. above problem where the only way to deal with it was to refer it to an admin who then did nothing despite the seller breaking the law.

Would I use it again? Only if I really really really had to. I'd rather pull teeth.

Legoboy

^ You don't like it then? :o)

JP3804

When I buy on Bricklink, usually sets, I ask for a shipping quote. I have never had a seller deny this and have actually gotten refunds if shipping is less then quoted. When you receive an invoice, if the shipping and handling charges are unreasonable, you can cancel the order. This is a valid reason to cancel an order per their terms and conditions.

andhe

It's much more reliable in quality than ebay (like someone said, as the sellers are AFOLs themselves) and most of the pieces I've bought have been in great condition. On the odd occasion that a damaged part has slipped in, a quick email to the seller has easily resolved it.
Sart small (don't do a massive order), stick to sellers with good feedback and close to home and you should be fine.

The lists etc take time to get used to but I've found the forum and chat room can usually help with any questions about it all.

MCNwakeboard

I've purchased on bricklink and and sold some sets as well and never had any problems. The process is a bit slow going from the purchase to the invoice, but I've never felt like the shipping costs were much more than I expected based on the store shipping policy.

As a seller, I'm fine cancelling orders if the shipping price is more than the buyer wants to pay. I do find it more convenient if the seller asks for a quote first, but the cancellation process is pretty easy.

kor

I also wanted to add that I find the shipping to be much more fair than ebay. Most stores tell you up front that they charge actual shipping plus what any other fees may be. For example: "we charge actual shipping costs plus 1.50 to help cover packing materials, insurance, etc".
I can't tell you the number of times I've paid 25-30 bucks for shipping on ebay only to find out it costs them 12.00 to actually ship it.

Huw

BrickLink member since year 2000 here...

I've bought and sold on BrickLink loads of times and never had any problems with any orders received or placed. Most people there are perfectly reasonable and trustworthy AFOLs.

Collectively, as a community, I don't care much for them, but individually they are fine.

tk79

^^

Collectively, as a community, I don't care much for them, but individually they are fine.

Coming from the viewpoint of a new AFOL with little knowledge of Bricklink .... Interesting statement. Do you mind expounding on that?

Huw

You can read some of the reasons here: http://www.bricksetforum.com/discussion/395/lugnet-is-it-worth-it/p1. Unfortunately (or maybe fortunately) BrickLink deletes discussions over 6 months old so the messages linked to in their forum are not available any more.

Basically, they have no leadership, thus no-one to make decisions, many of them are interested only in making money and not the LEGO community at large. They do not have a grasp on modern web marketing concepts, and cannot see the benefit of sharing their data with others to help drive traffic to the site and keep it as 'the' source for it. All that matters to many is their bottom line and BrickLink's fees.

Rant over :)

Si_UKNZ

^ You don't like it then? :o)

I guess this question just came at the 'wrong' time - I've probably bought about 5000 pieces in a month which is pretty heavy use - for small scale things it's probably fine, but the 'little' things can add up and do your head in.

Also, as others have said, it really depends on the sellers. Most sellers are brilliant, probably more than on eBay - just a few bad apples, but unfortunately it's the bad apples you remember.

eBay is also occasionally problematic, but at least it has proper processes for sorting out problems.

Maybe that's a more balanced way of putting it...
... and yes, I am a grumpy so-and-so this week :)

Istokg

Ugh.... you had to ask... (don't get me started)...

I think what Huw is referring to (and he'll correct me if I'm wrong)... the Bricklink forum is a source of irritation for many. Some people have literally been bullied off of Bricklink by the outspoken-ness of a few. Fortunately they are cracking down on rules and some of the more outspoken folks have been banished altogether (not from selling, but from participating). And often the forum members (mainly sellers) are so concerned with competition elsewhere... that any tie-in (say to Brickset)... is often viewed with suspicion, and a fear that they (sellers) will lose sales if a website that is connected to Bricklink is also connected to Ebay and Amazon. It's as though they think not everyone is aware of the 2 giant sellers... and it may lose them some business... a very myopic viewpoint if you ask me... the proverbial "cutting off your nose to spite your face" scenario.

What is annoying to some on the Bricklink forum is that the site only has about 20% of the posts/threads that are actually LEGO related. But I guess being a buyer/seller marketplace... that should be expected.

And then there's the "Pandora's Box" issue of "image ownership". There are so many images on Bricklink are the same ones on other sites (such as Peeron and Lugnet)... and that since that issue was not addressed on DAY 1 when the sites went online... it becomes nearly impossible to determine who owns which images in any of the assorted websites sets/parts database. I've probably given more images of very old sets and parts many years ago than anyone there... and since I didn't use the "Catalog Request" route... most all of my images say "Admin" under image source. I don't really care if my images are used elsewhere (even for sales).

But some folks there really get their knickers-in-a-twist over that scenario... they feel that they don't want their own images used on other sites, because "it takes away sales".... and some sellers there are very annoyed when they see one of their own images used elsewhere... such as on Ebay. I can somewhat understand that frustration... but it should be tempered with the knowledge that anytime you post something out on the internet... it does go into the public domain... whether you want it to or not. Also, the irony is that a LOT of Bricklink Database images still have the Ebay watermark!! Yes people do feel that in many cases these things are a copyright infringement... and they may be correct. But what can you do? Getting legal help hardly seems worth the trouble (and definitely not the expense).

They also have this silly habit of calling Ebay "Fleabay", "Evilbay" or other derogatory terms... when in fact many of those same people are likely Ebay buyers as well, who get many sets and parts cheaper off of Ebay to resell or part out on Bricklink for a profit.

I am puzzled by a comment made here about their software being so antiquated? I don't see any difference in ordering on Bricklink as say anywhere else (LEGO-Shop-At-Home or Amazon.com?). You buy something... put it in your cart... and buy something else from that store, and when you're done... you "check out".... you receive an invoice in an EMAIL that has the final price plus shipping. There may be some extra fees, but if you check the store Splash page, you shouldn't be surprised by them.

Bricklink also has some special features that allows you to order an entire set by buying individual parts... and it will tell you which stores you can order from that has the parts you need for that set. Now that type of activity could be helpful with an Excel Spreadsheet, but the simple process of buying new or used parts or sets is no more difficult that Amazon.Com or anywhere else. As an IT professional, I don't see how it is any more cumbersome than buying anywhere else, regardless of the date their software was developed? I've buying and selling there since 2004, and there are many advanced features that I have yet to master (for the most part because I don't need to use those enhanced features). So someone please... enlighten me, how is Bricklink more cumbersome than say LEGO Shop-At-Home or Amazon.com?

Istokg

Never mind on my previous question on the "ease of use" problems with Bricklink... if I ordered 5,000 parts (especially from multiple sources).... I can see some issues with the Bricklink system as well! :-)

Huw

You're spot on, Gary...

A parallel could be drawn to Twitter in some regards: Twitter provides many means of displaying its data on all manner of websites and devices which could be argued circumvent visiting the main Twitter site. But they see it as a good thing because it's now the de facto standard 'micro-blogging' site and that's not going to change any time soon. If they discouraged it and closed their doors to external use and innovation, someone else would soon come up with an alternative site that was more open.

This will happen to BrickLink sooner or later, and it's why I try and make Brickset as open as possible.

Si_UKNZ

^ Sounds like a terribly backward looking approach. Shows in their UI too.

^^ Dont get me started on the usability of bricklink :) Put it this way - the buying process on amazon/ ebay/ PaB is .. find item --> see all costs --> make informed buying decision. Because bricklink is so opaque regarding costs, and the process is so convoluted, it's hard to make buying decisions; some of the buyers have such hard to understand rules - get this one for example:

==
Postage & packaging is charged at actual cost and we ship daily.
£1 small order surcharge will be added to all orders of less than £5.

Lot Limits / Handling Charges:

Maintain 1 lot per £1 order value to avoid all handling charges.
ie: Average lot value should be £1 or greater.

If the average lot value falls below £1 per lot, a handling charge will be applied to bring the average lot value back up to £1.

Handling charge formula is: (number of lots x £1) minus (order value).

See table below for fully illustrated examples:

No of Lots / Ordered / Order Value / Handling Charge
[etc etc, table wouldnt paste properly]

Need some assistance? Click here to view the New User Tutorial.
==
So this shop has Ts & Cs which are so convoluted they need a tutorial!!

Add to this the fact that 3 different currencies are used (if youre lucky), that everyone seems to use a different exchange rate, and that you need to read the whole splash page of every store to look for small print and hidden costs and it all adds up to a user experience nightmare.

Istokg

Thanks Huw!

And FYI... once I've finished the Volume II LEGO CD (a combined 1949-80 and 1980-90s sets/parts collectors guide)... I'd like to help get the Brickset set database/images back to before 1965... all the way back to Day 1.... 1949.

This is... if you would want that... :-)

I have been helping the Fantasia folks with going back to 1949 on the 2nd Edition of their guide (the 1st Edition only goes back to 1958) The TLG archives are woefully lacking in early Automatic Binding Brick and LEGO Mursten set information... and they sent the Fantasia folks to me... LOL.

IMHO... I think that the TLG archives were kept deliberatly clear of early LEGO brick info 60 years ago... (ditto for the lack of early LEGO set collections in the Vault) in case British toymaker Hilary Page (of Kiddicraft fame) sent his lawyers a knocking at the door in Billund over copyright enfringements. But Hilary died in 1957, never knowing what was going on in Billund.

Istokg

Si.... yes... unless you're familiar "with the fine print" of the Splash page of the LEGO store... there will be issues. And all of the ones you have just mentioned, I cannot disagree with.

It's the little surprises that will kick you in the butt.

However, in all fairness... as a seller as well as buyer... sometimes you really don't know the final shipping charges (unlike Amazon that has everything already determined)... and there have been more than a few times as a seller that I've had to eat additional shipping charges, because my estimate was off. I bet that some stores add fees just to cover that scenario. But my store uses no extra fees.

And yes... currency conversion is an issue...

kor

I guess I'm glad I've never been on the forums there. Sounds less that ideal. I'm not a "forum" kind of person in most cases. In fact, this is the most active I've ever been on one. I never realized there were so many "behind the scene" kind of issues on bricklink...

Huw

^^^ Yes please Gary. I'm way out of my depth beyond 1969 or so, so any help will be most welcome.

Si_UKNZ

^^^ At the risk of hijacking this thread, Ive decided to post my bricklink saga seperately - not exactly fun reading, but it does explain why Im so fed up with it right now ..
http://www.bricksetforum.com/discussion/790/my-bricklink-saga-pain-opinions-welcomed.

Anyway, the rest of the discussion here is more interesting, sorry to interrupt :)

bahnstormer

The only thing I would add to this thread is always use a credit card when paying via paypal and if anything goes wrong contact the Card Company - NEVER use paypal's trust and safety, even for Ebay transactions.

There is no real buyer protection and in some cases they charge you for the investigation, the card company will get you your cash back for free.

Istokg

Speaking of Bricklink... has anyone tried getting in.... in the last hour or so?

I cannot access the site...??? It's 8:20 PM USA Eastern Standard Time.

Martin

I suspect Northstar are having some issues. There are other Northstar-hosted sites I can't get to as well.

Istokg

Thanks Martin!!

drdavewatford

^^ Might explain why both Brickset.com and Brickish.org seemed to be down earlier; I can now access Brickset, but still can't get onto Brickish. Both are Northstar hosted, non?

Martin

Yes, they are.

Istokg

I was able to get into the Bricklink forum for a few minutes.... and boy is the proverbial "poop going to hit the fan" when everyone gets back online. Apparently someone posted to an online consumer complaint site (yesterday) that... among many lies... that Bricklink buys valuable LEGO sets worth many hundreds and thousands of dollars from Children and gives them in return crappy used LEGO. They also mention the Admins (Troy and Eric) and also mention that Foster Ben Shoi had been expelled from the site for trying to expose the deception... and the person who filed the extensive complaint (with Troy's Avatar showing up as a picture)... goes by the name "ONTARIOBRICKS" supposedly from Ontario California. But ironically some of Fosters biggest supporters are... you guessed it... from Ontario Canada.

Get your popcorn ready... this may get interesting... ops... they're back online...
and here's the complaint...
http://www.ripoffreport.com/toy-stores/bricklink/bricklink-bricklink-com-troy-5a35b.htm

Yellowcastle

That has to be the trashiest site I have ever seen.

madforLEGO

I've been on bricklink for years. Even when I'm not looking to buy something its still one of my favorite sites to kill some time on. The amount of detailed information on there is incredible!

With that being said I tend to stay away from used pieces unless: A) the seller has noted that they are in good condition, B) its a rare part/parts and I just need them.

Agreed.. Great place to browse, and also find some parts I did not think Id find... I had to stop though cause I found myself buying too many parts when just browsing...lol

MCNwakeboard

That is a funny complaint. From the nature of the website and other reviews I read, I would not lend it much credibility. How is Bricklink forcing children to part with pounds and pounds of Lego at rock-bottom prices? and how did I not get in on any of those deals?

Istokg

That is a funny complaint. From the nature of the website and other reviews I read, I would not lend it much credibility. How is Bricklink forcing children to part with pounds and pounds of Lego at rock-bottom prices? and how did I not get in on any of those deals?

I guess we must not know the right children??

It's this pettiness and constant bickering (reminds me of the Bley Wars on LUGNET back in 03 and 04) that has me getting more turned off to posting there...

madforLEGO

The only thing I would add to this thread is always use a credit card when paying via paypal and if anything goes wrong contact the Card Company - NEVER use paypal's trust and safety, even for Ebay transactions.

There is no real buyer protection and in some cases they charge you for the investigation, the card company will get you your cash back for free.

I'm not so sure I buy that complaint about eBay.. I have had Paypal freeze funds on me (as a seller) because someone tried to rip me off and say they never got an item.. too bad I had proof in the form of a Delivery Confirmation from USPS that showed I did send, and they received, the item.. If anything I do not like Paypal just holding funds forever to investigate when I had provided a valid Delivery conf number...

madforLEGO

I was able to get into the Bricklink forum for a few minutes.... and boy is the proverbial "poop going to hit the fan" when everyone gets back online. Apparently someone posted to an online consumer complaint site (yesterday) that... among many lies... that Bricklink buys valuable LEGO sets worth many hundreds and thousands of dollars from Children and gives them in return crappy used LEGO. They also mention the Admins (Troy and Eric) and also mention that Foster Ben Shoi had been expelled from the site for trying to expose the deception... and the person who filed the extensive complaint (with Troy's Avatar showing up as a picture)... goes by the name "ONTARIOBRICKS" supposedly from Ontario California. But ironically some of Fosters biggest supporters are... you guessed it... from Ontario Canada.

Get your popcorn ready... this may get interesting... ops... they're back online...
and here's the complaint...
http://www.ripoffreport.com/toy-stores/bricklink/bricklink-bricklink-com-troy-5a35b.htm

Just guessing this could be ONE seller on BL doing this.. or an outright lie which means someone is getting charged with Slander (or is in libel)?

NicksBricks

Libel

aplbomr79

Aside from the 'Forum', Bricklink is a great site. I have had only one instance of trouble - and it was because I did not read the seller's 'shipping terms' before ordering (He wanted $15.00 to send set 7990). It ended with a bad mark for both of us. This transaction turned me off of BL for a while.

I have placed numerous orders in the last month, all of which were what I expected and now I think that I am addicted. Is there a support group for BL addicts? I think I need one!! ;)

Martin

There are defintely two sides to Bricklink; the friendly sellers who provide a great service by allowing us to buy what we're looking for (parts, sets, instructions, whatever) and then there's the forum, chat room and the incredible politics of the organisation that is behind Bricklink (including mod, admins, etc), not to mention the rivalry between stores etc.

This does look like a smear campaign, but I'm with Gary. I'll get some popcorn and watch the show unfold. It could be the best pantomime we've seen in ages!

Hob

Well i have just received my order from the UK and it's perfect no complaints. So just awaiting the US order.

Haven't used the forum side of it yet and prob wont. I will contiue to order parts as and when i need to.

I just reminded myself i need some parts to complete my Red Barron plane, off i go to look for parts.

drdavewatford

Not sure I can add much to the discussion other than to say that I've always received first class service from Bricklink sellers regardless of whether they're based in the US. UK, Germany, Italy, Czech Republic, Hong Kong or France (and yes, I've bought from sellers in all those countries and more). The attitude of a small but extremely vocal part of the Bricklink community stinks to high heaven - too greedy to see beyond the end of their stupid noses - but aside from that Bricklink provides a unique and extremely valuable service to the LEGO community.

And for anyone who's concerned about using Bricklink because of the "ripoffreport" above, don't be. The person who wrote it appears to know absolutely nothing whatsoever about how Bricklink works at all - their "report" is riddled with basic errors and nonsense, and can be safely ignored.

PS. I've never sold on Bricklink and have no intention of starting to do so, in case anyone's wondering....

bahnstormer

re paypal - i wouldnt put much faith in DC as it is not the same as signed for. essentially USPS left it on the porch, no signature so the buyer can say he didnt receive and you would lose out if he pushed it. Army buddy of mine got stung on that one recently.

from a buyer perspective I know a couple of other guys in the diecast community who lost out when a false tracking number was supplied by a non-ebay seller - paypal let him keep the cash despite the tracking number showing on usps that it was delivered to a different state. This would not have happened if they had gone to the card company first.

on the bricklink front, was thinking about setting up a bricklink shop but looking at the amount of time it takes to inventory a set and then find the missing parts as a buyer, it looks like way too much work for the level of return. whilst I am grateful to the sellers who have had the parts available, there cant be much more than €5 per deal on average in profit on parts which barely covers the time to locate and package them.

the 3% fees are pretty inviting if you plan to sell figs/sets but imho i'd rather wear the 9% on ebay knowing that there is a far wider market available to sell to which gives a better opportunity to turnover the stock more quickly.

Stormsworder

I started using Bricklink after I finally gave up on Ebay. Not only is Ebay full of villains (I have had to write off thousands over the years, and they do nothing about online fraud), but ebay's latest wheeze is forcing you to charge 40% more for Buy It Now than for the starting bid. So you either have to have a ridiculously low starting bid and hope you get more than one bid or you have to have a ludicrously extortionate Buy It Now.

mkoesel

That (apparently fraudulent) bricklink complaint is hilarious. That site is far from perfect, but the claims being made don't even make sense. How are these kids supposedly shipping all of their Lego bricks out by themselves? Come now. It is almost as if someone wrote this whole thing up as an attempt at humor, perhaps as a satirical message intended to poke fun at the netizens of Bricklink (or the internet at large, for that matter) for taking themselves a mite too seriously.