Toys and Bricks

Huw

I don't know if it's good form to discuss rival websites but I'll do so anyway...

What on earth is going on at Toys and Bricks? There now seems to be two sites, http://www.toysnbricks.com and http://www.toysandbricks.com, both of which look identical but which, apparently, are going to have different news articles. Where is the logic in that? I think visitors are going to be well confused and probably not notice the different URL which, it seems, will be the only differentiator.

Albert used to to a good job over at TnB but now, it seems, he's 'sold out' to advertising and it's hard to see the content for the ads. That's something that'll NEVER happen to Brickset.

Does anyone use use/like the site?

atkinsar

That does indeed seem like a very strange solution to a problem he is having with displaying too much sales related news on the main site. Would it not have been better just to categorise the content better??

My use of the site is restricted to receiving RSS feeds from the site, so it's quite rare that I actually visit it.

jwsmart

It's been part of my rotation for a while - but I don't see how making two separate sites is going to make it easier for anyone to find or use information.

I mean, he's got a nav bar for categories right on top...

JP3804

@ Huw I agree, More sites more advertising. When I came out of my dark ages, about 1.5 years ago,there was little or no advertising on Toys n Bricks. I take a quick glance to check for sales then come home, BRICKSET. Great work guys :-) Keep it up!

MCNwakeboard

It appears they are trying to have one site focused on Sales & Deals, while the other is going to look at Lego News & Reviews.

I do stop by once in a while to see what front page deals have been posted and while I agree there are a lot of advertisements on the site, but it is an good way to see what is on discount at amazon and other sites. For example, I was unaware the B1G1 half off at Target was operating online until I went to see the new site.

I don't mind the site trying to operate for a profit because I appreciate the service they provide. I do enjoy the clean interface at Brickset and try to always go through Brickset ad links to the Lego site when I am making a purchase there because of it.

Yellowcastle

^ The BOGO offers at target didn't appear online for me nor did it generate when I took two sets all the way to checkout...

MCNwakeboard

Not sure why it isn't working for you. See screen shot below. It also appears you can use a $5 off $50 purchase by using code "I77QSLJ2" There isn't free shipping, so that eats a lot of the discount.

Back on topic. One of the things I like most about Brickset is the ease of navigation and the search function works well. This is the first place I look if I ever need to find set information.

Huw

Possibly the problem might be that he's using an off the shelf CMS system (wordpress) but without the skills to extend and enhance it to provide better filtering/categorisation or whatever he's hoping to achieve.

I can't see people going to the 'n' site AND the 'and' site, can you?

^^^, I don't mind sites trying to operate for a profit either, but IMO it has to be done without alienating your visitors: TnB has not succeeded in that regard.

mkoesel

It never ceases to amaze me what some folks consider good partitioning schemes. Oh well, not everyone can be an engineer.

I am looking forward to the other sister sites though:

www.bothtoysandbricks.com
www.toyswithbricks.com
www.toysnbricksnthings.com
www.toysbricksandtoybricks.com

Yellowcastle

That's funny

Halberd777

^^ mkoesel that is funny and honestly I think the whole Idea is ridiculous. I like to check for different things on websites. I use ToysBricks for deal but would check out all the news they put out. now I have to check another website for lego news from them what is really the difference anyways from some sales to new. OH well Brickset stay sexy and don't sell out. I have a feeling somehow that is related to it. I am all for having a professional site that is based off money to support it but it seems that always complicates matters. Once again brickset stay sexy you might be a shiny gem as this toysbricks things splits and then dissolves (a little prediction that hopefully does not happen).

Si_UKNZ

The whole operation seems a little confused to me.
The people in this thread have probably already put more thought into what they're trying to achieve than they ever have.

legohair

I found Toys N Bricks before Brickset but didn't get on with it. The UI feels dated, I never got the site structure, there are different banner logos for different parts of it, and too much advertising. This new move of theirs seems only to have confused things more... Like atkinsar, I use it for an RSS feed, so I've now added the second site's feed to my reader in the same way. For me, this continues to confirm Brickset as the place to be. This is helped by the Brickset forum being about as new/old as I am as a just-post-dark-ages AFOL. I feel part of something here rather than a visitor, which is how I feel on TnB!

Fizzlemesexy

I found that site here, and was a little upset when they announced the split. I only went there for their sales and deals coverage and reluctantly made a user name to read the forum. I was not too thrilled I had to join TO JUST READ the boards for any additional deals that may not of headlined.

I am glad you won't change this site in that direction. I am also glad that you don't HAVE to register for these message boards to read them either. As long as they don't have toysnbricks.target.com toysnbricks.walmart.com etc, I'll still visit for the sales.