New Option - Show Only One Match Per Seller?

Mark Rosenberg

Over the past few days, I've had a few comments / feedback regarding sellers who list multiple copies of the same stamp. It's generally accepted that for more expensive stamps, you need to see the exact image of the exact item you will receive - since condition matters. However, for lower priced items, some buyers would prefer to not see multiple copies of the same stamp per seller. Likewise, to some sellers this is very important, and I would agree that price is really relative. If you collect items which happen to be lower in price - does it really mean you care any less about their condition than a seller who collects more expensive items?

Philosophy aside, one of the ideas behind HipStamp is that our browse and search experience can be flexible enough to meet any collectors needs. With that in mind, I had an idea, which was fairly easy to implement, for an option to Show Only "One Match Per Seller". You can find this option once you search, on the left hand side under the "Show Only" filter.

Curious to hear everyone's thoughts on this.

Note this is separate from multiple copies of the same exact item - which is not allowed.

PS: An example:

United States 230:
https://www.hipstamp.com/search?keywords=United+States+#230&parent_id=12

United States 230 (One Match Per Seller):
https://www.hipstamp.com/search?keywords=United+States+#230&parent_id=12&show_only[]=one_match_per_seller

Rod Tilyard

Nice idea Mark. My preference would be for it to be sticky for the session, or as an account option. Maybe it's me, but I prefer NEVER to see more than 1, so for the setting to keep flipping off will irritate me after a while.

Mark Rosenberg

Just added a "One Per Seller / Catalog" option as well. (which may be a little slow for larger searches)

Thanks. What I would like to do is at some point make most (reasonable) search options sticky per account settings. I'll add that to the to-do list.

Les Saulsbury

I like this idea. Could this be expanded to separate out different formats (Single, plate block, etc.) from each seller and condition (mint, used) as well? Also, if you could see the number of items each seller has with each item, this would give the buyer a better idea of what listing to click on.

Wayne Buza

The problem I see with this is that it makes the assumption that buyers are not interested in centering on inexpensive stamps. So as long as there is an option to see all the listings a given seller might have that is fine. I would not like to be forced to only see one of some common recent stamp where I want one for my collection and do not want to buy a roll of 500 to get one or two.

John Armstrong

The way I read this Wayne, is that it is the buyer who sets the option, either for one sale or as a default when they buy. It sounds like a great idea to me. Sometimes, I want to see all the options but sometimes having fifty available from one seller gets to be a bit much. Let the buyer choose and everybody should be happy.

Mark Rosenberg

Yes that's correct - it's an option that the buyer can select.

Wayne Buza

Oh good. I hoped that was the case.

Ted Tyszka

>Just added a "One Per Seller / Catalog" option as well.

I don't see this option available. Where should I be looking?

Ted Tyszka

Oh, I see now. It is only available in a site-wide search. Not for a search within a specific store.

Ted

Ted Tyszka

When the "One match per seller" results are shown, does the system show the newest listed example from that seller? If so, I would want to ensure that, where I have multiple copies of varying quality, I list the copies in order, from poorest to best, in my upload file.

Ted

Mark Rosenberg

At the moment, it's likely the newest item - but we're planning to update the default sort order in general to take into account various different pieces of information.

Henry Brooks

As long as the default is to "show all" it is fine. An example would be a general search for "US 65" where one of the dealers (not me) has several different fancy cancels and only one would show up. I do see the same problem Ted sees with condition. I try to limit to 2 or 3 copies (VF, FVF, and F for example). Sometimes a customer will buy two copies of the same stamp - one for centering and one for cancel. No problem as long as it requires a conscious decision on the part of the buyer but I would hate to see it as the default.

Paul Cook

I think as an option it will be a good thing. Then once in a specific store a person can see all the copies a seller has. However is there a way to have a flag of say, 25 other examples from this dealer. Or a message saying this is only 1 example-this dealer has 25 other copies. That way someone can look in the store at the other copies. I personally know some people collect the positions from booklet panes, and want all 4 corners. also positions on plate # singles and blocks. Not to mention machine cancels on cheap stamps. Then there are some sales were a father and son were both buying or something and 2-3 copies were purchased. I just had a sale on this site that involved 20 copies of #220 U.S. at about .10 each.
As an option it will be a good thing, but a flag would help showing Quantity.
Paul

Mark Rosenberg

Paul,

That's a great idea! Done:

https://www.hipstamp.com/search?keywords=US+65&parent_id=0&show_only[]=one_per_seller_catalog