3rd Party Parts Records for Figures

[shmax]

I was hoping that one of our data mavens would come to the rescue, but since they are apparently all trapped under something heavy, my suggestion, for now, is to just snap the hell out of everything. Upload all the photos of the individual boxes to the main product record, but don't make part records for them (I believe current shmax.com policy considers them to be part of the packaging).

Because the small box is sold individually, I would probably handle the small box and large box as separate "products", but mention in the comments for both records that one was sold with the other. At some point down the line we may work out some more graceful system for representing products that are so tightly linked. And, just to be safe, do a photo of both boxes together and upload it to both records, again with a caption explaining the dealio.

[Tripredacus]

Hey this comes back to my (apparently) multiple requests to add packages to records as parts. How does this differentiate from wanting to add the boxes, bubbles or foams in records? I had brought up my owning of boxes for TFs but nothing else as an example. It may make sense for this particular toy, since you didn't buy the boxes or inserts separately.

[engledogg]

I would treat both boxes as one product record as that's how they're presented when you order the item. 

From what I gather, each of the components are available individually:

http://shmax.com/product_details/9530/pe_05_ejector
http://shmax.com/product_details/9531/pe_06_rewinder
http://shmax.com/product_details/9532/pe_07_the_sun
http://shmax.com/product_details/9533/pe_08_the_night
http://shmax.com/product_details/9542/px_03_backpack

Each having their own boxes.

So, with this Ultimate Form set, the first 4 are put into (each in their unchanged box from the individual releases) a larger box, a box exclusive to this set.  The backpack is also included as part of this set (in its own unchanged separate box), for a total of two boxes.  So, for this product record, a photo of both the boxes should work.

The "four boxed guys in a bigger box" part of this situation is really similar to this:

6-Pack (Autobot Ratchet, Sideways, Bumblebee, Megatron, Barricade, and Sideswipe

A box of six carded RPMS.  When you open it up, you will find six carded toys, each of which were available separately.  The contents of each of those carded RPMs are linked to the boxed product record and in the comments, we acknowledge the fact the contents of the box include those individually-packaged toys. I suppose I could include the product numbers so that people would know exactly which packages I'm talking about, in case there would be any confusion.

So, to sum it up, for this Ultimate Form set, I would shoot the large box and backpack box together (side-by-side) as the photo for this record.  I would then shoot each of the four small boxes for each of the individually-packaged robots and upload them to the appropriate individually-packaged records.  And finally, shoot the backpack box by itself and submit it to that record.  I don't suppose it could hurt to take a group shot of everything included and upload it to the Ultimate Form product record as a gallery pic.  Also, make a note in the comments section of the Ultimate Form reflecting what it contains (sorta like what was done with the RPMs box records).

MIKE
engledogg

[shmax]

Hey this comes back to my (apparently) multiple requests to add packages to records as parts. How does this differentiate from wanting to add the boxes, bubbles or foams in records? I had brought up my owning of boxes for TFs but nothing else as an example. It may make sense for this particular toy, since you didn't buy the boxes or inserts separately.

I'm really not too eager to get involved in trying to track every piece of styrofoam that ever came with a toy (photo mooching, "mold" tracking, people complaining about "completion" being thrown off, on and on), but I can see it's important to you. What about just mentioning that stuff in the product comments? I'll hook up some bbcode, so you can just do a list, then mention each of the inserts. I could even set it up so that you can link each bullet point to one of the gallery photos. That way you get some limited tracking of packing elements, but without having to involve it with the principal parts database.

Oh, and for your lone boxes, just set the condition to "Opened", then uncheck all the parts. At some point I'll add some logic so that the condition displays as "Box only" when you do that, make the approproate adjustments when appraising, and so on.

Thoughts?