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bharding
Jan 22, 2009
Limits for Beauty and Pleasure
Amongst a number of changes added to the site tonight (cleaner Upcoming Bonanzas area, anyone?), we've finally set a couple limits on various areas of the site that were causing formatting and/or usability and/or business issues. Here I'll quickly run down the new limits we've added, and the reasoning behind each limit.
- Booths limited to 10,000 items*. This goes hand-in-hand with the blog post from a couple weeks ago about not letting Bonanzle get overrun by drop shipping merchants, big box stores, or other mega-merchants. Bonanzle has grown because of grassroots efforts by small sellers; it's our vision to ensure that Bonanzle will always be a hospitable place to the sellers who have helped to create us. We think that this limit should help promote an atmosphere where no one seller could ever dominate policy (or hog buyers) on Bonanzle as we grow. (* because we're willing to fudge the limit a bit for users that have already registered and who have cool merchandise, like moviemagicusa with his 15k-ish items)
- Booth favorites limited to 15 per month since registration and 75 total (that is, if you registered 3 months ago, you can mark 15*3 = 45 favorites). Being marked as a "favorite" of a user is intended to be a special designation, but with our previously unlimited booth favoriting, there was no reason a seller couldn't sign up and "favorite" 500 booths the next day, and presumably get a number of those booths to favorite them in return to increase their standings in the list of "most favorited booths" list. In implementing this limit, we hope to make favoriting an even more special designation, while still allowing our longer-time users the opportunity to favorite a bunch of booths (we know it's can be hard to choose which are the best of the best!). Note that if you are currently in excess of these limits, you'll still have all your favorites intact, but you won't be able to add new favorites until you're under the limit.
- City limited to 70 characters, state to 30. We've noticed an increasing number of users lately using their location to throw in a tagline about their booth and such. While we don't have any problem with using the location field creatively, our forum/profile design was not setup in such a way that a 200 character string fits into the design smoothly. We figure 100 total characters is still enough to get in a few tagline words if that's your style. Heck, if you believe my old English teachers, greater conciseness could even lead to greater clarity!
- Hand picked lists in profile limited to three. Similar to above, our profile layout wasn't designed for 15 hand picked lists to fit in it without things looking "off." Your extra lists will still show up in search (and the hand picked list page, if they're less than 2 weeks old), but only the three most recently updated lists will show up in your profile.
Have You Welcomed a Newb Lately?
In other news, another change for today I'd like to quickly mention is that the "new users list" on the lower left side of the People page now has links to quick text the new users. If you find yourself on the People page with 15 seconds to blow, why not send some encouragement to a newly signed up user? Remember when you first signed up? Bonanzle probably seemed big and strange to you at the time. Getting a hearty "Welcome aboard!" during this initial exploration phase could be a real thrill to a Bonanzle baby. And it helps them start to get a sense of the Bountiful Goodwill (tm) 'round these parts within their first few clicks. What better?<< Back
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48 responses to Limits for Beauty and Pleasure
Thank you for these changes.
I think it improves the site for the long term. We are all independent business people and tend to push the envelope to see what we can get away with, a bit too far sometimes. It’s nice to have some reasonable limits laid down to ensure a level playing field for all of us. Great job, as always 
Look at the bright side: at least we’re not making a change to limit all forms of payment that aren’t Paypal.
Yeah that is the bright side.
Agree with Nightowl. And like the changes. Oh my, PP only…having flashbacks….lol..thank god I ended up in a fluffy dream called Bonanzle
Hmm….Bonanzle Baby…hmmm…guess we ARE BAA!!!
I have to agree with NightOwl. Thank you for addressing these issues!
Kudos as usual, I don’t know of any one at any web site anywhere that addresses concerns as promptly and properly as you guys. And thanks!
Excellent, Great, Right On!!!
What else can ya say!
WOO HOO!!!
GO Bonanzle!
I will follow the rules, Daddy! hehe
I 2nd Valdazar here:
WOO HOO!!!
Go Bonanzle!
Thank you for these changes! Your commitment and professionalism in assessing what is fair and equitable is how we have known this site to be since August!
Just confirms for the umpteenth time that I’m in the right place at the right time with the right people!
Thank you for continuing to work to make Bonanzle a better place for everyone!
You guyz just ROCK!!
Thank you for these much needed changes for the overall good for Bonanzle. These changes will tidy up the place.
Now, as far as welcoming in the “newbies” …this site has a valuable tool…you can search for users upto a 50 mile radius of you. I check that out frequently, and stop into the booths with a big welcome and an offer of help if they need it. Check out your “neighbors” people…you might even be surprised and find out you actually KNOW a few already!
Another day, another surprise, another fix, another opportunity! Your response to our needs, our concerns, our hopes, is certainly the opposite of suckalicious, it is Bonanalicious! I for one am gratefulicious!
Great news! as far as searching for newbs within a 50 mile radius…heck most towns around me are not even within 50 miles…wish we could get a little bigger search radius like 100 miles and 250 miles! I have searched using the 50 mile radius there are only 2 active booths within that radius to me!
The integration of Critical Thinking and Ogilvy’s Way! Love It!
Thanks for these much appreciated changes.
Accolades again! These are superb solutions to tiny snowflake-size issues that would surely turn into avalanches if left unaddressed. Well done, Boyz, well done.
WOOT WOOT! You rock!! I love these changes!
Way to GO Bill! GREAT changes to help us ALL out for now and down the road! You ROCK! Have a Bonanzle’n Day!
Very well done, indeed.
While I can see why some of the changes were needed,
(limits on favs & hand picked lists), I must MOST loudly applaud you
for limiting the number of items per booth.
Bonanzle is not, never has been, nor does it ever wish to become,
another one of those mind numbing mega malls on the net,
where there are pages and pages of the same items.
I commend you Boyz on your efforts to keep Bonanzle from becoming just another E Mart.
BONANZLE,Everything But The Ordinary!
The place to find real treasures, now that feebay is just another big box store.
Ditto what alg said!! That’s the last thing I want to see happen to this awesome site ~ to be everyone else. I want to be able to truthfully tell my friends to come on over to Bonanzle ~ it’s “Everything but Ordinary!”
Boundaries are a good thing and I appreciate you guys for recognizing that in your efforts to Keep It Simple
I agree with antiquelittlegirls. Limiting booth items will keep things more interesting and allow more booths to be visited. I myself sometimes get overwhelmed when I come across a booth with a tremendous amount of item pages to view. I usually stop looking after viewing at least 10-15 pages. Thanks guys for considering us smaller, non-mega giant sellers
Thank YOU sooo much for doing this before it got too far “out of hand”. —you guys are quick to see what is needed. I so appreciate your insights into this and setting down some rules as needed.
Marla
Excellent! Wow, you mean a committee didn’t need to be formed of people with huge electronics inventories being used as consultants to decide what will happen to small collectibles sellers??? Hurrah! In regard to our former lives “over there” of voicelessness, B.C. comic strip comes to mind. “The OLD King is a Fink.” These new guys are human AND humane. Heartfelt thanks. Please forgive my literary reference … LOL
Good solution to the potential problem of big site overruns. Another elegant solution. Thanks.
Love it Love it Love it! Streamlined, cleaner, and ALL in the Bonanzle spirit!
I do hope no one will use that “quick text the newbs” option as an “advertising” (read: spamming) opportunity before the new guys even get their feet in the door.
Imposing fair and reasonable limits are so important in raising a well-adjusted child. And that’s exactly what you’re doing, Bill!! Bonanzle baby is truly destined to succeed with such a dynamite daddy.
Well done!!
Well,
Late as usual I am, and everyone has already said it all. Great Job! Seriously applaud the booth item limit.
Well I have a lot of favorites and will be shopping from that list so it stinks not to be able to add more if I want to BUT I do see where it was needed.
(I can just bookmark the rest in mozilla lol)
The limit on items is awesome. It really gives loads of room for the small business’s while keeping out the really really big business and drowning us all out with their millions of listings
I never noticed anything with the hand picked lists BUT if it makes our profiles look neater by limiting them very very good. When things are out of whack on a site it makes people reluctant to use it.
I just love how you guys are constantly working at making Bonanzle better and better, and how you actually respond to us members. Bonanzle is SOOO much different, sometimes it just feels too good to be true.
A perfect example of how much different it is… I cannot ever recall telling my family “such and such ebay boss/owner has been fighting a flu lately and still he is there working on the site” — 3 things there. #1 I never mentioned ebay higher ups in any good way lol, #2 I never even really paid attention to their names #3 I never felt I was on any kind of friendship and business combined level to really even care how they were felling. Here is just so much different. My family and friends know you guys by name, things about you as well as Bonanzle. THAT NEVER was the case on eb.
THANK YOU!!! again as I have said before a million times probably now. You really have made online sales fun for me again I never thought that would ever happen again, and it did and even better than before thanks to BONANZLE.
Okay I talk too much LOL
Just one more thing though. THANK YOU to ALL MEMBERS here. I actually look forward each day to coming to the forums to see ya’all its my fun time.
I’m tired of saying Thank you!! Gotta come up with something better! As always thanks for listening and making this the best place on earth!
Dang! Gotta Say it again You da Bomb! Have to let you know I was totally thrilled while getting my morning fix of “What’s New”, then came to check if you’d written a new blog and bam here it is. Like always, it seems as though the two of you have read our minds and know our deep seated concerns and come along with a gentle but firm hand handling the situation with grace and fairness for everyone. Know you guys hate “rules” as much as the rest of us, but parenting requires imposing reasonable and fair limits as our “babies” grow.
There’ll always be growing pains and those that try to push the envelope, it’s the nature of the beast. So, knowing that we can trust that you and Mark will handle each situation as they arise to ensure Bonanzle remains the extraordinary place that was first envisioned is such a relief. And as Sandy put it… “Just confirms for the umpteenth time that I’m in the right place at the right time with the right people!” And I’m so glad!
Zig
Two thumbs up boyz!
Hi ya Bill!
Well, I’m do’n my Bonanzle DUTY! I have way over 75 (I mean over) Favorited Booths on my profile – I got rid of all but 27. In my NEWBIE excitement – I guess I was FAV’g Booths cause I liked something in their booth, but really didn’t know much about them.
Thank’s for this Blog! NOW all the one’s on my FAV’s I really do FAV them!
By the way – your booth was one that I got rid off, hope you don’t mind! LOL
Kim
Cheyenne2u
Kim,
If anyone has my booth marked as a favorite, that is the surest sign that the “Favorite” feature is being overused.
Bill
TY
Keeps everything in perspective……………………
I’m with you on these – make sense to me…..
with a single exception.
I want to be able to see the name of the city and state from where I’m buying – not a tag line. Understand, it’s a personal pet peeve to see that someone is claiming their merchandise comes from “my top drawer” or “Grandma’s Attic”. It’s not helpful to me if I’m shopping for something that I need to arrive rather quickly without having to pay for expedited shipping. If I can easily see that it’s located in Wichita, Kansas rather than “My little corner of the world” then I’m more apt to spend time looking through the listings than I would be otherwise.
Just some thoughts on that subject. Not meant to be considered to be something that is universally abhorred.
Great changes! These are ones that actually make sense
As usual you guys are on top of things! I will have to trim down my favorites though! There are so many great booths that I don’t want to lose track of but like KimsKorner said I can bookmark them 
These changes are for the good of us all. I would like to have 10,000 things to list, but that limit sounds enough for most Big sellers.. Thanks
Wow, 10,000 items. That seems excessive. I’m not a big seller. I’m lucky if I ever get up to 300. Maybe 8000? There are already some sellers on here with that “Power Seller” attitude, giving them this much allowance just makes them feel like they’re in charge.
These sound like sensible changes.
I would also like to see us sellers have a limit on how many of our own booth items we can mark as our favorites. I have visited booths where 100% of the goods for sale were “favorites” of the seller. Um… really? Reminds me of Lake Woebegon where all the women are strong, all the men are good looking and all the children are above average. I think 10% of a booth’s total number would be fair.
Thanks Bill. You guys rock.
Hey Bill I put you and Mark both in my favorites so I could hunt down your booths easier LOL… I would not think of that as overusing lol… I used to hunt you guys down through people then figured it would be easier to add to favorites
I am behind you Bill! Great changes! “limit all forms of payment…” you crack me up!
I think welcoming a newb is a good idea. When I first signed up, I got a quick-text from Mark welcoming me. It was a good feeling, but it also introduced me to a cool, unique feature (real time chat) within my first 10 minutes of being a member.
I think the changes announced are good ones. I am so grateful BONANZLE exists! Crystal and I began Movie Magic USA in our sewing room in 2002 as a way to help pay for a computer we had purchased. We hand-picked our titles based on movies we love (I’m a big John Wayne fan and Crystal loves Doris Day)), and soon, much to our surprise, we were selling a lot of movies. I went full time with our business in October 2002, and in the summer of 2007 we invested in a new building beside our home to house our growing business. I say all this so you can understand our concern and frustration – when the “other site” we all know about made major changes to the search in September in order to advantage the big sellers like BUY over the rest of us, they cut our sales in half overnight. We badly needed an alternative place to sell and BONANZLE is it for us. BONANZLE obviously cares about the same things we do, they work hard to address our concerns, as is evidenced by these changes, and they are dedicated to keeping the site a good place for small family businesses to grow and prosper. I look forward to many years of selling, buying and making new friends on a site that we can all trust. And please know that we are a small business just like the rest of you – the 10,000 titles we have are the result of hand-writing thousands of descriptions over a six year period. We have two full-time employees, myself, my wife and our four children. That is how we make it work – no drop shipping or fancy computer programs that enable us to list hundreds of thousands of titles we don’t care about. We do it all the old-fashioned way, and it is a passion and labor of love for us, as I suspect it is for all those who are coming to BONANZLE. Good luck to all of you and to BONANZLE as this site becomes the place that empowers small sellers everywhere. And thanks BONANZLE for helping us to be successful. Steve
I’m a little bit late but I really appreciate all you do to make this such an exciting place to be. I agree with the limiting of items also. Thanks so much and I love Bonanzaling!
Im late too but I wanted to thank Steve and Crystal for being so gracious since they have the big number of listings and yet agree with the changes. They are the kind of seller we at bonanzle need and want. Thank you to Mark and Bill for being special owners with their users in mind. ma
MONTROSE just now noticed what this was after clicking away after having some spare time in becoming familiar with all the available features!
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