Issue with New Comic Categories

[illudius]

Hi,

I have a couple of questions/observations about the new comics category stuff.

1. It's good to have the AGE categories but really these only relate to US comics. For example Silver Age happened as a result of the Comics Code which was a US only legistation. The other age categories have similar US only connections and are US only relevant.

Would it be possible to collect these ages under a US comics category? Would be also be possible to display them in chronological order rather than by name.

2. You have 2 "OTHER" categories at present. One has only a handful of comics in it that are all UK so I think it woudl be easy to move them and shut it down.

3. You moved Dark Horse under Modern Age. Dark Horse was set up in 1986 and has a number of Copper Age titles so you may have redirected some auctions to the wrong age area. The same is true of Graphic Novels and Manga.

4. You have a INTERNATIONAL EDITIONS category which is fairly meaningless on an international site. After all US is International if you're in the UK Might I recommend renaming it Other Countries or some such thing.

5. Remove WWE. It's a pointless category. The number of comics available in minute and would easily fit in a US Other category.

6. Assuming you aren't planning item specific category information (a la EBAY) it's probably worth placing MARVEL categories under Silver,Bronze,Copper and Modern and DC categories under Golden, Silver, Bronze, Copper and Modern.

Cheers,
Illudius

[gazza]

We can add US, UK and Other Countries categories and place everything within these. Would that make sense?

Would the UK category have "ages" within it also, if so which?

If you can list in a structured format it would help immensely.

Thanks,
G

[illudius]

We can add US, UK and Other Countries categories and place everything within these. Would that make sense?

Would the UK category have "ages" within it also, if so which?

If you can list in a structured format it would help immensely.

Thanks,
G

I'd have UK, US and Other Countries as main headings. If your not going to have category info on items you may want to break down by titles too. There is a problem that that will give a lot of categories (which is why EBAY moved to item specific categories). Anyway under US I'd have ages, vendors and titles, under UK it's probably better with just a mixture of vendors and titles. Under other countries I'd leave it at present until someone from those counries who understand the market better expresses an opinion.

Anyway, here would be what I'd go with. The layout makes it easy to add categories as requests come in, although I suspect you may need some for of voting system in future to insure the system isn't overwhelmed with highly specific categories.

UNDER US

Platinum Age
Golden Age -> DC -> BATMAN
Golden Age -> DC -> SUPERMAN
Golden Age -> DC -> OTHER
Golden Age -> OTHER
Silver Age -> DC - > BATMAN
Silver Age -> DC - > SUPERMAN
Silver Age -> DC - > OTHER
Silver Age -> Marvel -> AVENGERS
Silver Age -> Marvel -> FANTASTIC FOUR
Silver Age -> Marvel -> HULK
Silver Age -> Marvel -> SPIDER-MAN
Silver Age -> Marvel -> X-MEN
Silver Age -> Marvel -> OTHER
Silver Age -> Other
Bronze Age -> DC - > BATMAN
Bronze Age -> DC - > SUPERMAN
Bronze Age -> DC - > OTHER
Bronze Age -> Marvel -> AVENGERS
Bronze Age -> Marvel -> FANTASTIC FOUR
Bronze Age -> Marvel -> HULK
Bronze Age -> Marvel -> SPIDER-MAN
Bronze Age -> Marvel -> X-MEN
Bronze Age -> Marvel -> OTHER
Bronze Age -> Other
Copper Age -> DC - > BATMAN
Copper Age -> DC - > SUPERMAN
Copper Age -> DC - > OTHER
Copper Age -> Marvel -> AVENGERS
Copper Age -> Marvel -> FANTASTIC FOUR
Copper Age -> Marvel -> HULK
Copper Age -> Marvel -> SPIDER-MAN
Copper Age -> Marvel -> X-MEN
Copper Age -> Marvel -> OTHER
Copper Age -> OTHER
Modern Age -> DC - > BATMAN
Modern Age -> DC - > SUPERMAN
Modern Age -> DC - > OTHER
Modern Age -> Marvel -> AVENGERS
Modern Age -> Marvel -> FANTASTIC FOUR
Modern Age -> Marvel -> HULK
Modern Age -> Marvel -> SPIDER-MAN
Modern Age -> Marvel -> WOLVERINE
Modern Age -> Marvel -> X-MEN
Modern Age -> Marvel -> OTHER
Modern Age -> IMAGE - > SPAWN
Modern Age -> IMAGE - > WITCHBLADE
Modern Age -> IMAGE - > OTHER
Modern Age -> DARK HORSE
Modern Age - VERTIGO
Modern Age -> OTHER

UNDER UK

2000AD
ACTION
BATTLE
BEANO
DANDY
MARVEL UK
WARLORD
OTHER

Under OTHER COUNTRIES leave blank at present.

In regards to what you've already got put Original Artwork, Artwork and Posters under a top level ART category.

I think full runs and full sets are fairly pointless as these type of auctions can go under a relevant title category and contain FULL SET or RUN in the title.
You may want to keep COLLECTIONS at a top level as these might be useful for people selling big mixed lots.
Apparrell, Figurines, Supplies could stay, although you could argue the first two should be located under clothing and toys.

Regarding what's under current Marvel, OTHER and DC categories I think I'd send out an e-mail to sellers saying these would be moved and then shift them to US->Modern Ages under relevant categories. It isn't perfect as there are some other age books there but I think people will shift there items around over time and it's better than persisting with these title categories which people will continue to add to given the bulk of items are in them.

I'd move Manga out of Modern and make it a top level category with US, UK and OTHER COUNTRIES. This is how it's presented elsewhere and it works OK.

CGC is perhaps the hardest. Most sites just have CGC comics in categories, however I think it works well separtely as most people wanting CGC books aren't overly bothered by non CGC comics. I'd leave it at the top level but I'm not precious about it.

Illudius

[gazza]

Thanks for that, any other expert opinions before we make changes?

Gazza

[illudius]

Thanks for that, any other expert opinions before we make changes?

Gazza

Hi Gazza,

Any agreement to move this forward? I'm asking as I'm thinking of listing more stuff but I'd wait if categories are likely to move around.

Illudius

[kazatgvtcdotcom]

Hi,
When I first encountered the new UK and US I clicked away immediately thinking you had somehow changed all the other categories so I went to look for them. This was bad.

I suggest you rename them from UK and US to U.K. COMICS and U.S. COMICS so it's apparent to the first time visitor what they actually contain. You are going to get a lot of first time visitors and the top level should be kept intuitive. Also that is how eBay terms them on its UK site.

I don't have any complaints about all the other machinations as long as you keep the AGES categories, which are critical.

Just my two cents.
Thanks
Joe Kaz

[gazza]

Updated today.

Gazza