Author Topic: Mundobil  (Read 4502 times)

Offline GrahamB

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Mundobil
« on: July 27, 2017, 14:58:55 »
I stumbled across this website (www.mundobil.com) recently. It seems to be a database-cum-sales site (along the lines of Bricklink for Lego) and has inventories of PM sets, pictures of parts, etc. I would think its still under development. It carries a message that it is closed until April 2017, so obviously not currently being monitored.

Does anyone know who set it up, or any more about it? Has anyone used it? I can't find any reference to it here on PF.

Edit: The author must be French judging by the fact that most of the FAQs are in French, as are the Conditions of Use. I didn't spot the tiny ? button at first!

« Last Edit: July 27, 2017, 15:10:27 by GrahamB »
At that moment the ship suddenly stopped rocking and swaying, the engine pitch settled down to a gentle hum. 'Hey Ford.' said Zaphod, 'that sounds good. Have you worked out the controls on this boat?' 'No,' said Ford, 'I just stopped fiddling with them.' (With thanks to Douglas Adams)

Offline Macruran

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Re: Mundobil
« Reply #1 on: July 28, 2017, 01:23:59 »
I've run across it searching for stuff but I have nothing useful to contribute about it... :-[
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Offline Ismene

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Re: Mundobil
« Reply #2 on: July 28, 2017, 05:14:32 »
It's an interesting idea, though rather concerning that it was closed for medical reasons in April and the site owner hasn't returned.  :-\

Offline GrahamB

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Re: Mundobil
« Reply #3 on: April 18, 2018, 14:09:48 »
I checked back to this site and found it very much alive and kicking!
It's a catalogue and sales site, in fact I placed an order today as I found several parts listed which I want.
Much of the site is in French, including the checkout and payment pages. Perhaps English language versions will be added in due course.

Some pros and cons;
PROs
1. The site aspires to list every PM set and every PM part and has made a good start to achieving that aim, including pictures.
2. It's easy to see which parts are available to buy and to put these into your shopping cart. Prices seem reasonable on the whole.
3. You can 'flag' parts you want, effectively adding them to a wishlist (though I couldn't find how to view my wishlist edit found it, but it's another example of a drawback - see 'con' list point 1 end of edit). Sellers can see the wish lists and then list parts for sale, if they have them.
4. Searching with the advanced search option is quite effective, especially if you enter the part number.
5. When searching for a set, a list of component parts comes up, with colours, quantities and pictures, as well as availability of parts to buy.
6. The intention seems to be to encourage user contributions in future, generally a good thing I feel.

CONs
1. It's not a very well-designed website, with obscure menus, tiny clickable icons and uninspiring page layouts, but that may be improved in time and I am very familiar with PlaymoDB, which is much better presented, but that's just IMO!
2. Parts without Geobra Part Numbers have made-up numbers, a combination of letters and numbers. I don't know if these correlate with PlaymoDB's pnnnn or knnnn numbers, I haven't checked, but there are some cumbersome numbers reminiscent of Bricklink's cumbersome numbering of some Lego parts (or is that Lego's numbering system?). Likewise set numbers of older sets are numbered nnnnx as in PlaymoDB. Again, I don't know if these agree with PlaymoDB. In fact, I wonder how much of Mundobil's data comes from PlaymoDB and whether Heather was consulted....
3. If you don't know French, you might need to use Google Translate or Babel Fish on some pages, including most of the FAQs, but that will be addressed in time if people like me offer to help rather than criticising!
4. PF is omitted from the page of links to PM forums!
« Last Edit: April 18, 2018, 14:51:41 by GrahamB »
At that moment the ship suddenly stopped rocking and swaying, the engine pitch settled down to a gentle hum. 'Hey Ford.' said Zaphod, 'that sounds good. Have you worked out the controls on this boat?' 'No,' said Ford, 'I just stopped fiddling with them.' (With thanks to Douglas Adams)

Offline The_Mad_Hadder

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Re: Mundobil
« Reply #4 on: April 18, 2018, 20:56:48 »
When I went on it was all in English.

Missing a lot of pictures of parts but I think that will come in time. I like it, though Playmobil could have done this themselves and who knows if they see it take off they might. Then again they killed the PCC...

Regardless I like it and will do a little more looking shopping when I have time.  ;D

Let me know if and how long it takes for the items you purchased to show up.

I wonder if these are parts that are shipped from one location or if you will get a bunch of little packages from multiple suppliers.
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Online tahra

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Re: Mundobil
« Reply #5 on: April 19, 2018, 07:51:38 »
Thank you for the update, GrahamB!

I agree with The_Mad_Hadder - further INVESTIGATION needed..

And please do let us know, GrahamB - if it all arrives together ;)


Offline Innkeeper

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Re: Mundobil
« Reply #6 on: April 19, 2018, 19:10:25 »
Some years ago I bought a number of parts from Mundobil.
They arrived swiftly in one package, I think I even emailed with the owner, he/she seemed very nice.

Offline Hadoque

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Re: Mundobil
« Reply #7 on: April 22, 2018, 22:21:18 »
I made an order too, over the weekend.
I think the site-owner might be a fellow-Belgian...

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Offline GrahamB

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Re: Mundobil
« Reply #8 on: April 29, 2018, 09:35:20 »
My order arrived on April 28, just 10 days after ordering, from Belgium, all in one package. All in great condition and exactly what I expected.
I received emails 1. Confirming the order details. 2. Confirming payment received. 3. Confirming the order was packed (this came on 24 April) 4. Confirming despatch (also on 24 April). All emails worded in French.
So, 10 out of 10 for service. It is possible the parts are sent to a central point by individual sellers, which might explain the 6 day gap between making my order and it being ready for despatch. Shipping cost €5,36 on the envelope, though I paid €11 shipping and handling, perhaps there is a mark-up here to pay for the website, etc.

I have also offered to help translate some of the pages into English (they are currently mostly in French). I will also recommend they include PF in their links and delete the links to Collectobil (maintenant disparu).
At that moment the ship suddenly stopped rocking and swaying, the engine pitch settled down to a gentle hum. 'Hey Ford.' said Zaphod, 'that sounds good. Have you worked out the controls on this boat?' 'No,' said Ford, 'I just stopped fiddling with them.' (With thanks to Douglas Adams)

Offline Hadoque

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Re: Mundobil
« Reply #9 on: April 29, 2018, 19:36:13 »
My order arrived too, but I´m not all too happy;

1. The package arrived several days too late.
The site-operator is a Belgian (like me) and is located in Liège (Luik). He made an error with the zip-code (postal code) on the package, and so it was sent to the wrong province and the wrong city.
As the robotic postal distribution gives priority to the zip-code and not to name of the town or city such a code belongs too, it was sent from the central distribution-center in Brussels 3 times to the same, wrong city.
I had to phone them several times before our national postal service finally agreed to manually change the zip-code. They were not very eager to do so, because changing the zip-code is considered a crime (fraude in writing).


2. 50% of the parts and klickies came dirty and yellowed.

Resistance is futile, you will be boarded!