How to use Search
About the service ...The search feature is a very powerful tool on the site. It can help you find items in a fraction of the time of browsing by collection. Many fields are offered. You can use one or more fields in any combination to filter your search results. If you learn better by video, check out our VIDEO TUTORIAL: Search
Here is a description of each field available:
COLLECTION/CATEGORY/THEME
This field is a pull down menu of all the categories or themes available in the collectible. Simply select which collection you would like to search within. If searching within your inventory, it will include the 'Other' category, which hold all manually entered items.
TYPE/SUBTHEME
This is also a pull down menu of all the different types or subthemes available in the collectible. Simply select which one you would like to search within and the results will only be items within whichever subtheme you select. If you are searching within your inventory, this field should include any 'custom themes' you have entered.
Searching by item# is usually the fastest way to locate an item since these numbers are usually unique to a specific item. However, if you enter a number that is a part of a larger number or accessories to an item, those items will present as well. For example, if you enter '7678' the number '767809', '127678' and 'L-76784' could all present in the results.
This field searches within the actual title field for a product. Understanding that what we may have entered as the title may be different from what you are calling it, the key with searching any database is 'less is more'; meaning, it's better to pick a couple keywords instead of by the entire title. For example, 'JW Miniature Market' could be listed as 'J.W. Mini Market', 'JW Market - Mini' or any similar combination. The best way to search would be 'mini market' and allow the search to bring up all possible choices, rather than disqualifying an item by being too specific. Remember, you can always use one of the other fields to help you reduce results if at first there are too many. For example, choosing to search on Club items or only ornaments will reduce your results significantly.
This field will search the descriptions of the items. Please review the tips under TITLE as many of the same points can be made for a description search. If you're searching within your inventory, this search will include any details entered in your 'Notes' field. Again, the tip is 'less is more' as it will search exact phrases.
This field will search the years associated with a collectibles. Your first option is to select which year you want to search within: All, Intro, Retired or Suspended (when applicable).
If you choose All, it will search all years that an item was available.
If you choose Intro, it will search only the Intro Year field.
If you choose Retired, it will search only the Retired Year field.
The ID TOOL is a separate tool that adds even more advanced search capabilities. It is an add-on feature and can be added to your account from within your Dashboard or by clicking onto the ID TOOL icon. For more information on the added value this powerful tool can add to you account, see the ID TOOL FAQ.