Collectorz Software - Thoughts? 0

[Mac Man]

I've been looking to recatalog my comics collection as it's been probably close to 7-8 years since I've properly sorted through everything and cataloged the acquisitions I've picked up in the years since. I used to use Excel and included estimated values, but I really don't want to spend THAT much time doing it. A friend of mine recommended the Collectorz software.

I see there are three versions - mobile, desktop, and cloud-based. I'd like something I can use regardless of my platform (e.g. both phone and my laptop). How many of you use it and what are your thoughts on the different versions? 

[Mac Man]

[NWOslave]

I use the desktop version. Ive had it for four years and i love it. Im pretty sure the app does not have all the bells and whistles as the desktop. 

Im not up to date on the phone app but let me sell you on the desktop version. First, the tag system is phenominal. With the tag system (like a forum tag) i know where every single comic is located. My tags look like this,  box 01, box 02 box 03, half box 01 half box 02, shelf, mag box, cgc. I physically numbered all my boxes and applied the tags to all the books as i added them to clz. You can even select all to appy a tag to multiple books instead of one at a time. You can create a view of just your tags that let you see all the books in any given box. You can also add multiple tags to one book. Say you have a cgc book that you also have raw, i actually do. One entry of the book will show the box number and my cgc tag so it prevents you from having multiple duplicate entries.

Views allow me to sort all my books on characteristics. Some are default like series, no series or publisher or a number of other ones. The flexibility to display all the information that is most relevant to you is great. One of my favorite views allows me to see the last date i entered something. In case i forget to add it to the database. 

The cloud upload system is fast to upload and you can access your cloud collection from a cell phone browser. Want to know if you already have a book? Just whip out your phone and go to your cloud/webpage and see. You dont need an app for that. So you actually get the best of both worlds and less likely to buy something you already have. Your cloud view can display the same info from the desktop to a degree. I dont think its functionality is as good as the desktop. 

As far as the phone app, I can not imagine uploading my 5500 comics at the time on a tiny cell phone screen. KBM is just such a better experience. Typimg on a cell phone keyboard, ugh! Im sure they have updated it but my god i cant imagine what an experience it is. 

You can save you local database copies to onedrive or googledrive or any other cloud storage either automatically or manually in the settings. If your computer crashes so what just reinstall the program and import the database. I got a new computer and did that very thing took about an hour to redownload all the covers and back cover art that you get when you add a book to your database.

Also i pay 2$ a month for the desktop. And you can access you cloud webpage from a cell phone browser. So not a bad deal and they are updating it a number of times a year and i feel you get more than you would in an app with less functionality. 

CLZ are very responsive if you have questions or problems. The program works with any webcam to read the barcode in case a manual search gives you problems. Got a kickstarter book they dont have in their database? You can create your own entry and that too will be stored in your cloud. You can also submit the book to have it added to the global database from which all the info is stored on. They use AWS cloud servers just as an aside. I did some dns testing to see where they hosted their info.

But word of warning, dont do what i did. Catalog everything then create the tags. I had to catalog twice. Learn the tag system before adding all your comics to the database. It will save you a lot of time. 

I hope this helps you make a decision. There is a learning curve to the program its not clunky or anything but you have to learn how to do what you want with their very flexible program. 

 

Edited April 23, 2020 by NWOslave
Clarification

[Black Bat]

Passed on Collectorz awhile ago and jumped into Recollector. I'm a golden age and pre-(bar)code collector so my collection has no barcodes to scan- which seems to be a main component of building a data base on collectorz..  Recollector has desktop and phone versions that share the same main database.  Pretty basic but totally customizable and has been reliable now for about 3 years and 500 books. Just something to consider...
 

 

Edited April 23, 2020 by Black Bat

[NWOslave]

7 hours ago, Black Bat said:

Passed on Collectorz awhile ago and jumped into Recollector. I'm a golden age and pre-(bar)code collector so my collection has no barcodes to scan- which seems to be a main component of building a data base on collectorz..  Recollector has desktop and phone versions that share the same main database.  Pretty basic but totally customizable and has been reliable now for about 3 years and 500 books. Just something to consider...
 

 

im pretty sure the clz app has a manual search feature like the desktop. would be kind of silly not to include that functionality for comics without barcodes. its a secondary feature not its primary. 

[PsylockeSmythe]

1 hour ago, NWOslave said:

im pretty sure the clz app has a manual search feature like the desktop. would be kind of silly not to include that functionality for comics without barcodes. its a secondary feature not its primary. 

They do, when you go to add a comic using the app, you have the option to add by series or add by barcode.  So you just type in the name of the series and go from there.  I normally add issues via the desktop so that I can add custom information, i.e. price paid, when purchased, from whom, etc. and then I sync everything with the cloud and my various devices (phone/tablet).  

Psy

[NWOslave]

1 hour ago, PsylockeSmythe said:

They do, when you go to add a comic using the app, you have the option to add by series or add by barcode.  So you just type in the name of the series and go from there.  I normally add issues via the desktop so that I can add custom information, i.e. price paid, when purchased, from whom, etc. and then I sync everything with the cloud and my various devices (phone/tablet).  

Psy

are you saying that the app syncs with the functionality of the desktop version or just entries you made? can you create tags in the app?

[god503]

i use the web app.  this way i can use it on any computer i am on including my phone.  

[Hollywood1892]

On 4/18/2020 at 3:07 PM, Mac Man said:

I've been looking to recatalog my comics collection as it's been probably close to 7-8 years since I've properly sorted through everything and cataloged the acquisitions I've picked up in the years since. I used to use Excel and included estimated values, but I really don't want to spend THAT much time doing it. A friend of mine recommended the Collectorz software.

I see there are three versions - mobile, desktop, and cloud-based. I'd like something I can use regardless of my platform (e.g. both phone and my laptop). How many of you use it and what are your thoughts on the different versions? 

Sounds pretty good

[PsylockeSmythe]

16 minutes ago, NWOslave said:

are you saying that the app syncs with the functionality of the desktop version or just entries you made? can you create tags in the app?

The app does sync with the desktop version, and will pull quite a bit of the data.  I use the the app more as a checklist on my phone and the desktop as the way to add any comics to my collection.  I do use the barcode scanner in the books, movies and music apps to quickly add items to those programs and make any changes in the data with the desktop version.  I do this, because looking at stuff on a 27" monitor compared to a 5" screen is so much easier for me, since my eyesight sucks.  I've not tried to edit anything via the app, but pulling up an issue, it does look like you can edit a lot of the fields using the app.

Psy

[ExNihilo]

Didn't CLZ used to have a lifetime subscription option at one point?  Did they recently change to an annual fee business model?  It would make sense since they probably make more money that way.

[NWOslave]

3 minutes ago, ExNihilo said:

Didn't CLZ used to have a lifetime subscription option at one point?  Did they recently change to an annual fee business model?  It would make sense since they probably make more money that way.

i think that was for the app. ive paid a yearly fee to get updates since 2016. however, if i stopped paying id still get to use the program and cloud service. 

[ExNihilo]

1 minute ago, NWOslave said:

i think that was for the app. ive paid a yearly fee to get updates since 2016. however, if i stopped paying id still get to use the program and cloud service. 

So if you stop paying, what features do you lose then?  I downloaded the free version which just allows you to create a database of up to 100 comics.  I suppose if you stopped paying does that mean you would just lose the ability to add new books?

[davidpg]

They went to a subscription based system for the app last year and gave us a last chance to buy in at the one-time price (which I did).

I used a simple 6 column Excel sheet and entered 1200 books last week.  I then imported them into the CLZ cloud on my desktop.  Then I synced my app to the cloud and all downloaded.  So just getting the app gets you a lot of functionality!

[StingerMcK]

I use the CLZ app all the time, with the one time price/sub.  It would be impossible to collect runs without it.  When I see people still using paper list, I'm glad I'm not doing that anymore.

[NWOslave]

@ExNihiloi would imagine you can update your local database in the event of halting payment. not sure if they would cut you off from your cloud copy or allow you to download the front/back covers from their servers for new books. you could always ask them. they are responsive within 24 hours, depending on the time you ask them since clz is housed in amsterdam and there is a seven hour difference here in the CT zone

Edited April 23, 2020 by NWOslave

[NWOslave]

10 minutes ago, davidpg said:

They went to a subscription based system for the app last year and gave us a last chance to buy in at the one-time price (which I did).

I used a simple 6 column Excel sheet and entered 1200 books last week.  I then imported them into the CLZ cloud on my desktop.  Then I synced my app to the cloud and all downloaded.  So just getting the app gets you a lot of functionality!

have you ever tried to export to a csv from the desktop? its such a mess when it is produced. 

[davidpg]

I have no had the need to do that yet.  Hopefully I won't have to for any reason!

[techtre2003]

2 hours ago, ExNihilo said:

So if you stop paying, what features do you lose then?  I downloaded the free version which just allows you to create a database of up to 100 comics.  I suppose if you stopped paying does that mean you would just lose the ability to add new books?

I think the only thing you lose is cloud sync. I've been using the desktop and iphone app for many years (lifetime license) and in all that time the only other purchase I've made was a one-month subscription so I would be able to download an update with a cosmetic feature I wanted. You can still add books, scrape all the info on them (including all new and upcoming books), and sync to your phone app.

[alexgross.com]

16 hours ago, NWOslave said:

I use the desktop version. Ive had it for four years and i love it. Im pretty sure the app does not have all the bells and whistles as the desktop. 

Im not up to date on the phone app but let me sell you on the desktop version. First, the tag system is phenominal. With the tag system (like a forum tag) i know where every single comic is located. My tags look like this,  box 01, box 02 box 03, half box 01 half box 02, shelf, mag box, cgc. I physically numbered all my boxes and applied the tags to all the books as i added them to clz. You can even select all to appy a tag to multiple books instead of one at a time. You can create a view of just your tags that let you see all the books in any given box. You can also add multiple tags to one book. Say you have a cgc book that you also have raw, i actually do. One entry of the book will show the box number and my cgc tag so it prevents you from having multiple duplicate entries.

Views allow me to sort all my books on characteristics. Some are default like series, no series or publisher or a number of other ones. The flexibility to display all the information that is most relevant to you is great. One of my favorite views allows me to see the last date i entered something. In case i forget to add it to the database. 

The cloud upload system is fast to upload and you can access your cloud collection from a cell phone browser. Want to know if you already have a book? Just whip out your phone and go to your cloud/webpage and see. You dont need an app for that. So you actually get the best of both worlds and less likely to buy something you already have. Your cloud view can display the same info from the desktop to a degree. I dont think its functionality is as good as the desktop. 

As far as the phone app, I can not imagine uploading my 5500 comics at the time on a tiny cell phone screen. KBM is just such a better experience. Typimg on a cell phone keyboard, ugh! Im sure they have updated it but my god i cant imagine what an experience it is. 

You can save you local database copies to onedrive or googledrive or any other cloud storage either automatically or manually in the settings. If your computer crashes so what just reinstall the program and import the database. I got a new computer and did that very thing took about an hour to redownload all the covers and back cover art that you get when you add a book to your database.

Also i pay 2$ a month for the desktop. And you can access you cloud webpage from a cell phone browser. So not a bad deal and they are updating it a number of times a year and i feel you get more than you would in an app with less functionality. 

CLZ are very responsive if you have questions or problems. The program works with any webcam to read the barcode in case a manual search gives you problems. Got a kickstarter book they dont have in their database? You can create your own entry and that too will be stored in your cloud. You can also submit the book to have it added to the global database from which all the info is stored on. They use AWS cloud servers just as an aside. I did some dns testing to see where they hosted their info.

But word of warning, dont do what i did. Catalog everything then create the tags. I had to catalog twice. Learn the tag system before adding all your comics to the database. It will save you a lot of time. 

I hope this helps you make a decision. There is a learning curve to the program its not clunky or anything but you have to learn how to do what you want with their very flexible program. 

 

are there hidden fees? another post here on the boards complained that at several steps along the way, he was being charged more and more. is the $29.95 annual fee all that i will need to pay for the full version, so that i can upload my whole collection and have all the features i need to update, keep track, etc, like you have been discussing here?