Responding to recent thread about Lieberman’s Data Products:
Thanks for the kind words from several of you about Lieberman’s Art Explorer™ product, as well as your comments about perceived shortcomings in Art Explorer™, Lieberman’s searchable database online at
www.liebermans.net, or both.
There certainly have been (and will be in the future) situations where your critical comments are right on the money, and give Lieberman’s a resounding clue about what aspects of these complex and multi-faceted products to improve next. Definitely keep that feedback coming.
But guess what -- as I understand each of the issues raised recently on the Grumble, I’m happy to say that the solutions in your hands already!
ISSUE: MAKING IMAGES LARGER THAN THUMBNAIL VIEW
Four ways to do it in Art Explorer™: Click on any Thumbnail displayed in RESULTS; (2) Select FULL VIEW on Search Screen before you click VIEW.
(3) TEXT VIEW also has large images and another cool aspect: your up and down arrows are a high-speed way of looking at a long list of images for a split-second each. You can move from TEXT VIEW to even larger FULL VIEW by click on image. Return to TEXT VIEW by clicking close button at bottom of FULL VIEW page you just clicked open. (4) Open VIEW menu while in any mode of RESULTS display, and select any other (not applicable when you’ve entered full with a click on image in TEXT)
Two ways to do it on Lieberman’s Website: (1) Click once on any thumbnail in RESULTS to view full size image; (2) Near bottom of Search Page, next to “Display Search Results,” select “Full Image” before you click “SUBMIT” or hit “ENTER.”
Note that for all of the above situations in either product, the RESULTS you have selected with your search remain lined up ready to view through whichever mode you select – thus when you go to the one-at-a-time display of FULL view, clicking the NEXT or PREVIOUS buttons will move you around in the full set of results.
ISSUE: KEYWORD INDEXING - Michael Labbe’s post of November 30 explains this well, but let me go over it briefly. Keywords are nouns representing specific things, recognizable places, or situations that appear in the picture you seek. Spoon, baby, lake, and motorcycle are typical keywords. Over 14,000 different keywords have been applied to images in the Database, and these are maintained on a continuing basis.
ISSUE: CAN I USE MULTIPLE KEYWORDS? Yup – different methods for Art Explorer™ and
www.liebermans.net
MULTIPLE KEYWORDS ON ART EXPLORER™: At right of the keyword field, use the drop down menu to select “and,” “or,” or “phrase.” You might search for dog AND bed, or perhaps horse OR cow.
MULTIPLE KEYWORDS ON
WWW.LIEBERMANS.NET: In “Title or Keywords” field, enter 1st keyword word, a space, a +, a space, another keyword word – for example dog + bed (not dog+bed)
GETTING MORE FROM THE ONLINE SEARCH ENGINE: As those of you who are using Art Explorer know, it provides what we call higher-level searches, meaning you can specify several different characteristics of the desired image at once (like keyword and general subject and art style and décor style and main color and size range and price range all at once)
As those who look at
www.liebermans.net can see, there is no mention of subjects or art or décor styles or colors. Lieberman’s has changed the functioning of the website in recent months so that now you CAN type in subjects (sports, music, etc) or art styles (impressionist, abstract, etc) or décor styles (contemporary, oriental, romantic, etc) in the “Title or Keywords” field. All the above advice about multiple keywords still applies – for example you might enter impressionist + boat.
ISSUE: ART EXPLORER™ FEATURES NOT AVAILABLE THRU WEBSITE - slideshows (pre-programmed or homemade by you), list-making and storage utilities, adjustable retail prices in the database, pages personalized with your name and or logo, exportable customer presentations, tracking customer searches.
Having sweat blood to create this product a couple of years ago, we’re glad to see it recognized as the cost-effective way to raise your “EXTRAORDINARY SERVICE” profile that it is. As J Paul wrote on 11-30, it pays for itself, and customers perceive it as cool. In our view, that “EXTRAORDINARY SERVICE” profile is YOUR niche as independent art & framers, and one of your key competitive advantages over mass merchandisers.
Note that Lieberman’s does offer a program to put our database on YOUR website with optional drop-ship fulfillment direct to your customer. Contact us about it anytime.
I recently heard a certain witty writer (not a Grumbler) poke fun at a brilliant but hyper-talkative teacher (also not a Grumbler) as "THE VILLAGE EXPLAINER." I hope that's not me
Respectfully Submitted, with thanks to Jay H and Frameboy51 for the inspiring mottoes,
Bruce Lieberman,
Partner, Lieberman’s Gallery