So when did "extras" become mandatory?!

I can't like this enough.

You see all those posts on the trade forum including shelf whales like BCBS, KBS, and ba Naked Evil? Stuff like that commonly gets sent out as extras to good trading partners all the time. The surprise makes people happy.

The trading community is not just an internet forum. You are supposed to treat people right and take care of the friends you make by trading. You end up with previous trade partners around the country, and you look out for each other if you are on the same page. It's fun, and it's about helping people out. In turn, someone will help you out eventually. What goes around, comes around here.

Haven't said this yet, but I'm not commenting on the OP anymore. He had a bad experience, obviously, and I'm not trying to rag on the guy.

This is more about the state of the community as a whole. Honestly, the general lack of understanding about the trading community and the assumption that you can just plow ahead through it and win trades has made most of this very unenjoyable. The ISO/FT board is mostly a joke, and too many people have gotten into this without doing the initial leg work. Comments like some in this thread are just more evidence of that.

 

Asshole (but at least an extra sending asshole, so you're my kind of asshole

 

I just completed 3 $4$ trades with some folks in the midwest and back east. We were all just looking for local beers that aren't available in our markets. Since none of us knew each other, we set the the dollar amount of the beer at +/- $30 for the first trade. I wasn't aware of the "extra" factor but I did spend closer to $45-$50 on the beers.

I was very happy with the beers that I received and I hope my trading partners were also.

Would the additonal $15-$20 spent on the original trade count as an "extra"?

 

to me extra's define the spirit of trading.
Sure, sometimes your box is full or you want to get something out quick and don't have extra's or it's a regular trading partner and you didn't have something new to send them.

However, most of the time, if I don't receive an extra of some sort with a new-to-me trader, I simply won't trade with the person again. I toss in HT, HF or Lawson's bottles in as 'extras' with almost every trade and I expect something cool in return (i.e. well rated or something local+tasty).I've got to try a ton of beers and breweries I otherwise would not have this way.

I've also dealt with some great traders that I'd happily trade with again, mule for, etc simply based on tossing in some cool extra's.

A good starting point is just not trading with folks that seem out to 'win'.

 

For the record, I wasn't specifically calling you an asshole, but I still would have thrown in a couple extras unless you guys agreed to not include any. I've had trades that take months to complete. It's just part of the game.

Did he send you extras? It sounds like you're just trying to justify not sending him anything, and you're looking for some sympathy from the community to make you feel better about it.

I know people can be difficult, but if the trade went so bad, you should have just walked away.

Edit: I just saw you're from the UK. That makes things even more sticky if you were trading internationally. In international trades, everything has to be discussed in minute detail given the added cost of shipping.

 

I can’t be the only one bulking up my “Do not trade with” list with the names of people posting how wonderful it is to NOT include extras (as well as the people ‘liking’ such posts), when you know damn well there is a very high likelihood that the person on the other trade IS going to include extras. You can rationalize all you want that because they are called ‘extras’ that they are not mandatory, but if you know you are going to be receiving extras (and as others have said, 99% of the time you will) and decide not to include them in the box you send, you are willfully exploiting the generosity of others and are the exact opposite of a an advocate for anything as wonderful as beer.

You can avoid being a jerk by simply telling the person upfront that you’d like to opt out of extras. Silence on the matter when you’re not including extras is only a few rungs down from stealing on the ladder of unscrupulous selfish behavior.

Thank you, though, oblivious posters/likers of screwing other traders over, for self-identifying and saving us the trouble.

 

Knew what your "comment" was before I even clicked on it 3/1000000

 

I always send extras unless it's specified that we're not doing them. However, I don't really expect my trading partners to include them. Extras just give me a better idea of who I would really like to trade with again in the future.

 

should i include extras if the trade sucked? it seems like they are mandatory, the other trader was butthurt i didnt.

camp 1- extras are the spirit of ba trading that many are missing currently.

camp 2- extras are extras and ill include them when i feel like not winning every trade you entitled asshole.

people are including over the top camp two people on their lists.

 

people getting non-local beer delivered right to their door have found some way to be unhappy about it.

 

That's a bit different scenario. The point of extras is to surprise your target with beers they didn't ask for. When you're doing a random fixed-price box, the whole box is really the same concept as extras. You can of course go above and beyond the target figure like you did, but given that people don't usually know what locals cost in other markets, it's almost impossible to know what would be an extra and what would just be part of the agreed upon box.

 

TLDR- Okay to be a dick and not send extras even though you get em, because they are extra. You are gonna hafta make your no trade list additions later.

 

The OP hit me with a very generous trade and cool extras.

Also, the OP is shipping from Europe and his trading partners are shipping to an address in the U.S.... I would send nice extras just because my shipping costs are going to be less than half of his.

Cheers mtbdonn... Badass trade for sure... Toby.

 

I know you don't trade anymore but I would bet, without even knowing you, that every box you sent when you did trade had extras.

 

November 4th, 2010 at 7:32 EST.

 

Gotta agree. Donn is a great, generous guy to trade with and he's always sent me great extras (that I didn't expect). Currently loading up a massive box to send him because he's a good guy and I like giving extras. To each his own.

 

"extras are mandatory"?? why?

how can one be sure that the "extras" one is receiving will be off their wants list? or something special? so we should agree to a dollar for dollar trade (approximately) and then kick in an extra, what? how much is enough? not to mention the increase in shipping.

if this is a long-time trade partner, a friend, something like that.. sure. i will throw in a beer or two based on what i know they like/want. otherwise, no. it should not be "expected".

i've sent extras.. not with the expectation of receiving anything in return. sometimes people reciprocate. sometimes not. and there have been a few times where guys have thrown beers in where it's obvious they are off-loading the dregs of their cellar.

so.. no.. extras should not be "mandatory". if that's what you're after then cultivate those trading partners and you guys can jerk each other off but as far as a hard and fast rule for the community, no.

 

If you can't even be bothered to look up your trading partner's profile quickly to see what they like then what's the point?

But if you're mainly looking for a Handy partner then you might be in the wrong forums.