No tracking number, no shipping?

Honestly, that proves nothing. I can go on my FedEx account, create a shipping label and send you the tracking number. Then, I can go and cancel the shipment and never pay for anything. You getting a tracking number from the other person proves nothing until you see it's updated and en route.

 

Not necessarily. For example, if I created a FedEx label right now, I could give you a screenshot of the tracking number from my account to prove I made it but if you tried to track it, it would show shipment not found on the FedEx website. The tracking number will become active once it gets scanned in somewhere. However, if you wait long enough after creating the label (usually a few days) and then track the number before it's been dropped off, all it will say was that the information was sent to FedEx.

Here's the other thing: if you create a FedEx label with a ship date of Nov. 20, 2013 for example but you wait until Nov. 21, 2013 to try and cancel it, you won't be allowed. However, you can easily just never ship with that label and not get charged because FedEx never tendered or transported your package.

My point is, simply receiving a tracking number proves nothing until you see it's in motion.

 

Interesting. Every FedEx label I've created with my account always show up as "Not Found" until either I drop it off, or a few days has passed it will register that shipping information was sent to FedEx.

I'd be curious to hear other people's experiences with online FedEx shipment creation.

 

I've done hundreds of trades and 90% of the time I ship first because I like to get boxes out right away when I can. A better question is why do people take this shit so seriously? It's beer we're shipping for someone else to drink and enjoy. It's not diamonds or gold bars.

 

because if everyone did that no one would ever complete a trade.

 

This is a really shitty attitude that a lot of you rookies have. This isn't elementary school, you show me yours and I'll show you mine. Way too many BA's I've traded with lately just so happen to get busy the days after we say we'll ship, and it just so happens that I get a tracking number from them the same day my package arrives at their door step. Not saying I won't trade with them again, but it makes me not want to go out of my way to hook them up. Everything in life is a calculated risk. If you wanna do your hw and check references, by all means do so. But waiting to see who blinks first is chicken shit.
Grow a pair and man up.

 

Creating a shipping label means nothing. I create labels all the time, with tracking numbers, especially when I travel, IN CASE I decide to ship something. If I dont use the label, that shipment will eventually disappear, but might linger and show on my account for weeks. Nothing gets charged until the box is scanned at the store, so none of this means anything or guarantees that you're getting a box.

If you can't trust the person you're trading with, you probably shouldnt trade with them. Just saying.

 

If you can't afford to be getting cheated on a trade, you probably shouldn't be trading. I've done 100+ trades and I've never checked references. I go by my gut based on the communication skills of the guy I'm trading with. I also research their posts. If they have references listed in their profile, all the better, but I'm not messaging those guys. I know people will disagree with my approach, but I don't care or have time for silly games like who ships first. If someone wants to screw me on $50-100 in beer, I'd be mad, but its not gonna break the bank.

 

You're totally missing the point. Bad traders piss everyone off. Not trusting potential trading partners because you need to "cover your ass" seems stupid. It's just another shitty attitude that is becoming the norm on this site.

 

It comes down to the fact that its only $50-100 in beer. If, for you or anyone, that's a lot to risk, then you or they should probably not be involved in trading. Lord knows I've wasted a lot more $ on sillier things than beer trading. Lol

 

I don't think you are looking at it reasonably. The trust extended here is the same trust you would find in any comparable community (like say a cigar forum, or back when they were relevant, a dvd forum). Namely, because preservation of future opportunity hinges upon reputation, there is an incentive to behave oneself, and as such, it is reasonable and prudent to extend people within the community trust unless they provide reason not to.

 

Until Fed ex scans it with a barcode reader it is not in there system. You could print as many labels as you want and give people the tracking
numbers it's got to get scaned.

 

I trust people who seem trustworthy based on past actions, posting history on the Internet included. I've gotten to drink hundreds of beers I wouldn't have been able to try without trusting random people on the Internet. If someone steals a box from me some day I can say without a doubt, overall, it's been worth it.