Trading Etiquette - Extras

What ever happened to the adage of it's better to give than receive? Personally, I have access to lots of great local options that I want to share with people who don't have access to them. I've only been trading for a very short while but I love surprising people with a bunch of goodies they weren't expecting. You get to make someone happy and widen the audience for awesome breweries. If that doesn't get reciprocated then who cares. I don't get hung up if I get someone a better gift than they get me for the holidays. If you look at it more like a gift than a transaction I think everyone would be better off. Just my 2cents.

 

To further @CTFalcon 's point, I have mostly regular traders on each coast, and we just loosely tell each other what we want...after the point of the 2-3 bombers we're each looking for, I don't even worry about what we're sending because we both want to surprise each other and make each other happy with what we're sending without the worry of "who is sending a better box". Get some regular traders and you have nothing to worry about. I also think that if I am ever in town we could go out and have a fucking awesome time getting together. I'm talking to you @jren and @Knocksvil

 

I've yet to find a happy medium..I either do too much or not enough...and when it comes to receiving....it's the same..no help..Cheers birches

 

Over do it on extras...always and forever, especially if you are looking for repeat business. Nothing says I love you like killers extras

 

I used to love doing extras but at this point I almost always ask to do no extras prior to sending boxes. It's much easier on shipping and I have way too much beer that I will never get around to drinking already. With long term trading partners I will say no extras and then throw something nice in there so I can win.

 

In my limited trading, I've included local beers as extras, and received some really great beers as extras in return

 

Sounds like you need an Ohio trading partner.

In all seriousness, coming from the greenest of green traders, this whole extra business can be a bit intimidating. From my perspective, if I got what I traded for with zero extras I'd be happy. If they threw in a decent local shelf beer or 2 that they had on hand I'd be thrilled. If they throw in something crazy it would almost be upsetting because I don't ever want to feel like I shortchanged someone. @RocketCityVol definitely out-extra'd me on my first trade and I hope to have the chance to repay the favor soon. The bottom line is that "extras" are exactly that. If a trader's "extras" don't meet your expectations I suppose you can choose not to deal with them anymore. If you're overly concerned about extras and could potentially be offended by not getting equal value back, you should probably just work those into the trade because the concept of "extras" is not for you.

 

On multiple occasions I've had boxes packed and taped up ready to go and then had my partner message me saying he found some awesome extras for me or received my partners box before I shipped and found awesome extras and I completely ripped open my box to add more or better extras. On the other hand, I've received my partners box with no extras or crap extras and still send the quality extras I included. I'd rather be that guy that sends better extras than the guy that sends less.

 

I've thrown a heady into a trade as an extra because my trade partner wasn't from New England. It wasn't fresh off the truck but it wasn't 6 months old either. I figured it would be a nice extra for someone who probably hasn't had it even though it wasn't ultra fresh but I'm getting the vibe that maybe I shouldn't have included it because of age?

(not trying to turn this into a debate on heady freshness just wondering if it should be ultra fresh or not sent at all)

 

I did an IP trade this weekend. I brought an old Southern Tier IPA. It wasn't six months old but it wasn't from 2015 either. I felt really bad but I was trading with a local (SoCal) and it's hard to find stuff I have that he won't have access to. It was still a beer I was planning on drinking. I'm fact I haven't even tried Southern Tier IPA so I really wanted to try it.

From his perspective I could see why he'd not appreciate the extra. It's an old shelf IPA. But to me it was a good beer I had thought about a lot.

I always appreciate the extras. You never know what that beer meant to someone else.

 

I always go Untappd/want list hunting when I'm able to, when sending extras. Sometimes I have no issue "re-gifting" an extra if 1) it's something I've had multiple times over, and 2) it's not hoppy (I don't send old beer).

Lately I've been actually asking to skip extras with my regulars to cut down on the beer littering my home lol.

 

Part of the cool thing about trading is giving and getting extra's. But how do you determine how many and what quality of extra's to give? Is it based on the number of beers in the original trade (ex.: 8 beer trade warrants 3 extra's) or maybe quality/rarity of the beers traded or other factors. Just curious.

 

Extras are like tipping. If everything goes smoothly you extra a little more. If the bottle quality for the trade is higher you extra better bottles. If it's going to be a new trade partner extra better. etc. At the end of the day though it's always optional

 

Exactly. Go with the flow.

 

I always try and follow the mantra of 'I would be stoked to get this' when thinking about extras. Take a bit of time to confirm that the beers you are throwing in don't distro anywhere near the person, or are just something that you have a bunch of, but are actually pretty cool.

Doesn't have to be expensive, and quality counts for much more than quantity. I often throw in a Daisy Cutter or a Central Waters Bourbon Barrel Stout (I am in Chicago) which are easy things to get and only a few bucks, but make someone elses day.

 

maybe better answers in the trade forum?

 

I've done extras and received extras but it was never an expectation by either side.

 

I usually use good local beers for my extras such as stouts and things I have in my cellar from my local breweries.

 

I'm in the 'wow them' crowd. Give them something that they'll remember.

 

My first trade I did last month, I added a 12oz Tony Gwynn Pale Ale and a 22oz bomber of Belching Beaver Peanut Butter stout as extras. The way I look at it, the extras will keep the rapport going.