Multiple trades with the same person

I'm sure you know the official response, right? Always use it!

However, there are guys that I'm pretty lax using the trade system with - sometimes we do, sometimes we forget. I've been trading with some of these guys for up to 8 years & we've sent anywhere from 10-20 boxes back & forth. I consider them friends & know them well enough to know they'd never stiff me. Also, I've sat down & had beers with all but one of my favorite dudes across the country...and I know where the other one lives. I'll get him eventually.

I'd suggest always using the trading system, but even I don't always follow my own advice.

 

If I've already traded with someone, I don't really care. If they want to initiate it, then I'm happy to leave the feedback. I mostly just communicate with repeat traders via text message anyway

 

It depends on the trade frequency, the amount of contact you have in between trades, and most importantly the comfort level you have for each other. If you go often go months without any or very little contact in between trades, then best use the system. If you only ever talk to each other about beer trading and nothing else, use the trade system. If you feel that your partner is more of a friend, then do what you are most comfortable with. In some cases, your trade partner is new and is looking to build reputation, submit a trade request. If your trade partner submits one, happily accept it. More often, with a good long-term trade partner, you will get to the point that you actually forget about the trade system altogether and don't bother.

A side note, regardless of the situation, I do recommend having at least 2 of your trades logged with any repeat partner. I don't know how often people care to look, but I do look at the "Repeat" count when looking at the number of trades someone completed. This tells me, to some objective extent, that people want to trade with you again.

 

I've got a partner I've traded with numerous times and neither one of us has left feedback after the initial trade...have never met the person in real life but I trust him more than I do a lot of people I have known forever!!..lol

 

Every point counts. I would use the system as often as possible.

 

My two trade buddies and I simply text each other now. I'd easily have 12 more trade credits, at least,on this site had we used the request/feedback function. There is a certain point at which we trust each other and even send out blind boxes knowing what the other person likes. I shop sometimes with those guys in mind and pick up 1 or 2 extra just to send out to them when I travel.

Funny thing is I've "known" them for almost two years now and don't know what they look like or have even heard their voice.

 

I only trade with 3 people. I am totally comfortable with each person and we just send boxes back and forth no expectations of what will be received in return. Don't use the trading system to pad my stats and realize at some point I may send a box and receive nothing in return and if that happens I am ok with it. I consider each of these guys a friend despite never meeting them in person. It would feel weird to ask them to use the trade feedback.

 

This. I've got regulars who i trade with sporadically and we use the system. I always have regulars who i trade with on a more frequent basis, and we don't use the system. It's more a case by case system for me than one size fits all.

 

regulars, its a double edged sword. Sometimes it works out awesome. then it can all go wrong. I have one who the only thing he does wrong is make me feel bad when his boxes arrive in case I am not generous enough when I send boxes back but...
regulars can also go wrong, one quit his job right after I sent him a hugely expensive box still owes me $100 in beer, no official trade request, another took 3 months to return a box and gave no extras after I felt I was generous.
We are working with people and people flake out some times...

 

I've done dozens and dozens and dozens of trades and have only used the feedback option six times.

 

Many of you seem to be doing this wrong...is it about stats, or making friends who love great beer? Rhetorical question....

 

Usually after about 2 trades you can tell if someone is cool and if you want to deal with them again sans feedback. The Guy above (George) is an angry curmudgeon but I trust him more than family.

 

Best compliment I have gotten all day! The curmudgeon part that is, because, frankly, I don't even trust myself around beer...I keep drinking it and forgetting things...

 

These days I'm embarrassed by my number and am happy when a RTP DOESN'T send a trade request lol.

 

I use it for a trade every time I actually trade w an RTP. If not for any reason, but to leave feedback so other new traders know that regularity w them is rewarded. Furthermore, one of the more telling stats I like on this site is the little number that appears when you click on someone's trading stats to see the feedback- it reads something like this:

unique | repeat traders​

@Justdoit1234 you got nothing to be embarrassed by, but rather you should be proud that nearly 1 in every 3 trades you complete is with a repeat partner. That's solid in my book man.

 

Thanks. I'm definetly not embarrassed by that number -- what I meant was the total # of trades I've made. Getting a lot of comments like "whoa, xxx number of trades is a shit ton lol" from new traders makes me realize how overboard I've gone these past two years. I see you have a tiny problem too

Gotta message your buddy Patrick for some of those super fresh TX ipas he knows I love soon!

 

I see you use trade, assume that to mean that you don't always "trade" with repeats, maybe just send stuff back and forth? That is a big reason why I don't bother, as most of the people I send stuff to these days are not "trades", rather just sending out.

 

Good eye no doubt, but often times with a frequent trade partner as I'm sure you are well aware, discussions for beer are no longer done through BA at all, but through actual discussion on the phone or through text. As the relationship progresses, a trade no longer ensues, but rather a #goandpickitupformebro situation arises [for me and vice versa], and when funds are involved, BeerAdvocate no longer is. That's what I meant by "trade", and that's why I specified if an actual trade is taking place, then so is the feedback system.