Trend toward no extras?

I trade mostly ip, and always include extras. If its somebody local it's something I picked up out of state recently, or out of season beers for out of state traders.

 

I'm new to beer trading and had no idea about extras. I have received some nice extras in recent trades and plan on including some on my end moving forward.

 

I have only done one trade but the other person was an experienced trader and when I asked about extras(fully intending to send them some regardless) they informed me they always sent them but didn't expect any back. We both ended up sending four or five extras each and I was twice as excited for him to get some of the extra beer I sent as I was to receive my beer lol. But that's how I got to try my first beer from 3 Floyd's(Gorch Fock as an extra) and low and behold, it was an amazing beer and my favorite beer in the box he sent me. I may not trade often or ever really anymore(Houses, engagement rings, etc. but maybe I will again some day), but that first and only trade was a fantastic experience and a big part of it was the extras, both giving and receiving, and a great dude to trade with. I couldn't imagine ever doing a trade again that didn't include extras, of course I am that guy who enjoys people opening the presents I give them on Christmas twice as much as I enjoy getting presents. I have read a ton of great, generous stories on here and a bunch of horror stories on here regarding trades. But I get the impression that the trading community and beer advocate community in general is still a bunch of great folks, with a few rotten apples. Keep the faith folks, and you'll find great people to trade with, like I was blessed to find in my first trade.

 

same situation. i've only trade twice on here, and both people were more seasoned and didn't mention anything, and even left great feedback. it's honestly been so long ago that i am not sure what i did in those trades. i can see it being a custom when you've traded with the same person for a little while and have gotten to know their preferences. the whole thing is an establishment of trust, which, to me, wouldn't come from an initial transaction unless you ended up actually hearing from that person again. that would probably be my mindset since i wouldn't want to give someone something they wouldn't enjoy. i recognize that a lot of people have preferences, which is a major component to trading (you want to get beer you already know you want, mostly). i had no idea it was a 'thing', and i'm not sure why people would say it is a conscious decision in order to 'win' or save $$$. it's also pretty deflating to think anyone would expect it from someone they haven't traded with prior, and even if they get one, to scrutinize it. seems silly, and people aren't mind readers. i agree with the people who said to confirm, if you're going to act butthurt about it. i personally wouldn't do that, just go with the flow.

having said that, i'm starting to trade again, and have 2 packages ready to go this weekend. i'm excited about Free Will Brewing in my neck of the woods, and have decided to include some favorites of mine in these trades as extras since i am sure neither of these people have ever had them. these are specifically people who i would like to trade with on a consistent basis, and they're both first trades.

 

I used to always send extras. Especially in low volume trades. Lately I haven't received anything close to extras. So I gave up and it's been fine. I miss the extras though. One in every 10 trades I get some extras and I thank them and send a box out doing them the next day just because they deserve it.

 

Wait, am I reading this right? You sent the guy 6 extras and he shipped 3 of your own beers back to you as your "extras"? If so, wow. I don't even know what to say about that.

 

It seems like people have gotten away from what the point of extras is. To me, it has always been about sharing beer that you hope someone appreciates and not keeping score of what you got back. Sometimes you might want to surprise an established trading partner or a new trader with something big just to make their day. Sometimes it is just simply "I like this and I hope you like it too".

I am sure a lot of new traders don't really know the ropes when it comes to extras but you would hope this is where an experienced trader would help out. This likely means sending that person more than you know they will be sending back and it might mean no extras at all coming your way. I guarantee the person will remember it and pay it forward as they make more trades (see some examples above) and the trading community will be better off for it. I know my first trade or two with an experienced trader shocked me when I opened the box to see all the goodies they had sent. It made me want to give someone else that same surprise feeling. It shouldn't be "I hope they send as much as I do" but rather "I really hope they enjoy this".

Part of being a good BA is sharing the love of beer. To that end, I think guiding people who might not be as experienced as you (in trading or even when it comes to all things craft beer in general) should be part of why you are here.

 

I still send extras... so has everyone I've traded with save for 1, but that was communicate prior as the trade was small as-is. I often get singles of local 12 oz bottles/cans and I love it because I love trying new beer. I've also received a Darkness as an extra, and that was pretty awesome as well.

 

Glad I popped in here and read this. Gearing up to post my first trade and had no idea about the extras thing!

 

All the trades I have done on here have included extras, sometimes we mentioned it before but others we haven't. I guess I learned about extras before doing my first trade just by lurking around the site. I enjoy getting extras and trying new beers, I almost look forward to the extras more than the beer i traded for, just because its a surprise.

 

No dude, it's about WINNING. Especially for $3.75 Tree House cans, $12 bottles of Trillium, Bottle Logic and SARA, Bourbon County variants, TG stouts and King Sue, Funky Buddha/JW/CC "limited" releases, and Mexican Cake of all kinds.

Just kidding. Well said, agree with all of it. I love sending quality extras, it's fun (for me anyway). And if beer isn't fun, well...that's pretty fucking sad.

 

I just dont get it...I dont get the logic of not giving extras..If you cant afford it, get out of the game...The difference between now and a few years ago is staggering..

 

As long as there is space in the box I send extras. Even when I'm strictly mulling something for someone else. Anywhere from under the radar good/great beer, to desired good/great beer, to something unusual. (I've sent out Zima and that Pat's Backcountry Beverage crap. Beers everyone knows are bad, but somewhat campy.)

There should not be a requirement for extras (and I flat out don't expect any), but if you have the space you may as well fill it with a couple dollars worth of beer.

 

IMO extras are the difference between trading as an advocate of beer, and trading beer as a commodity.

 

So 90% of the time I send extras in trades, but I never expect them - I always view it as an added bonus.

However, I just completed a trade with someone and I didn't have anything worth including on hand, so I sent without extras and they responded when they got their box:

"Kind of lame that I got to pay California shipping and not a single extra but it's cool..."

For the record, I asked if they would ship to CA as a gift to a buddy; the shipping cost difference was around $3. Should I feel bad about this? Or figure out a way to make it up to them? At no point were extras discussed in our trade talks, and I did mention CA shipping as well. Still, getting a message like that leaves me with a guilty/crummy feeling :/ I would even have offered to pay them the shipping cost if I knew it was an issue.

 

Extras are extra, no one should expect them or mention it. You did ask him to make a special consideration for the shipping and for that I would have thrown something nice in, but that's just me. Also, if you're only throwing in extras of stuff "worth including on hand", you're doing it wrong. I find a lot of the fun in making a special trip to my local bottle shop and grabbing 1 or 2 things that my trade partner doesn't have locally to include in the box.

 

Did he/she include extras to your friend in Ca.?

 

If you are not going to send extras you should let your trading partner know ahead of time.

 

K, thanks for the feedback all! I'll send him a note. Like I mentioned it's not like what I have on hand is gonna be shelf beer... My fridge is almost always stocked with Heady Topper, Focal, Crusher or Tree House beers. That's where my extras come from. Just got caught on a week where I traded most everything extra I had; wasn't thinking it would be an expectation. I really just wanna make it right cuz this is the first disappointed person I've had in 50+ trades

 

I've always thrown in extras from local breweries. I think I've done a few trades where I didn't get any back. It's disappointing since it's fun to open up extras in the box but not a big deal. It's still cool to send locals to places that they would never otherwise get to.