Bad Bruery Trustee Thread

my trading here is based solely on an agreement over the internet. nothing signed. so if i don't sign something, and i pull out of a trade after receiving my end of the deal, not really a big deal - just an inconvenience? i get that your example is predicated on nothing exchanging hands...but it's still an agreement. what about a BIF/LIF...i don't sign anything, only agree to ship beer, and after i receive some beer from someone else, i decide to not ship - just an inconvenience? i respect and like the idea of the "these are my terms" document...good for you for covering your bases. and under those circumstances, and those expectations set out IN THE AGREEMENT, you have every right to do as written.

obviously a lot of disagreement here...and it's only gonna fall right back into the "well, he's not really a bad trader because..." being said, i'll step out of the discussion now.

 

You keep saying "trade" but we're not even talking about a trade. They really aren't the same thing. Being a trustee is more like doing someone a favor that never ends. A trade happens one time and you know you can follow through with it because it is just one and done.

Not everyone can foresee their personal circumstances over the course of the next calendar year, and certainly shouldn't be expected to prioritize shipping you beers before the rest of their life. Unless you gave someone something that was specifically agreed to compensate them for an entire year, you are not entitled. And even if you did, if a person had an unexpected change or circumstances, say moving, it would still be unreasonable to expect them to continue shipping you beer.

I have a friend who moved from Orange County to Arizona a couple years ago and I agreed to help out by inheriting trusteeship of three people from him. However, to assert that it was his responsibility to do so would have been ridiculous. He sought to do it because he is a nice guy, and I did it for him because I respect him as a friend.

 

I think people are talking part each other here. A trustee can obviously opt out at any time, but they should send any beer they've picked up. If the opted out like a day before the pickup deadline that'd be a dick move, but what trustee takes that long to get stuff?

On the other hand, a trustee who doesn't ship beer they've picked up is obviously a bad trader.

 

I agree with Stu, but what have you done to help the situation? Not backing him at all,but I split the society with another local BA and we ship beers with return labels that all he has to do is empty his box and pack ours. Help them that help you.

 

If he picked up your beers already and now won't communicate or ship as you have said he is a bad trader.

 

I try to keep the trustee thing simple.

1: Buy and Maintain a stryo-shipper and buy as many as you need based on your purchasing habits.
2: send the shippers when you want your allocations. As I will not store your allocation at my place.
3: Allow for at most 1-2 before I ship since I cant make it to the bruery every weekend.

 

Uh-oh.... I feel a trustee etiquette thread coming on

 

But what about all the tape that your trustee uses? That's like $.04 per box!

 

Not sure if that is a joke but I bought six rolls of tape and have gone through them and just bought another six rolls. If someone has a lot of trustees they could be going through a lot of tape.

 

Let's be sarcastic and ungrateful to trustees! This will not go badly.

 

Getting back on topic, the op has stated no communication after picking up his beer for a few months. I hope you would say that is more than an inconvenience.

 

Yes, bad joke. I happen to know that Lobo compensates his trustee quite well for their services. But I guess the tape costs could add up if you're trusteeing for a dozen folks.

 

Life happens. Nothing signed. OP should have known better.

 

ITT: Rich guys bitch about tape costs.

 

Extras are just extras, dude. You expect too much.

 

I think you may be missing the point. No one is calling someone who ends the relationship cleanly a bad trustee(atleast I'm not). The 'bad' designation comes in when you have picked up someone elses beer, have them in your possession, and decide not to send them. And call me crazy but I dont think any trustee is doing charity work, they are atleast getting fully compensated for any costs and any trustee of mine has gotten a pretty nice box as well. Picking up someones beer and keeping it is a bad trustee, and a bad trader.

 

My former trustee has my box, shipping label and 12 beers I paid for. He is/was a bad trustee. If someone is just slow at shipping or communicates poorly, but you still get beer, he may be less than ideal, but not bad.

 

With trading and dealing with a trustee, IMO by far the most important thing is communication. If someone checks in to BA once a week after sending messages, posting an ISO or what not, I don't want to trade with them. Same goes for dealing with a trustee. Do some research on past trading partners and ask about their communication as its a lot of work. The process isn't completely streamlined to the point where you go to the Bruery for Jon Doe to pick up his stuff and they just have it all together and ready. You have to know what they've had picked up and what they've purchased because you have to sign for them in multiple books and pages of their process. I'm a trustee for 3 great guys and I'm sure if you ask any of them about my communication, they'd say "Fuck that guy, he's a piece of shit." And then they'd say yes the communication and follow up is solid. Don't go with a trustee unless you feel comfortable with them.

 

That is called a "thief" not a bad trader.