So I just heard about this yesterday for the first time and this sounds like fun. Except I've never done this before so I don't have any trading history. Gotta start somewhere right? Only thing is I'd rather not spend a fortune on trying to land insane beers right away, and driving up to Waterbury, VT for Heady Topper/Lawsons/HF makes for a long-ass day on the road. How does this work would anyone be interested in starting this? Maybe me trying to run one would be a bad idea, but I think this sounds like fun, getting something in the mail with all kinds of goodies from across the country. Thoughts?
With never having traded before don't be surprised if there isn't much interest and be prepared to ship first , You are right in saying you have to start somewhere ,But I don't think a BIF is the best place to start with your first trades ..I would suggest a ISO-FT to get your feet wet .. But who knows , I've been wrong before ..Good Luck !
Maybe , starting out with the responsibility of a BIF wouldn't be my first choice , Usually NOOB Bif's are ran by seasoned veteran traders that give NOOB's a chance to get into one , By running one it's your responsibility to make sure it's ran smoothly and to check references of all participants.
Do yourself (and everyone else) a huge favor, and don't try to jump into trading by running your own BIF... There are a lot of ins and outs, and you really want a lot of experience under your belt to help everything go smoothly. NOOB friendly BIFs come up periodically - just keep your eyes peeled. I've run a couple of them, and I had a problem from somebody with the last one, but I might do another one in the fall. Best way to start trading is to do a $4$ locals trade with a vet. You'll get your feet wet and learn the ropes of the process, packaging, shipping, etc. Start by reading here: http://alewatcher.blogspot.com/2010/11/new-trader-tips.html
Ive gotten some private messages from some people who are kind enough to let me know how it goes. Im currently going to do a $30 or thereabouts package with someone in VA who is willing to let me into the scene. I agree with everyone that running a BIF is something that I dont want to get into right now so thanks for everyone for being nice about the whole situation. I think I just want to try some beers that I cant get around here and am willing to be patient to see how things shape up. I feel like if you screw someone over on a trade that you get a bad rap immediately, I cant imagine why someone would want even consider it. Besides, people on BA for the most part seem pretty willing and friendly to lend a hand or just spread the word about beer (which is so awesome). I also work at a liquor store that used to ship bottles before it was banned in MA, so there's tons of packing material here, to keep things safe and discreet. Thanks for the tips/warnings everyone, I'd hate to naively try and put something together and have it blow up in my face. Cheers!
