New trader nerves

I felt the same way when I did my first trade. After a few trades I wasn't nervous at all anymore.

 

Dude, I have a box out for delivery right now (to my trade partner, I just got his box), look at my trade count, and I'm still concerned about it make it there. 1st trade was damaged, 101st trade got damaged, both times while "on vehicle for delivery", so I never felt "done" until my partner said he has it and everything looks good. Hell, just earlier this week, a box was marked delivered, but my partner told me it was nowhere to be found. Turned out it was delivered to the wrong building and was redelivered 2 business days later. It wasn't my fault, but I was ready to send him a consolation box.

I'm not trying to scare you, but ANYTHING can happen, even with bomb proof packing job and "delivered" status. All it really is though is that it says you care about fulfilling your commitment (not that all those who aren't nervous don't care).

Sign up for tracking change notifications. Be sure to check the "Exception" and "Delivered" check boxes. That helps if you have quick access to email to know what's going on.

 

IMO, if you're a conscientious trader, you'll almost *always* have some slight fear/apprehension. I've shipped and had shipped to me many many a box through trades, reserve societies, thank yous, surprises, etc...and yeah, it's pretty normal.

Not sure where in MA you are, but if it goes wrong somehow and you need help making it right, LMK.

 

I probably have about 100 trades done, and I'm at 0 bottles broken. however I had an entire box lost once

still I'm pretty paranoid about packing now bc the bottles I ship now tend to expensive ones

 

I was pretty nervous the first time I traded, going so far as to simulate some of the rough handling my box might undergo so as to make it as secure as possible. The trade was also from New York to California, so, with the exception of an international shipment, it was about as nail-bitingly lengthy in transit as you can get.

I've found a way to secure everything within a box that makes me feel only a nominal amount of trepidation while my beer is in transit. But, no, you never lose that last little bit of edge.

I've only had one bottle break in transit. Thankfully, it was an extra and part of a huge trade volume-wise...now I use six or four pack holders when possible to secure bottles in boxes.

 

I had 4 bottles of last years Fou Foune and some nice De Cam rarities get as far as the local post office and....disappear into the twilight zone. That one nearly put me off trading altogether. However, subsequent trades were great, there´s some nice people out there.

 

I've had one bottle break, just outside of Seattle. Coming from New York it was a week in transit. I had one bottle freeze and leak its contents. The trepidation never goes away no matter how many times you trade. You'll also learn new tricks for packaging as you receive more boxes. I stick by my own code of never trade what you can't afford to lose.
I find that the fear makes the reward sweeter, both in trying new beers and in letting someone else try new beers.
Good luck in trading and enjoy it,
Tikk

 

It gets a little better because your much more familiar with the process as a whole...but there's always going to be the variables that come with shipping fragile items and dealing with people you've never met. I can make myself feel a little better just by packing the shit out of my boxes getting the trade request accept before shipping. It's always nice to see the word delivered and a message saying everything's arrived safely with the same going for your items of course.

 

I have probably shipped 75 boxes or so and everyone has made it safely. Did have a couple coming my way that were damaged. In fact my first trade ever I was getting PTE, it made it from Cali to the local drop point on Long Island fr delivery. Then got the dreaded exception, box was damaged and sent back to Cali. Trading partner said the box looked like it was run over by a truck! Great trader though, he hooked me up big time with replacement box.

 

lol uh oh, you have me worried there will be a wet mess of broken glass and beer at my doorstop tomorrow morning when I wake up

 

I take it a little further and make sure that I trade something that I can replace. This forces me to not trade my last bottle or something so rare I can't find a replacement for. If not, I make sure my box gets there safely before opening any of the beer I received.

 

Some great feedback from others listed above. I use the mindset that every box of beer I send are "rare" and "expensive" beers that can't be replaced, so it forces me to do a package job without second guessing myself. Although, I've got no control after it leaves my possession, what happens during transit. I also always ship with FedEx and have an account, which seems to be the route to go (IMO) for shipping packages.

 

I agree with this. I mean, at the risk of sounding sarcastic, we are shipping liquids in glass bottles. I pack each bottle as if I might have to replace it and won't be able to. To ease some of my early trading nerves, I have dropped a box held high above my head and sent it down a flight of stairs to test my packing. (The bottles survived, with a sigh of relief.) Still, things can happen. So, until that box reaches your porch, I am, naturally, gonna be a little worried.

 

[QUOTE="tikk, post: 2774953, member: 133959"
I find that the fear makes the reward sweeter, both in trying new beers and in letting someone else try new beers.
Good luck in trading and enjoy it,
Tikk[/QUOTE]
Couldn't agree with you more ...

 

I lost a box with 8 bcbs so it is nerve wracking a bit. Use a bigger box than you'll think you need opt for more packing material than stuffing in another local xtra , most important is protecting the main trade bottles.

 

With all the boxes I've sent I have come to two realizations. 1, Pack a box how you would wish to receive it and hope for FedEx to treat it nicely. And 2, understand a bomb proof box stands no chance if a fork lift is put through it (personal experiences).