Offering Beer You Don't Have Yet

Most folks, when trading beer they don't currently have in their possession, are doing so knowing they will be attending the release and will preface the trade with (PRE). This is normal and acceptable as long as they are reasonably sure they'll be able to deliver.

For distro / shelf beer - especially more limited items - it seems silly to me to list something FT unless you know for A FACT that you can get it. This guy apparently didn't do so hot, but at this point, no beer lost, chalk it up to shitty luck I guess.

 

I'm actually guilty of this. When I first started trading someone asked me what I had and I said terrapin wake and bake. I had just seen it on he shelves a week prior so I figured I'd pick it up the next day. Well sure enough it was all gone and didn't re appear until last week (about 8 month wait). I just apologized for wasting his time and offered other beer to hopefully make things right. I since haven't offered any beer unless its in my hand. Lesson learned.

 

If this guy didn't communicate to you that he didn't have the beer in hand from the beginning and worked out a trade with you based on the fact that he did have the beer, but didn't tell you that... then he's a douchebag... end of story... no one is out any beer, but he wasted your time and he sucks...I certainly wouldn't appreciate it if I was dealing with him...

 

Unfortunately you are describing what trading is quickly becoming. Lots of bait and switch. Lots of manipulation to try and get maximum value. Just chalk it up as time wasted and hope it doesn't keep happening. He was probably just expecting you to say oh well and go on with a trade regardless. At least you realized what was happening.

 

Knowing the beer and where the guy is from may give us a better clue on whether or not he found a better offer. Although, "...It really flies off the shelves" seems rather telling that something has changed, i.e better offer. If he knew it was flying off the shelf, he should've gotten it or should've pulled the trade right away. Clearly a dishonest trader, or at least intentionally misleading.

All pre trades or trades involving beers not yet in possession MUST be disclosed at the get-go so that potential trade partners understand the potential risks.

 

To make it simple, I pretty much agree with everything that's already been said. He's a dbag and should have made it clear from the beginning. He doesn't deserve a bad trader thread but if you could please pm me his name so I don't get stuck dealing with this misleading, lying?, sorry excuse for a trader I would appreciate it.

 

I generally don't do pre-trades, bumps in the road often happen, especially with limited releases. Sometimes I do offer shelf beer I don't have but let the other person know the situation and that I may need a few days to find it.

One other thing, don't send/accept trade requests until you have the beer in hand

As others said, this guy probably just got a better offer. Bad trader? No, but it is a little slimy

 

If you don't have the beer in hand, don't offer it for trade.
Hopefully newbies will see this thread and learn from it rather than wasting someones time with beer they assume they can get.

 

A dangerous game to play, it's not yours till you buy it. I've seen HDR stacked head high one day and completely gone the next.

 

Agree for the most part here. I don't think the guy deserves a bad trade thread but would probably go on my no trade list. The only time I pre trade is with my regular partners with the open understanding sometimes one of us will strike out. I'm not a huge believer in any regular pre trade with the exception of ticketed or membership pre trades where the bottles are already guaranteed

 

I never do this. Just wait til you have the damn bottle in hand.

 

It's a dangerous game...i trade away beer pre only when im part of the memberships where im guaranteed the beers..other than that, you're playing with fire.

 

@SenatorSpaceman please BM me the traders name to add to my DTL as well. Thanks in advance.

 

I've done pretrade a couple of times. Both times have been brewery releases that I knew I was going to and knew I was getting there at a very reasonable time. One time I didn't send the request until I had the beer, the other it was sent before but I knew I had better beers to sub in if I failed to get my beer. I do this because I don't buy beer to sit around for later trading. I like to gauge interest and see if I want to use my full allotment at the release.

 

OP, it's your choice as to whether to share his name with the community. From what you've said, while he might not be a bad trader, he's someone most of us would prefer to avoid. IF he doesn't want his name muddied with the bs you described, then he shouldn't pull such time wasting, misleading crap.

When beers aren't in hand the person really needs to be upfront about it as well as disclosing how confident s/he is of getting them & why s/he feels assured of landing 'em.

 

Once again its come down to communication as always. As long as your open and the other party knows then its cool. The crap this guy pulled is not acceptable

 

Second time trading have done this iv never not seen this beer available they day I go to get it it sold.out and on back order I felt shit I it wasn't a rare beer or anything just sold out.