Trade Contingent on Timing Gone Awry

Discussion in 'Trade Talk' started by starrdogg, Nov 6, 2014.

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  1. starrdogg

    starrdogg Initiate (0) Jun 21, 2010 District of Columbia

    Hi everyone, I wanted to solicit some advice about a situation that's arisen with a trade I'm involved with. I set up a trade earlier this week with the specific condition that the box needed to arrive before I left town tomorrow for a vacation, and that it needed to be shipped out on Tuesday to get to me in time. He agreed and sent me the tracking information mid-day Tuesday, which meant I thought everything was fine, but I just discovered today that he didn't drop the box off until yesterday and it is now scheduled to arrive after I leave for my trip.

    Normally I wouldn't care that much, but it's a growler that's already a week old and will be nearly 2 weeks old by the time I return. I've already shipped my end, so it's too late to bail without a ton of hassle. Any suggestions on what to do?
     
  2. Yohann

    Yohann Zealot (744) Apr 29, 2014 Wisconsin
    Trader

    What kind of beer is in the growler, and any idea how it was filled? If it's an IPA filled straight from a tap (or other not-so-great method), I'd say that the other trader should probably replace the bottle. If it's a stout filled via a counter-pressure system, the extra week may not make a noticeable difference.
     
  3. cl3

    cl3 Savant (1,244) Aug 16, 2013 Wisconsin
    Trader

    I don't think there is anything you can do, since the box is already on the way. Gonna have to bite the bullet and plan a little better next time. Shipping is always gonna be a wild card so you need to give yourself, and your trader some breathing room.
     
  4. starrdogg

    starrdogg Initiate (0) Jun 21, 2010 District of Columbia

    I dunno man, he assured me that it would get to me by today and then failed to follow through, and I viewed that as part of the trade. I would not have made the trade otherwise. And to answer the previous poster's question, it is an IPA. No idea how it was filled though.
     
    jrnyc likes this.
  5. evilcatfish

    evilcatfish Pooh-Bah (2,116) May 11, 2012 Missouri
    Pooh-Bah Trader

    Did he specifically say he didn't drop the box off until yesterday? Its possible he dropped it off Tuesday but missed pick up. Seems different FedEx offices have different times for when boxes go out and it could be an honest mistake. If he did in fact not drop off until yesterday then yes, he should probably send you another growler.

    I feel that trades contingent on time are like pre-trades in that there are a lot of variables at play and often something goes wrong. Best to avoid IMHO
     
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  6. cl3

    cl3 Savant (1,244) Aug 16, 2013 Wisconsin
    Trader

    Yeah I understand your frustration, but if you set up a trade "earlier this week" that had to be out by UPS/Fedex/Eagles of Manwë pick up time on Tuesday, that leave ~24 hours for that box to get packed and shipped. That is a small window of time especially when people have jobs/kids/school/etc. Even if it had shipped on Tuesday, not leaving any any breathing room for Shipping delays would have easily resulted in the same timing situation. I'm not defending the shipper for being late with the shipping of your beer, I just think that tight shipping deadlines never work out in anyone's favor. Talk to your trader and see if he can make it right is my only advice, I guess
     
  7. starrdogg

    starrdogg Initiate (0) Jun 21, 2010 District of Columbia

    Thanks for the input. I messaged him and hadn't heard back (and posted this because I got antsy), so I'll just wait and see what he has to say before deciding how to proceed. It's certainly possible that factors beyond his control got involved here.
     
  8. starrdogg

    starrdogg Initiate (0) Jun 21, 2010 District of Columbia

    Okay, I'm an asshole. I put the wrong tracking number into the system. Turns out the box was delivered today after all.
     
  9. bahnfire

    bahnfire Initiate (0) Jan 17, 2011 Vermont

    I have done a number of trades that were semi or wholly contingent on beer arriving by a certain date. Generally has involved me getting HF growlers/Heady to someone on short notice for a tasting or other event. If it is clearly specified that a box needs to ship out on "X" day, it is my responsibility to make sure it is dropped off at Fedex before the cutoff time. If I drop it off at 6:05pm and it doesn't go out until the next day that is on me.

    In the OP's case, if it was clearly stated and agreed upon that the box would ship out Tuesday, and the other trader dropped it off too late to go out that day the other trader needs to make it right. Now, if the other trader dropped it off on time, and there was just some issue with Fedex where the box was delayed in transit due to an accident or weather, than its not his fault and shouldn't be held accountable.

    In terms of "making it right", if it was my fault I would offer few possible resolutions:
    • We both ship each others beer back
      OR
    • I ship another fresh growler at an agreed upon time (either immediately or sometime in the future)
      OR
    • Some other mutually agreeable arrangement
    TL;DR - If he didn't drop it off on time he should be willing to work with you to make it right. If it was Fedex's fault then you just gotta roll with the punches.
     
    kingkong likes this.
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