Trade issue resolved: @surlytheduff

Just to reiterate the importance of getting an email address and phone number: I had a trader recently for whom I shipped a box that was around $60 of beer, close to $40 on shipping. Similar scenario - he was not logging in and I had no communication of a shipment.

I gave him some time and texted him. He responded pretty quickly to say he was in the hospital. Provided pics as proof (though I trusted his word). He was there for quite a while. Once he was out I accepted the fact it was going to be a while for him to recover and get back on his feet money wise from being away from work.

Instead of blasting him in text I did the honorable thing and checked in on his recovery. I'd shipped him IPAs and based on his medical condition (digestive related), he wasn't going to be able to enjoy them due to strict medical instruction (they were given away to friends). So yes it was important he honor his half of the trade, but he got screwed by his condition and the fact he received IPAs (had it only been a beer that could age!)

We texted back and forth on general stuff and he shipped my box when he could. Of course it was a very nice shipment based on how the situation went between us. He and I are now trade partners (at least my plan is for this and I think he would agree)

So point is: I would have been pretty upset had I not sent him that initial text and heard back from him, waiting on a BM. I probably would have posted a bad trader thread, in fact. Always get a phone # and email.

 

Christ. Yes, I shipped out four days late. And yes, this post was made before I got the text (I've never not included my cell number and email address in 200+ trades).

 

Probably hard to keep on schedule while in Tajikistan but cmon man, if you owe a box to someone either send on time or communicate why you haven't. Right? What's wrong with my question?

 

This is kinda dumb because the OP called someone out, which he thought would induce sudden communication, it did, and now I look at the feedback left and looks like everything is just peachy. I think both should agree to leave one another neutral feedback as a mistake made on BOTH ends...

 

This is exactly right! There WAS A PROBLEM, now all of a sudden it turns into a "good" trade...Once again, as has been mentioned a ton of times...This right here shows people are NOT using the system correctly...This is obviously a neutral trade..WHICH IS NOT BAD FOLKS!! Most of us here would trade with people who have a neutral on their record..Sometimes things happen and we correct them...This is stuff us as traders need to know...

 

Nothings wrong with the question Nick. But as far as my answer goes ..Ill be honest and say both make my DTL for various reasons. At least everyone got their beers.

 

@Abbbp what has the OP done to deserve neutral fb?

Given the varying opinions on what warrants neutral vs negative fb, I'd be cautious trading with people who had neutral or negative fb. I wouldn't automatically rule either out, but I'd want to get a feel for what transpired, & I might require s/he ship 1st.

Does surlytheduff deserve neutral fb??? Welll, I wouldn't leave a neutral for just a momentary blip in communication or minor shipping delay. However, if the OP believes Surly's immediate response & subsequent shipping was due to this thread, then neutral is the only appropriate fb, imo. Comments made by the OP indicate that he credits this thread with convincing Surly to step it up & honor his commitment asap. It's also disingenuous tio include a comment of fast shipping when delayed shipping was cited in this very thread.

@Josholson666 huh???

 

Are we really glossing over the fact that @Josholson666 had @surlytheduff's email and phone number the entire time and decided to put up a bad trader thread before ever texting him or shooting him an email?

Holy hell. One of these guys is definitely on my DNT list. Can we get a title change @F2brewers? I don't think @surlytheduff should show up on the front page of the bad trader forum over delayed shipping by less than a week.

 

Agree completely with this. This isn't a bad trader. These threads are supposed to identify someone who is a bad trader as defined by BA. How exactly does this person meet that criteria?

The poor communication here is on the part of @Josholson666 , not @surlytheduff . This reads like someone running to tell on a guy who had a minor shipping delay. It's whiny garbage.

 

Whoa whoa whoa! This madness with you and @mrpeterandthepuffers needs to stop. The OP is the one that took care of their responsibilities. Was the thread started too soon? Maybe. All we know is that the other guy didn't ship when he said he would, didn't communicate that and didn't respond to BMs.

It is NOT @Josholson666 responsibility to contact him OFF of BA to ask what's up...can't believe I'm having to defend the good trader who MAY have started a thread a little quickly.

*though the "fast shipping" @Josholson666 left in the feedback should be corrected.

 

The guy wasn't on BA for a few days. He responded right away when a text was sent (after the OP had already started a bad trader thread).

"Madness"?!? It is madness to start this thread! Please tell me how this qualifies as a "bad trader". Why exactly do you think this was an appropriate use of the bad trader forum?

I don't know either of these people. Never traded with either of them. I just know the way the OP has behaved is way more out of line by posting this thread this soon without due diligence.

Now, it is fair to criticize @surlytheduff for not coming by to give an explanation.

 

It is, in fact, possible to believe that both parties have messed up here in different ways.

Neither has shown particularly good communication skills--and yes, I would include reaching out to a trade partner via the email or phone number they have provided you as a good communication skill. That's the whole point in providing those, so that you have a direct line to your trading partner if something should happen that prevents contact through BA (like said partner being off BA for a period of time).

I bold that word because ultimately it's on both people to treat the interaction like a partnership. That means shipping on time and communicating. That also means making a good faith effort to resolve any dispute/conflict before going to tattle to the community. To me, it seems like none of those things happened.

And I say all that as someone who tends to be pretty low tolerance for people who don't hold up their end of the bargain. I'm not absolving @surlytheduff from the consequences of shipping late--neutral feedback with a note about the difficulties is certainly warranted.

I also wouldn't argue that @Josholson666 deserves neutral feedback, because ultimately, he held up his end of the trade--why would his feedback be neutral? What would be the explanation? This thread is a bad look for him (to some). That's probably enough of a consequence.

 

Whether it's the OP's responsibility to contact the person to find out what's going for himself may be debatable, but I would say it's definitely his responsibility to contact the person before dragging the whole community into the matter.

 

What's with everyone acting so dramatic about being "drug" into a thread you wanted to read? Nobody is being given work here, if the guy takes care of it then there is likely no harm...especially to the community.

The guy didn't get a box shipped when he was told it would be, he didn't get communication and feared he was being stolen from. YES, I would have texted him before starting this thread.

However, the purpose of the thread is to try and get owed beer to the OP, which is being done. Having a thread started about you isn't going to kill your rep or greatly trouble others.


If you asked 50 different users just how long is too long before starting a Bad Trader thread when you haven't heard from someone that owes you a box and didn't ship when they said they would, you'd likely get 50 different answers. If you don't want one started, send a quick update and be responsible. It's quite easy.

 

This isn't really about going easy on the late shipper. He can't really complain about having this thread started because if he shipped on time, there is no opportunity to start it. But just because we aren't defending him doesn't mean the OP's actions are immune to scrutiny.

I think the point is not wanting to clutter up the Bad Trader forum with petty disputes that can be resolved between two individuals like adults. The lower the bar for posting a thread, the more cluttered this forum gets and the less benefit it serves to the community.

OP isn't wrong to want resolution. I think he's wrong to not have tried to work it out with his trading partner first.

 

Closed, thread title updated and left for reference.

Use your judgment in all trades.