Ive recently been hit up a few times in regards to "Being Regular Trade Partners" once we start talking about setting something up the other party starts to over value their beers, question my beers rarity, and offer way less. I have 1 regular trading partner and seems like I may never find another like that. We fill up a 12 bottle shipper of the best releases we can get within our region and send it to each other. Most of the time we don't know what is coming until we fill the shipper and send a pic. Now yes we do ask here and there about releases. But there is just mainly trust behind it all and we are both happy. I send him SARA, Rare Barrel, FW Barrel Works, Libertine and other limited stuff. Hes from STL and that all I need to say. Shouldn't it be like this or am I just a lucky SOB? Do you guys have the same issues or do most of you have it set up like this?
I'm with you, I could only do beer trading like that. I hate negotiating over specific beers. I don't neccessarily think anything is wrong with it, but it doesn't appeal to me at all. I have found a couple great people that I occasionally do in-person trades with like that, but it seems rare. I would think near impossible to find on the ISO:FT forums.
I have a few partners like this and it's always such a bigger pleasure hunting and shopping for them than even envisioning what they might send in return! It becomes way more about "sharing" and less about "trading". More than a few times I've given away rare beers that were either hard for me to get or I had to trade for in the first place if I know it's something they really want and will enjoy. I feel like these people are friends more than partners.
I guess I have been lucky, I have a bunch of guys I consider "regular" trade partners. Guys I can just send random stuff to (and they do the same), and feel free to ask if I want something specific that they can get (and the same for them). It is the only way to go. I ended up meeting 3 of them and have plans to meet the 4th next week. Really makes for a great community.
The problem is that you're treating getting a regular trade partner like an actual trade (or the other guy is, whatever). I have plenty of regular trade partners, and every single one of them began as a trade or 2, during which we took care of one another. Then became friendly, THEN became regular traders. See the difference?
^^^Very much this. I have two guys regular trading partners, both of which started as a standard one-off FT/ISO. Then more messages were sent, more trades, more messages then texts... so on and so on. It's at the point now where the question isn't "do you want a bottle of Bottle X" it's "how many do you want?" or simply "box headed your way - I know you'll enjoy it."
exactly. my regulars now just shoot me texts/pics of new beers and say "Y/N?" lol - and I do the same. or when I'm traveling to a region outside of mine (was just in VT/Boston, for example), I let them know so I can snag some different beers for them, etc.
This is the exact reason why I may browse the trade forums, but it is a rarity for me to respond to anything and I never post a thread myself unless I'm trying to track down something VERY specific (and usually for a friend who doesn't trade). I'll be in San Diego next month and then spending the summer in AZ and coming home through New Mexico so I let both of my regulars know if there was anything they wanted along that path, I'd be happy to snag it for them.
When it comes to my regular trading partners, of which I have a couple that I met through FB, we usually just ask "hey do you want this it costs $XX" and get a yes/no and how many in response. We each are honest with how much the beers cost and we send each other boxes that are $4$. Regardless of how hard the beers were to get, we each get fair value and are very happy with our trades. I have a box right now(well more likely 2 boxes) for my trading partner near Austin that is over $240 in value currently and could possibly go higher before we ship. I'm not worried though, I know he's going to take care of me, because that's what we do.
Hey fellas, well seems like im not the only one that feels that way. Happy to see that there are traders like that. Cheers!
Agree with these responses. Did one trade where the person sent me a few better extras then I sent him, so I sent a small care package with no expectations of anything in return. The next trade I sent 4 good extras but he just crushed it. I have a box now of some good beers ready, to "catch up". I'm not worried about the $50 worth of beer or shipping because I know he will reciprocate. It's really kinda fun with no expectations on either side, but who wants to be outdone?
When you find a good trader, treat them well and they will do the same. I've had some real outstanding extras thrown in - that's unselfish trading. I try to do the same. Guys who add up $4$, sorry it's too difficult to calculate and I'd rather be sipping! Cheers
If you trade long enough with one person you'll have some really "unequal" rounds but then again you'll get porchbombed as well. It all evens out.
Hi all, I am new to trading, and I've only completed one IP trade here in the Boston area. I have an unusual interest in trading in that I am not really interested in specific beers. Rather, I would like to find trading partners that can send local stuff on a semi-regular basis (think, every 2 or 3 months). If i had semi-regular partners in Cali, the midwest, etc,... I'd be a happy beer drinker. I regularly go to Trillium, Jack's Abby, and Treehouse, so I'm hope I can find some trusty regulars. My question is, should I post this in the FT:ISO forum? or, should this go in a forum such as this one, or perhaps somewhere else? cheers, spokes.
I am not sure what the best route to go about this is, but I do the same thing with a friend in Boston, Florida, and California. Every couple of months we send each other 12-15 beers of whatever is fresh and tasty. I would suggest putting up what you have for trade and ISO: someone with fresh locals in X city. Good luck
@blue-dream sends me all of his bourbon county every thanksgiving and all i can send him back is crappy alabama stuff. He reached out to me 2 years ago and sent me some heady topper for free because hes just that kind of dude. I am forever in debt and try every time i send a box to repay but I cant come close. We dont keep score, we just chat often, usually about stuff other than beer, and send boxes when we feel like it. You can get lucky and find regular trade partners but its mostly a crap shoot. I got extremely lucky in finding a friend for life.
Send me all the Trillium. I don't think you should have a problem finding some regular trading partners with those breweries.
