Trading Pet Peeves

My beers arrived yesterday exactly 2 weeks after my outgoing package was received.

He has offered another trade with ratios in my favor as redemption . . .

 

All problems that come up can be solved with communication & common sense.

1. If you can't ship on agreed upon date, let me know. We'll work it out.
2. When you receive my package, let me know it arrived safely. Thank you
3. Send tracking upon drop off, I always do. Thank you
4. Pack the bottles/cans like you don't want to replace them. Thank you
5. If you're communication challenged don't bother me.

Fucking communication. This shit drives me to drink.

Luckily for me, I'm phasing out trading as I've seen some fucked up shit.

 

What have you seen?

 

The simple lack of effort is unnecessary. I've had multiple boxes make it to my delivery driver only to be sent back to shipper, each time letting it be known what I'm doing. I'd rather just fly under the radar if it's all the same.

Six cans sent to me in a USPS flat rate box (from CA) that was narrower than the cans. Cans were literally dropped in box with no protection of any kind. They looked like they were rolled down the street.

12 oz bottles in four pack holders dropped in a box with zero protection. I opened box to see 16 bottles, a couple with the necks snapped off. Luckily this was double boxed so it didn't leak to outside box.

Bottles sliding out from package bottom as the contents were too heavy for a flimsy box with one piece of tape. I'm surprised this one was delivered.

I completely understand that bubble wrap, Ziploc bags, stronger tape and weight appropriate boxes are all expensive, but it's not more than replacing contents and shipping twice.

 

I’m always interested in hearing stories from other traders like this... Sorry to hear you’ve had some bad experiences.

While I don’t have as many trades as you i’m approaching 50 on BA and probably another 20-30 via different platforms and i’ve never once received a package that was poorly protected. Knock on wood I guess but i’m shocked someone would just throw cans/bottles in a box and think that was ok.

Cheers, man!

 

@colby600 were those experiences from trades set up through the BA trading system? I seem to have had much better experiences. Only a few in probably 250 boxes received where I had some questions about the packagings quality.

 

All referenced trades went through BA. Broken bottles were replaced and on the others, promises of better shipping techniques in the future. I can't verify their improved methods as I haven't had additional trades with them.

On the positive side, I've had some great repeat traders as well.

Cheers

 

Well, hopefully you helped them learn!

 

If you really want to hear some stories, start up a new thread. I'm sure there are plenty out there!

 

My pet peeves:

Everyone already has cases of every single beer I own in their 300-Bottle cellar. When the hell did everyone turn their homes into a liquor store?

And there are no more $4$ trades in the Chicagoland area. You want to trade a basic semi-limited bottle that saw mass distro for a similarly established bottle? You better be ready to offer far beyond its value every time. Simply because you’re the one looking for it.

Example:
I have tried to trade Russian River bottles on numerous occasions. Every time I’ve been told, “I already have cases of each of those... got anything else?” But when I’m ISO more of those same bottles, “I can’t let those go, what else do you have?” Suddenly I’m getting gouged over the same beers I was just told are common.

The whole trading process has become exhausting.

 

Are you only looking to trade IP?

RR sours seem to be at both ends of the spectrum. Seen them easily go $4$, while also seen them trade very limitedly. Never quite sure why.

 

Knowing that I was sending a good amount of extras in a trade that involved multiples bottles and in return getting no extras with the excuse that, "there was no space left in the box"

 

Yes. I stick to IP trades. But, I live in one of the most active beer trading markets.

That’s my exact issue. No rhyme or reason to the huge discrepancy in trade values. Supplication, consecration and temptation are brewed all the time.

 

As recently as the past 2 months, I've sent a couple people messages inquiring about a post. One person replied, then when I sent back a reply with a list, they never replied. Still, I sent two follow up messages asking if they had a chance to take a look. No response, although they kept posting FT threads. The other individual I sent 3 messages to, each read with no response.

Crazy to me how someone can read a message that many times and still ignore it.

 

Yeah, I'll say it until I'm blue in the face, if I message you, then you read it and don't reply, it's a strike against you in my book. Petty sure, but communication and simple courteousness go a long way in my book.

It takes seconds to write, "No, thanks, not interested, or even, Fuck off." I'd much rather any of those replies than no reply at all.

 

Absolutely.

And, that's why I never just send one response. I know life gets in the way, and there are many times where I read messages literally between meetings, or at a long ass stop light, or I am taking the dogs out and waiting for them to shit. In all those circumstances, I do not have time to respond, and I won't. I will later - but I may forget. I am sure other people forget too. That's why I send a follow up message. To just ignore that again (or even twice?) is just silly. My follow up is literally something as innocent as "Hey there, I just wanted to check in and see if you had a chance to see my message" - or something similar. No pressure. Still, no response.

 

I am presently in a holding pattern with a disaappearing trader. We agreed to a trade on May 21 (with trade request agreement) but agreed to wait until the weather cools before shipping. I have sent the other trader three messages in the last week. He has looked/read the message, but has not responded. In one such message, I said if you change your mind about the trade, let me know. The guy has 100 pieces of feedback, so he knows what he is doing.

I would love for the trade forum to have a button that allows you to leave a trade, if the other trader chooses not to respond for over a week.

 

You just have to notice the red flags. I can smell a douchebag from the first response/initiation (i.e. "looking to win") and I thank them for their time and kindly bow out. I'm not a whale slayer but I prefer to trade as a fun activity and occasionally a "whale" will show up on my doorstep unsolicited. It's amazing what happens when you trade with decent people.

All of my traders have been excellent folks and I want to thank them all.

 

Someone contacts me saying they have my ISO but asks for something not on my FT list. I say no and they bail. If I had it or wanted to trade it I'd include on my FT list.