In the last 3 weeks I have had 2 IP trades fall apart. The first was with a BA from about 30 miles away I contacted him and we worked out a trade. It was the week of Thanksgiving, and we weren't able to meet up due to conflicting schedules, so he gave his beer to another BA that apparently lives near me along with my phone number. That BA never contacted me, so after a week I sent him notice saying that I wasn't interested in the trade any longer. If someone doesn't have the common courtesy to at least call and say what's going on, I don't want to deal with them. On the second trade, another BA and I had made an agreement for an IP trade. As soon as the Beers were agreed to, I sent a message asking where and when we could meet, all communication ceased. I sent another BM about 5 days later and asked if the trade was still going to happen and got nothing back. So after I verified they had read my last BM, I sent them another message saying I guess they were no longer interested in the trade. I have been trading beers on this site as well as others for a couple of years now and haven't experienced this until recently. How common is this with others? Is there anything you guys could suggest to keep this from happening? Thanks in advance for any suggestions.
I think you answered the question...lack of communication. As to WHY the communication ceased I can say as a new trader I spread myself pretty thin recently, although I kept up communication & shipped 5 boxes yesterday to 5 different people w/another going out next Mon. With holiday commitments, work & other trades I would imagine some people have spread themselves too thin. Along with that we are turning into a society that de-values communication so maybe they felt like they were good to go even though they didn't respond or figured they would respond "when they get a chance". Patience is the only thing I can suggest with my limited trading history
I'm thinking that since I usually scan the FT/ISO pages a few times throughout the day I am one of the first people to communicate with them. We reach an agreement, then a better offer comes along. I'm 99% positive that is what happened with my most recent trade that fell apart. I understand it's not written in stone to trade with the first guy who contacts you, but at least have the Balls to tell me a better offer came along.
They found a better deal. Or they changed their mind about doing the trade at all. It happens. In my case, I usually stop communication once it's clear that it's an auction or fishing for the best offer. This is before we agree on anything of course.
The lack of communication is inexcusable. Takes a minute to, if nothing else, say you're not interested or make up some excuse. That said, the desire to win seems to end plenty of trades as well. Gotta love when you have a trade worked out and then it's killed when the other trader tacks a ridiculous rider on the trade. Had this wonderful Congress-like experience just last week. Try your best to find good partners..the proliferation of lousy traders and greedy people on this site is out of hand.
When u offer exactly what is in someone's ISO and they come back and say they were offered more so what can I add.... I promptly tell them to go piss off
The sooner you can find a small handful of good BA's located near the breweries you fancy most that you can set up a good, ongoing relationship with, the better off you'll be. While easier said than done, I've sent some 12 bottle shippers as a "welcome package" for nothing in return other than a handshake agreement that they can pick things up for me from time to time when something of interest comes around out their way. In addition to the aforementioned package, I'll return the favor and hook them up whenever possible. Having people you can throw beer back and forth with beats the shit out trading with someone in the wild with whom you have no relationship, the vast majority of the time.
Honest to God, I am so close to just saying screw it. Just had a trade all set with a BA that had numerous positive trade references, and get the following BM; "I'm sorry but I'm going to back off. I had vowed to take a trading break and then I put 3 together over the weekend and with this one, I'd be trading just to trade and not because I really wanted the beers. Sorry to waste your time but I've got to start curbing the addiction."
I think the way to go is to have regular trading partners make up at least half, if not more, of your trades.
I would agree with you, however my counter point to that is you have to start trading with others, to develop regular trading partners. I already have a couple great guys I trade with.
I'd much rather have this than radio silence. It sucks that the trade didn't happen, but it's honest and apologetic.
I agree, at least he had balls enough to tell the truth. I'm just getting jaded with these trades falling thru.
There's no way to tell if it's either honest or apologetic. It's worded that way, but talk's cheap. Especially when it's not spoken. On a computer. From hundreds of miles away.
I fully agree. The "drop-out mid-conversation" or never bothering to answer an email from an ISO:FT seems to have spiked for me in the past few months. That's OK. There's tons of good, honest, non-idiots around here to trade with.
I don't do much trading other than IP. I would say about 40% of my trade discussions end with radio silence on the part of the other person to a specific response or counteroffer of mine. It is sorta annoying, especially when it's a local that I figure I may cross paths with at some point. Maybe I shouldn't rely on my usual counteroffer of " Sounds tempting... now triple your side and I'm in."
