Tips for successful trades

[JerseyDevil65]

1. Always tell the other person how you intend to ship, that way both traders can agree to ship the same method.

2. Always pack the items carefully. Cartridge games are very durable but packing them loosely in a box can allow them to rub together and damage the labels.

3. If you have open trades, always check your PM's. Set your profile to send you an e-mail when a PM hits your inbox. So many problems can be avoided if we communicate with each other.

4. Always, always put Delivery Confirmation on a package. It only costs 50 cents and totally protects you against someone saying that they never received a package. Also, PM the DC# to the other trader so they know when the stuff was sent and they can track it themselves.

5. New guys, do not be offended when an established member asks you to ship your end first. People are naturally suspicious of guys that just joined and are looking to sell on the first day, especially big money items. Start out with smaller deals and get yourself established.

6. If you care about the condition of a game, ask. Some guys don't care as much about condition and assume if you don't ask then its not a big priority to you either.

7. When you list games for sale, always say whether they are complete or loose. Complete in box means different things to different people so tell everybody what it comes with. That little piece of styrofoam might not mean a lot to you but it might to someone else.

8. Fill out your profile with your location. Its annoying to quote someone a shipping price and then they tell you "BTW, I am in India, does that affect the shipping?" Of course it does.

9. If you can't ship an item right away, tell the other person. We all have lives and jobs and sometimes things get delayed. Most people will understand if they are told. Again, communication is very important.

Guys, please feel free to add to this.

[Steven]

if sending cartridge, NEVER cover it with newspaper -- ICK!

[Cirrus]

Those are all good tips! :)

Also, if you are new to the particular forum, OFFER to ship first, don't just do it if asked. It takes the pressure off of the established DPer to ask you to do that, and makes the whole transaction go much more smoothly.

[srabelpawz]

maybe a mod can sticky this thread? good idea btw jerseydevil65

[johno590]

Good post, I think this almost covers everything that needs to be done when buying/selling/trading on this forum.

[Bratwurst]

Many of these are common sense things yet I never fail to find someone who missed out on the memo the first time around. Great post.

[bangtango]

Adding to it at your request:

1. Always leave the other person feedback.

I've got a deal or two on here which I don't recall receiving feedback for but most people are very good (and prompt).

2. Make sure that each person understands what they are sending (money or items). I often request that a person I do business with send me a PM which lists the items I have agreed to send them. You might ask them to put it in a Paypal note, if it is an actual sale. With trades that include several items, I want to make sure I am sending everything I am supposed to and the person understands what they are sending me and what they are receiving from me. You'd be surprised how often a decent size trade might go down in which someone sends either the wrong item or forgets to send something.

3. PM a person to let them know you got the payment or you got your stuff. Sure, I can check the feedback forum a couple times each day and will figure it out sooner or later. However, it is good (on a lot of counts) to receive a PM and know that the person you sent to has received their items.

[Perkar]

You might ask them to put it in a Paypal note, if it is an actual sale.

Hammer -> Nail -> Head

you'd be surprised how many paypal payments i receive from the boards with a note of "thanks!" and that's it.

it makes everything so much easier if the paypal note includes WHAT YOU ARE BUYING. just makes sense to me to put it in there. when i've got several sales going on at one time and i don't know what to ship to who.... bad news.

[shadowkn55]

A couple pre-trade tips.

1. Never leave PM's up in the air. If you are having second thoughts or not interested trading, say so. This is much more courteous than just ignoring that person all together.

2. Communication is key. Try to answer PM's as quickly as possible. People get antsy when you make them wait too long. When there is alot of interest in particular item, quicker replies will increase your chances of getting it.

3. If its not obivous by looking at the picture, describe the item in more detail. I'm not psychic so I can't possibly know every question that needs to be asked.


Examples of the above tips:

1. I was in a pending trade with something and laid out the terms. Never heard from them again. Don't do this. I'll tend to not want to trade with you in the future. Just a simple reply with "not interested" or something to express your grievances will work wonders.

2. I wanted some stuff from this guy. I was slow to reply and it was given to somebody else. This is also the case where I might have broken tip #1. If you make them wait too long, they will think you are not interested.

3. I bought a ps2 and a couple of the screw posts on the inside were broken off. I complained to the seller and all I got was "you should have asked for more pictures". The damage was not obvious by looking at the outside of the case. The more details you give, the better. It saves you time from answering questions and complaints down the road.

[Kid Ice]

maybe a mod can sticky this thread? good idea btw jerseydevil65

Yeah, it's good. We have sooo many stickies up now though...remind me after the Psycho Penguin thing blows over.

[nik]

I hope you are not the same jersey devil I dealt with on Atari Age, that took me for a decent chunk of change, about $90 CDN, cashed my money order, and gave no effort to help when the games never came through, really all around nice guy to be sure :roll: I even waited 4 months until I gave up on receiving them.

If not, then it's a good list, everyone here will appreciate the effort.

Speaking of being ripped off, might want to add some tips on how to deal with stuff like that, I didn't understand why that guy never gave me at least half my cash back considering I had good feedback here, on AA, and CGCC, as well as eBay, and have NEVER had an issue come up like that EVER.

That was really weird especially since he seemed to have decent feedback as well!

[JerseyDevil65]

I hope you are not the same jersey devil I dealt with on Atari Age, that took me for a decent chunk of change, about $90 CDN, cashed my money order, and gave no effort to help when the games never came through, really all around nice guy to be sure :roll: I even waited 4 months until I gave up on receiving them.

I have never dealt with you before, here or at AA.

[diggs130]

I hope you are not the same jersey devil I dealt with on Atari Age, that took me for a decent chunk of change, about $90 CDN, cashed my money order, and gave no effort to help when the games never came through, really all around nice guy to be sure :roll: I even waited 4 months until I gave up on receiving them.

I have never dealt with you before, here or at AA.


sounds fishy to me!

nik any links to the bad deal?

[Cirrus]

I hope you are not the same jersey devil I dealt with on Atari Age, that took me for a decent chunk of change, about $90 CDN, cashed my money order, and gave no effort to help when the games never came through, really all around nice guy to be sure :roll: I even waited 4 months until I gave up on receiving them.

I have never dealt with you before, here or at AA.


sounds fishy to me!

nik any links to the bad deal?

I think we should probably keep this drama in PMs, especially considering the term Jersey Devil is common, AND the name of a video game.

[vectrexer]

More common sense actions and items

Ask the buyer how they want the item packages for shipment. When you receive a response, follow advise unless it does not make sense. Ask more questions if needed. And sellers, if the packaging is going to add cost to the shipment then communicate the cost back to the buyer so everyone can be aware of the cost and the process.


Buyers and Sellers please communicate travel plans before completing the sale or trade. Nothing more worrisome than have a good transaction turn into a problem because of a delayed shipment due to travel. Most people will understand about reasonable delays before they have to ask you.


Check your item condition as soon as it arrives. Report back any problem immediately. It is unresonable to assume your seller is going to help you out if you have waited 3 months after delivery to report that UPS or some other carrier has damaged your item in shipment.

[jonathonwillie]

here's one for those double jewel cased games like the final fantasy games for ps1. Ship them in a box and not in an envelope...this will avoid damaged cases.

[Steven]

here's one for those double jewel cased games like the final fantasy games for ps1. Ship them in a box and not in an envelope...this will avoid damaged cases.

I find sending jewel cases in a bubble mailer AS LONG AS you cover the CD case with ADDITIONAL bubble wrap, to never fail. I'll do it for as many as 2 CD cases. However, once you get at 3 or more, you really have to box it to be safe.

I am OK with people sending me games in bubble mailers, because I do it myself. I understand the whole save $2 or $3 mentality, which adds up after time. But just cover the game with additional bubble wrap, and everything should be good. I hate those who send the game *only* in a bubble mailer, thinking that's good enough protection.

Sometimes it is.

Sometimes it's not.

[nik]

I hope you are not the same jersey devil I dealt with on Atari Age, that took me for a decent chunk of change, about $90 CDN, cashed my money order, and gave no effort to help when the games never came through, really all around nice guy to be sure :roll: I even waited 4 months until I gave up on receiving them.

I have never dealt with you before, here or at AA.


sounds fishy to me!

nik any links to the bad deal?

I think we should probably keep this drama in PMs, especially considering the term Jersey Devil is common, AND the name of a video game.

Relax guys, I don't know if it is him, thats what I said in my post, probably just a coincidence, but it linked up with the fact of being ripped off, to add to the tips.

As for links, I have everything from that deal.. PM's etc, but that crap does not belong in this thread especially since it might not be him.

[nik]

double post..

[nik]

triple post..

[MrSmiley381]

For the love of everything sacred, make sure you put the CD in the case.

I have forgotten this twice. Both times for Pragmatic Insanester.

"IS THIS YOUR SIGNATURE MOVE?" He asks. Yeah, it seems so. So no one make the same mistake I did.

[nik]

quad post...