If everyone just spent the extra couple bucks at the post office when sending for the under $200 postal insurance, you'd guarantee it never got lost in the mail from the postal employees, and even with the shipping I've never paid more than $7 overall with a confirmation number and the insurance. That way if you do get scammed, you can end up with more money than you even started with potentially.

Slapster, you're basically suggesting I *DOUBLE* my shipping costs, for over 100 trades?

Literally double, yes, but going from 3.50 to 7 isn't going to break the bank. And if you're making 100 trades but can't afford an extra $3.50 for each to INSURE that you can get $200 back if anything happens, you're either living out of your own means, or you win the Cheapest Man in the Universe Award (to be sung to the Miss America theme song... There he is, The Cheapest Man in the Universe...)

I thought I read somewhere on another thread that the highest itrader ships first UNLESS they've got a lower percentage - then the lower percentage ships first. Is that not true?

Edit - Derp - it's right there in the first post of page one of THIS thread. Nevermind.

Whoever has the lowest amount of deals ships first assuming both are 100%.

However, this is a situation of someone with 0 trades for no feedback, trading with someone with X trades with let's say 50% feedback (for arguments sake, 2 negative reviews he's prolly above 80%).

One person has a rating of 50% satisfaction with 38 (random number picked from air) trades, and the other has no rating at all, with no trades at all. In both cases, the 50% is better than 0, and the 38 is better than 0 as well.

Why would the higher rated and/or more trades under their belt trader have to take the bigger risk? They've proven themselves more.

Oh right - some feedback is better than none, absolutely. My own situation was one where I have 18 feedback all positive, but the guy I was trading with had/has 27ish but 2 negatives and thought I should send first - and his negatives were for agreeing to trades and then vanishing into thin air.

Yes, thats insane. I can make the trades I accomplish ONLY because they don't cost me $7 each to complete. If this qualifies me as the cheapest man in the universe, you are the most foolish with your money. If I had to trade for figures ONLy where I was gaining a $7 advantage, I'd be trading a helluva lot less.

I've made well OVER 100 trades and deals and such and insured about five of them. If I spent an extra $350 on insuring all of those and got...oh, yeah! ZERO lost, then I am the one who is ahead. I mean, how many times do you lose $350 trades, which of course, I WOULD INSURE.

Think about it.

Everything I ship gets a DC #. Bar none. If it's going by mail, it gets a DC #.

If it's worth more than I want to have to pay to replace it, it also gets insurance.

C.Y.A. - Cover Your ###.

To date, have only insured 1 package which was well over 150 figs and valued at several hundred....and was shipped overseas. The insurance was at the other parties request.

If I had another large deal like that one...I might insure it, but for the most part I will take my chances on having to replace out of pocket, if something happens.

By the same token, naturally if the other party wants insurance and is willing to add that in their payment, will gladly do.

I call this good thrifty business!

Totally agree. DC is super-cheap and lets you keep track of it a little.

Can we get a copy of this sticky in the actual trade forum? I think it would help a lot of the newer traders.

I know we already have the trader warning for established scammers, but anything that might help prevent another of those situations would be a good thing in my opinion.

Good Selling and Trading Practices

Trading: Highest iTrader ships first. Exceptions can be made if the one party has 100% feedback, iTrader rating of 100 or higher, a history of good communication (easy to deal with), and/is is a more established member of the community.

Delivery Confirmation: Required for trading and selling. A no-brainer. DC # should be PM'd to buyer/trader, ASAP.

Insurance: On items over $60-- only costs a few $ extra, and ensures that you and the buyer/seller are protected in the event of loss or irreparable damage.

Packaging: Use bubble wrap and/or packing peanuts. Items should have ample space to not be damaged during transport. If you are inventive or can secure items with a minimum of padding, that's acceptable. CTD boosters are excellent shipping items-- just sheathe the box or figure inside with some bubble wrap for extra protection.

Refunds: If items are missing and/or damaged as a result of your negligence, you can negotiate the terms with your party. Offer a replacement item(s), a refund on the items, or a refund + shipping costs if it would be returned to you.

Pro-Tip: When in doubt, use a slightly larger box with more padding and ship via Priority Mail (DC is included with the cost).

Avoid At All Costs

• Dealing with members who are aggressive/demanding, have infrequent activity and/or negative feedback. Cyber-bullying and threats are not only in bad taste, but are documented incidents and can be used to pursue legal action (if need-be). The "Wild West" days of the internet as long gone. This is not 1993.
• Bending/breaking/melting sculpts to fit in smaller packages or padded envelopes.
• Not including any type of padding/insulation for items, especially when placing a minimal number of figures in a larger box.
• Poor or total lack of communication.

It's pretty easy not to get scammed on these boards when no one will trade with you, or when they try, the trade is so one sided you would have to be insane to fall for it.

This thread is a very informative and well rounded thread.

After reading it, I thought it deserved a bump so all of the newer guys here on the realms could find it.

-BuMp-


Jay

New to the realms, as in I rarely interact. This thread helps as i'd like to start
trading. I feel that i've been looped with scammers as i'm wanting to trade off
a SR prime caped crusader, as well as the bug. I just want to complete WXM.
The set is sick.