How to trade easily and safely?

[Miffilo]

hello every EDC member.

i'm new to trading stuff. there are many things i'm insterested in trading, but i've never done it before. how do people trade successfully and safely if they don't live in the same city?

[LowWorm]

Howdy Miffilo!

Just a few suggestions ... check out the MarketPlace Feedback forum for what people have to say about others on this board. You can also PM people who may have done business with a potential trade partner before to ask them their experiences.

Trade expectations should be clear and up front, and items traded should be close enough in value to seem fair to both parties.

If you both agree on shipping with some sort of delivery confirmation number up front, that's preferable. And if the items are fairly expensive, agreeing to ship with an insured carrier (UPS, FedEx) is probably wise.

Um, anyone have any other suggestions?

Good luck with any trades you hope to make. There are no guarantees of anything in life, but I think for the most part we have great people on this board who play fair and do right by other members.

[0dBm]

I've never traded anything online, and except for a sub-$10 item that I didn't even post about, I've not sold anything. I like to see good quality photographs from at least 4 angles when I buy something.

[Gadget Guy]

I have done at least 20 trades here so far. They all went perfect and as LowWorm said, most everyone here plays by the rules and no one wants to be the bad egg. I just trust that the person that I trade with will keep their end of the deal. There has never been one trade or deal made here that I worried about even a little bit, but that's not to say not to be careful! When I list an item for trade I do the very best I can to describe the condition of the item, but here, a picture really does tell a 1000 words. If you are new to trading or scarred to try it, then start with something small and go from there. You will find that over time you will be a trading wiz!! Good Luck...

[iceman]

I agree w/ all of you, Also, getting lots of pictures is one good move, in this sense you get a real feel of the item you are planning to trade with.

[webley445]

I agree w/ all of you, Also, getting lots of pictures is one good move, in this sense you get a real feel of the item you are planning to trade with.

and it shows the other person that you are being up front. Try to get the best quality pics you can, and don't be afraid to say if you don't think smomething isn't fair.
one other thing is to check the profile of the person you are dealing with. See how many posts they have and what kind of involvement they have in the EDC community.
though not a certain thing, high profile can be an indication of someone's trustworthyness.

[M]

I also agree with the above statements.
Additionally, know the stuff you trade. This isn't always easy, but helps to prevent disappointments (I know, been there more then once).
But no matter how smooth and easy the deal was, what separates a normal seller from a good one is the service he provides if something is wrong with the purchased item. Not necessary here on EDCF or USN, where most (if not all) are top notch.
You may also get the feeling if everythings OK when you correspond with the seller - does he want to sell as fast as possible, the way he answers your questions etc.
And always remember: You don't need to buy that item right now, a week later or a month is just as well.

[Miffilo]

thank you all so much! it's good to know that peopel on EDC are good eggs. i really like this forum. so friendly and helpful! EDCforums rocks! :D

[webley445]

You could always send me a PM of what you were thinking of trading ;)
Or beter yet post in BST....soon

[iceman]

Yup, I liked this forum much from the day I started and up to now my GF is getting jealous becasue My attention to her is divided. :) Very cool people!