Hey everyone!

I've been seeing something a lot lately, which I've seen and wrote on before, but it's reared its head again and I'm going to have another say on it.

A lot of people have been making deals for a few figs, confirming the deal by exchanging address' and then working out shipping details. This invariably leads to one party or another asking me to intervene or put the other person on the Bad Trade List. The problem is, because negotiations are still going on, even though you've exchanged address', I can't really put someone on the BTL for this.

Quite simply, shipping details (who sends first and such) should be worked out before you exchange address'.

The other thing I've been seeing a lot of is people with low numbers having members with more trades send first. This is the very reason we keep track of these numbers. Stick to your guns folks! The BTL is littered with people who have somehow convinced traders with a higher rating than them to simulsend or send first. If you're at a +20 and your trade partner is at a +5 and he asks you to send first, this should set off an alarm bell. It's up to you to protect yourself from getting ripped off, the easiest way to do that is by following the rules found on the first page of the Good Trade List. If your trade partner is not willing to follow those rules, perhaps the trade should not be done.

Anyway, my rant is over. Have fun trading, but be careful.
ChuckJ
Trade Forum Guy