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Comprehensive Trading Guide?

Discussion in 'Trade Talk' started by Mr3dPHD, Feb 8, 2013.

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  1. Mr3dPHD

    Mr3dPHD Pundit (800) May 6, 2008 Florida
    Society Trader

    Okay, I searched around for the past 15 minutes and I can't seem to find any guide for noobs like me to get started trading. I really can't imagine that no one has ever written up a guide...even a really rough and general one.

    Things I'd love some guidance on: What is the acceptable packaging needed? What is the least expensive shipping method? What the hell do all these crazy acronyms mean? What is that unbelievably confusing IT Forward forum all about?

    I seriously have no idea what I'm doing or what's going on, but I live in Florida so trading is going to make my life a hell of a lot better. Help a brotha out.

    -Dave
     
  2. Johnnyramirez

    Johnnyramirez Initiate (0) Nov 17, 2012 California

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  3. Duff27

    Duff27 Pooh-Bah (2,468) Feb 10, 2010 Illinois
    Pooh-Bah Society Trader

    Unsolicited advice: Drink damn near everything you can without trading before trading.
     
    Mr3dPHD, mrcraft, jrnyc and 2 others like this.
  4. UCLABrewN84

    UCLABrewN84 Initiate (0) Mar 18, 2010 California

    Oh?

    [​IMG]
     
    dvelcich, MarkIntihar and drewba like this.
  5. abecall98

    abecall98 Initiate (0) Aug 11, 2007 California
    Trader

    Pro advice:

    Don't start the "what's it take", "is this a good deal?", or "what's it go for?" type threads. Also, don't Twenty Twleve it up in here.
     
    xnicknj, Mr3dPHD and domtronzero like this.
  6. Ataraxia

    Ataraxia Zealot (562) Sep 20, 2012 California
    Trader

    Also good advice:

    Don't create ISO:FT threads with "Make me an offer" in it
     
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  7. Hanzo

    Hanzo Initiate (0) Feb 27, 2012 Virginia

    Fixed for accuracy.
     
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  8. huskermike12

    huskermike12 Initiate (0) Nov 14, 2011 Vermont
    Deactivated

    This. I never thought I would say it, but, I think I'm finally about burnt out. Now if I could just find a case of Rare sitting on a shelf somewhere I could really quit.
     
  9. Mr3dPHD

    Mr3dPHD Pundit (800) May 6, 2008 Florida
    Society Trader

    Ha ha, awesome...thanks so much for all the great advice everyone! I did one trade last year and it was definitely crazy expensive. I'm on a limited budget so I'll be sure to keep things very sporatic. The real reason I'm doing this to begin with is because I had Heady Topper in Vermont last year and I really REALLY want some of my friends to try it. I also would love to try and brew something similar so I need to "research" as much as possible. =D

    We have a surprisingly huge selection here in Florida though, so for the most part I don't really need to trade. There's plenty I still haven't tried and we are getting new stuff all the time.
     
  10. tommyz

    tommyz Initiate (0) May 28, 2007 Michigan

    Thanks for posting this thread..and Thanks to UCLABrewN84 for posting the Link..Now Favorited...
     
  11. atoulouk

    atoulouk Initiate (0) Apr 25, 2011 Indiana

    If you are trading for HT, make sure you are trading with someone who has a lot of trading references and make sure to check references. There have been a couple instances in the last months of trades for HT not going smoothly either w/ poor communication, delays etc. If a trade is delayed by 2 weeks with a stout its not a big deal as long as there is good communication and you get your beer, 2 week delay w/ HT and what was a really awesome fresh DIPA is not the same.

    There are plenty of BAs out there that love HT and make sure to share the wealth and get it to you as fresh as possible, but I've traded for what I felt was very old HT one time with a new trader.
     
  12. Mr3dPHD

    Mr3dPHD Pundit (800) May 6, 2008 Florida
    Society Trader

    That is awesome advice. I really do need to have it fresh. I had a Pliny the Elder recently that had been in my buddy's fridge for about two months and it was okay. I really couldn't understand why it was so popular. I finally realized that it was like HT...it's essential that you drink it fresh. Thanks for the advice...I'll be careful for sure. How exactly do you check people's references anyway?
     
  13. atoulouk

    atoulouk Initiate (0) Apr 25, 2011 Indiana

    Look at the completed trades listed on the profile page of the person you are considering trading with, and send a beer mail to a couple of those people asking how their experience was and if they would trade with that BA again.
     
  14. Mr3dPHD

    Mr3dPHD Pundit (800) May 6, 2008 Florida
    Society Trader

    Ah, I see! Sweet, thanks a lot man! Very helpful info.
     
  15. mikecharley

    mikecharley Savant (1,140) Nov 6, 2008 Pennsylvania
    Trader

    I wish I could like this twice. I have a russian river hookup who I don't have to trade with. I have a Hill Farmstead hookup who I don't have to trade with. I have a regular trading partner who I constantly trade blind boxes with. This is all I need... Except that damn Framboos. If I ever get a Framboos, I will seriously consider quitting.
     
  16. Shoo65

    Shoo65 Initiate (0) Oct 23, 2011 Indiana

    Welcome!
    How did this get passed up?
    Manners people Haha
     
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  17. gpawned

    gpawned Initiate (0) Jun 5, 2012 Illinois

    Savages.
     
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  18. Photekut

    Photekut Initiate (0) Mar 31, 2006 Tennessee

    Reading the trading forums and not diving right in is just as important and helpful in my opinion as any blog though it also has a lot of useful information.

    Search the BAs name and check the bad trader list. You can learn a lot about someone from what they post or what others are saying about them.

    Cases in point all in the past week or two, most have not been deleted.

    frddymck trades... ( thread deleted ) new traders jumping right in and trusting others without a trading background instead of working with established traders first. Once you have a reputation do not let a new trader ship last. In this thread it also showed what insufficient packaging really looks like, and packaging advice from other BAs was ignored.

    Heatwave33... Don't let life happen. Make good even if life throws you a curve. A commitment is a commitment whether on the interwebs or not. DEFINITELY don't go to a limited beer release when you have no $$ or time to complete your trades.

    CSJ... Understand what you are trading for and what can happen to even the most properly stored beers as they age. Understand common practices in shipping such as taping, waxing, etc. bottles to try to secure them iin transit. Know what the bottles actually look like when you trade for them.

    kaips1... Whether in a regular trade or in a BIF style trade make sure you have the beers in hand before final commitment to a trade. ( not sure if he ever intended to have it, but it is possible and still a learning experience regardless. ) Also seems he was fired from his job, so life happened. See Heatwave33.

    Irishace9 trade thread... ( Irishace9 is not the bad trader but trader was never outted ) A new BA posted "Keep in mind that people have a lot going on their lives and it likely doesn't revolve around trading beer on the internet. I recently took a lot longer than I expected to fulfill my part of a trade and there was never any danger of me not fulfilling my end of the bargain." Understand who these people that defend the life happens mentality are and decide if you want to take the chance on trading with them if life happens to them. I think they are more likely to screw you intentionally or not when shit hits the fan.

    Malty_Matty IP trade thread... ( Malty is not the trader in question but the trader was not outted ) Do not physically trade beer you do not have IP or not. It is okay to have a tentative agreement, but don't agree to meet or ship without the full agreed upon stash. If something goes wrong, communicate. Communicate if things do not go wrong. Do not wait to be called out to make things right if you are in the wrong.

    tsauce2 trade thread... ( looks like he made good on the trade ) Communicate communicate communicate.

    A little research is not hard and you can learn a good deal about trading.
     
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  19. JulianB

    JulianB Initiate (0) Feb 1, 2012 South Carolina

    Once Beckett Beer Monthly is released, trading will be considerably less complicated.
     
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