I know that most (if not all) of us have traded/bought other places before, but we need to put a good image forward, and if we want the trade section to work smoothly, us newbs (both to CAG and to trading in general) need a good place to start.
Hopefully, these tips are good ones (and others will be added). If this gets good enough, I think it (or something official) should be made into a sticky.
1) I know that the deal you're looking at is phenomenal and you want to jump on it right now, but head on over to the feedback thread and check out your trading partner's feedback. A safe trade is a good trade.
2) If money is involved, figure out what the acceptable forms of payment are. "PayPal accepted" doesn't neccessarily mean "Credit Card via PayPal okay."
3) Ask for a detailed description of the item if you're not sure what it looks like by this point. If your counterpart is serious about trading, odds are they'll describe it to you.
4) Trades are (in my opinion) a private thing. Communicate via PM. This way the whole world doesn't have to watch you haggle, and you have a record of what went down in case it turns south. It'll also come in handy when you're filling out feedback.
5) Speaking of feedback, leave some. What? LEAVE FEEDBACK! For good, neutral, and horrible experiences. You look for good feedback in a trader, so leave good feedback for your counterpart when the trade goes well. And leave neutral or negative feedback when it is warranted. If you're not sure, PM a mod or experienced trader. I'm sure they'll help.
6) Use delivery confirmation. You now have proof that the item arrived (or didn't as the case may be). Cover your ass. You're dealing with people on the Internet. CD may not be perfect, but it's better than nothing, and at least you know if/when your counterpart shipped his/her item.
7) Be honest! If you're posting the initial trade thread, describe the item(s) in detail. Post pictures if you can. Treat it like an eBay auction. You'll get more offers than questions if you have a kick-ass, honest description. Mint means perfect, like it just came from the mint. Use this word if it's appropriate, otherwise say something like "great condition, box scuffed in lower right corner."
8) Don't be a dick. Respond to your PMs. Don't assume everybody is a scammer, and treat your counterpart like a real person. We're not bots, and I know I'm more prone to deal with a person again (even if the transaction didn't go as planned) if they were pleasant to work with.
9) Talk to each other. If you're nervous, talk to your counterpart. Maybe you (or s/he) has a bunch of feedback someplace else (eBay, GameTZ, etc.). Read through their CAG feedback and PM others they have traded with. PM a mod. Hopefully, this is sinking in. Communication is good. Mods are your friends (as long as you don't prove to them that they shouldn't be). Traders are usually friendly. After all, they're getting something out of this, too. What's most important here is for both parties to be comfortable with the trade.
10) Start small. You'll worry a lot less about a $15 game than a $100 system.
(thanks, DuelLadyS)
Hopefully, these tips are good ones (and others will be added). If this gets good enough, I think it (or something official) should be made into a sticky.
1) I know that the deal you're looking at is phenomenal and you want to jump on it right now, but head on over to the feedback thread and check out your trading partner's feedback. A safe trade is a good trade.
2) If money is involved, figure out what the acceptable forms of payment are. "PayPal accepted" doesn't neccessarily mean "Credit Card via PayPal okay."
3) Ask for a detailed description of the item if you're not sure what it looks like by this point. If your counterpart is serious about trading, odds are they'll describe it to you.
4) Trades are (in my opinion) a private thing. Communicate via PM. This way the whole world doesn't have to watch you haggle, and you have a record of what went down in case it turns south. It'll also come in handy when you're filling out feedback.
5) Speaking of feedback, leave some. What? LEAVE FEEDBACK! For good, neutral, and horrible experiences. You look for good feedback in a trader, so leave good feedback for your counterpart when the trade goes well. And leave neutral or negative feedback when it is warranted. If you're not sure, PM a mod or experienced trader. I'm sure they'll help.
6) Use delivery confirmation. You now have proof that the item arrived (or didn't as the case may be). Cover your ass. You're dealing with people on the Internet. CD may not be perfect, but it's better than nothing, and at least you know if/when your counterpart shipped his/her item.
7) Be honest! If you're posting the initial trade thread, describe the item(s) in detail. Post pictures if you can. Treat it like an eBay auction. You'll get more offers than questions if you have a kick-ass, honest description. Mint means perfect, like it just came from the mint. Use this word if it's appropriate, otherwise say something like "great condition, box scuffed in lower right corner."
8) Don't be a dick. Respond to your PMs. Don't assume everybody is a scammer, and treat your counterpart like a real person. We're not bots, and I know I'm more prone to deal with a person again (even if the transaction didn't go as planned) if they were pleasant to work with.
9) Talk to each other. If you're nervous, talk to your counterpart. Maybe you (or s/he) has a bunch of feedback someplace else (eBay, GameTZ, etc.). Read through their CAG feedback and PM others they have traded with. PM a mod. Hopefully, this is sinking in. Communication is good. Mods are your friends (as long as you don't prove to them that they shouldn't be). Traders are usually friendly. After all, they're getting something out of this, too. What's most important here is for both parties to be comfortable with the trade.
10) Start small. You'll worry a lot less about a $15 game than a $100 system.
(thanks, DuelLadyS)
