Online Trading!

So we all know that it is no big secret as of late, that attempting to acquire boxes (or hell, even packs for that matter) of MVL and DCL is near impossible. You might just as well bang your head against a wall somewhere as attempt it. Probably get all gooey and lightheaded from either! Then…lately, to make matters worse, you’ve probably started to notice that the trade scene at your store, kinda like mine, has probably semi-dried up as well. It was so bad the other night, that we seriously sat there trading for FOIL cards of the teams or artists we liked.

Fear not! Trades are available…to those at least willing to take a small risk.

Lately…I’ve been slinging cards like crazy. A little trade here, a little trade there…and suddenly more and more, I seem to be aquiring cards that I originally never thought possible. Not being a huge Marvel fan, I didn’t buy that much of MVL and missed out on some great rares that were in the set for Marvel teams that I do actually enjoy.

But a Mobilize here…and a Family of Four there…A Great Refuge or two…and suddenly, I’m back to trading like a pro again.

You see…a long while back, I used to trade pretty regularly on VSRealms. Then one day…BOOM…bad trade. Got janked! Janked pretty good. Of course, the cards I got janked for then aren’t worth crap now…but back in 2004…it was still a new game, and a different story.

Of course, back then, all you really could do was piss and moan about it on a Bad Trader thread…which of course would inevitably bring out the other side of the trade telling you that such and such didn’t rip anyone off! That would then lead into more of a popularity contest of sorts…with either more people backing such and such or you. That was really pretty much all the security possible…with a little whisper of Mail fraud on the winds.

Today…especially on VSRealms, with a little precaution and some common sense, those problems are a thing of the past..and trading is alive and well there.

You see, VSRealms has this little thing called the iTrader system. It works very much like the ebay Positive/Negative feedback system. Once you purchase/trade cards from/with somebody…you leave feedback for everyone to see. Now, while this is almost the same thing as the Good/Bad Trader Forums, it is actually much more easily used and noticed. You see, a persons iTrader rating is actually listed right under their username. Trust me, this is great, because back in the day you may have to sift through a bunch of posts to see how many, or if they ever, had had any bad feedback. That at times could be time consuming and (let’s be honest) a pain in the ass. But today, all that info is at the click of a button.

Another thing to mention is the ease in which you can file Mail Fraud these days. If someone rips you off…no problem, just take all the info and your Confirmation Number (you did get one right?) and click here:

http://postalinspectors.uspis.gov/forms/MailFraudComplaint.aspx

Viola!!! Instant Mail Fraud complaint! I love it!!!

Look…here’s a few simple tips for those of you interested.

1. Before you completely finalize any trade, check the persons rating and then come to a sending agreement. If it is a good bit lower than yours…REF Rule applies and they should send their side of the trade first. If it is about even, simul-send. If they have a much higher rating…then plainly, they have earned that rating from being an honest trader…and you should send first yourself.

2. Use some common sense! If someone is wanting to trade you x8 Mobilizes for your x4 Family of Four…warning bells should be sounding in your head by now! Just remember…things that look to good to be true, usually are!

3. Delivery Confirmation, Signature Confirmation, Insurance, Certified Mail…it is all available to you at your local Post Office and allows you to track the package. When dealing with High Value trades…the more protection, the better! While some people may think that spending $10.00 bucks to ship something is expensive…if I was shipping $300.00 in cash to someone, I’m making sure they get it and that both they and I can track it all the way to their doorstep! With insurance…if USPS does lose it…you’re getting your money back! If the moron on the other end signs for the package and you have the receipt in hand…then he tries to tell you he never got it…BAD MOVE!!! You’ve got the proof in your hand…SOMEONES FILING MAIL FRAUD!!!

4. Keep all electronic records of the deal until you reach the end of both sides of the agreement and feedback is given.

5. Give feedback! GIVE FEEDBACK!!! F E E D B A C K ! ! ! Let others know that this cat is okay…be as specific as possible in the feedback. Or if the deal went south…WARN OTHERS!

6. Be willing to help those in need out. If you know someone has ripped off someone else, DO THE RIGHT THING, STEP IN, AND HELP!!!

7. Use an Escrow if you don’t trust the other person…or frankly, don’t trade at all with them. There has got to be SOME reason that warning bells went off…explore those!

Anyways…all I am trying to say is that the cards you may be needing, wanting, or just plain having to have…they are out there. Sure…you may still get ripped off, there are no promises there; but if you use a little common sense, you can protect yourself, and in the long run, make online trading a better opportunity for everyone!

 

##Shameless plug: Visit Arkham’s Asylum in the VSRealms Trade Thread!!! Visit bigmike99 too…it seems that every time I turn around we’re trading stuff again. I like his stuff…and he’s a good trader too!

~ by Arkham on April 21, 2008.