geekhack

geekhack Community => Off Topic => Topic started by: LiquidEvilGaming on Sat, 23 April 2016, 07:26:10

Title: Proper way to conduct an online keyboard trade?
Post by: LiquidEvilGaming on Sat, 23 April 2016, 07:26:10
How exactly do trades work among people on sites like GH etc?  Since the person who made the post is accepting the trade in lieu of cash does the other person send the keyboard first?  Or is it a same time ship kinda deal?  Never actually done a trade and considering it for some of my boards to acquire some more 60%'s and dump TKL's.
Title: Re: Proper way to conduct an online keyboard trade?
Post by: LunarisDream on Sat, 23 April 2016, 07:44:22
If you don't trust each other enough, you can pay both the value of the other's item in Paypal Goods & Services, eating the 3% fee for peace of mind in knowing that you can file a dispute if anything is wrong and you can't work it out with the seller.
Title: Re: Proper way to conduct an online keyboard trade?
Post by: LiquidEvilGaming on Sat, 23 April 2016, 09:55:21
Sure and that's not a bad thought per say but what is typical proper practice?
Title: Re: Proper way to conduct an online keyboard trade?
Post by: tinymakesthings on Sat, 23 April 2016, 11:18:01
I can't say this is true for everyone else, but when I do trades, I'll send it probably around the same time when the other person is like an active member/long time member, I think it's pretty safe. Only when the other person is like.. A recently recreated account or something, then I don't think it's unreasonable to ask them to ship first due to their lack of history (esp. if you have a good reputation/heatware rep and they don't).
Title: Re: Proper way to conduct an online keyboard trade?
Post by: SpAmRaY on Sat, 23 April 2016, 11:21:25
I typically don't trade things I prefer to buy and sell or at least keep trading reserved for lower cost items. The few times I have traded high priced items I've only done so with reputable people.
Title: Re: Proper way to conduct an online keyboard trade?
Post by: chuckdee on Sat, 23 April 2016, 18:08:13
There are escrow services where you can escrow the amounts to be released if the trade is successful. Of course you have to foot the money, and pay the escrow service. Personally, unless I've had a successful cash transaction with the person, I don't trade do exactly this reason
Title: Re: Proper way to conduct an online keyboard trade?
Post by: nubbinator on Sat, 23 April 2016, 18:14:39
There are escrow services where you can escrow the amounts to be released if the trade is successful. Of course you have to foot the money, and pay the escrow service. Personally, unless I've had a successful cash transaction with the person, I don't trade do exactly this reason

Please link to them.  I have yet to see any legitimate escrow services out there for small things like this.
Title: Re: Proper way to conduct an online keyboard trade?
Post by: chuckdee on Sun, 24 April 2016, 14:39:16
What do you mean by legitimate and small things?

https://www.escrow.com/

That's the one I've done before, but it was admittedly single way, i.e. a purchase.  The fee is a flat rate of $25 for less than $770.  You have to decide if having some recourse is worth the additional expense.

The largest risk is going to be that one of the traders decides that it's easier to buy, than to complete the trade.  You get money... but presumably, that's not what you wanted.
Title: Re: Proper way to conduct an online keyboard trade?
Post by: LunarisDream on Tue, 26 April 2016, 08:55:57
Sounds like it'd still be easier (and cheaper) to use Paypal.
Title: Re: Proper way to conduct an online keyboard trade?
Post by: dgneo on Tue, 26 April 2016, 09:00:35
How exactly do trades work among people on sites like GH etc?  Since the person who made the post is accepting the trade in lieu of cash does the other person send the keyboard first?  Or is it a same time ship kinda deal?  Never actually done a trade and considering it for some of my boards to acquire some more 60%'s and dump TKL's.

Ship stuff at the same time. I never had an issue doing this personally, just make sure you somewhat vet the person you're doing a trade with.
Title: Re: Proper way to conduct an online keyboard trade?
Post by: chuckdee on Tue, 26 April 2016, 09:32:12
Sounds like it'd still be easier (and cheaper) to use Paypal.

As many people say, Paypal is more concerned with keeping buyers.  Escrow is theoretically a neutral party.  Which is why ebay recommends that you use an escrow service rather than paypal for larger transactions.  Mine was for a computer for $600 from overseas.  $25 for peace of mind was more than worth it to me.
Title: Re: Proper way to conduct an online keyboard trade?
Post by: rurushu on Tue, 26 April 2016, 10:02:59
I also wondering how to perform this, never perform trades before, but would love to try in order to hunt down items that I want, but the items that I intend to acquire through trades are small items like keycaps mostly.

So unless the partner is a reputable person, generally use the paypal method?

Because shipping out at the same time is kind of difficult, what if you both agreed to ship on let say, tomorrow, but then if the partner is a scammer and tried to cheat on you, he can come up with whatever reason to say like "Oh, I woke up late etc. and have thus missed the time to post office bla bla bla"

that is my greatest concern though...  :-X
Title: Re: Proper way to conduct an online keyboard trade?
Post by: dgneo on Tue, 26 April 2016, 10:07:14
I also wondering how to perform this, never perform trades before, but would love to try in order to hunt down items that I want, but the items that I intend to acquire through trades are small items like keycaps mostly.

So unless the partner is a reputable person, generally use the paypal method?

Because shipping out at the same time is kind of difficult, what if you both agreed to ship on let say, tomorrow, but then if the partner is a scammer and tried to cheat on you, he can come up with whatever reason to say like "Oh, I woke up late etc. and have thus missed the time to post office bla bla bla"

that is my greatest concern though...  :-X

Again, just make sure you vet the person before anything. A lot of people use Heatware to show how many trades and transactions they've done, perhaps setting one up isn't a bad idea.
Title: Re: Proper way to conduct an online keyboard trade?
Post by: rurushu on Tue, 26 April 2016, 10:10:58
I also wondering how to perform this, never perform trades before, but would love to try in order to hunt down items that I want, but the items that I intend to acquire through trades are small items like keycaps mostly.

So unless the partner is a reputable person, generally use the paypal method?

Because shipping out at the same time is kind of difficult, what if you both agreed to ship on let say, tomorrow, but then if the partner is a scammer and tried to cheat on you, he can come up with whatever reason to say like "Oh, I woke up late etc. and have thus missed the time to post office bla bla bla"

that is my greatest concern though...  :-X

Again, just make sure you vet the person before anything. A lot of people use Heatware to show how many trades and transactions they've done, perhaps setting one up isn't a bad idea.

even if we start with Zero reps? Cause I never trade before, serious.
Even if we setup, the heatware reps is none, not sure how convincing it would be to the interested party...

sorry if I sounded paranoid, but I really want to learn trading as I know nowadays $$ can't get you everything, trade is the way to it.