Trading on Mandolin Cafe Classifides

[r.riley77]

What is the usual procedure for a transaction on the classifieds where items are being traded? Does the seller send the item upon receiving the other item from the buyer? As the buyer or seller in a trade, how can you ensure you don't get ripped off?

[Marty Jacobson]

IMHO, if you are the seller, it's reasonable to ask to receive and inspect the trade before shipping your item. The trade does constitute a form of payment, and most folks wouldn't ship without receiving payment. Keep receipts for everything, communicate well, and have all expectations agreed to in writing before shipping or receiving anything, and it should be smooth sailing. Scott & co. keep the vermin away from this place. Craigslist, however, is a very different matter.

[NoNickel]

If I were swapping, I would insist on same day shipping, whether I was buyer or seller. I have to say, however, that I have never had a problem with a transaction on the Café. And I have bought and sold instruments worth as high as $9,000 -- that's both buying and selling.

[LongBlackVeil]

IMHO, if you are the seller, it's reasonable to ask to receive and inspect the trade before shipping your item. The trade does constitute a form of payment, and most folks wouldn't ship without receiving payment. Keep receipts for everything, communicate well, and have all expectations agreed to in writing before shipping or receiving anything, and it should be smooth sailing. Scott & co. keep the vermin away from this place. Craigslist, however, is a very different matter.

I disagree with this for sure, it's really not fair to ask someone to send you there's before you send yours. If someone told me that I'd be pretty put off and simply wouldn't do the deal.

[lonestar_shawn]

I think it depends on how the trade was initiated. If I am selling a mandolin and someone offers to trade for it, they must send their mandolin first. How is it any different from me expecting them to send cash first? Their mandolin is payment for my mandolin. If the transaction starts in the Trade section of the classifieds then it might make sense to send both instruments at the same time. All that being said I don't think requesting both instruments be sent at the same time is ever an unreasonable request. In all things, communication is key! Communicate more than you think you need to, agree on all possible scenarios ahead of time, etc. More and more I think almost all problems and conflict in life could be solved with better communication.

[Steve Zawacki]

Well, how would you do any other type of trade?

Trading requires taking some time to insure there is a reasonable quid-pro-quo, verifying the other trade object is the real deal, gaining confidence that the other person is also the real deal, and then ironing out the actual conduct of the trade (shipping, insurance, signature required, etc.).

Have done a couple trades via the Cafe Classifieds and others elsewhere. The procedure has always been the same and taken at least three days (often longer) of emails, photo-swapping, sound sample swaps, phone calks and even Skype calls which once turned into a mini-jam. If the deal is a good one for both persons, then it can take the time it takes to make both persons confident in the transaction. If the deal happens too fast with a take-it-or-leave-it attitude, that should raise a red flag.

Have also had trades not occur because both persons took their time to do it thoroughly. It has always resulted in making a new friend. In the latest case both persons realized the original trade proposal wouldn't work, but discussions about what both have in their stables has led to discussions about other potential trades. At minimum, a new friend was made, great conversations have occurred, both have learned new things and the camaraderie of music has triumphed.

[JEStanek]

Communicate, communicate, communicate. Write everything out and agree to it, be willing to wiggle in the expectations you both may have. I have done trades before and had no issues. The Classifieds here are a fantastic resource. My trade was with a regular poster so we had that going for us, too.

Mine was for a Stradolin I was never going to fix up and a bowlback he had. I was very happy to get a cool playable instrument to replace one that was rubbish as far as I was concerned.

Jamie

[Jim Garber]

I highly suggest a long conversation with your trade partner. I did two successful trades and as long as you can get a good sense of the other person's honesty it can work out. There is also the danger of getting ripped off, of course, but I have even made friends with my trading partners. I also am quite careful to make sure that the other person is pleased with what he got before assuming that the transaction is successful.