General Forum

With nearly 3,000 trades in the books, I have just one wish.  I really wish people would stop marking trades "completed" before I've even received my cards.  In my mind nothing is complete until your trade partner receives their cards and agrees that everything appears to be in order.  Can we at least agree on this trade protocol?  Keep in mind that cards move into your collection when you mark them "received", not "completed".  Feel free to discuss.
Craig aka Dukey Devil

I'm on board.  I've actually come around on this as I've heard others with the same sentiment. 

I used to set to complete as soon as I received my cards (first) so I could get the feedback "out of the way" and not have to revisit the trade again.

But as I thought about the process more, what each step was intended for, and what so many other seasoned veterans would prefer, I now set to complete when both sides are complete.

Makes much more sense that way.

I disagree...the trade is completed on my end once I have received the cards, filed them away, and left appropriate feedback.  In my mind the status that I have control over are the cards on my end.  I don't wait to mark the cards are package sent until after the other individual has sent their package or wait to mark the trade as package received until the other individual does so.  Not sure why transaction completed would be different.  Open to discussion, but if both sides are waiting for the other to move their transaction to completed, it will never be complete.

I hear you that its technically inaccurate, but I do like that it gives me a chance to provide feedback while the trade is still fresh in my mind.  I also feel that it indicates a level of satisfaction beyond "received".  And what's the downside?  It doesn't stop you from providing negative feedback or pursuing a resolution if there's anything wrong with the cards you eventually receive.  

Idk, I think it's fine. Even if something goes wrong, you still have to solve the same problem. 

It does seem like a question of one's particular interpretation of etiquette. I leave my feedback after I mark something as received, but leave the trade open because I feel that marking it 'completed' might give the impression that I am 'done with it'. It's akin to a waiter dropping off one's meal, leaving the check on the table and never returning to see if anything is okay. By declaring something as complete before it's actually completed, it might telegraph to the other person that one is not interested in further communication (even if that's not necessarily the case). Since I am in no hurry to shovel off transactions into the Completed tab, I don't mind waiting until I see the other person has received things first before marking it complete. 

This seems like getting peeved about a technicality. It makes no difference to me when the trade is marked complete as long as we're both willing to make good if one side isn't happy. I have enough stuff in my life to get annoyed over, I don't need to add things that don't really make a difference.

I gotta agree with Griffey on this one. There are two sides to every transaction. Once side can definitely be completed before the other. When I mark the transaction complete I look at it to say that I have received what I was expecting and am good with the condition of the cards and there is nothing else for my trading partner to do so that side is complete. When you build a house, do you only say that the framing is complete once the buyer moves in?  

I wait for my trade partner to mark their end as received before closing it as completed. I had recommended the Transaction Completed option to be unavailable until both parties marked the deal as received. What is currently implemented disallows Transaction Completed until Package (or Payment) Received is marked, but as noted in others' comments, some will mark a transaction as complete when the other may not have received cards, yet.

I never tag a trade "completed" until all cards are received and satisfactory on both ends. Does it bother me if my trade partner tags the trade "completed" before I receive my cards? Not at all. Hasn't happened yet, but I still have the ability to adhere the "problem" tag if there's an issue...knock on wood.