Site Forum

I see no problem with an offer without any message. 

I'm mostly trading for vintage so I always include a message.   I want to be as clear as possible of what I am looking for condition wise.  Let's my prospective trading partner know right off the bat if we can proceed.  Plus, I've worked with the public for over 30 years and find a smile can disarm even the most curmudgeonly human, a note is my written smile ;-)

Interesting discussion, and one that I've only really thought about in terms of declined offers.

I send and receive many offers with no message. Usually, if I am sending an offer to a new trading partner I'll include a hello and something along the lines of "any interest?" With repeat partners, it might be a simple "how's it going?" but it might be no message at all. I'm not bothered either way. I think sending an offer, even if it is to a brand new trading partner, the intent is clear. If they've never traded before, I will absolutely include a message though. It can be daunting the first time you get an offer and if my first partner hadn't included a greeting I might have chickened out.

Recently I've declined a few offers without sending a message, and I've felt a little guilty about that. In one case, I didn't feel like the offer was balanced and couldn't find anything in their trade list to make it work. In another, it was just too many cards to deal with in a reasonable time. On the one hand, I never feel like I owe anyone an explanation for declining an offer. But on the other, we all take time to look for matches and put together offers. So I shamed myself, and will make sure I take the time to give a reason when I decline going forward.

I always include a message due to my slightly unusual trading circumstances - international trader on the far side of the world - so don't want any surprises for my trade partner.

I wouldn't flat out decline a fair proposal I liked just because there was no message. However, if I got a very one-sided proposal with no message I would be much less likely to progress that than the same proposal but with a quick note about what the proposer is thinking.

No!!!  It is not too much to ask for.    Just keep in mind there are many that do not think the same way.

This and other things have been talked about over the years.  If you want, I can make a list.   Dan and I have talked about how we can get a lot of these kinds of posting grouped together so members can view all of them before adding a new one.

Just do not take stuff personally.   It will ruin your day.  

I'm frustrated that there are not that many cards listed (FS/FT) that I need.

First off, I'm an old guy...

Secondly, I agree with Felix.

The lack of a message in an offer or counter won't result in being declined, but I'm 99.999% certain that I've responded in some manner when offers are either initiated, countered, accepted, or declined by me. On those 0.001% when I didn't respond I was probably grumpy.

Are bots offering trades? I'm not a programmer, but doesn't that require an FST list and a match?

Also, there are 5000 different personalities on this site. Some sticklers, some laid back, some chatty cathys, some who don't include one word of communication in the duration of the transaction. We're all part of the total scene.

A message with an offer is not too much to ask for, but I'd say it's too much to *insist on*. However, your profile and your rules are yours and yours alone. You could use your profile to say "trades only on alternating Tuesdays" or quote the Magna Carta and no one can stop you. Personally if I get an offer with no message, I don't think "wow, no message, what an a**hole", I think "cool, a trade offer".

1. The thing about the message is too far down on the page. You need to have that listed first. As most here when someone writes a book, and does not keep it short. Most will not read all of it or roll right past it all and look at your feedback. Your first line should read. - Please write something in the message on a trade proposal so I know you are not a bot. Then start the next paragraph so it stands alone at the top. This still will not guarantee people will read it. This is your main rule and you don't have it at the top? That is a failure.

2. I can see you're going to pass on more than 1/2 of the trades coming to you. It maybe even closer to 2/3. 

How I make trades. Go to a sets page I need cards for. go to  Collection Summary then Wants and pick a card on my want list and see who has it, another 3 pages in.  Randomly pick names open in another tab. Roll down their page and click. Match items on your Wantlist open in another tab and do the same with Match items on your For Sale. Now I am blowing through the name fast because you can't make a trade with a lot of the people that have a card you want. Because you don't have any they want and stopping to read what everyone has written does not matter at all and is time lost. What matters is your feedback % and what others have said and that too is at the bottom. Just like eBay the seller can say he is the greatest seller and will move a mountain to make you happy. But it is the feedback from others that matters the most.  

I myself always write - Hello up for a trade? and 2/3 of the people never write anything back. Even when I send I write something like this - Posted in a PWE on Sep 23. I do this to let them know what to look for, but mainly to give myself a record of when and how it went out in case I have to file a missing post report. I've had to do that twice and both were found, sent back to me, and reposted to complete the trade. 

Okay, I had to do some research and found that drop-down menus are a problem for bots, and in the trade proposal, we do pass through a lot of them that do lead to many different options. (The people who maintain the website and are always adding to it must know this. That is why they are there, only a human can navigate it and get it right) Plus I can't see anyone wasting time to get a bot to get everyone of the click right to steal a few cards. What would be the point when we have feedback? You can spot the cons here, they have low feedback numbers and members call them out on it, in the feedback. 

 If you've been a member for a bit, it's no secret I may try but inevitably have lengthier messages. That said, I don't think you're being a "grumpy man, woman, other" to want a note but it may help to look at it differently. I used to trade on the apps like Topps Bunt and aways left a note (still do) and when someone else writes a note (replies average over 60% / initiated trades less than 15%) I place the polite ones or perhaps the offers with Fair or even generous persons before someone who ignored my question or who clearly thinks I don't know what I have by offering a common base card for an auto SN<200 Trout / Acuna etc...

  It seems the comcensus is everyone is going to do as they have always done and maybe if they trade with you they'll make the effort...but remember, some people have a hard time initiating any conversation; even when written.

   Cheers! Becky Elizabeth