To Trade, To Counter, or Not to Trade - that is my question

So, I had a disappointing experience today - and I’m not sure how I feel about it.
I got to thinking, and the more I did, the more frustrated I became - but then I wondered, how do other’s handle this sort of thing?

Here is the exchange - name blurred since I don’t intend to “out” this person per se.
(you have to click on the image to see my last few words in the last response)

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Now, just looking at that, you’d think I was being a little curt at my initial response - but this person has offered me multiple trades over time - most times just picking a random print to offer, so most I’ve either had to counter or decline. For this trade, I didn’t want to trade the piece he wanted - so I declined. A month later I get the message “no counter” - so I again remind him to look at my bio when offering me trades.

And I get that response - and it took me two hours to just reply - due to the initial shock I felt reading it.
I thought “Really, you want something from me, and you want me to look through your collection, so I can find something I might want, to help you? Why do I have to work to help you, when you have no interest in helping me by taking the time to even look at my bio and try to offer something I might accept?”

Then I thought - is this what other users expect? I sure hope not, as that’s not how I was “taught” when I joined by the “old timers” on the site.

When I make trade offers - I do my best to make them mutually beneficial.

  • We’re both collecting “X” and we both have a duplicate rare that the other needs - trade!
  • You’re collecting “Words As Image” and I’m collecting The “Inkforest” and we have extra very rares each need - trade!
  • You have something I want - and I can offer you a print of comparable value on your wish list - trade!

And so on - the point is, I’ll look at your sets, I’ll look at your profile and see what kind of trades you’ve accepted - and I’ll even try to make sure I don’t let one expire on you. I’ll read your bio and try to take your tips to heart - you took the time to write them, to help others trade with you after all - so why would you overlook such a handy tool?

Anyway - I’m curious of how you, fellow users, trade - your offers, how you handle declines, tricks you’ve learned while here, or has something similar happened to you and how you handled it.

Side thought - also wondering if there is any crafted trade etiquette anywhere in the FAQs

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I just usually block rude people so I won’t have to deal with their negativity anymore. Even traders who purposely give unfair/offensive/unequal trades get a definite block from me. I just refuse to deal with this kind of nonsense anymore.

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If someone gives me a trade I don’t want and I can’t find anything good to counter for, then sometimes I’ll try to wait it out and hope someone else sends me a better trade, or they’ll have found someone else to trade with in the mean time. Basically, I hope that way they’ll be auto declined. I know that probably sounds weird. :man_shrugging:
If the trades bad enough, I might say something but that’s not often.

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When sending an offer, I usually check their bio, and even go to their series collection of the card I’m potentially offering to see if that’s a series they’re collecting based on the number of cards. I don’t put trading guidelines in mine, however, so I’m open to considering offers.

What does annoy me, however, is when people react rudely when I decline their offer. I have the right to decline for my own reasons, so I’d rather not have to explain to them why I did.

I haven’t had to handle someone like that but I would block them! There needs to be some punishment for being a large whollop of poo.

I am torn on things like this - while I do try to check the bio - many times people have excel spreadsheets for organization but you can’t open them from the app and many people don’t play from the web on their phone (that is the whole reason for the app)

but it also makes trading more difficult sometimes too because of not being able to have the “filter” for common sets/wish list just not owned and multiple cards

(if we only get 1 to mobile i hope it is wish list as it will force people to utilize the feature too)

your response did seem rather short - so they probably responded the same way

it is true trading should help each person so it is kind of a tit for tat thing - you would be helping them to look through their cards but if they have what you want then it also helps you too - so you are both correct in a way

For me, trading and finding the right trade is time consuming and fun. When I get a trade from someone new—even if it’s an initially unfair trade as an invitation for “shopping”—I make the effort to at least skim their collection. However, once I’ve declined a trade due to not finding something I want in their collection or if they consistently propose unfair trades, I eventually end up declining upfront.

Never really got to keeping an updated spreadsheet, so my description just links to a gallery of stuff I like and hope that that helps: https://neon.bio/mtso

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When I trade I try to be as equal as possible. Sometimes theirs one card I need to complete a series and if I send a trade that seams unfair to me I usually message them on why I need the card, and how they can counter or decline. If people do decline my trades I don’t think much of it and try to find someone new to trade with. I haven’t had a bad experience like that luckily but if I did I’d try to sort it out, and if that doesn’t work I’d block

I haven’t actually been on neonmob that long, starting early October this year, but I usually follow this system:

If I don’t have a duplicate I decline and say sorry, that’s my only copy.

If It’s not the same rarity then either (if I’m benefiting) I offer him more, or (if I’m losing) I counter with what I would say balances it out. Obviously I just decline if it’s like a rare for an ex. rare.

If it’s not the same series I’ll think about it, decide what if I should ask for better from someone else or if I want that card. I usually except but still, sometimes I counter/decline.

Lastly, if they don’t have a duplicate, I’ll counter with some extra stuff for them as compensation.

I like to think my method is fair, because it really sucks when you get declined on a fair trade.

For cross rarity I use:

Uncommon = 2 common
Rare = 2-3 uncommon, 4 common
Very rare = 3 rare, 6 uncommon
Ex. rare = 2 VR
Chase = 2 ex. rare

I prefer 3-4 ER for chase

As variants have no set chance, I put them between rares and extremely rares.

@sima.seal4 … not sure what you mean by “variants have no set chance” … if you are referring to the odds, variants have the same odds as chase cards at 1 in 20 for free packs.

Some variants, such as the ones in Array, were about as common as, well, commons in free packs.

Sorry, let me clarify … variants that will be available in new unlimited series will be set at 1 in 20 … variants in older limited edition set will have varying odds based on avail (as you are stating). Sorry for any confusion. - Joe @ NeonMob

I figured it was that. I meant from old sets, they were very varying, from common to ER and even sometimes chase.

I think it would be cool if you could make the variant chances vary, making it more true to the name. Because otherwise I don’t see the difference between them and chases. They kinda feel… just like chases.

Variants in new series will be exactly that, a variation of the artwork found on a core card of the same series … in the past, a lot of series played pretty loose with variants so I can see what you are saying with those just being more like extra chases in some cases. - Joe @ NeonMob

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I just had this happen and find it extremely rude

They were attempting to give me cards I already had multiples of and while I checked to counter for something else felt I politely declined but said to check back when they might have something I needed or something … then I get this response … it makes me debate blocking them because being rude is unnecessary

I usually take this type of trades if the set still in print and I don’t have time to counter, the cards should be of the same jewel, that’s it. But I have blocked players for less with no remorse.

Usually I do when I only have like 2 of the cards but I wa at 4+ copies of the cards and they take forever to trade off since you have to do it one trade at a time … and I guess my bigger problem is just being insulted for not doing what they wanted the second they wanted it done - I wasn’t attempting to screw them over and offered to trade once he had other cards I do try to help … but is it really that big of a deal to not accept trades when you have high number of the cards they are trying to give you?

Oh, I mean for being rude, I will block them immediately. I did block someone a week ago because their last 10 trades with me were like the trade you’re describing, I counter the last one for cards I needed and they declined. Blocking and declining had a bad rep, but they are tools that make the game experience fair and enjoyable. You don’t need to feel guilty for declining even a fair trade, those are your cards and your rules for trading.

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