Does Anybody Trade Anymore??

[JollyElm]

I'm an old school collector who is always looking to trade. Yes, I regularly buy cards off of ebay and pick up a thing here and there off of the B/S/T, but I've always been a trader at heart. So, it is just amazing to me how little people seem to trade anymore. It just blows my mind!! Is that the case with everyone??

Although my threads constantly feature pretty great cards (I know, I know, that's open to interpretation), I can't remember the last time I actually completed a trade on this site. Instead, usually one of three things happen:

1) A person wants one of my 'high value' cards and offers me a couple of 1982 Donruss commons in return for it.

2) A person says they have nothing off of my need list, but (even though I specifically state in my thread that I don't sell anything) they offer me (add a ridiculously low, laughable price here) for my card.

3) A person contacts me and we exchange a couple of messages and/or scans and POOF!! suddenly I never hear from him again.

Are other people seeing this same paradigm shift in the trading landscape? And does anyone know of other sites where people are still actively trading?? I would really like to find some like minded collectors. (My sets are virtually all upgrades, so none of the oft mentioned lower grade trading sites would be applicable here, unfortunately.)

Feel free to add your thoughts.

[cardsfan73]

The only reason I don't trade very much is that I only collect St. Louis Cardinals & St. Louis Browns stuff. My collection is a lot more focused these days leaving me with very little to trade. I do keep an eye out for good deals on non St. Louis stuff that I might be able to trade or sell to acquire more Cardinals/Browns stuff.

[mrmopar]

Speaking from my perspective, having been a very infrequent trader since I moved from kid collector to adult collector, trading is just too much work most of the time. Unless you have very organized trade and want lists, it can be tough to find someone willing to offer you a need and at the same time have something they need and have it be a good deal for all parties. The more focused your collecting interest is, the harder it seems to be too.

Then there is the pack rat in me that makes it hard to get rid of anything, ever! It's easier to buy what I want and keep everything I have.

[DHogan]

Life got in the way the past two years for me. I would love to trade again if I had the time. Have you tried the Vintage Card Traders or Old Cards Traders groups ?

[4reals]

Originally Posted by JollyElm

Are other people seeing this same paradigm shift in the trading landscape?

From my vantage point, this paradigm you speak of shifted a while ago. Trading requires way too much dialogue and negotiating to get to the end and have someone "disappear" or not agree on a deal. Nobody got time for dat! Personally, my head explodes when I have to squint and scan the huge lists traders/sellers post of available cards. It looks like jumbled blurry mess and my ADD tells me to move along and click on a post where a seller is only listing a few things at a time.

[Rich Klein]

That's why on those rare occassiona I trade -- I do bulk for bulk.

My cards of your team for cards of certain other teams. Uuually that evens out at the end. Yes, usually base but it's fun to go through singles of sets that sometimes I never had

Rich

[ALR-bishop]

I have always collected sets and have not done so by packs since 1969. As a result I do not have many duplicates for trades. I do not sell, I just buy. I think I recall asking you about buying cards off your site but you telling me you prefer to trade, so that left me on the side lines

On the few occasions I have attempted trades elsewhere, I found the attempts to find common ground too cumbersome. It is easier for me to just buy what I need.

I have been collecting since 1957 but have done little trading since the 60s

[bnorth]

I have a small group of long time friends that I trade with on a regular basis. I have found trading on a forum is really hard for several reasons. Card values are tough because everyone thinks their cards are made of gold and yours are worthless. Condition, some just want a card with nice eye appeal and then you get the condition freaks that look at every card with a loupe. Funny part is the condition freaks usually have no problem sending a card in less than mint condition but expect a gem mint card in return.

I love trading but finding like minded people to trade with is very hard.

[JTysver]

There are plenty of traders.
I trade every week.

Your want list and condition requirements are very selective.
Since you seek higher end cards, rare cards and super stars, most people I know who have that stuff either have it in their main set (not dupes) or would prefer to sell it since it gets a premium return.
I have a few of the cards you need, but can't meet your shape requirements and I'm not planning on trading my main set cards for them since I'm trying to build a Topps run.
If you were to build with mid-grade set fillers and upgrade as you need to (I know a lot of traders who do that), that would probably open you up to a lot more traders.

Oh btw, Let's Go Mets!

[SAllen2556]

I think technology is the biggest reason-

With paypal, it's just so easy to sell and use the money on ebay or here on the boards. You can pay someone instantly and vice versa and not have to wait for a check or money order. And then using this fancy internet thingy, just go buy what you want.

I've sold several big lots of 70's doubles I had right here on the BST board. I get the money instantly and then go shopping! It's soooo much easier than trying to work out a trade. I mean, I would love to find the guy who would trade me a '34 Goudey Hank Greenberg for a bunch of '75 Topps minis, but it ain't gonna happen. Well, in essence, that's the type of thing I've been able to do by just selling.

Have you considered hauling your stuff to a local show and setting up a table? The way I understand it, dealers often trade with other dealers at card shows.

[cubsfan-budman]

i have started just buying what i want for my collection. that leaves me with very little vintage surplus.

sometimes i buy boxes of modern stuff, in which case i will trade the stuff i don't want...but i don't bother to do that on this board.

fyi jollyelm, you do have cool stuff to trade.

[baseballfan]

fredscards.weebly.com

here is my need list, but I have cards to trade in roughly the same condition I'm looking for. I think that may be the problem people can't fit with condition on trades.

I would love to trade, but I think the condition of the cards are the major draw back. I have done trades, big trades, I once sent about 30-40 55 All American graded cards to Texas for about 6 T206 graded HOFers. not sure about the value on each side but I didn't have to sell my double 55 AA and got t206 cards I wanted in return, I think both sides made out.

I have checked your list several times but like others here don't have the condition your looking for but I keep looking non the less.

good luck
Fred

[TAVG]

i trade all the time on sportscardforum.com been a member there since 2010. have close to 200 transactions.

doing a trade at the moment 100 giants base for 100 cardinals blind trade

[eltoro2012]

I'm relatively new to the forums and have had a totally different experience here. Since joining the site, I've made at least 6-7 trades to help complete my 1959 Topps Baseball set. Of course, I'm relatively young (25) and haven't had friends in my age group who were interested in baseball cards let alone trading, so 1 trade would have been a step up. And the generosity of the members I've had the pleasure of dealing with is a major reason why I will continue to make trades on this site!

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G730A using Tapatalk

[kailes2872]

I have not had much luck with trades. I tend to send higher grade material than what I get in return - and end up having to upgrade the item that I trade for (that was supposed to be an upgrade). Cash is the conduit. In the end, it is all a trade, cash just allows me to get the exact example that I need.