Is there a secret to getting traction on BST posts?

[Eric72]

If you want your BST posts to gain traction, you might want to consider one of the following:

1. Clearly state in your title that you're only trading
2. Actually offer the cards for sale

Three times today, I saw a listing in the BST that interested me. When I clicked on them, each one had "trades only" or something similar. Each time, it was a post of yours. I wasn't interested in trading; however, I would have made a purchase if possible.

As someone else mentioned earlier, there are some people whose posts they don't even bother clicking on. I'm seeing the logic in that mindset.

[Leon]

I try to put FS (for sale), WTB (want to buy), LTT (Looking to Trade)....or something similar.

There are no rules but maybe if that were one it would help? We are very slow to make any rules on the forum but that might be one that helps everyone? And it's super obvious if someone doesn't do it. They won't "not" do it for too long around here. I am sure folks will self police it.

Originally Posted by Eric72

If you want your BST posts to gain traction, you might want to consider one of the following:

1. Clearly state in your title that you're only trading
2. Actually offer the cards for sale

Three times today, I saw a listing in the BST that interested me. When I clicked on them, each one had "trades only" or something similar. Each time, it was a post of yours. I wasn't interested in trading; however, I would have made a purchase if possible.

As someone else mentioned earlier, there are some people whose posts they don't even bother clicking on. I'm seeing the logic in that mindset.

[Eric72]

Originally Posted by Leon

I try to put FS (for sale), WTB (want to buy), LTT (Looking to Trade)....or something similar.

There are no rules but maybe if that were one it would help? We are very slow to make any rules on the forum but that might be one that helps everyone? And it's super obvious if someone doesn't do it. They won't "not" do it for too long around here. I am sure folks will self police it.

I was just answering the OP's question. They wanted to know why their BST threads weren't gaining traction.

Perhaps because it was a tiny bit frustrating to interact with those threads?

Reading others' comments, I'm pretty sure I'm not alone in that way of thinking.

[wdwfan]

Thank you. I'm getting feedback about my selling posts. But I'm talking that as well as buying. Not having any lucky buying around here. I think there's a buyers/sellers group, and I just haven't been around long enough to be a part of it. That's what I was told anyways.

Originally Posted by Eric72

I was just answering the OP's question. They wanted to know why their BST threads weren't gaining traction.

Perhaps because it was a tiny bit frustrating to interact with those threads?

Reading others' comments, I'm pretty sure I'm not alone in that way of thinking.

[wdwfan]

I just edited my last 4 selling/trading posts to add FT in there.

[Casey2296]

Originally Posted by Eric72

If you want your BST posts to gain traction, you might want to consider one of the following:

1. Clearly state in your title that you're only trading
2. Actually offer the cards for sale

Three times today, I saw a listing in the BST that interested me. When I clicked on them, each one had "trades only" or something similar. Each time, it was a post of yours. I wasn't interested in trading; however, I would have made a purchase if possible.

As someone else mentioned earlier, there are some people whose posts they don't even bother clicking on. I'm seeing the logic in that mindset.

Its good to start a sales Subject line with any of the following so its clear what the intention is.

FS: For Sale
LTB: Looking to buy
FT: For trade

[Eric72]

Originally Posted by Casey2296

Its good to start a sales Subject line with any of the following so its clear what the intention is.

FS: For Sale
LTB: Looking to buy
FT: For trade

+1

[wdwfan]

Thanks. I will start doing that going forward. I don't think it'll help, but I'll do it.

Originally Posted by Casey2296

Its good to start a sales Subject line with any of the following so its clear what the intention is.

FS: For Sale
LTB: Looking to buy
FT: For trade

[wdwfan]

Thanks for the insight. I will have to start putting FT in my posts. I don't think it'll help much because no one really trades/collects anymore. Everyone is only about buying and selling. So thank you for that. And as for the second part, as I said before, I don't typically sell. I don't get anything in return whenever I sell. I really only sell when I absolutely have to. But I will definitely start putting more words in my stuff.

Originally Posted by Eric72

If you want your BST posts to gain traction, you might want to consider one of the following:

1. Clearly state in your title that you're only trading
2. Actually offer the cards for sale

Three times today, I saw a listing in the BST that interested me. When I clicked on them, each one had "trades only" or something similar. Each time, it was a post of yours. I wasn't interested in trading; however, I would have made a purchase if possible.

As someone else mentioned earlier, there are some people whose posts they don't even bother clicking on. I'm seeing the logic in that mindset.

[OhioLawyerF5]

Originally Posted by wdwfan

Thanks for the insight. I will have to start putting FT in my posts. I don't think it'll help much because no one really trades/collects anymore. Everyone is only about buying and selling. So thank you for that. And as for the second part, as I said before, I don't typically sell. I don't get anything in return whenever I sell. I really only sell when I absolutely have to. But I will definitely start putting more words in my stuff.

I really wish you would stop suggesting that collecting requires trading. I'm a pure collector. I literally never sell a card. I only buy cards for my personal collection. And because of this, I virtually never trade either. Trading means getting rid of a card I collect and love. So I don't do it. I purchase cards for my collection. That is collecting in the purest sense.

[wdwfan]

Yea, I guess it's more of a mindset I've gotten by setting up at and attending shows. I ask people who or what they collect. And a lot say they only buy and sell to flip and don't collect. I guess it might be different when it comes to vintage guys, which I believe most around here are. But I do tremendously miss the old days where everyone traded. I don't understand why people don't anymore as it's as safe and easy as ever. I'm one where I can't afford to spend hundreds of dollars a week on cards. So, I have to take what I have and try to turn it into what I want, and the only way to do that is with trading. But yea, I guess there's some collectors out there that don't trade and only buy and sell. But you don't see if often.

Originally Posted by OhioLawyerF5

I really wish you would stop suggesting that collecting requires trading. I'm a pure collector. I literally never sell a card. I only buy cards for my personal collection. And because of this, I virtually never trade either. Trading means getting rid of a card I collect and love. So I don't do it. I purchase cards for my collection. That is collecting in the purest sense.

[OhioLawyerF5]

Originally Posted by wdwfan

Yea, I guess it's more of a mindset I've gotten by setting up at and attending shows. I ask people who or what they collect. And a lot say they only buy and sell to flip and don't collect. I guess it might be different when it comes to vintage guys, which I believe most around here are. But I do tremendously miss the old days where everyone traded. I don't understand why people don't anymore as it's as safe and easy as ever. I'm one where I can't afford to spend hundreds of dollars a week on cards. So, I have to take what I have and try to turn it into what I want, and the only way to do that is with trading. But yea, I guess there's some collectors out there that don't trade and only buy and sell. But you don't see if often.

I can appreciate your style. I just don't understand it. Even if I was in a position where I had to get rid of cards in my collection in order to obtain something I want in my collection more, trading usually makes little practical sense. In order to trade I would need to find a specific person with the specific card I want. And that specific person would need to also want the cards I want to get rid of. And be willing to do so in exchange for the card I want. With the advent of the internet, trading became pointless. Now you don't have to find someone with the card you want who also wants your cast offs. You just reach a massive audience of people willing to buy your card. Then take that cash and find the person who has the card you want. It's so much easier, and far more likely to actually happen than a trade. Trading doesn't exist much anymore simply because it no longer serves much of a purpose for the collector. There are better/faster/easier ways to turn the cards you have into the cards you want nowadays.

[Snapolit1]

To each his own, but whenever I see people talking about trading and trading meet ups, it seems they are more interested in keeping the idea of trading alive in principle. It's the idea of trading, like when we were kids and none of this mattered, that I think people are sentimental about. I agree with you . . the idea of me going to a trading event and seeing something I need and having an item of relatively similar value to trade to a willing trader seems infinitesimal. Others' maybe have more stuff to trade or more diverse interests.

A board member runs an annual trading event and meet up and it is well enjoyed by many, but my recollection from reading the posts is that very little if any trading takes place, and it's just people showing off their great stuff.

Originally Posted by OhioLawyerF5

I can appreciate your style. I just don't understand it. Even if I was in a position where I had to get rid of cards in my collection in order to obtain something I want in my collection more, trading usually makes little practical sense. In order to trade I would need to find a specific person with the specific card I want. And that specific person would need to also want the cards I want to get rid of. And be willing to do so in exchange for the card I want. With the advent of the internet, trading became pointless. Now you don't have to find someone with the card you want who also wants your cast offs. You just reach a massive audience of people willing to buy your card. Then take that cash and find the person who has the card you want. It's so much easier, and far more likely to actually happen than a trade. Trading doesn't exist much anymore simply because it no longer serves much of a purpose for the collector. There are better/faster/easier ways to turn the cards you have into the cards you want nowadays.

[wdwfan]

It's more so to get rid of stuff I don't want. I buy collections, lots, starter sets and even packs/blasters from time to time. Anything I don't want or doesn't fit into my collection is what I try to trade. No sense in keeping it if it's not anything you collect/want.

But I also try and trade to get even value on stuff. For example, if you've got a $100 card that doesn't fit your collection that you want to get rid of, you're going to sell and lose out on fees and shipping. You're going to make $75. Whenever you go to replace it with something else, you're going to have to pay $125 (on eBay anyways as tons of sellers list prices are over comps) plus shipping and taxes. So you're losing $50. If you trade, you give up a $100 card and you get a $100 card. That's the way I look at it, and that's why I prefer to trade.

But it can be tough to find a match, as you said. You've got to find someone that has what you want and has something you need in return. But the conversation and back and forth is the fun part of the hobby.

The trading thing explains why my BSTs where I'm selling/trading never get any interest. But that doesn't explain why my posts looking to buy don't. The one I just created did, and I've bought 2 lots from people that reached out in response to my post. But that's not usually the case. It's usually just crickets.

Originally Posted by OhioLawyerF5

I can appreciate your style. I just don't understand it. Even if I was in a position where I had to get rid of cards in my collection in order to obtain something I want in my collection more, trading usually makes little practical sense. In order to trade I would need to find a specific person with the specific card I want. And that specific person would need to also want the cards I want to get rid of. And be willing to do so in exchange for the card I want. With the advent of the internet, trading became pointless. Now you don't have to find someone with the card you want who also wants your cast offs. You just reach a massive audience of people willing to buy your card. Then take that cash and find the person who has the card you want. It's so much easier, and far more likely to actually happen than a trade. Trading doesn't exist much anymore simply because it no longer serves much of a purpose for the collector. There are better/faster/easier ways to turn the cards you have into the cards you want nowadays.

[jayshum]

Originally Posted by wdwfan

It's more so to get rid of stuff I don't want. I buy collections, lots, starter sets and even packs/blasters from time to time. Anything I don't want or doesn't fit into my collection is what I try to trade. No sense in keeping it if it's not anything you collect/want.

But I also try and trade to get even value on stuff. For example, if you've got a $100 card that doesn't fit your collection that you want to get rid of, you're going to sell and lose out on fees and shipping. You're going to make $75. Whenever you go to replace it with something else, you're going to have to pay $125 (on eBay anyways as tons of sellers list prices are over comps) plus shipping and taxes. So you're losing $50. If you trade, you give up a $100 card and you get a $100 card. That's the way I look at it, and that's why I prefer to trade.

But it can be tough to find a match, as you said. You've got to find someone that has what you want and has something you need in return. But the conversation and back and forth is the fun part of the hobby.

The trading thing explains why my BSTs where I'm selling/trading never get any interest. But that doesn't explain why my posts looking to buy don't. The one I just created did, and I've bought 2 lots from people that reached out in response to my post. But that's not usually the case. It's usually just crickets.

So you're buying collections with a lot of stuff you don't want, but since you're trading it instead of selling it, you're a true collector. Got it.

[OhioLawyerF5]

Originally Posted by wdwfan

It's more so to get rid of stuff I don't want. I buy collections, lots, starter sets and even packs/blasters from time to time. Anything I don't want or doesn't fit into my collection is what I try to trade. No sense in keeping it if it's not anything you collect/want.

But I also try and trade to get even value on stuff. For example, if you've got a $100 card that doesn't fit your collection that you want to get rid of, you're going to sell and lose out on fees and shipping. You're going to make $75. Whenever you go to replace it with something else, you're going to have to pay $125 (on eBay anyways as tons of sellers list prices are over comps) plus shipping and taxes. So you're losing $50. If you trade, you give up a $100 card and you get a $100 card. That's the way I look at it, and that's why I prefer to trade.

But it can be tough to find a match, as you said. You've got to find someone that has what you want and has something you need in return. But the conversation and back and forth is the fun part of the hobby.

The trading thing explains why my BSTs where I'm selling/trading never get any interest. But that doesn't explain why my posts looking to buy don't. The one I just created did, and I've bought 2 lots from people that reached out in response to my post. But that's not usually the case. It's usually just crickets.

Why is it that you consider fees associated with selling on ebay, but don't consider selling items in forums without said fees. Yet you are comparing it to trading via platforms that have no fees?

You can find a buyer with no fees the same way you find a trading partner with no fees.

There are trading platforms that take fees, just like selling platforms that take fees. No one is forcing you to use those. The fact that selling in some platforms includes fees is not really a reason to suggest that trading is the only way to get rid of cards with no fees.

[jayshum]

Originally Posted by OhioLawyerF5

I really wish you would stop suggesting that collecting requires trading. I'm a pure collector. I literally never sell a card. I only buy cards for my personal collection. And because of this, I virtually never trade either. Trading means getting rid of a card I collect and love. So I don't do it. I purchase cards for my collection. That is collecting in the purest sense.

+1

I posted a similar sentiment a while ago. I don't trade because I only buy what I want and don't want to give up something to get something else.