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Best Practices / Trader Etiquette

Firewall

Firewall

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With the inflow of new people to the site, I think it could be of value to have a list of "best practices". I think there's a lot of things out there that are not (nor should be) rules of the site but are generally accepted as the way things are done. Something like this could help a new comer get a sense of what is considered acceptable behavior

It seems like disagreements about these things are what leads to most of the complaint threads

A good example is a lot of people have different interpretations of who gets dibbs on something for sale. Some feel "I'll take it" first trumps all, others sell to whoever sets up a time/place first, and others it's whoever can get money to them the fastest. With out declaring one of those ideas as the law of ODT we could just point out what's true in most situations or at least give light to the other possibilities.

Another might be "If posting a classified ad you should try to respond to PMs within XX hours" or "If you say you'll take an item, you should reasonably be available to meet within the next 3 days"

Again, I don't think these should be rules in the sense that they come with penalties for not complying but rather guidelines or suggestions

I think this could be taken care of in one thread started by a moderator. Have the official list in the first post and let everyone reply to requesting or voting on changes to the first post

Here's what I've compiled from our discussion below and what I've seen in other threads.

Tips and Suggestions for trading,NOT RULES

Posting an Ad

Provide as much relevant information in your ad as possible. Most buyers/traders will want to know:

Make / Model / Caliber / Capacity / Finish of your firearm. (Not every one knows the specs on every model)
Other than the gun, what is included? Such as box, manual, lock or additional magazines
Price or trade interests (Price is mandatory in a For Sale ad, per forum rules)
General areas you're willing to drive to for a meet
Estimated round count (if you know)
If your gun model has had a recall, was your specific gun subject to that recall and has the work been completed if it was
Contact information if you want to be contacted other than through PM

You should post 2-3 quality pictures, at least 640x480 in size (preferably larger). Remember that pictures are not just for showing the gun but establishing credibility. Someone might know what a NIB Glock 17 looks like but they may want some proof that your Glock 17 is NIB. See the Tiny Pic Plug in Tutorial if you don't know how to post pictures.

For Sale Methods

Each person has their own idea of how a for sale ad works. As a seller you might want to clarify your method in the ad.

The most common method is the first to say "I'll take it" is first in line to purchase the item. When most buyers see this as a reply they consider that as a commitment to purchase with no further hesitation. Many feel that backing out after saying you'll take it warrants negative feedback so if you have any remaining questions about the item, location or price you better ask those first. If you want to see the item before finalizing your decision you should mention that too.

Some sellers will sell to the person who is first to arrange a meet with them, or who can get them the money the quickest. This is even more likely if the person is in a dire situation and needs money quick.

Also, note that "I'll take it" is just a commitement to buy and not a guarantee you will get the item for sale

Bill of Sale

A Bill of Sale is not required by Georgia law so each member handles it in their own way. Some will require a Bill of Sale with varying levels of detail, others will refuse to sign on at all. If you have strong feelings one way or another you should communicate this early on.

Courtesy and Communication

Like most areas of life a positive attitude, courtesy and good communication can make all the difference. Another otherwise good and fair deal may be rejected if you come across as a pain to deal with. Also, if for some reason you are unable to finish a deal you commited to how you handle the situation could be a big factor in the other member's response.

If you post an ad, it is expected that you will reply to PMs. If you ignore a offer that person is likely to ignore ads from you in the future. If you are not interested in the offer, a polite "No thanks" will suffice.

Carefully read the entire ad before sending a PM to the poster to see if you question has been answered or if they have stated anything that negates your offer. For example "my price is firm", "No Trades, or "Not interested in guns made by Brand X".

If you're not a resident of the same state as member you want to do business with you should point this out early on in the discussion if a firearm is involved. Firearms deals between members of different states are more complicated legally and the other person may not want to deal with those requirements

Meeting

There are two trains of thought on what the meeting is for. It would be wise to have this clarified before it takes place especially if you are driving a considerable distance.

For some people the meeting is just for the purchase or exchange of items. Unless something is grossly misrepresented it is expected that each party will hold up their end of the deal

Others consider the deal as not final until they see the item in question, meaning they may change their mind and decide not to purchase or trade even if everything is as described.

Feedback

The feedback system is crucial to doing business here. If you complete a deal with someone you should leave them feedback. Also, it is recomended that you retain PMs from a member you have done business with until feedback is posted. Should you receive negative feedback, those PMs may be your only hope of getting it removed.
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I agree, and wouldn't want this to trump that. I'm just suggesting something for people who are brand new to trading to get an idea of how things work. I don't think any of this should be a requirement of doing business
 
Some more examples:

You should post 2-3 quality pictures, at least 640x480 in size (preferably larger). Remember that pictures are not just for showing the gun but establishing credibility. Someone might know what a NIB Glock 17 looks like but they may want some proof that your Glock 17 is NIB.

If you're not a resident of the same state as member you want to do business with you should point this out early on in a buy/sell/trade discussion. Firearms between members of two states are more complicated legally and that person may not want to deal with those requirements
 
I could see an etiquette FAQ being of use, but imposing regulations on something is the easiest way to make it go away. Such things as responding to PMs within a certain number of hours (or at all) is bull, if I am taking a break from the Internet I will get back to you when I decide to log back on. It could be tomorrow or next week sometime.

The "I'll take it" dibs thing is a touchy subject. Youre right, some people say they will take it, some PM and say they PM'd, some just PM, and some call and leave a voicemail or text you. For this reason i think it should completely up to the seller who they sell to. Whoever they feel responded first and has cash in hand gets the deal.









Now having said that, most everything you mentioned has irked me a time or two in the past :) I think an etiquette FAQ would be a good idea.
 
I agree that there should be a guideline to go by, but the issue is that there are SO many different interpretations. So where do we start? I want this to be a welcoming guideline to new members, not bashing them like some have done before.
 
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