Keeping track of pending trades

[Synonymous]

Hi all- my daughter and I started pin trading during our trip a couple of weeks ago. We've now discovered Pin Pics and are starting to trade by mail. After only a few days, though, I'm finding myself swamped with e-mail regarding trades at various stages.

Does anyone have any tips for keeping information about trade offers, pins mailed, pins waiting for, etc., organized? I was thinking of starting a spread sheet.

Thanks

 

[Engr-Chas]

Hi Tom,
First of all, nice picture of me (check is in the mail, we'll do lunch).

What I do, is using MS Outlook, I have several folders, Pin Trades, Pending Trades, Pin Sales, etc. and just keep the appropriate message in each folder.

For mailing pins, I use MS Word with the Avery plugin to generate mailing labels and place each address that I get in a Pin Traders address book.

Let people know when you mail their pin and when you receive the pin from them. Good communication is the key!

Good Luck

Engr-Chas
Lord of the Trade

 

[Mickey527]

Or you can do what I did today and open the mail and find a bunch of great pins that you received from a trade that you had totally forgotten about. Sorry Julie from Kent England, I mailed the pins today. They should be there soon.
But I loved the pins you sent me, especially the Mickey on the Earth. Wow, Paris has some great pins.
I try to keep all the trades I make on notecards on my desk, what I traded and what for, the address of the person, and when I sent the pin. And their e-mail address. That way when the pins come I can write a thank you. But with the pin swap I put the mail with my swap stuff and forgot about it. Peggie

 

[~Kathie]

When I make a trade, I have this system.

After the trade is set

1. I send an email to the person with the trade in the subject line to "re-cap" what the trade is. In that email I include what the agreed trade is, their address and mine and when we will ship.
2. I cc that email to myself, then print it. Now I have a Trade Invoice.
3. When I ship I staple the insurance receipt (or the PO receipt if the item is international) to the Trade Invoice.
4. It goes in a folder to wait.
5. When the person gets the pins from me, I make a notation on the invoice and when I get the pin I do the same.
6. When both packages have arrived, I leave a reference and file the invoice in a file drawer under completed trades.

Sounds complicated......but when you do it a few times....it's actually easy. Having the insurance receipts with all the info is a big help.

Hope that helps.