Trading by mail etiquette

[Synonymous]

I'm new at pin trading and have just started trading by mail. I've had a situation come up and would like to know if you folks think I've been taken.

I made an offer through PinPics that was accepted. The person had a handful of good references. At the time, I hadn't completed any tades and had no references of my own. I sent off my pin at the same time as 3 others. After more than a week went by, and I had received the pins from all of the other 3 people (and all confirmed getting theirs), I e-mailed this person to ask the status.

Several days went by with no answer. Then, finally, he wrote back and said that he had never received my pin and, because I had no references, he would not send his out to me until he did.

I could understand such a condition, if it had been revealed to me ahead of time, and I probably would have agreed. But now I'm wondering if he isn't just taking advantage of me.

Unfortunately, I sent the pin first class mail, without any way to trace it.

What do you folks think? Any similar experiences? How often do you have problems with pins not arriving?

 

[Cruise]

Tom,

I'm not sure this will be much help, but something similar happened to me recently except I was on the other end of it. I bought a pin on ebay and sent the money off. I received an email back saying that the pin had been mailed on November 15th from about 400 miles away from here.

I waited and waited and waited... the pin never came. So I emailed again asking the person to verify that the pin had been sent. She replied that it had. So I waited some more.

Sure enough, on December 3rd, the thing finally showed up. And it was indeed postmarked Nov 15th. It took almost 3 weeks to go the distance I could have driven in 5 hours.

If the person has good references, I'd give it a bit longer. The post office isn't always quick at the best of times and around Christmas, they get even more backed up. I always use delivery confirmation now. For the extra 45cents, it gives me a little peace of mind.

Good luck.. I hope your pin shows up soon!
Julie

 

[Synonymous]

Thanks, Julie. I will be sure to use that option in the future. What makes me suspicious is the undisclosed condition that the person wasn't sending the pin to me until mine was received. Why not mention that ahead of time if it's on the up-and-up?

 

[Eeyore's Pal]

Tom,

I have Dizpins references as long as my arm and back again.

And I still encounter the same treatment, now and then.

Some people just don't have good manners and/or assume everyone is as belligerent as they are.

I think the pin will probably turn up; the post office does work in <i>mysterious ways</i> .

 

[Luv2Roam]

Tom,
Sad, but it does happen.
But recently I did have a pin take one and a half weeks just to get from the Chicago area to Omaha.
About two months ago I had a nine pin shipment take six weeks to get to London. I was about ready to write that off as lost and it finally showed up. (Guessing it went by boat, rather than air. Or customs held on to it.)
What happened to you does happen occasionally, sorry to say.
Esp this time of the year I use extra precautions whe mailing. If I don't insure, I use delivery confirmation. But even delivery confirmation means it was delivered. It doesn't show WHERE it was delivered.
One day recently I received three pieces of mail of three different neighbors.
And again earlier this year I had an LBE, that was clearly not addressed to me, delivered to me. (I think the mailman saw an LBE and just figured it was mine! )

I have LOTS of references and I still get traders who mail me their pins after they received mine. Even though that was not our agreement. There for awhile it was the norm and becoming a real pet peeve of mine. I even finally started keeping track of these traders -- along with those I replied Yes to their trade requests and never heard from them again.

Generally traders are not like that. But there are some who are. And we all have *stuff* happen where we may not be able to mail when we agree. I don't mind as long as I am kept in the loop.

 

[Synonymous]

Well, thank you all for your advice. You were right- the other person e-mailed me today and said that he received the pin Saturday and is mailing mine out.

I'm very glad it worked out, because if 1 out of my first 4 trades was bad, it would have discouraged me from continuing. 75% success isn't good enough

Thanks again!

 

[Cruise]

Tom,

Glad it all worked out. Now you just have to wait another 5 or 6 weeks for the post office to get your pin to you

Julie

 

[Synonymous]

 

[Cruise]

Originally posted by Synonymous

The person had a handful of good references. At the time, I hadn't completed any tades and had no references of my own.

I have a question... where did you find the references? Is this something on pinpics that I'm just missing? I can't seem to find it.


Thanks!
Julie

 

[Synonymous]

Julie, there's a site called Dizney Pins that has references:

http://www.nfnate.com/referencemain.htm

Just type in the e-mail address of the person you're trading with.

 

[Cruise]

Ahh, I see....

Thanks, Tom!

Julie