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WTT - Trades Only??

Deputy Dan

Sergeant of the Hide
Full Member
Minuteman
Jan 21, 2021
151
240
Georgia
This is a question probably best posed in the PX, but since I'm too junior to post there . . .

Why do people post WTT ads and are ONLY interested in trades? I'm bewildered by the number of "sellers" (here and in other forums I follow) who seem to shun cash transactions. I thought cash or its equivalent was a universal trade item.

I can see where it might be convenient to make a trade of goods for goods and thus only deal with one other party. It just seems to me the odds of someone willing to trade me their phased plasma rifle in the 40-watt range for my Red Ryder are slim. Or at least they might not be interested at the same time I'm willing to let go of my cherished (collectors edition!) BB gun. Thus it seems that the WTT ads more frequently go unresolved than WTS ads. Or over time they relent and reluctantly decide to accept cash.

I'll admit that most of the time when I've sold something I've had a replacement item in mind, so I've mentioned my ideal trade with the caveat one of us would add cash to make up any difference. So far though, I've always traded straight up for cash and then later used cash to get what I wanted.

So what's the thought process on trades only?? Inquiring minds want to know.
 
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In this marketplace I will only trade reloading supplies. I will not sell anything components for cash. I will however trade for other components I can use. Rifles and optics, I have never understood trade only. Cash is king on those items
 
Trades are better because there's a chance that you can trade for something that's a similar value. If you're selling, probably gonna take a 20% hit in value. FYI, I don't think the post count thing matters anymore, you just have to become a supporting member
 
Who cares? In the end it is theirs to do with as they wish.
Curious on my part as much as anything, but I'll add just a tinge of frustration when they're they've got something I want but I don't have what they want back, and they adamantly refuse to take cash. So much for cash being king.
 
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Curious on my part as much as anything, but I'll add just a tinge of frustration when they're they've got something I want but I don't have what they want back, and they adamantly refuse to take cash. So much for cash being king.
Could just use that cash to buy what they want and trade them. Not to mention, you wait long enough around here and what you want'll come up for a good cash price.
 
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ill do trades mostly for stuff that 1) isnt terribly expensive or 2) im not dying to get rid of.

a lot of times i just trading stuff for the fun of it, rather than a need for money or to get rid of it......kind of like going to a swap meet, someone might offer you something interesting you hadnt thought of.

also, you can usually get a better deal doing trades.

on another forum, i traded some scuba equipment.....if i sold it, i would have gotten $150.....but i ended up trading it for a piece of equipment worth $250 if i had to buy it new......the other guy just wanted it gone, so we both made out well.
 
Curious on my part as much as anything, but I'll add just a tinge of frustration when they're they've got something I want but I don't have what they want back, and they adamantly refuse to take cash. So much for cash being king.
I completely understand, have had the same issue but at the end of the day they own it so I get it.
 
ill do trades mostly for stuff that 1) isnt terribly expensive or 2) im not dying to get rid of.

a lot of times i just trading stuff for the fun of it, rather than a need for money or to get rid of it......kind of like going to a swap meet, someone might offer you something interesting you hadnt thought of.

also, you can usually get a better deal doing trades.

on another forum, i traded some scuba equipment.....if i sold it, i would have gotten $150.....but i ended up trading it for a piece of equipment worth $250 if i had to buy it new......the other guy just wanted it gone, so we both made out well.
This is why I do love the barter system
 
I'm on another forum also that does sales/trades. There are a ton of guys there who will flat out reject a cash sale, only accepting trades.

Never made any sense at all to me. Cash is king.
 
Sometimes buying new thru a dealer Pro program limits what you can do on the back side.

Example: Sure I can buy Vortex 50% off retail, but I can't sell it for cash. So I trade.
 
If I list something, I don't want trades. If the trade involved me upgrading and adding coin, I'd entertain the idea. But I don't want what i listed, apparently you don't want what you offered to trade, seems lose-lose.
Right now, I get trading components for components at pre dipshit levels, makes sense.
 
I could see a reason to only accept trades if what you want to trade for has a long wait time and selling outright would leave you without for that length of time. As an example, wanting to trade the only upper you have for your AR15 for a specific upper that's back ordered for a long time. Or trading your rifle for custom rifle that could take years to be built. I doubt that's what is happening but I've known of instances of that being the case. I know of someone who wants a Spike's upper but buying one could take a year.
 
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I think the reason is that it is (perceived) easier to get one over on someone in a barter situation. $20 is $20, I know because it says so on the bill(s). But, how many primers for an AIAT rifle?
 
Cash does you no good if you can’t get replacement stuff in this enviroment…Say you have Fed primers but want Cci and you sell the Feds good luck getting the cci ‘s in the marketplace…Better to have the Federal’s than none…Thats how I see it in my my mind
 
Cash does you no good if you can’t get replacement stuff in this enviroment…Say you have Fed primers but want Cci and you sell the Feds good luck getting the cci ‘s in the marketplace…Better to have the Federal’s than none…Thats how I see it in my my mind
You hit the nail on the head..
 
I think some guys get off on the whole barter system. kinda like rushing to a garage sale at 7am on a saturday. I have a buddy that is always 4-5 trades deep for what he really wants. ie trade this for THAT, which another buddy wants, then drive 200 miles to trade it for another object, which he perceives as worth more...and so on...holy fark. too much work for the end result, I think..
 
Hi,

Maybe they and/or their tax lawyers are so scared of the IRS in terms of claiming that "Cash" as income.....

Especially in today's environment where their items have increased in value.

Taking that KING CASH will require them to report the "income" in which they sold the personal item for more than what they paid for said item.

Sincerely,
Theis
 
Cash does you no good if you can’t get replacement stuff in this enviroment…Say you have Fed primers but want Cci and you sell the Feds good luck getting the cci ‘s in the marketplace…Better to have the Federal’s than none…Thats how I see it in my my mind

I think this is a fine explanation, and yeah, if I want to offload some H1000 and acquire some Varget, then a direct trade is probably my best choice of transaction.

But more often than not, trade offers come down to someone overvaluing their POS item and/or undervaluing mine. I see it often when someone is trying to move an item that has a steep depreciation curve, or is simply not in demand in the current market.
 
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as long as the dog dont know how to drive.....
 
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Sorry. BB gun is gone and I didn't get a chance to get pics of the Plasma Rifle before yet another unfortunate boating accident. I've got to get a more stable boat . . .
 
I think this is a fine explanation, and yeah, if I want to offload some H1000 and acquire some Varget, then a direct trade is probably my best choice of transaction.

But more often than not, trade offers come down to someone overvaluing their POS item and/or undervaluing mine. I see it often when someone is trying to move an item that has a steep depreciation curve, or is simply not in demand in the current market.
Most people here are fragile x but without the large testicles. The people you mention at least got the balls in return.
 
Personally I prefer selling, but with reloading components being so scarce, I will only trade for that stuff. Boolit for boolit, primer for primer etc.
 
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