Re: How to Negotiate

Warning: I suck at trading. I typically lose value. I try to listen to Jon Medina, but when I trade I am usually the buyer - aka I just lose value to get what I want. This talks about that, but is not intended to help you gain value or money, just maybe be happy and get what you want.

I started writing a response to Chas Andres' article How to Negotiate, linked to from today's Traderous Instinct article, when my reply started getting out of hand. So I thought I'd write my reply here instead. And by reply, what I really mean is guttural response to the few paragraphs.

The concept of knowing "who's the buyer, who's the seller" is such a strong concept. I have realized that I like to be the buyer when trading, but never thought of it in these terms before. Obviously, this means I'm not a binder grinder. Those are the sellers. But what really pisses me off is when the binder grinders act like buyers. When they won't trade with you unless you let go of your choice rares. They want specific high volume traded rares, and once they see you have those highly played dual lands or whatever, they won't let you use anything else as "currency," to pay for the rares you want for your commander decks.

I guess that's fine. They have the right to do that. I just drives me nuts. I'm not a binder grinder, but it is nice when you can get more value by making a trade than you can trading with the store. And I understand a trader acting as a seller needs to limit their "buy list" (cards they will accept in trades) to high volume (frequently traded) cards that they will be able to move, and won't just sit in their binders. But when you're new at trading, it is easy to get picked over by the binder grinders.

My advice is for the buyers. If you're a fairly casual player, not very experienced at trading, don't want to be a binder grinder, but you do want to be able to use your spare rares for trade fodder to pick up cards for your FNM or EDH deck, or even your budget Modern deck, without having to lose value at the steep rates you might trading with the shop, here you go.

• Draw up a buy list. Even if its just for you, know exactly what cards you are willing to trade for. This should include your goal cards, the cards you need for your decks, and high volume cards, cards that are in current popular Standard decks, or are Modern/EDH staples.
• Build a trade binder. I haven't done this yet. I have some rare binders. I need to empty one out, and fill it with playables for Standard, Modern, and EDH, that I am not trying to build decks with. It's a waste of my time and others' when I show them my rares binder full of dual lands I'm trying to build a deck with, but I just don't have the other pieces. If those cards are "in a deck/for a deck," get them out of the binder.
• Say, "no." Don't trade for anything unless its on your buy list. You either need to be getting a card that is higher volume than the cards you trade away (will be easier to trade later), in which case you are the seller, or you need to get your goal cards, in which case you are the buyer, and its OK to get fleeced at this point, because when you have all the cards you need to do what you love, you are the real winner.

I feel like every financial article kind of says the same thing. It's probably because I don't do a lot of trading, so I don't really have an inbox for it. But I really see the value in trading with other players versus the store, and I honestly trade with the store a lot, just because it is convenient, and they don't brag to their friends when they rip you off, its just business. But even if someone "rips you off," you are likely still getting more from them than you would trading with the shop, so its a win-win anyways. Don't be discouraged from trading just because you lose value. But at the same time, if you're new to trading, like me, you probably shouldn't try to be the seller. Consider yourself the buyer, lose value, but absolutely get the cards you want for your deck. As a buyer, you have the right to get what you're looking for. This is the right the seller must give up in order to gain value. Let him/her get the value. Get the cards you want. And along the road, maybe you will learn that its OK to be the seller too, you don't always have to be the good guy.

UPDATE: Since I wrote this, I've been selling my cards on eBay. I find this to be a much safer marketplace than the card shop. I tend to get ripped off at my LGS. I was trading with a guy after a Standard match between rounds and ended up swapping a Primeval Titan and a Cavern of Souls for a Natural Order. Not only are those cards worth way more than the Natural Order, but they are Standard Staples that are way more high volume/easier to trade cards. It was part of a much larger trade that I was overall happy with, and I really wanted that Natural Order, but it just makes me sick. So, in short, don't listen to me. I have no F-ing clue what I'm doing when it comes to trading. I'm impulsive and don't mind throwing money down the drain for immediate gratification.