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[Guide] TF2 Trading Etiquette


Hatch Rawer Beryl

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Today, I'd like to talk about TF2 Trading Etiquette. Many, without knowing it, violate these (mostly) unspoken rules. Those are the people I'd like to help today with this list of Do's and Do Not's

 

Do read the trading notes before you add someone. Important information is in the trading notes. For example, the price, preferences of the trader (Like whether he accepts items, or whether he's okay with being added randomly), and other information. Seriously guys. If you don't follow any other rules on this list, follow this one. It solves a lot of issues.

 

Do Be polite. This goes for everyone. We could improve so much as a community if we were simply nice to each other.

 

Do Not Use the Backpack.tf pricelist as a Bible. Backpack.tf is merely a guide, and the prices may be inaccurate.

 

Do Not Beg. Begging never helps, and it is very annoying.

 

Do Know the difference between scamming and sharkingScamming is taking another person's items against his will. In other words, it's stealing. This can happen by phishing links that hijack your account, other people not following through on paypal trades, etc. Scamming is illegal. Sharking is purposely misinforming someone in order to get a better deal. For example, if I told someone his burning team captain was worth 10 keys, and he sold it to me for that, that would be sharking. Sharking is legal, but it can get you banned on some sites and it is frowned upon by most traders.

 

Do Know how to use Trade Offers. To make a Trade Offer, go to the person's profile then Inventory>Offer a trade. Alternatively, you can also use the person's Trade Offer link if it is provided. 

 

Do Overpay in items by a good amount. The amount you should overpay depends on the value of the item. If it's an item worth a reclaimed, then a couple scrap overpay should be okay. If it's an item worth a key, then you would probably need to overpay by a couple refined. The seller will tell you if he wants you to overpay by more. Please note, this rule also includes instances in which you want to pay only partially in items. It is up to the seller how much you need to overpay.

 

Do Not Assume that you can trade an item of equal value for an item someone is selling. The reason this is frowned upon by most traders, is because they would just be trading an item they don't want for an item they don't want. If they went through with the trade, they would just have to remake their trade.

 

Do Not Add people to offer unless they explicitly tell you that they're okay with it. Some traders frown on this.

 

Do Cancel friend requests once you've already got what you want. It is irritating to accept a friend request only to find out they already got what they wanted.

 

Do Say what you want before inviting the person to trade.

 

Do tell traders when you've retracted your offers. For instance, if you offered the same bud on 3 different unusuals, and you bought one of them, you need to tell the other two hat owners that you've retracted your offer.

 

Do Be specific. Saying something like "Hi, i'd like to buy your medic misc" is not helpful to the seller. Say something like "Hi. I'd like to buy your orange Physician's Procedure Mask."

 

Do Not Offer something that you know the seller won't accept. For example, a 2 bud unusual for a 3 bud unusual.

 

Do Not Assume that a seller will be willing to reserve an item for you. The reason is, people tend to retract their offers on the reserved item when the time comes to buy it, and it prevents the seller from selling the item to willing buyers. This just ends up as a waste of time for the seller. 

 

Do Not Value paint at 100% when it is on an item. It simply isn't worth 100% of its normal value when it's painted on something. Paint on an item is usually valued at 50% or less. This rule applies to strange parts as well.

 

Do Not Put useless information in your trade notes. For example, "Add me for fast trade." That's useless information, and it can't always be true, because sometimes you're offline.

 

Do Not Insist on showing the items you're offering in the trade window. There are two reasons for this. 1. Because you can only trade with one person at a time, so it hogs the slot. 2. Because there are no notifications for chat in the trade window, you have to keep checking back. Which is annoying because the trade window is so large. Meanwhile, the chat window is small and has notifications, so the trader may continue to do whatever he was doing while you offer.

 

Do Not Bump invalid trades. For instance, if you have a key selling trade, but you have no keys, don't bump it. This just wastes other people's time.

 

Do Not Expect sellers to offer for your items. For instance, if I went on a trade selling unusuals, and I said something like "Hi! I'm interested in your unusuals. I have X unusual. Which of your unusuals can I buy with it?", that would be impolite. 

 

Do Read previous offers when offering on an item. Someone might have offered higher than you.

 

Do Check when a trade was last bumped before adding the trader. The trade may be invalid.

 

 

 

 

I'd like feedback on this list. Did I miss any? Should I word some of these differently? Let me know.

 

Edit: Made lots of edits

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Nice guide!

 

Should colour the good points green and the bad points red :D

Thanks! And that's a good idea, i'll do that.

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Do Not Add people to offer unless they explicitly tell you that they're okay with it. It's very annoying when people add me to offer. 80% of the time, it's a bad offer, and it just ends up as a waste of my time. If you must offer, do it on the trade. 

 

Do Not value paint at 100% when it is on an item. It simply isn't worth 100% of its normal value when it's painted on something. It's worth like 50%.

Mehh, i'm fine with people adding me to offer, just don't be stupid about it...

 

As for paint, thats literally the worst. I'm valuing my painted shit around 40% of the paint value....why the fuck would i value your paint at 100%.

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Don't add people to offer your Nuts Frenchman's Beret for their Stormy Storm Pickelhaube unusuals/random items they're not interested in.

 

Don't offer cancer/ low tier unusuals when the person is clearly not interested in them.

 

Don't add people and say "I know you're selling for [X] price, but can I offer [Crappy Unusual / much less pure than your asking price]

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Don't add people and say "I know you're selling for [X] price, but can I offer [Crappy Unusual / much less pure than your asking price]

 

This. So much this.

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You missed: 

 

If anyone crosses these rules (adds you without reading the notes, makes offers you said not to make, uses bp.tf as a hard price, etc):

 

Do: Be polite.  "Sorry, but I am only accepting pure.  Thanks for the offer though."

Don't: Be a rude asshole.  "Did you fucking read the notes?  GTFO."

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You missed: 

 

If anyone crosses these rules (adds you without reading the notes, makes offers you said not to make, uses bp.tf as a hard price, etc):

 

Do: Be polite.  "Sorry, but I am only accepting pure.  Thanks for the offer though."

Don't: Be a rude asshole.  "Did you fucking read the notes?  GTFO."

Both sites should be polite, or at least not rude. That could be added.

 

Nice list btw and maybe linkable to some people.

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Both sites should be polite, or at least not rude. That could be added.

 

Nice list btw and maybe linkable to some people.

Thanks. I'll add the polite thing.

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Great guide, maybe add "Please hide your post if you want to retract your offer" becasue I have many replies saying "added" and when I ask back they don't want to trade with me anymore

Mind if I link this in my trades and stuff?

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this.

needs.

to be.

pinned.

 

Thanks! Maybe I'll ask Woifi. Normally I don't care whether or not my posts are pinned, but I'd like as many to see this as possible.

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Great guide, maybe add "Please hide your post if you want to retract your offer" becasue I have many replies saying "added" and when I ask back they don't want to trade with me anymore

Mind if I link this in my trades and stuff?

 

Thanks!

 

Yeah, I think I would add that. 

 

Absolutely. Link it anywhere you want.

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Will surely needs a bit more feedback and "upvotes" from other mods to pin it.

 

Okay. That's fine. Pin at your discretion. It'll be at the top for a couple days anyway.

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Do Be ready to trade when you add the person. I get people all the time who say "Hi. I'd like to buy X item, but I don't have the keys yet. Wait a few minutes." That's annoying. 

 

But those guys are always the ones who pay in pure for unusuals!! My favorite words. 

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Do Be ready to trade when you add the person. I get people all the time who say "Hi. I'd like to buy X item, but I don't have the keys yet. Wait a few minutes." That's annoying. 

 

But those guys are always the ones who pay in pure for unusuals!! My favorite words. 

Well, it's ok if they actually get the keys within a few moments, but it's really annoying if you have tiw ait several weeks..

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Well, it's ok if they actually get the keys within a few moments, but it's really annoying if you have tiw ait several weeks..

 

He said wait a few mins so it is within the day. If its weeks they will say can you hold it for this long. Not wait a few mins. I have to say wait a few mins at times because food. Or have to do something with the dog

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Yeah some things are a bit overexaggareted. Some points should be rewritten and their should be an exra section with "not so annoying or situational" things.

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