I'll trade with anybody regardless of distance. I base it more on the trade size and how badly I want what they are offering. I also take into account whether or not I can find it locally. Having to order from an online source can be costly and you typically only get a fraction of plants that way. For example:

I just did a large plant trade with someone. They sent me a ton of plants that cost $13 to ship and I sent a ton in return that cost $14 to ship. All in all, I think it was fair all the way around considering the amount that we each got. Neither of us could have bought those amounts online for that cost when you consider the shipping charges from businesses.

Take my response with a grain of salt, though. I've only been on GW for about a month, so that could change in time.

I completely understand your thoughts on "banned" traders though. It stinks that they are such meanies and intentionally set out to deceive people. I haven't been burned yet, but I'm sure I will at some point. I'll cross that bridge when I get there though!

Diana

I am afraid that I judge traders at first by their lack of identification. Like Sue I wonder if this person is one of those who was banned before or simply has come back under a new name after scamming folks previously. There was years ago a trader from the south west who came back a number of times and was fairly easy to watch for because of the state but then he/she dropped the state ID and it was impossible to catch them and warn traders beforehand.
I can imagine what benefit it would have for a trader to not identify their zone. Lots of traders ask for perennials but if I don't know where they are how can I respond.
Just me rambling again, hope that some of this made sense, Les

Lots of traders ask for perennials but if I don't know where they are how can I respond.
Yes...that too...and I was thinking of that sneaky member who plagued us for so many years....and quite likely may still be here or be back.

LOL...I read the subject line here after I posted. Taken out of context... Anyone like me?

Well, I guess a ton of plants for $13 is not bad, but I guess I'm thinking of a smaller trade that maybe weighs 2LB 1 OZ costing $10.55. That likely would not be many starts
or a 3LB 1 OZ for $13.45...they had best be harder to find for that $$.

I cant give my opinion on this because I havent traded plants,I am not sure if I will,the risk is so high,I think it would ruin the fun part for me! I would probably trade plants with someone I know well,but I cant see me trading with a person that is unknown to me.And even as a seed trader, I like to see a zone. I love when people say "Can I grow this in my zone?" And then you look and they dont have their zone filled out!~:P

Sue,
I do like you. : ) Lol.
I don't trust when a person has no info either. Sometimes brand new people just don't realize though. I have had plant trades in the past with brand new people that turned out very well. If fact a few were too so excited to trade and wanted to send too much, if I had been a bad person, I could of scammed them out of plants. I'm getting off track, lol.
If I get an odd feeling about a new person, I tell them they must ship first with a DC#. I explain that with them being new and having no rating on the R&R Forum, I'm not willing to send first. That is why I got my stuff from the one scammer.
As far as postage, I'm not concerned about the price. I try to work out trades where the box is worth the postage.

I don't trade often with people close to me through the mail often. I'm lucky that a bunch of local GWers get together every June to trade plants. It will be the 5th year this year.

I have turned down trades with some Southerners that just didn't have anything that would grow here. Which makes me think of one of my pet peeves. Asking me to trade plants in the dead of winter, lol!
Remy

i don't trade many plants, but when i do, i'm afraid i'm abit naive, luckily i've not been scammed. i think i'll take hubby's advice and if they have no rate, if they want to trade ask them to send first. cuz mine is ok, so far. i mean i don't plan on scamming anyone. LOL and he insists on the confirmation thingi so no one can say i didn't get it. gotta love them hubby's, LOL so i say, hey kick in the extra please, LOL HEE HEE ***big grinn*** LOL but to answer your peeve!! yes it does bother me, cuz there is a trader who i traded with once and she was BAD but didn't have the state. i woulda remembered that!!

hmmm...maybe I will come up with a canned message for the location also...and folks can use it if they want to discover where someone is located and encourage them to include the location info.

Welcome to Garden Web, and the wonderful world of trading.

I thought you would like to know that you have no location listed, thus other traders have no idea where you are located.
To add your location, go the the bottom of any page here and click on Member Pages
then click on Edit your personal Information
In the zone box, you can then include your state abbreviation and zone (if known)

That will then display your state in your post and may be very helpful to potential traders.

Happy Gardening and Trading

Thoughts? Improvements? Over the top and overbearing?

rbb

cool, i just put mine in, i had to put it in the part, i never knew it could be added like that. how dumb am i??? LOL

i never knew it could be added like that. how dumb am i???

medo,
There is no hint from GW whatsoever about butting the location in it. I think maybe a long time ago the form was a bit different.

Thanks for updating your info. Good job! I hope you don't feel picked on GF.

Here is a link that might be useful: There are no Dumb or Stupid Questions!

Off topic here but one that needs to be addressed. Medo when you talk about plant trading when someone has a good review on R&R. Very often the best scammers will make a few good seed trades so that we get used to seeing their names and are willing to send out large plant trades. Always be leary of relatively new traders who seem too confident and are offering to trade large, expensive plants or who are asking for too much in return.

Sue,
I like you.

I couldn't resist. LOL! :)

It helps me to know where people are located rather than just a growing zone, cause to be honest, the only growing zone I know for sure where is is mine! :P It also helps me if they have a trade list up. I understand some people don't always have time to do that, I know it took me a little while to get mine done. But when they're wanting to trade with me and just say they're interested in something I'm offering, and don't mention what they'd like to trade in return, and I go to their page to see what they might have, I'm a little disheartened to see a blank page. Unfortunately, it makes me a little leery. I don't mind offering to help someone get a list together and organized, and I offer to do so. I got a rather rude remark from one person saying she wasn't really new, had been at this for some time and didn't put a list up so she didn't get unwanted solicitations. I can understand that, but at the same time, if someone's going to trade, shouldn't they be kind enough to provide a list somehow?

I also like to peek at their list to see if i have something I've not listed yet that they might like as an extra or part of the trade. I have several things that I'm waiting until I get planted, but know there's going to be way more than I can or want to plant right now, and wouldn't mind sharing it, but don't want to list it until I get mine planted.

I understand there have been some here that have scammed other traders, and have addressed that one in another thread, but not taking the time to set up a page makes me really leery of trading with someone. Especially if I can't find a review thread for them. So the more info one can give, the better. I use to do a lot of trading with friends and neighbors when I lived in Texas and to a lesser degree in the last town I lived in, but I always knew the people and what they had and where my seeds were going and what they were on the look out for. A little different doing it over the internet where we can't even hear the enjoyment in someone's voice about the seeds they want. To me, and this is just MY opinion, the more info you can give me, the better I feel about sharing seeds I've harvested or that other people have entrusted me with :)

Kathy~ My two cents

I like to know where people are located too. Sometimes I figure that if it grows in their zone, it will grow in mine..or I'll have to pot it and make it an annual. Everyone I've traded with so far has been very upfront and the exchanges have gone well.
It's a shame, that as always, the rotten apple has to try and contaminate the whole barrel. I guess because the whole gardening concept is such a sharing thing..as in "I'll trade you that if you trade me this" or "What IS that! I LOVE it!" and you willing give of your seeds, that the thought of someone actually trying to rip you off is mind blowing. Some people are always greedy takers in this world who don't know how to give..."stepping off soapbox"