Exchange Forum Guidelines
01-27-02, 02:14 AM
#1
Moderator
Thread Starter
Exchange Forum Guidelines
Before You Post A Trade - Some Rules of The Road:
If you have an item (or group of items) to trade, you can post it in the DVD Talk Exchange forum. Please note, however, that you may only have 1 (one) open thread running at any given time. If two posts are found on the first page, the oldest one will be closed. Again, DO NOT open multiple threads for each item you wish to trade. Duplicate threads are subject to closure/deletion without notice! (Please consider using generic post titles that will allow you to edit and bump.)
You may post DVDs, LDs, CDs and VHS items for trade in this forum area. Threads with other items will either be moved to the Video Game Exchange Forum (if applicable) or closed. Again, game trades are only allowed in the Video Game Exchange Forum!
Please note that links to off-site auctions or trade sites are prohibited. If you want to post in this forum area, you need to post the items for trade here. This is not the place to "promote" your auction.
The DVD Exchange Forum is not designed to be a place for people to "open shop" to DVD Talk members, so please do not try, as your thread and account may be closed.
Additionally, you may not trade, sell or request as payment: gift certificates, gift cards (physical or otherwise), codes, "backups" or bootlegs of movies or games. You may trade or sell Digital Copies such as iTunes codes, UltraViolet or physical digital copies!
No RevolutionMoney Requests/Threads! As in the rest of the forum, these are not allowed at DVDTalk. Threads containing them will be closed without warning!
If your list of trades/sales includes Adult DVDs, it is your responsibility to verify that the person you are trading with is of legal age in their respective state.
Posting Your Trade & Getting The Best Results:
For best results, be sure to post both the items you are trading and what you are looking for in return. The most successful traders are the ones who have a comprehensive list of what they are looking for and what they have to trade.
Many DVD Talkers manage their wish lists with a DVD listing service. We recommend: http://www.dvdprofiler.com, http://www.dvdaficionado.com, http://www.dvdtracker.com and sonicswap.com
Keep the title of your post brief! Often people will post "FT: Title A, B, C" with two or three of the key titles which they are trading. Please DO NOT list every title you are trading in the subject of the post, or use misleading headers to get people look at your post. Always use spaces between words in your heading!
When listing what you have, it's incredibly important to be honest and clear about what you have and what condition it is in. It's much better to indicate that a DVD has a small scratch or is in OK condition before a trade versus dealing with an unhappy trader when they get something that is not in the condition than they expected. Also many DVD Talkers like to know if the DVD you are trading is a 'cut out' or promotional DVD. Please note if the DVD you have to trade may have a 'cut out' of the barcode to indicate that it is a promotional DVD.
If you have items which you are selling, you must post a price! This is not an auction site, and should someone meet your asking price, you are obliged to make the deal and not try to squeeze out more.
Handling Responses & Negotiating A Trade
When you post a trade in the forum, you create the expectation that you will respond to people as they make offers to trade with you. We strongly recommend using the "Email Notification" check box when posting your trade thread so you will know when people respond to your thread. Also it is important to respond to trade e-mails in a timely manner. This way if you are not interested in something, the person can offer it to someone else and not be left 'hanging around' waiting for a reply.
If either through posts to the thread or e-mail you find a match, you should do a couple of things:
- Check DVD Talk's Good Trader List (GTL). While this is not a guarantee, it is a good indication if others have had positive trading experiences with another member.
- If the member is not listed on the GTL, then you might also ask for links to their Ebay Seller Feedback, Half.com Seller Feedback, etc. or see that they are Pay Pal Verified (example: https://www.paypal.com/verified/pal=...40kleinman.com).
Remember, none of these absolutely guarantees that you won't have a problem, and if there's something that seems too good to be true, then it probably is.
Doing The Swap:
Once you've found an ideal swap, and feel comfortable with the person you are going to be swapping with, you should follow these steps:
- Re-confirm that you are getting exactly what you want (widescreen, anamorphic, etc.) and be sure you've fully disclosed any flaws in physical packaging (casing) or in the item itself.
- Make sure you have the correct and complete mailing address (always try to get and provide the Zip+4 as it speeds delivery).
- E-mail the person you are going to trade with and agree on shipping method, date, and time. It's very important that once you've agreed to send something out at a specific time, that you do everything you can to meet that commitment. Long delays in sending your items may result in your forum account being suspended & further complications, so DO NOT BE LATE.
- If the transaction involves payment, discuss the method of payment. VERY IMPORTANT: When sending money via Pay Pal, always get the other person's real info including: full name, address, and phone number.
- See tips and advice on shipping items below.
- Once everything is agreed on, do the swap. Be sure to send an e-mail confirmation to the person you are swapping with to tell them exactly when their package went out and when you receive the items they sent you. This final piece of communication is very important and can really make a good trade even better.
- A newer trader may be asked to ship their items first from the more established traders. While this may be acceptable, please be aware that is in no way mandatory. However if there is someone who has no trading history and is not on the GTL, DO NOT SEND FIRST! This is the main reason people get burned and it's not worth taking a chance.
- After the trade either: post your feedback to the Good Trader List, or see the section about problem trades below.
Shipping Tips:
- Be sure to properly pack and pad your item when shipping. If you are shipping a DVD, be sure it is not loose in its case. Some traders will also put in a single folded paper towel or bubble wrap inside the case to make sure the disc does not come loose or rattle around. If the prongs on your case are broken and the disc is loose, consider replacing the case before sending it.
- When sending DVDs, we use a #2 padded envelope (8 1/2 x 10 1/2) which you can pick up at Office Depot or other office supply store.
- Always consider using Delivery Confirmation when sending via USPS. For any item sent via Priority Mail, it is only 45 cents! That way you can always see when the item has been delivered. Include a card of some sort listing the sender's and recipient's address information INSIDE the package
- If the item has some value (like a $45 PS2 Game or rare Out-Of-Print DVD) you may want to strongly consider some form of insurance. This way, if the item is damaged or lost, you will not be out a considerable amount of money.
- DO NOT USE PRIORITY MAIL PACKAGING IF YOU ARE NOT SENDING PRIORITY MAIL! Some people think it's OK to turn a priority box inside out for shipping via regular mail, but the truth is - it's a Federal Offense. We'd hate to see a trader get a hefty fine or other serious legal issues for a box they could pick up for under $1!
- Use block caps in addresses, avoid punctuation, and leave 2 spaces between state and zip code. Use a ZIP+4 code whenever possible.
- If you swap with someone outside of the United States be sure to affix a customs declaration form. Not having a form could lead to your package being open or seriously delayed. Also with the new US Mail standards for packages coming from outside the US, you should allow at least 2 week for any package to arrive. Please note that over 50% of the bad trades reported involve trades across country lines, so you do these trades at your own risk (see below)
When Trades Go Bad - Resolving Problems:
- Effective immediately, I will no longer be able to judge a trade/sale problem without proof of insurance and/or delivery confirmation. If you don't use either of these simple things for your own protection, you now forfeit the right to any complaint or charge.
The US Postal Service no offers free Delivery Confirmation when you "Click-And-Ship" from home.
- Unless specific arrangements have been agreed to by both parties, all trades or sales must be shipped within three (3) business days of sealing the deal.
- A confirmation shipping e-mail must be sent within one (1) day of shipping (hopefully including a delivery confirmation number or trackable method of shipping/insurance).
- Sometimes trades go bad for very innocent reasons. Once in a while, someone will actually put the incorrect address on their package, honestly forget to send something, or do something that can earnestly be considered 'human error'. Your first step when you feel a trade has gone bad is to contact the person you are trading with and let them know what's wrong (i.e. you didn't get your package yet, something is missing, something is damaged, etc.).
- If you find yourself in a position where you honestly messed up, you should do all you can to fix the situation. If you wrote the wrong address, then you should re-send it with upgraded shipping. If something is missing from the box, you should rush it out ASAP.
- If for some reason a disagreement erupts, try to talk through the issues. Many Good Trades gone Bad are resolved simply by both sides clearly communicating the issue and working together for a solution.
- If things are truly fouled up, consider agreeing to cancel the trade and send the person back their goods while they send you back yours. Sometimes killing a trade gone bad can be the best way to resolve it.
- Many people are threatend by someone they don't know calling their home. So if a trade goes bad, try to communicate with the trader via email rather than picking up the phone. Often a call can make a problem worse than better.
- DO NOT bring a dispute you are having on to the forum. Starting threads where you are openly battling with another member IS GROUNDS FOR SUSPENSION. If you are at wits end and need help. Email the DVD Exchange Mod or DVD Talk Admin for help. We can often point you in the right direction.
- Sometimes people use honest excuses dishonestly, and after a week or so of waiting, it's obvious that someone is using excuses not in ernest but to delay your reporting of a bad trade. If this happens... it's time to report it!
Reporting a Bad Trade:
- To report a bad trade, e-mail your problem/question to the DVD Exchange Forum Moderator. This can easily be done by clicking on the "Report this post to a moderator" in your trade thread or e-mailing the moderator directly.
- When reporting a bad trade please be as specific and detailed as possible, including what items where agreed upon to be traded, when things were sent, and any copies of communication which you may have had after the point the trade went bad and ALL contact information for both parties.
- Our moderator will do what they can to contact the other party and facilitate a resolution. This may involve issuing formal warnings and/or account suspension while a bad trade is resolved.
- Please note: Our mods will do all they can to help, but they are not responsible for Bad Trade resolution. We will ban bad traders from our forum and we do everything we can to prevent bad traders from returning under other names. So please understand the mods/admins are here to help because they want to, not because they are obligated.
If All Goes Wrong And Nothing Can Be Done To Solve It:
If you've tried to resolve a bad trade on your own and failed, then report the bad trade to us. If we are unable to resolve it, then there are some resources which you can use to take your resolution to the next level.
If you've been truly defrauded (and the person used the US Mail to send or receive goods) then you can file a report with the USPS Mail Fraud division. Bad Trades are Mail Fraud which is a FEDERAL OFFENSE! Here's a link to the reporting form: http://www.usps.com/postalinspectors...dComplaint.htm . As a federal offense, you can also report it to the FBI (click or paste this link into your browser -> (http://www.fbi.gov/links.htm) and click on the Internet Fraud Complaint Center link. Finally, you can contact the local law enforcement agency of the town the person you've swapped with lives in - That's right, a Bad Trade is also theft, another legal offense.
[NOTE TO BAD TRADERS - ask yourself: is defrauding someone out of a DVD worth time in jail???]
Trading Across Country Borders
It's unfortunate, but over 1/2 of our bad trades involve people trying to send goods across country borders (most notably between US and Canada). As a result of the sheer number of Bad US/Canada trades we're no longer going to get involved in ANY WAY with trades across country borders. If you choose to trade outside of the U.S, YOU DO SO AT YOUR OWN RISK and with the full understanding that the BULK of the bad trades occur in this space!
We hope these tips and guidelines will help make your time on the DVD Talk Exchange Forum a pleasant one!
*DVDTalk, its moderators, and affiliates shall not be held responsible for any trades/sales/comments which take place through this forum.
If you have an item (or group of items) to trade, you can post it in the DVD Talk Exchange forum. Please note, however, that you may only have 1 (one) open thread running at any given time. If two posts are found on the first page, the oldest one will be closed. Again, DO NOT open multiple threads for each item you wish to trade. Duplicate threads are subject to closure/deletion without notice! (Please consider using generic post titles that will allow you to edit and bump.)
You may post DVDs, LDs, CDs and VHS items for trade in this forum area. Threads with other items will either be moved to the Video Game Exchange Forum (if applicable) or closed. Again, game trades are only allowed in the Video Game Exchange Forum!
Please note that links to off-site auctions or trade sites are prohibited. If you want to post in this forum area, you need to post the items for trade here. This is not the place to "promote" your auction.
The DVD Exchange Forum is not designed to be a place for people to "open shop" to DVD Talk members, so please do not try, as your thread and account may be closed.
Additionally, you may not trade, sell or request as payment: gift certificates, gift cards (physical or otherwise), codes, "backups" or bootlegs of movies or games. You may trade or sell Digital Copies such as iTunes codes, UltraViolet or physical digital copies!
No RevolutionMoney Requests/Threads! As in the rest of the forum, these are not allowed at DVDTalk. Threads containing them will be closed without warning!
If your list of trades/sales includes Adult DVDs, it is your responsibility to verify that the person you are trading with is of legal age in their respective state.
Posting Your Trade & Getting The Best Results:
For best results, be sure to post both the items you are trading and what you are looking for in return. The most successful traders are the ones who have a comprehensive list of what they are looking for and what they have to trade.
Many DVD Talkers manage their wish lists with a DVD listing service. We recommend: http://www.dvdprofiler.com, http://www.dvdaficionado.com, http://www.dvdtracker.com and sonicswap.com
Keep the title of your post brief! Often people will post "FT: Title A, B, C" with two or three of the key titles which they are trading. Please DO NOT list every title you are trading in the subject of the post, or use misleading headers to get people look at your post. Always use spaces between words in your heading!
When listing what you have, it's incredibly important to be honest and clear about what you have and what condition it is in. It's much better to indicate that a DVD has a small scratch or is in OK condition before a trade versus dealing with an unhappy trader when they get something that is not in the condition than they expected. Also many DVD Talkers like to know if the DVD you are trading is a 'cut out' or promotional DVD. Please note if the DVD you have to trade may have a 'cut out' of the barcode to indicate that it is a promotional DVD.
If you have items which you are selling, you must post a price! This is not an auction site, and should someone meet your asking price, you are obliged to make the deal and not try to squeeze out more.
Handling Responses & Negotiating A Trade
When you post a trade in the forum, you create the expectation that you will respond to people as they make offers to trade with you. We strongly recommend using the "Email Notification" check box when posting your trade thread so you will know when people respond to your thread. Also it is important to respond to trade e-mails in a timely manner. This way if you are not interested in something, the person can offer it to someone else and not be left 'hanging around' waiting for a reply.
If either through posts to the thread or e-mail you find a match, you should do a couple of things:
- Check DVD Talk's Good Trader List (GTL). While this is not a guarantee, it is a good indication if others have had positive trading experiences with another member.
- If the member is not listed on the GTL, then you might also ask for links to their Ebay Seller Feedback, Half.com Seller Feedback, etc. or see that they are Pay Pal Verified (example: https://www.paypal.com/verified/pal=...40kleinman.com).
Remember, none of these absolutely guarantees that you won't have a problem, and if there's something that seems too good to be true, then it probably is.
Doing The Swap:
Once you've found an ideal swap, and feel comfortable with the person you are going to be swapping with, you should follow these steps:
- Re-confirm that you are getting exactly what you want (widescreen, anamorphic, etc.) and be sure you've fully disclosed any flaws in physical packaging (casing) or in the item itself.
- Make sure you have the correct and complete mailing address (always try to get and provide the Zip+4 as it speeds delivery).
- E-mail the person you are going to trade with and agree on shipping method, date, and time. It's very important that once you've agreed to send something out at a specific time, that you do everything you can to meet that commitment. Long delays in sending your items may result in your forum account being suspended & further complications, so DO NOT BE LATE.
- If the transaction involves payment, discuss the method of payment. VERY IMPORTANT: When sending money via Pay Pal, always get the other person's real info including: full name, address, and phone number.
- See tips and advice on shipping items below.
- Once everything is agreed on, do the swap. Be sure to send an e-mail confirmation to the person you are swapping with to tell them exactly when their package went out and when you receive the items they sent you. This final piece of communication is very important and can really make a good trade even better.
- A newer trader may be asked to ship their items first from the more established traders. While this may be acceptable, please be aware that is in no way mandatory. However if there is someone who has no trading history and is not on the GTL, DO NOT SEND FIRST! This is the main reason people get burned and it's not worth taking a chance.
- After the trade either: post your feedback to the Good Trader List, or see the section about problem trades below.
Shipping Tips:
- Be sure to properly pack and pad your item when shipping. If you are shipping a DVD, be sure it is not loose in its case. Some traders will also put in a single folded paper towel or bubble wrap inside the case to make sure the disc does not come loose or rattle around. If the prongs on your case are broken and the disc is loose, consider replacing the case before sending it.
- When sending DVDs, we use a #2 padded envelope (8 1/2 x 10 1/2) which you can pick up at Office Depot or other office supply store.
- Always consider using Delivery Confirmation when sending via USPS. For any item sent via Priority Mail, it is only 45 cents! That way you can always see when the item has been delivered. Include a card of some sort listing the sender's and recipient's address information INSIDE the package
- If the item has some value (like a $45 PS2 Game or rare Out-Of-Print DVD) you may want to strongly consider some form of insurance. This way, if the item is damaged or lost, you will not be out a considerable amount of money.
- DO NOT USE PRIORITY MAIL PACKAGING IF YOU ARE NOT SENDING PRIORITY MAIL! Some people think it's OK to turn a priority box inside out for shipping via regular mail, but the truth is - it's a Federal Offense. We'd hate to see a trader get a hefty fine or other serious legal issues for a box they could pick up for under $1!
- Use block caps in addresses, avoid punctuation, and leave 2 spaces between state and zip code. Use a ZIP+4 code whenever possible.
- If you swap with someone outside of the United States be sure to affix a customs declaration form. Not having a form could lead to your package being open or seriously delayed. Also with the new US Mail standards for packages coming from outside the US, you should allow at least 2 week for any package to arrive. Please note that over 50% of the bad trades reported involve trades across country lines, so you do these trades at your own risk (see below)
When Trades Go Bad - Resolving Problems:
- Effective immediately, I will no longer be able to judge a trade/sale problem without proof of insurance and/or delivery confirmation. If you don't use either of these simple things for your own protection, you now forfeit the right to any complaint or charge.
The US Postal Service no offers free Delivery Confirmation when you "Click-And-Ship" from home.
- Unless specific arrangements have been agreed to by both parties, all trades or sales must be shipped within three (3) business days of sealing the deal.
- A confirmation shipping e-mail must be sent within one (1) day of shipping (hopefully including a delivery confirmation number or trackable method of shipping/insurance).
- Sometimes trades go bad for very innocent reasons. Once in a while, someone will actually put the incorrect address on their package, honestly forget to send something, or do something that can earnestly be considered 'human error'. Your first step when you feel a trade has gone bad is to contact the person you are trading with and let them know what's wrong (i.e. you didn't get your package yet, something is missing, something is damaged, etc.).
- If you find yourself in a position where you honestly messed up, you should do all you can to fix the situation. If you wrote the wrong address, then you should re-send it with upgraded shipping. If something is missing from the box, you should rush it out ASAP.
- If for some reason a disagreement erupts, try to talk through the issues. Many Good Trades gone Bad are resolved simply by both sides clearly communicating the issue and working together for a solution.
- If things are truly fouled up, consider agreeing to cancel the trade and send the person back their goods while they send you back yours. Sometimes killing a trade gone bad can be the best way to resolve it.
- Many people are threatend by someone they don't know calling their home. So if a trade goes bad, try to communicate with the trader via email rather than picking up the phone. Often a call can make a problem worse than better.
- DO NOT bring a dispute you are having on to the forum. Starting threads where you are openly battling with another member IS GROUNDS FOR SUSPENSION. If you are at wits end and need help. Email the DVD Exchange Mod or DVD Talk Admin for help. We can often point you in the right direction.
- Sometimes people use honest excuses dishonestly, and after a week or so of waiting, it's obvious that someone is using excuses not in ernest but to delay your reporting of a bad trade. If this happens... it's time to report it!
Reporting a Bad Trade:
- To report a bad trade, e-mail your problem/question to the DVD Exchange Forum Moderator. This can easily be done by clicking on the "Report this post to a moderator" in your trade thread or e-mailing the moderator directly.
- When reporting a bad trade please be as specific and detailed as possible, including what items where agreed upon to be traded, when things were sent, and any copies of communication which you may have had after the point the trade went bad and ALL contact information for both parties.
- Our moderator will do what they can to contact the other party and facilitate a resolution. This may involve issuing formal warnings and/or account suspension while a bad trade is resolved.
- Please note: Our mods will do all they can to help, but they are not responsible for Bad Trade resolution. We will ban bad traders from our forum and we do everything we can to prevent bad traders from returning under other names. So please understand the mods/admins are here to help because they want to, not because they are obligated.
If All Goes Wrong And Nothing Can Be Done To Solve It:
If you've tried to resolve a bad trade on your own and failed, then report the bad trade to us. If we are unable to resolve it, then there are some resources which you can use to take your resolution to the next level.
If you've been truly defrauded (and the person used the US Mail to send or receive goods) then you can file a report with the USPS Mail Fraud division. Bad Trades are Mail Fraud which is a FEDERAL OFFENSE! Here's a link to the reporting form: http://www.usps.com/postalinspectors...dComplaint.htm . As a federal offense, you can also report it to the FBI (click or paste this link into your browser -> (http://www.fbi.gov/links.htm) and click on the Internet Fraud Complaint Center link. Finally, you can contact the local law enforcement agency of the town the person you've swapped with lives in - That's right, a Bad Trade is also theft, another legal offense.
[NOTE TO BAD TRADERS - ask yourself: is defrauding someone out of a DVD worth time in jail???]
Trading Across Country Borders
It's unfortunate, but over 1/2 of our bad trades involve people trying to send goods across country borders (most notably between US and Canada). As a result of the sheer number of Bad US/Canada trades we're no longer going to get involved in ANY WAY with trades across country borders. If you choose to trade outside of the U.S, YOU DO SO AT YOUR OWN RISK and with the full understanding that the BULK of the bad trades occur in this space!
We hope these tips and guidelines will help make your time on the DVD Talk Exchange Forum a pleasant one!
*DVDTalk, its moderators, and affiliates shall not be held responsible for any trades/sales/comments which take place through this forum.
Last edited by Mao; 02-18-13 at 12:28 AM.
