Alright, so, it really has nothing to do with Maple. Meh. It’s the closest thing I can get right now (which shall be explained in a later blog, perhaps). There’s probably at least 4 or 5 other posts almost identical to this one, but I really don’t care. Onward!

Tips for a Successful Trade

I’m sure most everyone who has used Basil Market has been disappointed with a trade. While bad trades can’t be prevented entirely, traders can help ensure trades go smoothly by doing just a few simple things.

– Before you bid, look at the item/offer. See if it appears too good to be true. Fake auctions pop up fairly frequently, and you’ll save yourself time in the long run by just avoiding them.

– Also look at the seller’s/buyer’s information page. This can tell you if they live in a time zone close to yours (assuming they put that info on their characters), and can also give you an idea of what type of auctioneer you might be dealing with. If in doubt about the legitimacy of the auctioneer, move on.

– Message the buyer/seller as soon as possible after the auction ends and attempt to set up a meeting place. Confirm the details of the auction (such as who’s buying/selling). This helps prevent completely missing someone because schedules differ and may catch confusion about whether an auction is buying/selling early.

– Attempt to “/find” the buyer/seller often while you are in Maple. If you are forgetful or don’t want to “/find” every half an hour or so, add the character to your buddy list. However, there is a chance the other person won’t accept your buddy request, so keep finding every now and then for good measure.

– When you finally do go to finish the trade, confirm the details once again. Many traders have several auctions going at once, and this helps ensure that you get the correct items. Never include less than what was agreed upon. It’s fine to include more, but don’t expect to be compensated for this. Be wary of traders who require you to pay an extra tax on top of what was agreed. If they won’t budge, don’t finish the trade. No one is required to pay or trade more than what the finished auction states.

– Make sure to be polite and patient throughout the entire trade. If you find someone on, whisper them, and they don’t answer, don’t go and immediately leave them negative feedback because they “ignored” you. They may just be away from the computer. Make sure to say “please” and “thank you”. Remember, both parties are benefiting from the trade.

– Leave appropriate feedback. If the trade was completed in a decent manner, traders typically deserve positive. Leave negatives only when the trade has not been completed and the other party has not responded at all or been around in game. Wait until almost the last minute to leave negatives, as well. You may get lucky and trade very near the end of the allotted feedback time. Neutrals are tricky feedbacks. These can be left either when the trade was completed, but was done so in a poor manner (very slow, little or no communication, rudeness, etc), or when the trade was not completed for some legitimate reason (no access to a computer, unable to arrange a meeting due to time zone differences, etc). If you want to try an salvage the trade, you could try talking with the other party to leave a positive feedback. Be careful of this, though. The other trade may take your positive and run with it, leaving you with either no feedback at all or a neutral/negative rating. In the end, neutrals are subjective – do what you feel should be done.

– Although it is not required, manner traders fame the other party after a successful trade. If you have fame available, you should try and return the favor, but don’t feel bad if you can’t or choose not to. Do not feel slighted if the other party doesn’t return your fame, either.

Hopefully these helped a few of you. If you have any corrections, comments, additions, or “wtc dude”s, leave them in the comments. Cheers.