Where are people from?

[EVIL INC]

I am seeing that only a few members have their locations listed in their profiles. What is the policy for listing them? There are a lot of people asking to trade/deal but I have no idea where they are. If they are in the U.S., it would be worth the trade but if overseas, the shipping would negate any percentage off of local retail.
Just curious because I realized that that could be an issue so I listed mine in my profile.

[MagickalMemories]

There is no rule regarding it.
Like "Lower rating ships first," however, it's a Bartertown convention that the vocal majority of traders prefer to see.

If someone asks you to trade and doesn't have their location listed, ask them in advance where they are. The vast majority of members ARE in the US, with Canadians bringing in second, by my estimates. We see a smattering of other places, too, inclusing Australlia, UK, Japan & a couple different South American locales.

As for not trading outside the US... I suggest that you look further into it before deciding. Almost all of my international dealings have been good, and the price difference isn't really THAT big. Also, because they recognize that it's harder for them to get people in the US to trade with them, MANY International traders are quite generous.


Eric

[EVIL INC]

Cool deal. Thanx. I dont have anything against international traders. Its just the post that I'm afraid of. Stupid me made a deal thinking it would cost no more then within the U. S. and the guy I traded with had not dealt with U.S. people before. The post cost me almost as much as the worth of the trade. I had already given my word and was not about to go back on it so I ate the cost myself but I learned from it and became leary.

[Elayne]

Being one of those international guys, i second everything said here.
Imho, what you need to do in those cases is:
- consider the delivery cost an integral part of the deal. when you send overseas, delivery costs are a big factor. Something cheap can turn out very expensive.
- always prefer tracked delivery. Higher costs, true, but then, I wouldn't trade / buy / sell without it.
- if possible, put insurance. If you're going to pay 20+ for delivery, why not make it 24 and be safe ?
- make bigger deals. smalls ones eat you alive with delivery costs. with big ones, the weight of delivery is less of a burden. which brings me back to "insurance" and "tracked" delivery even more important, considering the heightened value.

Anyway, I maybe won't trade a lot here (I don't like either writing back the add every week, honestly ... it feels "dirty"), but I think we international traders having more to invest in each trade should be more careful.

[kturock]

Funny, the poster starting this thread doesn't have his location listed. The US is a large place.

[EVIL INC]

True ,t he U.S. is a big place but the post is the same no matter where you are mailing to/from within the U.S.. The same goes for shipping into/out of the U.S.. For example, if you live in England, the post to West Virginia (my home state)is the same as posting to California. Likewise, the post to England is the same from both states.

[kturock]

But shipping from different places in the US to others in the US can have different costs.

Prioirty mail and parcel post cost by USPS, ground and air from UPS are all calculated on distance. Shipping to ALaska and Hawaii are also more. UPS doesn't even like shipping off the contenient.

So, USA isn't alot of an answer.

[EVIL INC]

Its a start and give you a good idea of shipping costs as the differences between states is only a matter of cents rather then dollers (hmmm $1.35 to ship here or $1.38 to ship on the other side of the U.S.). It is also MUCH better then a blank space that does not even tell you what country.
Those who only ship to the U.S. will know to make offers. I have seen plenty who will only whip to U.S. but never yet seen anyone only deal with people from Kansas (example state).

[Elayne]

So I can write "Europe" instead of "Italy" in my profile ?

Bottom line: more in detail is better, kturok has a point.

[MagickalMemories]

So I can write "Europe" instead of "Italy" in my profile ?

Bottom line: more in detail is better, kturok has a point.

As we have no rule on location, yes. You can.
That being said, I agree "more is better."

Eric

[MEDEVL]

Refresh my memory why location isn't mandatory. I remember we had a big long discussion about it but I don't remember the details. I know the software won't make it a mandatory field when you create an account but I seemed to remember talk of making it a rule that it had to be filled out, was that not the case???

As for details, I agree that "USA" is pretty vague. It is better than nothing but I think it should be city, state and country. That's not too much to ask for information that you're going to be giving out to trade partners anyway. There is no valid reason I can think of to not list a detailed location other than to conduct shady dealings (not accusing anyone, just making an observation).

[EVIL INC]

One reason at least some people dont put it in is because they simply do not want everyone in the whole world knowing their intimate details. until such a time as an actual transaction is settled and then, they only want the person they are dealing with to know.
For example, I will use myself. If someone lives outside of the U.S. all they need to know when trading with me is that I live in the U.S.. This is because it does not cost any more or less if I live in Maine or if I live in California. The customs, post everything will be the exact same. The person living outside of the U.S. trading with me would get my intimate details after the transaction is settled.
If someone lives inside the U.S. and is trading with me, the post will be the exact same whether I live in Maine or California. A stamp costs the same across the country so the person trading with me within the country does not need to know my exact address until a transaction is confirmed. If I put my exact address in the location, I could have every crazy in the country sending me letter bombs or If I was a female, I could have every single guy in the country sending me love notes. In other words, the country is all anyone needs to know. The only way it could make a difference as to my exact specific location (that makes no difference in post, would be if a trader is close enough to make delivery or accept delivery in person and that could be done when the transaction is confirmed,"Oh, I didnt realize you lived down the street from me, let me just walk it down to you". Those who want to know the exact state/town/home address/personal name/phone number publicly listed for every member on here to have for one another is the one I'm worried about.

[MagickalMemories]

Refresh my memory why location isn't mandatory. I remember we had a big long discussion about it but I don't remember the details. I know the software won't make it a mandatory field when you create an account but I seemed to remember talk of making it a rule that it had to be filled out, was that not the case???

As for details, I agree that "USA" is pretty vague. It is better than nothing but I think it should be city, state and country. That's not too much to ask for information that you're going to be giving out to trade partners anyway. There is no valid reason I can think of to not list a detailed location other than to conduct shady dealings (not accusing anyone, just making an observation).

Because, for all of our rules, we really try not to force our way into the minor details.
Where a person is located is a minor detail, really. As Evil stated, you'll find it out eventually. I understand that it makes it easier to know in advance (you can choose not to PM the guy from Canada, Japan, Missouri, etc. because you don't want to ship to his location). it's really not a security or safety rist, though, to have to have that information.

I vaguely recall the conversation you refer to. I also recall that it was decide not to be of high enough import for security purposes to force onto people who don't want it. KWIM?

Take a look at our rules. They're focused on two main things: Keeping trades as safe and legit as possible, and ensuring that the forums run as smoothly as possible. Requiring people to have their location listed doesn't really accomplish those.

That being said, remember that the above is strictly me playing Devil's Advocate. I would prefer that everyone have their state (territory, district, etc.) and country listed. I think it would make a lot of people happy. That's my opinion, though, and not something that accomplishes the above stated goals.

<[snipped to only contain the parts I'm referring to]>

For example, I will use myself. If someone lives outside of the U.S. all they need to know when trading with me is that I live in the U.S.. This is because it does not cost any more or less if I live in Maine or if I live in California. The customs, post everything will be the exact same. The person living outside of the U.S. trading with me would get my intimate details after the transaction is settled.
If someone lives inside the U.S. and is trading with me, the post will be the exact same whether I live in Maine or California. A stamp costs the same across the country so the person trading with me within the country does not need to know my exact address until a transaction is confirmed. If I put my exact address in the location, I could have every crazy in the country sending me letter bombs or If I was a female, I could have every single guy in the country sending me love notes. In other words, the country is all anyone needs to know.

You have some valid points, but I think you're going a bit off the wire, too, in places.
You're right that all they need to know is your country at first (and, even then, "need" is subject to opinion. Many would argue that they don't "need" to know that until a deal is going to be hammered out). If I'm shipping to Italy, it's probably going to be the same to go to Rome as it is to Verona. Coming inside the US, though, it *could* make a difference. The US is a big place, and some destinations are harder to get to than others (for delivery companies). The cost might not be the same.

The same thing for shipping within the US. It does NOT cost the same to send something from Florida to Maine as it does from Florida to California. Stamps cost the same. Sure... But, the amount of postage required depends on distance, as well as those other factors (barring Flat Rate boxes, of course). Will it be a BIG difference? Not likely... but there may be a difference.

Your example re: letter bombs and women with love letters is a bit "out there." Nobody's advocating your street address being in your profile. Just your state.
If someone can find YOU using your Bartertown User ID and STATE, then you've got more to worry about with them than you really want to! LOL The only time they should get your whole address is during negotiations and, regardless of having it in your profile, someone who wants to do all that stuff with your address is going to do it with what you give them in private. So, I think your examples were irrelevant.

I do agree, though, that there's a limit on what's "needed." Just not on what that limit is.

Eric

[Adunaphel]

Yes, we had this discussion and MOST everybody decided it was a good idea to at least put state (or province or general area) and country. But, some folks seem to freak out with that suggestion (still don't know why).

Basically, after a while of trading here, SOMEBODY is going to have your actual address on file and if a trader REALLY needs to find you they will.

So, in the end, members are probably going to be able to get an actual address. For those of us who do a lot of trading here, I don't think it's that big of a deal. Maybe I will get lucky one day and Jessica Biel will want to know my address (for trading purposes of course) and come knocking...

And there is a rather LARGE difference in shipping inside the United States. I have sent similar sized packages to Phoenix (an hour and a half up the road) for less in priority than to the east coast for the cheapest, slowest shipping possible.

Evil, at least put your state in there. I have even seen some rather amusing places like Karlsville, AZ, USA. That works. At least your trade partners know your state right off the bat and it kind of catches the eye too.

Karl

[Ironhide]

It's not like the traders on here can't put someone's location in when they leave feedback. Know what I mean?