TRADING ?????

OK...this is one area that I honestly don't understand fully. A couple of years ago I asked Steve G & he discussed it, but I am still fuzzy. People are all the time asking to trade with me, but I do NOT do trades...I only buy stuff. Example...I collect Australian desert uniforms & have 3 3rd pattern sets....1 is an MP, 1 is a Medic & the 3rd one is not badged fully, BUT I fought tooth & nail to get them, so I am not giving one away as I collect them & am trying to get as many as I possibly can....same with East Germany & Russia etc. And generally when I find a uniform online...there is only 1 not 2 or more. And let's say that I have a Italian desert vegetato already...chances are I am not going to be bidding on another, so therefore I won't have one for trading.

And also it would seem to me that trading generally means one person is getting screwed. And what I mean by this is that lets say I have an extra Polish desert uniform that I paid $120 for and I find a guy who has a digital woodland pattern from a member of the Easter Island Artillery Corps and he only paid $10 at a yard sale for it...even though I don't know this info...To me it is not a fair trade...because NO matter the fact that I want the Easter Island set, I am ultimately losing $100+ dollars on the trade...so it is simply NOT worth it to me. Sure, it is a fact that the other guy is probably NOT going to tell me he picked it up for $10 at a yard sale....and he could just as easily say this is worth $150...so $150 for your $120 set....

So therefore in order to keep myself from potentially getting the shaft...I simply DO NOT TRADE...that is just my preference...but in reality is that I really don't have stuff that I am willing to trade. Like I had a pair of MINT ERDL trousers that I picked up for $30..and I sold them on ebay for $190+....was I going to trade them...nope...I needed the money.

Now...I know that alot of you could care less about the money...BUT would rather have "different" militaria. I can understand that..I do...BUT out of all of my collection...I honestly do not believe that I have traded for any item. To me...it is easier to shell out the money for the set....and YES...I realize that the same $10 Easter Island set picked up at a yard sale...will probably cost me $120 to buy...BUT I am not losing any of my items in order to aquire it.

I am not saying necessarily that people are dishonest when trading, BUT my main concern is that I normally do not find "extras" to trade. My collection is generally bought 1 piece at a time...you know like Johnny Cash did... and my collection for the most part is like a Black Hole...nothing EVER escapes from it...

So I am anxious to hear how you all go about trading & whatnot

Steven

People trade for different reasons , I only trade extra stuff I get , and it generally is not about the value , I give a lot away as well , I dont expect anything in return , but sometimes I get cool stuff from the guys I try to help out, its really not about the money what I paid or what I think its worth .
Just because I got a pair of mint gold tiger pants for $15 does not mean I feel like im screwing someone over who wants to buy them from me for $700 , but I tried to sell them and could not part with them , so I guess its a mute point , I had an offer for my Russian BVD assault vest by a collector in Japan for $600 , I only paid $20 , but could not sell it either as I probably will never be able to replace it , I have been very happy with trading ,I sometimes buy big lots of items and end up with extras , Im happy to pass along what I dont need , its that simple for me .

That is cool...See the problem I run into is that I never find big lots of stuff...generally it is only 1 item at a time...and then when I have 1 of something...unless it is from one of my "fave" countries to collect, then I don't fool with buying a second one...BUT maybe I should for trading purposes...I have just never totally understood how it(trading) works exactly..

I prefer trading over buying. I really can't imagine why I should pay hundreds of $$$ for uniforms on ebay when I can get them directly form a local guy and in return he gets current Austrian stuff for example which you can't find on the international market. Prices on ebay are really high and don't tell me a guy from Bulgaria has to pay 100$ for their DPM uniform. Also I have traded with lots of cool people and I know they won't screw you.

Yup, trading is my preferred way of doing things too. The point of trading is to get something of roughly equal value that you might not otherwise get if you had to fight for it on eBay or find your own connections to a source. If I have a rare set of something then I'm more likely to get something rare in return than if I just have cash. Since I am trying to collect this is a good way to get stuff for my collection.

I wind up with a lot of extra stuff over time. Sometimes it's because I bought a better version of something I already have and there's no reason to keep the previous one. Sometimes it's because I found something cheap. Sometimes it's because I have connections that offer me things that I think trading partners will be interested in. All sorts of reasons, but I absolutely do collect things I don't need so that I can sell or trade them later on.

Now, here is the tricky thing about value and why good trading partnerships are important. If the going rate for Uniform X is $100 on eBay, then it's value is $100. It doesn't matter if I picked it up for $1 or $250, it's value is only what the going rate is. Now, obviously if I am picking up things for $1 that have a $100 value then I'm doing damned well! So I can afford to give a very big discount to a good trading partner. For example...

Long ago I found a US WW2 reversible camo shelter half for $2.50 (my best score EVER). The going rate at the time was just shy of $200. I traded it to a really good friend for roughly $100 in value. I could have had $200 cash in hand if I put it up on eBay, and he would have been out $200 cash if he had bought one off eBay. Therefore, we were both very happy with the deal because we both walked away roughly $100 better off PLUS we each got something cool that we wouldn't have had otherwise.

Remember... when you buy something off of eBay, surplus shop, off a dealer's table at a show, or anyplace else... you have no idea what the seller paid, but chances are it was less than the selling price. At least with good trade partners you can negotiate and take profit/loss into consideration if you want. Sure, if you find the other guy is buying low and trading high... probably time to find someone else to trade with. Which is why GOOD trading partners try to keep things as close to cost as possible.

But each to his own

Steve

I guess Philip, Steve H. and Steve G sums it up. I totally agree with them. Like in Philip's case I already have the KAZ03 OD uniform from him but I'm still trading with him. Why? Because he wants more Philippine patterns and even though I already have the Austrians I would still trade with him so that he can complete the Philippine section. One time, a Spanish collector wanted some wings here and I cannot find a suitable trade because I don't collect wings. I ended up with coffee mugs of Spanish football teams. What's important to me is that he's happy with what I sent to him and I'm happy I got the mugs. It also gets more "personal' when you trade, sometimes you get a few surprise "goodies" like chocolates and whatever inside the package.

About the price:
For example the person has found a gold piece. He should sell it more cheaply because it has got to it free of charge? Last year I have bought the form of the American seaman on WWII on a local market for 6 dollars. I do not consider, that should run for the seller and pay to it of 50 dollars more because he did not know that he has sold. I also am not going to sell this form – even if to me will give for it 100 dollars.
The auction is necessary when there is a possibility to get some repeated things. My wages in a month – 70 dollars. On this price I should feed myself, the wife and two children. And still to have possibility to buy the form from the different countries. If I do not sell – I cannot collect the uniform.
I do not declare that I am going to plunder people, always it is possible to agree or exchange. All of us stand on the one hand barricades

Camosaurus wrote:Like in Philip's case I already have the KAZ03 OD uniform from him but I'm still trading with him. Why? Because he wants more Philippine patterns and even though I already have the Austrians I would still trade with him so that he can complete the Philippine section.

Interesting tread...

I must say i started my collection mostly buying stuff, either at flea markets or on ebay, but the problem with buying is that at one point, to get new stuff will cost you a lot of $$$

In the other hand you can trade, my cooler items definitely came from trading, You can go to a flea market and get a bunch of stuff and use for trading. I sometimes trade things just to have more items to trade, also what might be valuable to you, might not to the other person and vice versa.

The most important fact is relationship building, i met a lot of great people who traded with me and if they weren't so far away they would be people i probably would hang out on a regular basis. As it was pointed before, sometimes you might lose and sometimes you might win, i give everybody a chance and i always try to be as fair as possible, most of the time i will hook up with patches and goodies if i have anything, but if the person on the other end always wants to win, than i'll stop trading with that person. I must say besides a couple of fellows most of my trading partners are great. I have received full sets of pretty cool russian stuff for nothing... just because i helped someone out with things that were accessible to me.
Like Philip from austria i have an easier access to brazilian stuff, but because i have easier access doesn't mean the item has more or less value than what people are willing to pay. Like Steve G if i were to buy same item on Ebay i would end up paying the same or more anyway...

My philosophy is that we can all win, there's so much stuff out there and if you help some one, you will definitely get back in a way or another.

There's a lot of fellows in this tread who i traded with and every single one of them were top notch trades, in fact they are so trustful that they send me stuff before even knowing what they are getting in return... (for those who are waiting for things from me, good news, tomorrow a shipment is coming so wait for good news)

Anyway i don't really mind how much the person paid for the uniform i think if is something i don't have yet, or if i am getting a decent return from it.

cheers

my 2c...

I prefer a trade. As has been said before, it can work out to be a "win" for both parties involved. The upside of the whole thing is you get to deal with some top blokes.

Ultimately if you feel you are getting a bad deal, then politely decline the trade.

Personal preference..........

Cheers,
Ben.

I trade all the time. I traded a cap that coast me under $5 for a folding shovle made by a less common company. The shovel is worth $75.
And the other guy knew what it was worth (he's a forum member here too)
It's a great way to clear out unwanted stuff, get stuff you want, and not spend alot of cash.

tyler

I've been buying, trading and selling militria for 57 years. IF I HAD NEVER TRADED I WOULD NOT HAVE AT LEAST 1/3 OF WHAT I NOW HAVE! I would instead have 8 or 10 of the same items piled in boxes somewhere. That makes for a lousy collectiion!

When trading, what he paid for his item is Totaly Irrelevant just like what you paid for yours is! What is important is that you agree on a trade - straight across or some $$ going to one or the other to complete the deal. Both get what they want at a value they are willing to pay. Thus there is NO WAY anyone is getting screwed!
The guy who gets screwed is the guy who doesn't trade because he thinks the other guy might have paid very little for his item. He thus screws himself out of something he needs. Not smart!
Sarge

Sarge wrote:IF I HAD NEVER TRADED I WOULD NOT HAVE AT LEAST 1/3 OF WHAT I NOW HAVE!

Same here. I also got very nice uniforms from trades which I have never seen for sale anywhere else...

Quite often the only way to get something you need is to trade cause the guy will not sell it for any price.
Sarge

I dont mind trading at all, sadly the things that I have are either WAY too expensive for me to trade unless it was a huge deal, or super common items.

Probably the best trade I have ever done was to an 82nd Abn vet who was on Grenada. I traded him a stone mint, right out of the box Vietnam era Mitchell pattern helmet cover for a soviet Belt Buckle, Canteen and tankers helmet he "requisitioned" from a Soviet APC while on Grenada. I paid a good amount for the cover, but what he gave me was really a one of item that had personal history behind it for a fairly common, albeit nice helmet cover. And the thing is, I just asked "Im not interested in trading for anything in particular, just rattle off anything interesting you have around the house".

And then he threw in a book published about Grenada that happened to have his picture in it and included his whole story, I threw in a Vietnam era cat eyes band so he could finish the project he was working on.

It was a great deal and I feel like we both came out ahead and happy.

I usually prefer to buy, but I just did my first two trades last week, with the traders end of the deals each arriving yesterday. Everything went off without a hitch, no problems at all. I was actually pretty excited to have done it; now I just need to find some more extras so I can trade again. It was a fun experience and helped me get some items I may not have gotten elsewhere.

I rarely trade because I always have to back up for the following reasons: Many of them seem to be too cheap. I had a item that worth $200 and someone offered me items worth $150 or under so I had to back up. Also seem like nobody has items I want because they offered me items that aren't even my collecting field. When people listed items I want for trade only even though i was willing to pay. Who would deny money being offered because with money they would be able to purchase something they want?

Just my .02 cents.

You don't have to trade if you don't like the deal. In the case you mention it's real simple, tell him you have to have $50 to close the deal. That is the way the game is played.
I, like I'm sure almost everyione else will try to trade to my advantage, but if it's something I want or need I'll do what is necessary.
Sarge

This thread remind me to send a few e-mails to people i have traded with in the past. Just to hear how the collecting is going. I now have focus on my patch collecting and trade all the time. You develope a friendship and have a source to help you out with questions you might have. My collection would by a few patches lesser if i only where to buy them.

As to picking up extras, that is something i do all the time. If i see a fellow who have four identical patches ill pick them all up, if its not common stuff. I do have rare patches that i only trade and dont sell. For the reason that i want them in hand to trade with other collectors for their rare ones. Selling will getting me $$$ but no patches for my collection, because when a rare one comes on auction here the big guns bring out their fat wallet and i cant compete with them. So i keep them as currency in a strange way, im in no rush.

Currently im trading with two polish collectors. To get Norwegian Army, EOD/IEDD and F-16 patches for them, I had to trade away some rare norwegian patches to another collector. Everyone was happy

To bad i gave away the extra Icelandic insignia to NORBN, could have gotten half a house for them I have known NORBN since 1997 and it was i who got me to collect active on insignia. So when i get some cool stuff that i know he might not have i send it to him for free and the same he does to me.

New to the forum here but i hope to find other patch collectors who wants to trade.

Some people have so much money, that money does not matter to them. Such people, generally have what I want that hardly never turns up for sale or is cost prohibitive. For such people, I only accept trades, not cash or gold.

Through trades, I can acquire items by giving up existing items I have, without paying the high dollars I do not have. I think trades are a good thing, so long as you are dealing with honest people.

There are some things money can not buy. That is where the trade comes in. At least, that is how I see it.

I like to trade , what I have to trade is usually something in a size too small or too big and I "try" to swap it for the same item in the size I am wanting , i wear various pants/hats and this is what I like to swap for, so my way of swapping may be a little different but that's what I do , used to collect unit patches, and most of the people I swapped with were great and would go one to one swap , but then after the "net " came into play they all started getting picky and wanted more for less and they were nothing better than I had , so it took the fun out of patch collecting trading and I sold off the collection .

But in any form trade or buy I'm sure you can get "took" who's to say something you buy wasn't picked up cheap too and you end up paying a lot for it ........................

Interesting thread. For me I haven't got anything interesting to trade as I never really got into collecting this way until fairly recently so it's a bit frustrating when there are things I'd really like to get but people won't sell they only trade.

All my items now have to be bought from other sources.

" don't tell me a guy from Bulgaria has to pay 100$ for their DPM uniform"
This is not correct.Come in Sofia I show you the army shop and you bay all stuff for 100$..
The price of winter set(parka and pants) is 250 leva =125 euro,summer set(shirt and pants) is 120 leva = 60 euro ..only chance to pick up cheap set is from military men sold his new uniform to you or some other ways..
Always swap because I did not wait to sell to buy.

Well, if like the OP, you only buy exactly what you want and nothing more (other than to buy low and sell high), then it is logical you aren't into trading. You are all about what YOU want, nothing more and certainly not buying spares or things which aren't your main area of interest.

But the idea of whinging about getting 'screwed' by someone who managed to find a bargain and is willing to trade it as market value for something you paid market value for is utter hyprocrisy. 'You' are happy to buy cheap and sell on ebay and let the market decide (presumably for a healthy proft ...) but not happy to trade at a similar value ? And you are also happy to pay on ebay for something without knowing what the seller paid but not happy to trade with a seller in case what he's offering somehting he got cheaply but which has a higher value ?

Some of us like buying and selling as a hobby - we like to possess something to see what it is like and either have not much money or little space or no complusion to buy EVERYTHING and hoard it all and therefore sell or trade it on. Often i have bought something cheaply not for myself but as it is an item i know a fellow collector might be after. I will either sell it to them for what i paid for it plus shipping or trade it at a price based on what i paid rather than what it is worth. We do that because there are fellow collectors we like and want to help out for no other reason than we get a good feeling and that is what being mates is all about. Often i end up with something that is worth more than what i paid for the item to be traded because the trader appreciates my gesture.

Others change the emphasis of their collection due to it getting too big or because original items have become too expensive or they get bored with what they have. So why not trade rather than (or as well as..) selling ?

I also get items from mates in SF who have kit that is extremely rare or written off on ops and which, as it is not camo uniform and therefore of no interest to anyone here, or because it is worth a great deal of money, go on ebay for the wealthy collectors who (i do not know) to go for. When i do make some serious money, much goes back into Regimental charities funds. Collecting, like life itself, is about not screwing anyone in a real moral sense rather than a perceived personal, unproven way. If I break even and have spread a little goodwill and made a few friends along the way then i am happy. Life is too short to be thinking that someone might be 'screwing' me . But that's just me and i am aware that some collectors exhibit some serious personality dysfunctions which, perhaps becaue i am longer in the tooth or because i used a lot of military kit when in green, I do not share. Like i said in my introduction: I am a reformed collector

If you don't want to trade, perhaps putting that in your signiature in BOLD might be a good idea ?

And life is too short to whinge
Dave

Yeah. I like to trade too-- for all the reasons here mentioned, and also because... in some ways, you end up being an ambassador. Sometimes, selling something is such a hassle, it is more fun to find somebody overseas who can get you something you'd love to have, and really wants something you've got. At that point, you're sort-of exchanging gifts. It makes for a better story than dealing with ebay.

Also-- I trade with my local surplus store. Usually, it is stuff I accumulated for very little money-- but didn't want to let slip. With these things, I *could* ebay them, and make back a small profit, or I can just haul them down to the shop, and make a deal for something I *really* want. At that point, it is more-or-less a deferred purchase, since what I paid for the mass of stuff is equal to what I am getting, but --again-- this kind of transaction leaves me *feeling* better about life. It also sidesteps shipping, provides me with instant gratification... etc.

I totally understand how it is that you'd prefer *not* to operate like this. This whole hobby is very personal, and your methods are due to be uniquely your own-- but I don't really think that most of us here really want to screw anyone over. I think that most of us would prefer to be looked at as being generous, or at least, that's what I have experienced in all of my transactions.

Cheers,

--Dan