Friday, December 05, 2008

Trades

I love trading! Thank goodness Etsy is filled with so many sweet people that don't get all bent out of shape when you ask about trading.

Remember this nativity set I was drooling over? Well, I contacted the seller about a possible trade and she accepted gladly! She chose a pair earrings, some tags, and a set of my perfume pebbles in exchange for the set, which I think is absolutely fair. I can hardly wait until it gets here.

I remember when I first started selling on etsy. I had trade offers coming to me left and right.
I was new to the kind, gentle spirit of etsy and had just come from the land of fee-bay where it is dog eat dog.

So, at first I took the trade offers on the offensive. To me it meant that they didn't think my items were good enough to pay for, and, how can I coax you out of your items without spending any of "my" hard earned money on them?
I was insulted. Infuriated.
I would reply, NO thank you! (grumble, fuss, the nerve of some people!)
But now I understand. Now I get it. Not all sellers are looking to trade you a snotty rag for gemstones and gold. LOL

Over this past year I've done a lot of trading and I feel very good about each and every one of them! Of course there is the occasional shop owner that sells things I am not at all interested in and I have to gently decline the offer. But I don't get mad anymore. I don't feel like it is degrading to me or my work. I know now that (most of the time) it's just another friendly seller that admires something I have and hopes that I feel the same about something they have.

I've been converted. I've been softened. I don't have the old fee-bay sellers point of view anymore. And, I am looking forward to more awesome trading in 2009. :)

2 comments:

Mama said...

Seriously. I love a good trade when everybody wins.

I never thought of it the way you've explained, but it's good to know some people may feel that way. I wouldn't want to insult anyone by offering a trade in my own enthusiasm for bartering.

Thanks!

Christina Carnoy said...

that is awesome!!!! I didn't know about trading, and I will definitely keep that in mind for the future...maybe next Christmas!!!