General Forum

I'm sure this is quite subjective, but curious how you personally decide if a trade is "worth it" or not.

If they have a card for me, it is worth it.  To a point

1.- If I feel the trade is fair/mutually beneficial. 
2.- If the trade partner has no recent bad reviews or sketchy behaviors that make me feel I'll get screwed.

I'm like Budler, if it's on my want list, I want it.

I have all kinds of things on my wantlist but I may not actually want or need it.  I have these to help trades maybe happen

If it's something I can't find in a dime or quarter box everywhere 

I like more 

I prefer like for like: commons for commons, HOFers for HOFers, etc. I don't mind crossing sports but lean away from modern for vintage. I'll do it if it involves something I really want but as a general rule I shy away from it.

If we're swapping equal values, I consider the number of cards involved because if one person is sending 5 cards and the other is shipping 500, then the cost of postage skews it away from fair.

All that being said, the rules are not rules so much as guidelines to be interpreted on a trade by trade basis.

For me, I have such a small want list, if I get something that I would want in my personal collection, it is "worth it".  

So to evaluate a trade for me, I look to see how much I can help someone else.  If it is trading for cards for a few buddies of mine, or if I can help the trader get something from my trade list, it is worth it.  I don't mind small trades and I am set up for large ones.  Any way I can help a collector is how I evaluate a trade.

fordwaters hit it on the head as identical to my approach.  Like for like but agree, more like guidelines than hard-set rules.

For me, I know what I spent to get the cards I have and know their relative worth. I also know the relative worth of the cards that I would be receiving. If my cost outlay (cards + my shipping) is what I would be happy with spending at a local shop or show for the return cards, I'll make the deal. I won't make a PWE trade for a pair of cards I'd expect to get out of a dime box (and probably overpay at that). Nor will I make a similar BMWT shipment for 20-25 of those same dime cards. Postage alone on both of those deals is greater than what I'd feel comfortable walking into a show and paying. 

Some trades don't seem worth it to me but I usually go for it anyway. The community is so good that I would rather keep the good vibes going and just go for it.