Trading fairly

A good trade is not one where you win. It is one where neither side later feels taken.

The threshold we use

• 🟢 Within 5% total value difference — fair.
• 🟡 Between 5% and 15% — slightly unbalanced; usually fine if the smaller side wants an item badly.
• 🔴 Over 15% — unfair; renegotiate or add a sweetener.

Before you agree

1. Check condition, not just the name. A used grail can be worth less than a sealed common.
2. Look at sample size. A value built on three sales is a guess; treat low-confidence items conservatively.
3. Watch momentum. Trading away an item that has risen 20% in a month can cost you more than the sticker difference.
4. Count shipping. Two-way shipping can quietly be 15% of a low-value trade.
5. Photograph everything. Before packing, after packing, and the label.

Red flags

• • Pressure to decide inside an hour.
• • Refusal to show the item in hand.
• • Trade values quoted from a single screenshot of an unsold listing.
• • A brand-new account offering unusually generous terms.