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How do you keep your trades organized?

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How do you keep your trades organized?

sayshelen

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At first I tried to keep all my trades straight in my head ... but pretty soon I realized I needed help! Now, I use a spreadsheet I created to track the status of each trade. The information I keep track of includes:

  • DPF or PinPics name of the other trader
  • his/her address
  • Pin(s) coming my way
  • Pin(s) going their way
  • Date trade was accepted
  • Date trade was sent off
  • Date trade was received
  • Left recommendation? (Y/N)

This may sound a little OCD, but for example right now I have 8 open trades in various stages! What do you do to organize your trades?
 
oh my god, don't get me started, i have 13 trades going on right now i started with 3 yesterday and as now i have 13 that i have to ship out and stuff, but i finally organized them all i just have to go to the post office, well i have a little notebook and i write the pin numbers, the screen name of the person(and the real name), i write underneath if it have been shipped, packed, and received, then i have at the end whether i have gave feedback or not and if they have done the same, when all this things have a check mark next to them i have a mickey mouse stamp and i stamp it, which means to me it is done, and i keep the address of some of the people i traded the most with for future references like zapping them in a future or future trades.

it is quiet challenging but i love keeping it organized, however i am human and i can make mistakes so if i forget something or happen to trade something i no longer have i apologize and even sometimes take something out of my own collection of equal or similar value as long as the person is happy. well yeah it have once but i am not perfect. also when i don't have my notebook with me and i am in school before i forget that i have a new trade i video tape the message and i say what i have to trade and what i am getting and when i get home i write it down after looking at the video i took with my phone.
 
I use a dry erase board. I took a sharpie and made columns one for DPF Trades, EB, and Pinpics. Then I write in each box Name pin# date of trade. When they come in I erase them so I always know what is incoming and what has already arrived. I also have check marks for when I leave feedback and 2 check marks means they have also left feedback.
 

Omg! I use spreadsheets for EVERYTHING and I never once thought about doing one for trades! Duh!

Ok, you got me started now. Excel, here I come!!

Thanks for the idea!

Vicki
 
I LOVE the idea of the dry erase board!!! I do love excel but haven't put the trades on there yet, I think the board woud be a better way for me to start lol. Thanks for these great ideas!

This is an excellent question!!! Thanks for asking!!!
 
I also use an Excel spreadsheet. I also use it later for reference.
I have name, address and pins I sent and pins I should receive.
I include the mail date (that I sent) and have an area for feedback sent & received.

Once the transaction is complete, I highlight it in light yellow which for me is a completed trade.
 
I like my dry erase board cuz I can see it right there on the wall I tried using the spreadsheets and i just never would go update them and i had to go looking thru them every time I made a trade
 
Debby uses a bulletin board for ongoing trades, a spiral bound notebook to record past trades (who...what...when), a 3x5 card file for the trader info (name, user id, address, notes regarding the trade and trader), and a very good memory.
 
I print the email, attach the mailing label receipt and put it in my file. Then when the pin comes, I use the email address to leave feedback. I don't get to trade much. Everyone thinks my wants list is too hard. But if I traded a lot I would use Excel. I have a spreadsheet of my collection as well as pictures of the cover of each pin bag and what is in the bag. WHen I add pins or remove pins I change the page in my pictures. When I travel I print out my traders just in case.
 
I keep a fairly extensive spreadsheet with the pin #, its status (whether I currently own it, it's been traded, or I'm expecting it in the mail), whether it's a trader or keeper, PinPics name and description, some info about its release, LE, the source where I obtained it, trader/seller info, acquisition date, cost, and if applicable, the trade away date and trade details. I love the thought that I can make PivotTables off the data at a moment's notice. Go analysis!
 
scottydem said:
I don't keep them organized at all lol but somehow I manage to not get too overwhelmed.
Click to expand...
haha same here! I can get OCD with some stuff but that has never come up with organzing trades. All I do is keep the emails that are involved with the trade and once I get the pins I delete the emails. And I package the pins as sooon as I get the addresses and put them by the door to be mailed.
 
I started using excel spreadsheets, but fell behind in updating them. Now I keep the emails in my inbox until I receive the pin and have left feedback. Then I move the email to a "Trades" file in my virtual cabinet. That way when I feel the itch, I can go back and update my spreadsheets!
 
I use index cards and I organize by dates traded/recieved
Also I have a folder in my mail for penidng trades
 
Glad i'm not the only one that has no method :lol:

I just hold onto my emails/PMs until pins are received on both ends - i'm usually so excited when the mail arrives that I immediately hop on here to post/send a message and leave feedback then
 
Thanks for all the ideas!!! I just bought a white board to keep in track!! Whew
 

That's what's been working for me.
 
Another excel spreadsheet junkie!!

Okay it is only one spreadsheet but it has 8 tabs

"Wants" - listed by pin number, description, trade/wants ratio & eVilbay cost (as a guide!) - this also hs small images of the pins so that I can grab a quick print-out
"Trades" - as above but also tells me which trading bag each pin is in, also a nominal selling value (separate web-site) & a field for the name of potential buyer/trader
"Owns" - also as above with a separate block below the owns list for "pins on their way"
"Wifey's Owns" - as above - these are all Stitch
"Finance" - details all sales/trades made & monies outstanding, dates paid, posted etc
"Contacts" - any contact details - e-mail addresses & trading friends web-sites hyperlinks etc
"Scrappers" - a list of any pins that I have that are scrappers - only 16 so not too bad!! I make sure I keep them away from the real traders

OCD??


 
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