[sar1]

A few questions before I try to get started in FSOT...
* What is typical for trading? Are exact matching amount totals expected? Do both parties mail at the same time or does one wait until something is received before sending theirs?
* When doing it by paypal instead of trading coupons, what amount is typically expected?
* I know it says CRT cannot be traded, but what about a coupon printed at the end of CRT?

TIA - I've been trying to look around and find these answers but I'm getting impatient w/myself.

[CarolynC]

[quote=sar1;532518]A few questions before I try to get started in FSOT...
* What is typical for trading?

Anything can be traded that is agreed upon except CRT's. You can trade for other items, stamps, well concealed cash, BTFE......lots of things!

Are exact matching amount totals expected?

No not always.....just depends on the situation!

Do both parties mail at the same time or does one wait until something is received before sending theirs?

That is entirely up to you and how comfortable you are with the person you are trading with. Check their Trader Rating and you can get a pretty good idea of how to handle it. If you are waiting until you receive your end to mail, please state that. You don't have to wait but you can't pull it back out of the mail.

* When doing it by paypal instead of trading coupons, what amount is typically expected?

Whatever $$ you are willing to tradefor or what something is worth to you! There might be a Q that I would pay .50 for but you wouldn't even want it.

* I know it says CRT cannot be traded, but what about a coupon printed at the end of CRT?

While I have seen WAG's & Grocery Store ends of receipts in Trains I have never traded for them. CVS CRT's are linked to your card.

TIA - I've been trying to look around and find these answers but I'm getting impatient w/myself.



Hope this helps....if you have any other questions, please ask and Welcome to AFC!!

[sar1]

Thanks! As I started reading through the FSOT and ISO posts and saying over and over - I have that, I have that, I have that - I realized I have a lot of extra coupons people might want. And there's a lot out there I'm looking for, too! So glad I found this site!

[AshburnMom]

Thanks all! This is useful info for a newbie! Along these lines, how to you search other peoples ISO or FSOT lists for what you might have/want to trade? Thanks!

[sar1]

Originally Posted by AshburnMom

Thanks all! This is useful info for a newbie! Along these lines, how to you search other peoples ISO or FSOT lists for what you might have/want to trade? Thanks!

If they have an ISO or FSOT list, it is listed in Bold next to their avatar under their screen name. Just click there and it will take you right to their lists. If there's a specific product coupon you're looking for, go to the Coupon Database, search for the product you want, and once you see a coupon you're interested in, click on the magnifying glass icon to the left. This will give you all the coupon info (source, exp date, etc), and a list of members who have it in their FSOT lists. Hope that's what you needed to know!

[REShopper]

While we're at it - where do you put a FSOT & how do you attach it yourself? I hope that makes sense

[sar1]

Originally Posted by REShopper

While we're at it - where do you put a FSOT & how do you attach it yourself? I hope that makes sense

Your FSOT and ISO lists will show up next to your avatar by going to User CP at the top menu bar, then Edit Your Details. Scroll down to where it asks if you have an ISO and FSOT list and check Yes. Save your changes and your links will automatically show up. In order to create either list, go to the Coupon Database, search for items, and when you find the coupon you have or want, click on ISO or FSOT to the left and it will be added to your list. If you click FSOT, you'll be asked how many of this coupon you have to trade and what you're looking for in return. It's all very easy. They've made it so user-friendly. Hope you make your lists!

[jessl]

I have another getting started with FSOT type question.

How do you keep track of what you have FSOT? I started an ISO list and next want to do a FSOT list but I'm concerned it would be dificult to keep accurate. I could make a spreadsheet and print it out so I could mark it up as I remove coupons to put in my trains or to trade but I don't know if I would have enough time to do that.

does anyone have any tips on how to keep track without taking up way too much time?

[CarrieDLRDH]

Ok, I'm starting to catch on, but how does the actual trading work? Seems like a silly question, but I'm just not sure.

Do I find someone who has Qs I want, and then that same person much be ISO Qs I have and we just mail a few in envelope to each other?


Thanks in advance for any help!

[sar1]

Originally Posted by jessl

I have another getting started with FSOT type question.

How do you keep track of what you have FSOT? I started an ISO list and next want to do a FSOT list but I'm concerned it would be dificult to keep accurate. I could make a spreadsheet and print it out so I could mark it up as I remove coupons to put in my trains or to trade but I don't know if I would have enough time to do that.

does anyone have any tips on how to keep track without taking up way too much time?

You can see your FSOT or ISO lists at any time by just going to any of your posts and clicking on it. Since you're the owner, you can then delete any of the items when you're in there. The only thing you can't do - yet - is change the quantity. What I do is go to the Database, search for that coupon again, add it and put in my new quantity. Then when I view my FSOT list, there should be two lines for that coupon and I delete the one w/the old quantity. It does take a few minutes, so I like to sit down and add a whole bunch at one time so I can delete out the old ones all at once, too.

When you're viewing your lists and you delete an item, you'll get a pop-up that says it's been deleted. Just refresh the list page and you'll see the changes.

(I have to laugh that I'm even able to answer someone else's questions, considering that I was a newbie and completely clueless when I asked the original question here a few months ago.)

[sar1]

Originally Posted by CarrieDLRDH

Ok, I'm starting to catch on, but how does the actual trading work? Seems like a silly question, but I'm just not sure.

Do I find someone who has Qs I want, and then that same person much be ISO Qs I have and we just mail a few in envelope to each other?


Thanks in advance for any help!

Yes, it is really that easy. You can look through the ISO forum, search the database to see who has what you need in their FSOT list, or find someone who wants to trade what you're looking for in the FSOT forums. Check out their wishlist, ISO, and FSOT lists if they have them and maybe there are more than a few you both have to trade. Send them a pm w/what you'd like to trade and when you agree, just trade addresses, drop it in the mail, and wait for that lovely fat envelope to show up.

[jessl]

Thanks!
I guess I should have played around with it more, I didn't realize it included the quantity.

Do you list all the coupons you have that you don't want or just what you think would be a hot coupon?

[sar1]

Originally Posted by jessl

Do you list all the coupons you have that you don't want or just what you think would be a hot coupon?

I've only been including what I think is a hot coupon. That's pretty easy to figure out just by skimming the forums on a Sunday or Monday!

[jbarber8]

How do you organize the coupons you have for trade? I have never traded anything - I always give the rest of my Q's to my sitter on Monday! From now on, she will need to get her own paper.

Do you cut out every single coupon and divide into yours and 'theirs'? Or do you wait until someone wants to trade before you cut out all of them?

Someone else asked for advice on organizing 'train' coupons but no one really answered the post.

My own Q's are in a recipe box divided by type of food - meat, freezer, dairy, cereal, etc. I keep scissors and a pen in their too, and tuck my list in as I leave the house.

Should i make a complete separate organizer box for train/trade Q's? Maybe it's easier if they are by amount or expiration date or alphabetical by item?

As I get started, is the best strategy to only bother listing on AFC a few of the higher value ones?

If you are in a train, how do you know who to send it to? What if I sign up for a train, and when it arrives I don't have what the next person wants?

Thanks!

[jessl]

jbarber8 - I think you are referring to my post asking about organizing train coupons. I ended up making a coupon box out of an old shoe box and dividing into general categories. So far it has worked well for me. I do cut them all and the ones I want to keep go in my binder, the ones I don't want go in this box. I would love to hear if anyone else has any ideas though.

[fultimers]

I've been here at AFC a few weeks and I didn't necessarily want to do lots of trading but I finally figured out that if I wanted to ride coupon trains here, that many people expected a trader rating of around 10. So, I started doing the trades to build up my rating and finally got a 10.

Now my goal is to build up my posts so I can get that first star. From what I hear, posting (not pm'ing) is required to get that first star. How many posts = 1 star--who knows?

Linda G.