Comments on: Dream Cache – How to Spot (and Deal With) Sharks

By: AH

AH — Sun, 26 Sep 2010 20:47:04 +0000

I disagree with equating asking someone "what do you value that at" with making someone a Shark. Many times, values will go down on a whole host of cards at once, during shifts in a metagame, or once Prerelease-mania wears off. Asking that question lets you know if your partner realizes that, or if they're still trying to get the old value on a card that's tanked. Lotus Cobra, for example, has been worth anything from 25 to 8 dollars(currently 13.50, http://www.blacklotusproject.com)–if you still value yours higher than 15, I'm not going to bother pulling yours out to trade. Valuing cards too highly (or purposely using outdated valuations/certain websites) is also a sign of a Shark, to me. By asking your valuations on your/my card, I can quickly see if we're both reasonable, or not going to be able to trade.

By: JB

JB — Fri, 10 Sep 2010 06:51:11 +0000

Good stuff.

My only problem is with the 9$/4$ example.

I am hardly a shark, but I do trade for value while looking for what I want. With that in mind there have been plenty of times where I am willing to trade for something I don't need, but won't be giving full value for it because I am ONLY taking to make a profit. So in this example my mindset would be this:

If you want my Vial I will trade it at full value. But if you want me to do you the favor of trading for yours when I don't need them then I am not going to give you full value. Seems like common sense to me and I am upfront with my trade partner about it. Why would I pay full price for something I don't need?

People who try to just iPhone everything, and expect cards to have an absolute value, don't understand the nature of the game. Value is inevitably variable based on perception.

By: graham

graham — Tue, 07 Sep 2010 23:32:14 +0000

Yeah great article. My current approach to trading is that cards are like stocks and if you trade away and for the right ones you dont have to rip people off to make profit trading- its too common a myth. For example, I will trade primevil titans for force of wills till the end of time because I know force will hold value better, but im not ripping anyone off valuewise and who knows maybe that titan will go to 80 bucks someday lol.

By: Brian Doran

Brian Doran — Tue, 07 Sep 2010 00:42:58 +0000

Hence why I won't buy any fancy suitcase or roll away. Good ole backpack, nothing beats backpack.

By: joão Ferreira

joão Ferreira — Sun, 05 Sep 2010 15:10:29 +0000

This is the reason why I love QS. Here we have all the sides in a trade.

I just think a good shark must know when he should lose value trading.

By: Corbin Hosler

Corbin Hosler — Sun, 05 Sep 2010 15:07:27 +0000

Pretty spot-on. I don't know that I'd call myself a shark, but I walk into every trade to trade up in value. One thing I stress to my trade partners is that there are no hard feelings if they want to walk away at any point because we can't agree on prices.

This article is really good information for those people just getting into the trading game.