The Trading Post is back in business, and lots of people are ready to barter
for your items. But if you don’t want your offers to get rejected or ignored,
you should brush up on some handy tips for the Trading
Post.
The Trading Post is used in several ways. It is good for sales over 100,000
NP that can’t be handled by the shops. It is also a good way to give several
items to a Neofriend, instead of going one by one in the item lookup.
But, most people use the Trading Post to gain wealth (either items or NP) by
making a beneficial trade. Due to the fact that some items have different value
to different people, sometimes both parties in a trade can benefit. Also it
saves people time to buy in lots without having to use the Shop Wizard. And
time is money (or NP in Neopia)!
These are the best trades, when both parties benefit either by saving shopping
time or getting something that is worth more to them. The trades generally get
accepted quickly and both parties enjoy the experience and come back to trade
again. Here are some hints to setting up trades that can be beneficial to you
and your trading partner:
1) Make sure the items “go together.” Most Neopians have certain item groups
that they enjoy buying, selling and owning. This is what makes some items worth
more to one person than to another. If they are interested in one Usuki item,
they probably wouldn’t object to other Usuki items. But if a trader is looking
for Battle
Muffins, and your Battle Muffin lot or offer has pet pets in it too,
that is not going to be attractive to them. And if they aren’t familiar with
the prices, they have to take time to use the Shop Wizard. That makes the trade
less beneficial to them.
2) Tell us what it is worth to you. When you create a trade, it’s always a
good idea to let bidders know what it is worth to you, in addition to the types
of items in your wish list. If the bidder has to get out a pen and paper and
spend ten minutes with the shop wizard and a calculator, figuring up the value
of your lot, then she is losing time, and she could have easily bought all those
items at the cheapest Wiz price and probably did.
3) Work with the cheapest Wiz price. Again, if someone goes to the Shop Wizard
to check the price, they can buy it there for that price. They will offer a
trade of something that might be worth more to you, since you saved shopping
time and got rid of items at the same time. Or possibly you bought the item
you traded at below Wizard
price, and therefore can offer it as a beneficial trade.
Finally, remember to beware of scams! Never bid good items or Neopoints for
worthless or cheaper items because somebody promised to tell you a secret, give
you an account or send you something wonderful. They are probably lying. Only
make bids when the actual items in the trade are of similar value to your items,
or are otherwise beneficial to you.
Good luck and happy trading. | 
