What's going on these days???

[Atlas]

I noticed fewer and fewer people are trading. I see that the most recent 25 threads on this site has garnered 14 responses.

Is trading going down the tubes because of the availibility of these shows on TV through on demand services and netflix??

I always thought the thrill of the chase was always more fun than watching them. Of course that is why my spare room is wall to wall DVDs.....

Oh well, I was just curious as to what people think on this subject.

[videoJoe]

Hey there Atlas,

I'll throw in my two cents. I think it's a combination of the economy, Christmas coming up, and the uncertainty of the direction of the country. While there has been tons of retail sets that keep rolling out and it appears that studios are digging deep into some vaults, there is still plenty of titles out there to trade and keep people active in the hobby. If it's still dry after the New Year, I'll probably second guess my theories.

- videojoe

[Atlas]

Originally Posted by videoJoe

Hey there Atlas,

I'll throw in my two cents. I think it's a combination of the economy, Christmas coming up, and the uncertainty of the direction of the country. While there has been tons of retail sets that keep rolling out and it appears that studios are digging deep into some vaults, there is still plenty of titles out there to trade and keep people active in the hobby. If it's still dry after the New Year, I'll probably second guess my theories.

- videojoe

That is a good thought. I go to other sites and there is not much happening on them either. The economy has hurt me so I guess I'm lucky in that aspect.

I started a thread about me wanting The CSI tv Shows. Lots of folks have those shows, and I have a great collection myself. I should have had two or three offers for the trade.... got ZERO

[lilhave]

For me it's two things.

1. I collect only the older things, those from the 50's and 60's and most don't.
2. At one time folks traded for series, now most just want a certain episode. If I have 15 disks of a particular show I refuse to start looking thru all to see if I have one show and if I did, trade for a half hour or a hour. I pass thru all the requests for those that want a series that only aired on a certain network or must have original commercials or whatever.

Harvey

[Atlas]

Originally Posted by lilhave

For me it's two things.

1. I collect only the older things, those from the 50's and 60's and most don't.
2. At one time folks traded for series, now most just want a certain episode. If I have 15 disks of a particular show I refuse to start looking thru all to see if I have one show and if I did, trade for a half hour or a hour. I pass thru all the requests for those that want a series that only aired on a certain network or must have original commercials or whatever.

Harvey

I agree with that. I mean god bless these people that are looking for one show to complete a series but don't ask me to do a one disk trade with you. If you want one episode I want lets m,ake it a bigger trade so I can get something out of it.

[wiseguy182]

I agree with Atlas that trading has dropped off significantly, and I agree with videoJoe for the reasons he gave, and would also add these reasons:

1. alot of the traders, including ones with big collections, seem to have retired, are taking a (in some cases, long) break, or became a bad trader. Granted you have new traders trickling in here and there, but it doesn't nearly offset the ones that are no longer in the circuit.

2. speaking about bad traders, I would imagine that has definitely scared away some people. And there isn't, nor has there ever been, a shortage of bad traders and scammers.

3. some people have too many and/or unreasonable rules for trading. this has scared away some trades.

Now take for example that Promised Land set I authored and put out last month. I had a handful of bites and was able to get a couple trades out of that, but it wasn't near what I was expecting. Now if you do a search for Promised Land here, you'll find various people looking for it, but let's examine things case by case:

-Jtmovies91 was looking for it, but I heard he is taking a break
-glockman requested it, but he became a bad trader and isn't trading anymore
-PunkyPower requested it, but last I checked, she turned off pm's and her e-mail address wasn't available, and I don't think she checks this forum regularly.
-wyle24hobson was looking for a few episodes, and while I've done a few trades with her, the most recent was last year, she seems to have retired.
-cmjohnson87 requested it on another site and he was a poster here, but he became a bad trader and/or retired.
-lots of requests on ioffer for it, but I got only one trade there. Though I did have alot of requests to sell (which I don't do), and some of those were so low they were to the point of it being insulting, not even coming close to just paying for the cost of shipping and supplies.

I don't think there is anything wrong with small trades. Sometimes one party or the other is just looking for a small trade, and something is always better than nothing. Heck, when I started, my have list was small to the point of it being laughable, but I was able to take what I did have, and through a lot of hard work and contacting people and sending first, it has grown to a large and ever-increasing collection, alot of which is rare or semi-rare.

[videoJoe]

I like Wiseguy's take on this. Bad traders and retired traders have done their bit to slow things as well, no question.

I have also come up with another theory: many folks have traded for pretty much all they really wanted and/or the same stuff keeps getting floated around to the point where there isn't much new that becomes available that generates continued interest.

For example, Enos. There are many episodes, but that same lone episode is the only one that keeps floating around. After awhile, you see the same old stuff and hardly anything you haven't seen on someone else's list.

Speakng for myself, I have been trying to go through my old vhs recordings and transfer new stuff to dvd so that I can offer it on the trading circuit, specifically stuff I haven't seen floating around (at least not commonly). One example is my episode of D.C. Follies that I taped in 1988 with Robert Englund as Freddie Krueger as the guest. While I know that 1988 isn't that long ago in trading years, most people didn't give a second look at D.C. Follies and because Freddie is such an iconic figure, there is a want on folks' part to own this episode in their collection.

I also taped a very rare pilot on Fox from around 1990 called Ghost Writer, which starred Anthony Perkins (yeah, THAT Anthony Perkins) in a spooky sitcom. It only aired once. I also have put that to dvd.

Granted, these are only two examples, but examples nonetheless of rare stuff that would have a built in fanbase and interest for people to trade for.

[justins5256]

It's sad, but I think most of my good trading days were 5-10 years ago. It seems like there were more people in the hobby then, bigger collections, more unique stuff. The scene was just better in my perception. I guess a lot of people "retired" over the years.

I think downloading and sites like YouTube have put a dent in trading because they provide instant availability/gratification. Let's face it, this generation is all about instant gratification. Why wait weeks for something to come in the mail when you can just download it?

Also, it seems to me that people aren't archiving anymore. Television recording is geared toward Tivo and DVR both tape and disc-less formats where you watch something then erase it. Although there isn't much airing on TV these days that I would be interested in saving, but to each their own.

[plaidman76]

My problem is that I got into the hobby about 5 years ago or so, and I hit it hard. I was doing 2 or 3 trades at a time, all the time, from 3 disks to 20 disks. It was cool for a while, and my collection got big really quick, but I got burned out fast. Always making trips to the post office, staying up late at night to get disks burned (I've got 3 kids now....I don't stay up as late as I used to. Also, my wife would upset if I was in my office burning disks all the time...those kids don't feed and bathe themselves you know. ) It took it's toll on me. Not to mention that my collection of DVDs from trades as well as VHS tapes I've collected piled up with little organization. That, and I mostly collect Rare TV shows/failed tv shows/pilots and stuff W/O/C, and I started seeing lots of stuff I already had out there, and I just got kind of tired with searching for new stuff (which was always my favorite part, the thrill of the hunt). I'll still do a small trade every now and again, but the last year or 2 I've just been too busy with life and family.
One of these days, I'm going to get organized again and jump back in, but for now, I just browse mostly and see what's out there being traded.

[videoJoe]

justins, you are probably dead on. The glory days of trading are probably behind all of us. There is only so much stuff that can be traded and only so many tv shows and movies that exist. For those of us into rarities and w/o/c stuff, I think the fun continues because something always pops up.

with plaidman (howdy Jason), he brings up another point and that is family. It trumps focusing on anything else. As it should be.

Speaking for myself, I am really digging Retro Television. I quit Directv just to get it. I am taping tons of shows that I doubt will ever see an official dvd release. Like Marcus Welby. That show is nearly 40 years old and the target audience for it was over 40 back then, making fans today being late 70s, early 80s. Not exactly a key demographic on dvd sales.

The Bold Ones, Run For Your Life, Switch, It Takes A Thief, Suspense Theater, Lobo. To be realistic, how would any of these make an offical dvd release? Shows like Diffrent Strokes can't get past a second season with an official release. So to be able to tape these off of Retro really gives a nice window of opportunity to obtain them for trading. And what about when Chiller ended up airing the original Sixth Sense episodes for the first time in almost 40 years?

[wiseguy182]

I agree with Justin that youtube has killed alot of trades (happy birthday btw Justin! ). for the reason that he mentioned. Youtube is good for some thigns, but I think what those people that use it in place of trading don't realize is that stuff on youtube isn't guaranteed to last forever. For example, 2 of my favorite shows at one point, had all of their entries removed on youtube due to copyrights I believe. Personally, I think it's much better to get it on dvd or even vhs, that way you can have it forever.

[Rascal]

I'll admit I've cut back on trading quite a bit myself. Not just because of a few bad traders out there or because of Netflix but also because of the pain in the ass traders. What I mean by that is:
1) Ones that want you to do a search and rescue mission for 1 episode
2) Ones that send you a whole box of discs and not one of them is labeled
3) Ones that over half of the discs are bad
4)People who send smudged up fingerprinted discs
5) Ones that change their mind on what they want 1/2 way through the trade when you have most of their stuff already made
6) Ones that start a trade with you but never bother to tell you they mailed out or when to expect it or if your end made it there

We all get busy and it's easy to make mistakes,it happens. But it seems more and more that I get more of a pain in the ass when I trade with people than what it is worth.It almost seems like work. So I've been mainly sticking to people that I've traded with for a while than posting for new trades. At least that way, when I get a package I'm still excited about it. I'm not knocking all the people I've never traded with. I know there are a lot of great traders out there but it is a pain to sift through and take a chance on any of the above happening.

[lilhave]

Originally Posted by rascal

I'll admit I've cut back on trading quite a bit myself. Not just because of a few bad traders out there or because of Netflix but also because of the pain in the ass traders. What I mean by that is:
1) Ones that want you to do a search and rescue mission for 1 episode
2) Ones that send you a whole box of discs and not one of them is labeled
3) Ones that over half of the discs are bad
4)People who send smudged up fingerprinted discs
5) Ones that change their mind on what they want 1/2 way through the trade when you have most of their stuff already made
6) Ones that start a trade with you but never bother to tell you they mailed out or when to expect it or if your end made it there

We all get busy and it's easy to make mistakes,it happens. But it seems more and more that I get more of a pain in the ass when I trade with people than what it is worth.It almost seems like work. So I've been mainly sticking to people that I've traded with for a while than posting for new trades. At least that way, when I get a package I'm still excited about it. I'm not knocking all the people I've never traded with. I know there are a lot of great traders out there but it is a pain to sift through and take a chance on any of the above happening.

My sentiments exactly. And if you become a "good guy", making a small trade because the individual states "there must be something you want", it doesn't end. This individual thinks since you made a trade for 4 disks, now let's make one for 20 disks, and the emails and emails begin.

There are some that truly believe that if you have something they desire, a unwritten rule exists that says you must trade them. If a person needs a disk or two, to me it's easier to send, no strings attached and be over with it.

That being the case, I trade with about 7 pepole and satisfy all my needs. Each has access to my preferences. One gets movies, one music, one serials and 2 or 3 for television shows.

But it is still fun. I'm retired and it beats standing at the college steps, waiting for the co-eds leaving, and muttering, "wanna see my stamp collection"

Harvey

[Atlas]

Originally Posted by lilhave

My sentiments exactly. And if you become a "good guy", making a small trade because the individual states "there must be something you want", it doesn't end. This individual thinks since you made a trade for 4 disks, now let's make one for 20 disks, and the emails and emails begin.

There are some that truly believe that if you have something they desire, a unwritten rule exists that says you must trade them. If a person needs a disk or two, to me it's easier to send, no strings attached and be over with it.

That being the case, I trade with about 7 pepole and satisfy all my needs. Each has access to my preferences. One gets movies, one music, one serials and 2 or 3 for television shows.

But it is still fun. I'm retired and it beats standing at the college steps, waiting for the co-eds leaving, and muttering, "wanna see my stamp collection"

Harvey

You have a stamp collection

[lilhave]

Originally Posted by Atlas

You have a stamp collection

Gee, you bought it too. Can give you a real good deal on the Brooklyn Bridge.