Well things can always go wrong, and actually have for me I am embarassed to say: I still owe several folks plants and seed!! In the trade Forum you will see a dead beat trader list, listing past problems that we have been made aware of.
Remember the person offering the trade has to give you a true mailing address and a name, if they are false there is a good chance they wouldn't be able to get the package. Here on the forum, we are all identified by out computers IP numbers, so we know who is who and can act accordingly.
In general though, in all the time I have been here I have never found a more honorable group of individuals! There have only been a couple of bad incidents out of thousands of success stories. Our system works well!
Personally, I dont worry too much about it. If someone sends me something they promised to me well and good. If not, I sulk to my friends about it a bit, and then get on with the sharing. There have been a couple such occasions, but I dont even remember who was involved. I stay much happier this way, and avoid much stress. Since my goal is to spread the plants as quickly as I amass them, this strategy works well for me.
If things do go wrong in a contracted trade, I feel the person wronged should have an explanation at the least as to why, and hopefully some sort of compromise appeasement: another plant perhaps, or a promise not to be forgotten in the "if and when". This is what honor is about. Word spreads fast as to anyone abusing the system by acting dishonorably, and the Moderators and Administration of the Forum WILL address issues when they are not resolved to the satisfaction of the wronged party, if they are informed.
Almost everyone knows what a sweet deal we have going here, and we all act to make it continue to work.
If you act to establish yourself as a generous and kind member of the community, I think you will find that you will get more plants than if you try a one for one trade strategy. If everyone did this, and worked to reproduce their own plants, there will eventually be so much material available it will be free for the postage to anyone who wants it. In this hobby the saying "what goes around comes around" is remarkably true! Although some would say this is hopelessly idealistic, I would have to differ with them from what I have seen in my time here on this forum.
So relax, give and take, and be glad that we have such a fine community. Sometimes I wish everyone in the world were CP'ers!
