TF2 Trading Tips

By TheBob!

First thing I would like to talk about is the value of items.  It's so important to know what your items are worth, because people will scam you any chance they get.  Even if it's not on purpose, hard feelings can be found when you find out you made a bad trade.  So first and foremost, a few utilities in finding the general value of items.

http://tf2spreadsheet.blogspot.com/
This is a nice spreadsheet of general item worth.  Things can sometimes change and this list may lag behind a few days in updating, but in general it will give you a decent idea of the value of your items.  The best way to find your way around this site is with CTRL+F and then search for the item.

http://www.tf2wh.com/credits.php   
I'll be talking more on TF2 warehouse in a little, but checking the price for items here is another good way to predict the value of your items.  Remember that a refined metal here is worth 4,500 credits, so figure everything by that number.  Doing this makes your base and the credit system here is much less confusing.

Finally, check updates and the wiki.  If something was just released in a crate or made easier to aquire in any way, the value will drop and people will try and offload them before it does.  New items are also usually inflated quite a bit.  If it's something you really want, scour around and find it, but if it's something that is just cool, wait a week or two and watch the price plummet.

Next up are some good places to make trades.

The HK forums are a good place to trade.  You may not make every trade you want fast, but you are trading with trusted regulars and friends, so it's for sure one of the most casual places to trade.

http://tf2tp.com/recent.php
TF2 Trading Post is a great site that lets you list what you have and what you want.  I have made quite a few trades pretty quick there, but it is sometimes a crap shoot.  You have to bump your trade every 30 minutes or it gets lost, which is usually fine by me because if I don't remember to bump it then I am usually away or not paying attention to it anymore.

http://forums.steampowered.com/forums/f ... .php?f=952
The good old Steam forums(or SPUF).  If you think the trading post is a crap shoot then this is something even worse I can't find a name for.  If you have something in high demand or are looking for something in high demand it's a decent place to find it, but otherwise I would pass this option by.

http://www.tf2wh.com/allitems.php
TF2 Warehouse.   I mentioned this earlier, but when it comes to trading something for what you want quick this is the place.  It's a little different from usual options.  You sell your items to them then get credits to buy other items.  They have bots that friend your  trade in steam with you and then “defriend” you.   This is nice because you don't end up with 50 friends that you traded with once 6 months ago.  It's quick, convenient, and easy to use.  You don't have to deal with other players.

There are some issues with TF2 Warehouse.   For example, it will give you a bit less credit when selling than buying.  This mean if you are doing a lot of trading, you will take losses over time that could add up to less items.  It's up to you if the convenience is worth it.  Another challenge is if they have a lot of an item, they will buy it for less or could just refuse it, but items that have dropped in value quickly, will stop being traded.  So if you have an item such as a new strange, you may have to go elsewhere to sell it.  It does tell you in the trade window if you are selling an item that is in high stock and selling for less than market value though so read the chat window before clicking trade.

http://www.tf2items.com/trading/
The last one I am touching on is TF2 items.  They have a nice little trade were you can put your item up and offer it up for other items.  It's great for 1 item for 1 item trading, but not for multiple items.

Scams
Always be careful.   Read the item description and always make sure you are trading for what you think you are.  If it sounds too good to be true then it usually is.  Trading with real money is always iffy.  Back out if you are at all uncomfortable with the terms.  I lost my unusual once because I traded to someone that hacked an account of a trusted trader I knew.  I also recommend against using real money.  Stay in the steam walled garden unless you have a very trusted 3rd party middleman or they are willing to trade first.  If you are trading hats for games, Valve has updated the game gifting so you can get the gift and keep it in your gifts and not have it as one of your games and trade it away again.  It's actually a decent system.  The value of games vs. items is a bit out of whack though so I would say only if you don't have money for a game you really want then use it.  As far as items are concerned, the nicer items may be traded for a lot of lesser items.  Use the steam window instead of inside TF2. Never do a trade that takes up more than 1 trade because it opens the door for people to run with your stuff.