For Starters

 

This section tries to help those, who are only starting with trading...
Personally, I started very well because I was lucky enough to find a good trader/"partner", that I was trading with on almost daily basis back in the day (since we were both missing a lot of stuff at the time), but you may not have such luck...
 
 
=== What's TRADING?
 
It's simple. If you want to get some new stuff, you have to find a guy, who doesn't have everything from your stuff, so you can offer him something. If the guy accepts, the trade is on.
 
You can trade BOOTLEGS only. These things can be considered as a bootleg:
  1. DVD (made from VHS / Master Files)
  2. Blu-Ray (Master Files)
  3. Master Files (recorded from TV / Online stream / at a live show)
  4. Lossless audio (APE, FLAC, SHN, WAV)

There are 2 ways of how you can trade:

  1. via Internet - The most usual way - you'll upload the stuff on some file hosting. The most preferred ones are MEGA, 4shared, Dropbox or Mediafire.
  2. via Air Mail - You'll burn the stuff on DVD or Blu-Ray, and then send it to the guy. Some traders are using this method, but I don't see any positives in it.
Before every trade (at least if it's the first trade with the guy), try to check the guy's Wanted List and Trading Rules. Everybody has a little different opinions about trading.
 
Try to make a good reputation, because if you end up in a list of Bad Traders, that's not a good sign.
 

=== HOW TO START?

 
The best way is to find a good site, where you can find some bootlegs for free. I'll can highly recommend these sites:
SOADcommunity; Rutracker; Dimeadozen; (be aware, that the first two sites are in russian language)
 
Since these sites offer these shows for free, don't expect other people to not have these shows. Shows that you get for free are hardly tradable, unless some good time passes after their release. Unless somebody reuploads them, it increases the chance of somebody wanting these shows via proper trade.

If you're lucky, you'll find another rookie - the exchange is easier, because there's a bigger chance, that you'll both find some bootlegs, which you don't have in your lists.
 
A 'big fan' (such like me) also collects Lossless audios or even MP3's or VCD's (be aware, that these two AREN'T bootlegs). Sadly, you won't find a lot of 'big fans'.
 
=== THE TRADING PROCESS ITSELF

I don't think I need to tell you how to upload files or stuff like that (I assume you know that), but there are some notes that may help you while the trade is on....

| WHEN YOU ASKED FOR A TRADE / YOU'RE THE UPLOADER |
  • If it's a first trade you guys are doing, try to inform the trader about the file hosting that you're using. You may avoid future problems, especially if you use premium hostings that are not free or are very limited for free users.
  • Let the person know when you expect the upload to be done, especially if you've got a slow upload. Some uploads can take multiple days, especially if you don't have time all day to be uploading stuff. If the upload takes multiple days, try to inform the person about the progress.
  • When you upload multiple files to a folder, it's a good idea to send the download link for the folder at the very moment you created it, which will give the trader a chance to download the already uploaded stuff before it's all done.

| WHEN SOMEBODY ASKED YOU FOR A TRADE / YOU'RE WAITING FOR THE UPLOAD |
  • Be patient, especially if the person informed you before the trade about a possible slow upload. Don't message the person for no good reason.
  • If the upload is taking longer than you're expecting, and the guy doesn't inform you about the progress at all, then and only then is the time for asking the obvious question: "When it's gonna be done?" - since most of the traders are communicative enough, and since the upload has gotten much faster over the years, this may not be a problem
  • If you don't know the guy well enough, wait until he sends all the stuff that you wanted, don't send your stuff before him, you never know what can happen