Well, my trade person apparently saw this post and wrote to me promptly to tell me she had had a family emergency and had gone out of town. So I guess I was a little too quick to assume the worst.
Still, I think it would be a good idea to have something public about one's track record in trading.

Yes, but this is the reason why we don't. What if you made a negative comment about someone who'd simply had a family emergency. Ebay's negative comments can not be removed once posted. It would be a shame to ruin someone's reputation as a trader over such a situation as you are having.

GGG

GGG, I would not post negative feedback about someone unless more time had passed and it was evident that they had no intention of honoring their part of the trade. Also, on ebay there is an opportunity to reply to any negative feedback. I see no reason why on ebay you can't remove a negative feedback anyway. It is a pretty good system and for the most part is not misused from what I can tell.

I made a trade with someone on the plant exchange for some spider lilies that I really really wanted. Shipped my package on Monday. He said he had a problem and was not able to make it to the post office to ship his, but he had the box ready to ship Tuesday. Then Tuesday had some other problem but would for sure ship his Wednesday. After that would not reply to any of my emails and I never received my package from him. That was the first week of November and still have no replies from him ....

BUT two weeks after I shipped my package to him, it came back because of an invalid address and UPS could not deliver. Since he never answered, I was not able to reship so the only thing I lost was the $7 shipping charges...and a little bit of faith in our fellow gardeners.

For the record I just wanted to say that I received my end of the trade this morning and it was really a good one. All five roses were really big, very healthy, and had great roots. I want to apologize to this person for my panic about it. I just thought I would have received an email.
But bad things do happen...once I sent a big heavy box and got a little envelope of nonviable stuff in exchange. Other than that I've done a lot of trading and it has all gone very well. In fact, many of the plants in my garden were from trades, and it has certainly added to the beauty here and been great to meet some wonderful people.
Ending on a positive note, Linda

I have made many purchases thru Ebay, some plants and roses, and other items. I can recall twice getting "burned", the items did not show up after repeated emails to the sellers. I chalk it up to experience. I gave the sellers bad feedback and that was that. Ebay has a process for resolving unsatisfactory transactions, but they won't bother investigating if the purchase was small or too much time has elapsed. The good dealers way outnumber the bad. Sometimes people have personal emergencies, and once UPS delivered a package addressed to me to another street, same house number as mine, and the recipient was kind enough to drive over to bring it to me. Anyway, Linda, glad you got your roses and they are good!

It's good to hear that your trade turned out well!

It's good that your trade turned out well. I've only been burned once, but it did make me more wary.

Yes, trading is taking a chance....but most of the time it works out very well for both parties. I just think of all those times I've purchased an item from a store or catalog, and then found that the darn thing does not meet my requirements in spite of the package description, or does not work as advertised, or is disappointing in some way. Sometimes you can get your money back, but sometimes you can't.
Sigh.
Good luck to all
Maryanne (so far a happy trader :-)

I traded with erasmus a couple of years ago and she wasn't happy with what I sent. I guess I didn't understand one should send several cuttings. Or something like that.

Anyway only two of her rooted cuttings are growing, Cl Crimson Glory and Marie Pavie. The others never made it. Possibly the difference in climate!

Jim, I felt really good about the well-rooted plants I sent you. Two out of about ten making it is a sorry result. The cuttings you sent also didn't make it, which I think is why when most people trade they include more than one cutting per variety. You're bound to lose some cuttings, and it is not much more work to pack three cuttings of a variety than one. At least you got two plants out of it.

Erasmus

Well the next time I'll know better. But I think it is best to trade with somebody in your zone. Could have been the problem.

But I haven't been rooting for the last couple of years. Preferring to buy bare roots and not wait so long for a rose to get going. At 77 time is maybe short!

However I'm sure that rule will be broken. I have a Scharlachglut that looks like it will be giving a good display this year and I might want another one.