Nobody becomes an expert trader overnight. Here's some tips to make things a little easier for you and the people you trade with. If this page can stop just one person from throwing a card in an envelope with nothing to protect it, slapping a stamp on it and tossing it in the mail, it will have served a purpose.

Start out small.
For your first few trades try sticking to small-value deals. Get a hang for email bartering and haggling, get the cards ready to ship and finally sending them out. It's a big world out there and if you dive in too fast it can be overwhelming.

Keep references.
Trading with someone you don't know is risky no matter how trusting they are. Paranoia is definitely not the answer, but a good reputation doesn't hurt. Keep track of names and email addresses of the people you trade with. Some traders request references when they haven't traded with anyone before. With a list handy, trading is much smoother.

Request references.
If you're negotiating with someone you haven't traded with before, request references of names and emails. Three or four should normally suffice. If they don't have any suggest that they send the cards to you first. If you do this, send references to them so they can be assured of your trust. Also, if someone asks you for references, don't be offended. They're just taking precautions.

Be reasonable.
Don't expect to unload your monster box of 1991 Donruss for a Mark McGwire rookie. Sure the "book value" might be the same, but truthfully, what's more desirable? Most traders stick to a rookie-for-rookie, inserts-for-inserts policy. I'm pretty flexible as my trading habits center around finishing sets and collecting John Jaha and Montreal Expos, so I'm happy to trade inserts. That said, it's very unlikely I'll trade any hall-of-fame game-used for all the 2001 MVP I need. The book may say they're worth the same but I'd rather have one nice card than a bunch of commons. A good trade is one in which both sides are happy, not one that one side feels like they were pressured into.

Watch you body language.
It's amazing how much you can tell about a person by their email messages. While we're not meant to be walking dictionaries, spelling and punctuation makes an impact on the impression of the people you trade with. LIKEWISE WHEN YOU ALWAYS FEEL THE NEED TO SCREAM. Please hit the 'Caps Lock' key if you notice this happening. Take a deep breath for good measure. Most email programs have a spell check. If you're leery about your spelling, all it takes is one mouse click.

It's okay to say no.
The odd time I'll get a bad feeling about a trade. There's not always a good reason, just a hunch. I trust my hunches and if a trade doesn't feel right a try to politely decline.

Stay organized.
Possibly the worst thing you could do trading online is to lose track of all your trades. There no worse feeling than trading the same card twice. When you make a trade, write it down. Mark it off you wantlist if you keep one. If you plan on starting a website that lists your traders, do your best to keep it update. Trading online eats up a lot of time. Being disorganized will take up even more in the long run.

Mail securely.
Putting a card in a penny sleeve and throwing it in a floppy envelope is not secure. You might laugh, but it's happened to me more than once. Needless to say, that was the last time I traded with them. On the other extreme, don't wrap cards so tightly in tape that they can't be accessed without damaging. You should leave some breathing room to let the cards out. You common sense when you send card. You don't need to wrap two common cards in a refrigerator box to make sure they arrive safely. For a couple of cards I put them in a top loader with a piece of Scotch tape across the top so they don't get out. I also fold a small tab on the edge of the tape so that it peels off easily.

Many people have different methods, which is great. Just make sure when you're getting cards ready to go that they're secure and stiff. If the trade involves some more valuable cards, bubble mailers and insurance is recommended.

Don't jump to conclusions.
Sometimes cards get lost in the mail. Human error can't stop it. If your cards don't show up, it doesn't necessarily mean you've been ripped off. Contact the person you traded with to see if they had any delays in shipping. Quite often there is a reasonable explanation.

A couple years back I sent some cards that never arrived. The person I was trading with, a repeat trader I might add, started threatening to press charges and blackballing my name on all kinds of trading boards. I offered to return his cards, no questions asked. I also suggested he picked a new batch of cards. I even emailed every single person I had traded with in the past that I still had email addresses for to see if I mistakenly sent them the cards. After several more daily threats, he picked another batch of cards worth $43, the exact value of the original deal. When I sent the cards I included a note apologizing for the inconvenience. It was nobody's fault, just a post office mix up. I just felt it was best to be polite. Ten days later he sent me a message saying he got the cards and that I wasn't a thief after all. The damage was done. Name-calling and threats are impossible to take back.

Be patient.
Unless you make a habit of always mailing FedEx (which is very pricey), packages don't arrive overnight. I wait three weeks to a month before contacting the person I traded with if a package hasn't arrived.

Be accountable.
If the cards you do send get lost, try and work something out. Wishing the other trader an insincere "tough luck, Bub," is no way of building good trading partners. Likewise if the cards you send get damaged somewhere along the way. Offer to send their cards back or something else. Both sides meeting half way is my preferred method. While it's unfortunate some cards do go missing, cutting your losses and acting mature about it is the best way to go. Trying putting the proverbial shoe on the other foot and consider how you'd like the situation resolved.

Have fun.
That's what trading is all about. I've made hundreds of trades and met some great people from all over the world. If I ever get a chance to travel, I hope to maybe put a face to some of these email addresses. I've been able to customize my collection more than I ever could have dreamed because of these people.