I had not done any trading for several years but have enjoyed it this year, with the exception of having people email me for a trade or for plants for postage, then I reply and never hear from them again. It's frustrating and a total waste of time. I have not had anyone default on a set up trade and don't send plants for postage without getting the postage first. I think the Rate and Review Forum has the potential to be wonderful, but many others like me may not know about it and I would hate for anyone not to trade with me because of a lack of feedback. I'm actually an awesome trader. :)

JUST MY OPINION... I am not really in favor of leaving someone a favorable comment simply because they followed through in sending an SASBE in order to get seeds. To me, it's like praising someone for coming to the dinner table and eating my food. And if we leave positive feedback for those who send out their SASBE requests, then shouldn't it follow that we leave negative feedback for someone who doesn't follow through? If that was the case, I'd be leaving negative feedback for dozens of people, as I'm sure anyone who has offered seeds for SASBE would as well. Though it's frustrating to hold seeds for someone who doesn't follow through, I don't really think it's an important enough of a matter to leave negative comments over. The whole concept of posting comments regarding SASBEs has other drawbacks. Last spring I offered a lot of seeds for SASBE, and one in particular stuck out. When I had looked at the person's want list, I saw she was looking for hardy geraniums. I found a few odds and ends, small amounts of several varieties, so I packaged them separately and included them as well thinking she'd be happy with the additional surpise. I was quite taken aback when she emailed me after receiving the SASBE and told me that I needed to read the FAQs, that "10 or 12 seeds was not considered a sufficient amount of seeds" and she would be leaving me negative feedback. I was stunned. Fortunately for her, she didn't leave the comments, or I would have responded with words including "ignorant", "selfish", and "ungrateful"... (Can you tell I'm still a tad steamed, LOL...) I think the sample comments for negative reviews are very good ones--Jack Webb of Dragnet would be happy with the "Just the facts, Maam" attitude. However, there are a few gray areas I am wondering about. What do you suggest regarding feedback if the trader sends mismarked seeds (ie, agastache instead of lavender); unviable seeds (such as sunflower seeds that were flat, white, and bendy, obviously underdeveloped); or a trader who waits until he/she has received the other person's seeds to tell them that he/she is out of several of the seeds they wanted and that they need to pick substitutes. I've always handled these matters privately. I know honest mistakes happen as in the first two cases--but the third example has happened to me a few times now (twice with the same trader--not going to trade with her again) and is starting to bother me as I feel it may be a bait and switch tactic. Still I'm not sure I'm comfortable about leaving negative feedback even in that situation. I'm sure it sounds as though I am focusing on the bad side of trading/SASBEs, which I am, but it's only because good trades and positive feedback are pretty self-evident. Kate

Hi Kathy645, YIKES!...There is a major malfunction at Rate and Review, and I see what you are talking about. In doing a search on my name there it says that there are 86 replies with the last one shown (on the search page) having a date of Feb 14, 10. In actually looking at the thread, there are 77 replies with the last reply being made on Jul 29, 09. (like you said...) So is everything since July 09 gone including my post? Or can other people see up to Feb 2010? Is that why a search of my name does not bring up your name as one I have rated? > Well, it looks like there is a window of time that some reviews got dropped (disappeared) from 'some' threads. In looking on back a few pages, and the dates threads were started and replied to, I really don't 'think' entire threads were lost. In checking my 'saved emails' I have an email from you dated 12-12-09, and on 12-13-09 I replied and thanked you for the kind review you had posted......so your review disappeared sometime on or after 12-13-09. In doing a little looking around there at R and R, and counting some replies, I see that there are also replies missing on member disneynut1977, it shows there are 28 replies, yet when counted there are only 26 there. It looks like they are missing sometime between Mar 4, 09 and Mar 16, 10. Member name Jeanne shows there should be 43 replies yet there are only 31 replies probably missing between Jan 22, 09 and Mar 15, 10 Member poppy_power says 46 follow-ups) yet there are only 29..probably missing between May 8, 09 and Mar 15, 10 Member name kmpsmom shows 43 replies yet there are only 40...probably missing between Mar 5, 09 and Mar 11, 10 Member name Liznbeatle shows 17 replies, yet there are only 14 dirt_under_my_nails-(reviews missing )shows last post is Dec 20, 09, yet the last one in the thread is Jul 4, 09 I will contact GW (via the Contact Us link at the bottom of every page) and link to this thread. Hopefully the lost reviews can be found. Hopefully it won't be like finding a needle in a haystack for the tech folks. Sue...loquacious as usual.

Okay. I put in her name in the top search box, but I got every trade and other message out there for her on GW. So maybe she doesn't have a rate and review yet. I just wish they had it like the old forum where the rate & review itself had a search box. I put other people's names in there, along with "rate & review," and I still got all kinds of other posts, messages, etc. Thanks for your help, though. I figured I was doing something wrong. I actually have a link on my Ideabook for my rate & review page. Makes it easier for people to find me. Just click and you're there to review me. :)