I don't overvalue my cards :| It's more often like that most people overvalue their cards. It was by mistake that I thought my Mesprit was still $7 since it was a few weeks ago, and the cards I wanted from one guy never really sold on eBay and then he says they're worth $15 total (4x Cherrim and 4x Scizor SF, didn't even sell for $.50 each). But then you know, another guy says my Dialga G is $5(lol now he's banned). I've actually had to rip myself on some trades to get the trainers I wanted (example: Shining Duskull + RH Broken Time Space for 4x Buck's Training).
Well when you go on eBay, to me you do overvalue your cards seeing as how I am selling them for cheaper so why would I go by a price that is more than what I sell them for/value them?
And as for the trade, that is really your fault not anyone else's. There are tons of people with Buck's Training, so just because you find the first one and he gives you a bad offer, it doesn't mean you should take it. Think about how many traders there are on these sites who would happily give you a better offer. But if you just go for the first one then you really have no one to blame but yourself. A little research never hurt anyone.
I've traded for years in other card games and I've always been fair. Sometimes even in the favor of my trading partner. But now it seems like whenever people get an offer that's even or a little bit in my favor, they get offended and don't even counteroffer. The whole debate is perceived value versus actual secondary market value. If Dialga G goes under $5 shipped on eBay a few times, does that mean it's worth just that much? Using the actual market value in a trade offer will not get the Dialga G, as the user has stated that it's a $10-$12 value card.
The frustrating part of trading online is that people will use perceived value on THEIR card, but actual market value on mine and I don't think that's fair. Look at this thread on PokeGym (Price Guide Discussion to be specific)
http://pokegym.net/forums/showthread.php?t=99480
$4-$6 is the lowest that users in the thread have agreed to, plus S+H and that's on eBay a couple days ago.
See really that is the problem with "new traders" (such as yourself) that come on here/Pokegym. Now a lot of them go by eBay price while veteran traders (like myself) don't, do you know why? Because we know where we can get them for cheaper prices. So why would I go with the prices on eBay when I can get it for way cheaper?
So think about this, you "expect" around $4-$5 for a Mesprit alone, while I am only selling them for about $3. So why would I trade with you when I am selling them cheaper than what sell it at.
I've only had a couple good trades over the past few days.
Now why is that highly playable cards are only worth a dollar? You would think that cards would be appropriately priced but they're not. Honestly, if I had cash lying around I would buy cards from you. But then that's what trading is for when money isn't available. Don't all cards have value? Many people are trading for just what they want, but not trading for something that someone else may want. I refuse to believe that the cards I spent my hard-earned money on are worthless and undesirable. And that when people say "I don't see anything", they're just too lazy. Why are my good rares suddenly worth a dollar but then a few single cards are worth a lot? I understand demand but it's just ridiculous that Roseanne's Research is $4(some say $5). It's a bloody uncommon that's been reprinted a few times. But heck, I'd trade a couple a foils for one but people don't even want a reverse holo version of a holo, which I've been told is worth a bit more than the regular holo (and this was told to me by Terry Kamm, PTO). The funniest thing happened to me quite a few times on this forum and PokeGym. I have a LOT of this particular users wants, I say CML for some card or thing like a hat. They say "sorry don't see anything". But WAIT, I have a ton of your wants! What the heck is going on here? Is the Pokemon TCG in bizarro world or something? THEN I reply with what I have of their wants. And so far no response. And these are good trainers too like Looker's Investigation. Are people just EXPECTING for someone to come along with exactly what they need? Because I just don't see that happening and it appears that they won't trade that frequently.
And for your other problem, of them saying "sorry I don't need anything", but think about it. Say you are asking for a valuable card from my list, (example lets say Uxie (LA)), now you have only have 1 of my wants (lets say like a Random Blastoise Card). Now just because you have that 1 card doesn't mean I want to make a trade when you have JUST that 1 card and when I DO check your list you have nothing else I want, so naturally some one would say "Sorry I don't see anything" because you are asking for a card that I may not want to trade for the few cards you have off my wants list.
And just because it has been reprinted a couple of times it does not give the value of the card any less than how much it sells for. Look at Rare Candy, how many times have it been reprinted? TONS of times. But the value is actually increasing/staying the same price. Why? Its because of playability of the card if a card is playable (a staple), then you should be receiving a pretty penny for the card.
But you know, I'm new to this game, so I just go along with offers when people are willing to trade some of the trainers I need for holos of mine.
See an that is your fault as well. When you trade lets say a card like Roseanne's Research. I would gladly give you a Unplayable Holo for Like 2 of your RR's.
My question to you is, are you a perceived value or an actual market person?