How to Hay Day the Forum Way
I'm just one person writing this. Comments are more than welcome. I don't know everything about Hay Day or trading, and am certainly not the most experienced forum member myself. I did this because I see a lot of redundant posting regarding the workings of trades and occasionally some misunderstandings. Although the vast majority of the posts are positive, helpful, polite, and effective, I thought that something like this could help us all out. This is mostly intended for those who are new to the forum, to help you navigate the scene in the most positive and effective way.
First and foremost, read the forum posting rules. Such things as posting external links, making racial or political comments, and sharing your email address are strictly forbidden. Before going anywhere else, go here:
http://www.ipadforums.net/forum-rules-help-info/2119-forum-rules-everybody-please-read.html.
Create a signature that shows your Game Center ID and your current level in Hay Day, and remember to update it when you level up. Some players have hundreds of Hay Day friends; making yourself easier to locate will make your trades faster and smoother.
Introduce yourself as a new trader. Don't just jump in and expect others to fill your needs. Most people in the threads sincerely enjoy helping others. We hope you'll be a helper as well.
Get to know your surroundings. While we don't expect you to read through all past posts in the thread, we do hope you'll familiarize yourself with the environment. Everyone is willing to help, but no one wants to explain the basics over and over again.
Always use your manners. "Please" and "thank you" make a big difference. Practice common courtesy and be as willing to give as you are to receive. Know that sometimes it takes a while to get responses, either because people haven't seen your post or even because they may be working on getting what they need to help you. Also, remember that this forum includes people from all around the world. Be patient!
Be appropriate and relevant. Some threads are strictly for buying and selling, some do not allow friend requests, and others allow any general Hay Day discussion (like this one). Keep your post relevant to the thread. DO NOT post for the sake of increasing your post count. You'll be noticed in a negative way, and your posts will probably be removed by a moderator.
How to Trade
Trading on Hay Day is simple once you know the method.
If you want to get something or have something to sell, you create a new reply within the appropriate thread to tell others about it. Remember those manners!
When someone is interested in your offer they will reply to you either by quoting your post or by sending you a private message, or PM. If you're very new, you will not yet be able to send or receive PMs, but it won't take long before you're allowed that. When you do gain access to your private message box, remember to occasionally clear messages. There is a limit to how much storage you're allowed. You may also consider using an external chat medium. If you use one and want to invite someone to connect with you there, arrange it through private messages. Remember the rules of the forum, which prohibit the posting of private contact information. Most Hay Day folks use iPadForum's private message feature, though. Obviously, to accept someone else's offer you either reply to their post or send them a PM.
When you're the seller, you will let your buyer know that you are ready to sell and then do what we call "wheating." Wheating means placing one wheat for sale for one coin in the rightmost box in your roadside shop, intended for a specific buyer. Do not advertise! Watch this wheat, and when you see it disappear the buyer's name will appear where the wheat was. If this is the buyer you're planning to sell to, you may then place the agreed-upon item for sale in that same spot. (If the wrong buyer takes the wheat, don't continue at that time - communicate with your buyer and consider waiting a while.) When the agreed-upon quantity is reached, the deal is complete. If you're making a trade, then you will go to the other person's shop and watch for the wheat they'll place for you. Make your purchases quickly so that someone else doesn't get them, and stay there until the deal is done. Additionally, if something causes a delay or you're not sure how long ago the buyer got the wheat, place another wheat to ensure they are active and ready at that time before placing the planned item. Either person may be the first seller but generally if you're new around here you'll be expected to sell first.
Prices
Different players have different preferences with regard to prices. Some sell for the default price that appears when an item is selected for sale. This is the quickest route, because the buyer doesn't have to wait for the seller to raise or lower the price, and minimizes the chance that someone else will come through and purchase the item before the intended buyer. Others prefer to sell for the maximum price as protection against loss to unexpected buyers, or because they bought the item at maximum price themselves and want to break even, or simply because they need more coins. Some players have larger coin counts and are willing to lower the prices for their buyers. Be sure to discuss prices in your agreements prior to the exchange if it is important to you.
Trades
Like with prices, different players have different opinions on the value of trades. Discuss and agree upon the terms before proceeding with the deal. Most often trades are 1:1, but it's not unreasonable to expect that someone might want two of your jams for one of their mallets (for example). Some like to even out the costs. Again, make sure you agree to the terms. You're not locked into a deal you that you don't feel comfortable with but you are expected to at least communicate this to the other player. However, you cannot change your mind after part of the exchange has been made. Think before you act, and be ethical at all times.
Random Buyers, Lurkers, and Remedies
Sometimes, things don't go quite as planned.
As a passerby or otherwise not a part of a deal: When you're out visiting your neighbors, try to be conscious of wheated exchanges going on between other players. Don't buy someone else's one-coin wheat. If you see something in the rightmost spot that looks inviting, consider the possibility that it could be a planned trade, and don't take it. Often our fingers move more quickly than our brains, so sometimes people mistakenly buy things that were intended for someone else. If you suspect you bought something you shouldn't have, please go to the forum and find out. Maybe you got lucky and the item was there for anyone, but maybe not. If someone contacts you and lets you know you took something planned, common courtesy dictates you return the item to them or to the intended buyer. Above all, do not intentionally move in on a planned exchange and try to steal the items. Others will notice, and you'll find that soon no one will be willing to deal with you and you'll likely see your friend count go down. Ultimately you'll find that you gain more through honest trades than by sneaking around in hopes of snagging something good.
As the intended buyer: Let the seller handle it. Too many people contacting the unexpected buyer feels like an attack.
As a seller: If you're the seller whose item is purchased by someone other than the intended buyer, take a calm but proactive approach. Don't go to the forum and start shouting that someone stole your item; remember there's a chance that the buyer could be an unaware friend who just got lucky. If you recognize the name of the unexpected buyer and know they are a forum member, you may go to the forum and politely ask them to return the item. Send a private message, as not everyone sees every post in the thread. If you do not recognize the name as a forum member, mention it anyway so that others can be aware in case you've found a lurker. While there are those silent, unknown lurkers who hang out just waiting for their chance to weasel in on a sale, I believe there are many more innocent people who would respond positively when treated with kindness. You can call people out without making rash accusations. Remember that the majority of people who play Hay Day are not on the forums and are unaware of planned trading. It might be a big part of your game and still be no part of someone else's.
Remember that Hay Day is just a game, but it is played by real people.
ill stop by.
