Confused about someone's trading methods

[WitchArachne]

So I have a White Paint Brush up for trade. I get a neomail from someone asking if I'll take 1.6 for it. I say 1.8. We agree on 1.7.
They then ask me if we'll do it via high-increment auction.

That's the first thing I don't get. Why would I auction an item if it's already up in the trading post? You can just make an offer on it, it's accepted. All is said and done. I've seen people who post on the TP saying that people should neomail them to make it an auction but I don't get why any seller would want to since it leaves you open to selling the item lower than the agreed price.

So I say: "why not do it through the TP?". They say "ok" and make an offer on the paint brush. Only it's 800 000 np and a wocky plushie (or something, I can't remember exactly what it was). I think they're bidding part pure and part item and I neomail them and say "sorry, I thought you meant 1.7 pure. I don't like doing item trades." and they say "no. make two junk trades."

What's going on? I'm pretty sure they're trying to rip me off, but I don't want to just jump on them and accuse them of that. I've never been much of a trader, so I might just be missing someone that people do regularly on there.

Why would I do two junk trades? Why not just do one trade and not leave myself open to being ripped off? What's the benefit to me, and what would be the benefit to them, assuming they're not just trying to rip me off?

[Duskitty]

The Trading Post max NP limit is 800k. To get the 1.7 mill, you would have to set up a neofriends-only auction and have the person bid on it.

 

As for the 2 junk trades, I have no clue. Trying to battle right now, so all I can really think of is mindless clicking.

[siniri]

There's a maximum limit on the TP of (I think) 800k pure, which is why they asked you to make it an auction. Usually, if you want pure and put it on the TP, people will NM offers. Once you pick one, you can make the auction in 1 of 2 ways (or both, if you want to be extra safe): 1) limit to NF only 2) make it high-increment so the person won't be outbid. You get all the NP you want; they get the item.

They're offering to pay the extra on junk trades. You could rip them off by accepting the junk bids (the rest of the NP for the pb) without accepting the pb offer (which is scamming and would get you frozen). I recommend against split trades in case something goes wrong. Auctions are cleaner, especially if you do NF-only high-increment.

[WitchArachne]

Ah I see. I have traded on the TP before but never with anything worth more than 800,000 so I've never realised there was a np limit.
OK well that's good then. Fingers crossed it works out for the both of us then.
Thanks for your help, both of you!

[Lydia Trebond]

Safest way to do it is to do a NF only auction with something like a 1 million starting point and 700k increment.

[lilshadowdweller]

Yes, it was just a misunderstanding from what you're saying! ^^ Hope it all went well!