Trade Board Rules

If you want to continue trading, it is important that you are aware of the rules of this board. If you are warned/banned for breaking any rules on this forum, it will be no excuse that you did not know what the rules were as they are posted here for all to see. Breaking one of these rules will earn you a warning. After 2 warnings, you will earn a ban.

*Breaking any of these rules either in combination or by repetitive action may get your topic closed.*
Creation of new topics that break the 24-hour rule will earn warnings.

Read the forum rules. References have been made to the forum rules several times in the above paragraphs, but it cannot be stressed enough that you read them, understand them, and follow them closely so you may avoid earning warnings.

Create only one trade topic per 24 hours.
You are only allowed only one trade thread open that has posts made in the last 24 hours. Edit your threads if you have new information to add, do not create new topics or double post. The 24 hours starts counting from the last post made in your most recent trade thread, not the date that the topic was posted. For example, if the last post made in your trade thread was 10:00 PM you will have to wait until at least 10:00 PM of the next day to create a new topic. Members who create more than one trade thread before the 24 hours are up will have their trade thread(s) locked and will recieve a warning for breaking the 24 hour limit. After your thread(s) have been locked, you must wait 24 hours dating from the last post in your most recently locked thread before creating a new one.

Why is this rule here? To prevent the spamming up of this board. If the 24 hours had counted from the first post made in a thread, the creation of the topic (which it does NOT if you are not clear about this), then it would be possible for a member to have at least 2 trade topics open at once, if the first was still being posted in at the time. One at once is more than enough for you. You must realize, nothing is entitled to you here. If you abuse this board, you risk getting it taken away. Remember that and this board will continue to stay open to everyone if they keep

If you post "I'm closing this topic" and immediately go on to create another topic before the 24 hours are up, you still will get a warning. After you make your post inside your first trade thread, that starts the timer for the 24 hours all over again. By creating another thread after your post inside your older thread, you've broken the rule. You are better off not posting inside a trade thread and waiting for people to stop posting inside it. This means if you have a link to the older thread inside your signature, remove it so people won't go there and continue to post.

Be sure to check your past trade thread to see if there have been posts made after your last visit to the boards before you create a new thread to avoid a warning.

If you notice that someone has created multiple trade threads please use the report button or directly PM a mod. Please do not post that the user has broken the 24 hour rule, just tell a moderator so the topic can be closed faster.

It is not the job of the moderators to keep track of the topics you have made, so do not PM us asking 'When can I make a new thread?'. It will be only your responsibility keep track on how many threads you have made and if they are over the 24-hour limit or not.

If your thread was locked and you want to know how long before you can make a new one, you just add 24 hours to the time of the last post made in your most recent thread that was locked. Making another new thread after yours were locked will result in another warn.

If you have trouble figuring out how many trade threads you have, follow these steps to get to the "Find member's topics" page of your profile.
1. Get to your profile: Click on your name next to the "Log Out" button at the top-left hand corner of the screen. This is one way to get to your profile.
2. Click the "Profile Options" button in the top-right corner of the screen.
3. Click the "Find member's topics" button in the drop-down "Profile Options" menu. It is the button directly underneath "Find member's posts" and is the second option in the menu.
4. Read over your topics and check the time of the last post made in your trade threads.

Members are allowed to request moderators to lock or delete their trade threads.
You must wait for the 24 hours to be up and then you may start a new trade thread. Mods will be locking threads on request. The same can be said for deleting trade topics. But, if another user has bumped up an old trade thread of yours and you are in danger of a warn for creating multiple trade topics, tell a mod so that you can get the old thread locked so you may avoid an accidental warning.

Do not double post in threads or bump your own threads by double/multiple posting. No bumps allowed.
Double posting is against the forum rules and will not be tolerated in the trade forums either. Double posting is making a post and then making another post without someone else posting inbetween. Doing this at least twice is what results in double posting. Doing this more than twice (at least three posts in a row and above) is known as multiple posting.

[your post], followed by [your post], followed by [your post]= double/multiple posting and will result in a warning.
[your post], followed by (Someone else's post), followed by [your post]= not double posting and breaks no rules.

Edit your posts if you have new information to add. If no one seems to be making posts in your thread or even coming to it at all then you can either wait for the 24 hours to be up to create a new thread or be more patient and wait for someone to make a post in your thread. If people are not coming to your thread, that is not enough reason for you to try and bump it yourself. If you have updated your main page, you do not need to keep double posting in your thread saying so. Make the edit and wait for someone to post. Bumping or double posting in threads will earn a warn. Bumps are spam posts, spamming breaks the forum rules. Constant double/multiple posting may get your thread closed altogether.

Pokemon are only allowed to be traded for other Pokemon on Pokemon Crater.
Trading of Crater Pokemon for items/accounts/money on games other than Crater will not be allowed. If you see someone trying to do this, alert a mod. Topics trading Crater Pokemon for items on other games will be locked and the creater of the topic warned.

Do not create topics advertising your trades.
Do not create new threads saying "I want [enter Pokemon name]. See my trade thread: [link to trade thread]" or "See my trades here! I have alot to offer!:[link to trade thread]." If you want to advertise your trade thread, add a link to the thread inside your signature, that is the only legal way to do so.

Do not try to get people to join your website or message board by giving away free Pokemon.
This is as bad as advertising, but it's bribing people to join your site. It's not even a good way to get members who will participate in your site. They will just join, get a free Pokemon, and may as well never return to your site. It's not an intelligent way to try and get members for your site. If you're having a giveaway, have it. If you want to advertise your site, add a link to it inside your sig. That is the only way you are allowed to advertise.

Do not create 'trading center' threads where multiple people can post their own trades.
The trade board is for members to create their own topics to trade in. Creating one thread for several people to post their own trades in does not make sense since you already have an entire board to use to create a topic of your own. Threads like these can be used to evade the 24-hour rule and advertise trade threads. Threads inviting multiple people to post their own trades will be locked.

Do not create topics saying you will train other player's Pokemon.
This is already in the main rules thread and has been added here as well. This makes scamming even easier. Topics like these will be locked and the topic creator warned. Even if you do not purposely intend to scam people, it is always a possibility that the other person you make the deal with might.

Do not invade other people's topics.
This means you are not to post in another members trade thread asking if other players will want to trade with you. It's just plain rude.

Do not create 'appraisal' topics.
Don't create threads asking how rare something is, how much exp it is worth, what Pokemon should you trade, what deals you should make, etc. Read the Trading Guide, Location Guide, and the FAQ topic. All Pokemon are found randomly on this game. None are more rare than each other. It's popularity that determines what people will offer for the particular Pokemon. Appraisial threads will be locked.

Bumps of any kind are not allowed. Do not make a post consisting only of the word 'bump' so you may bump your topic up in the list. Members are not allowed to bump their own trade threads or request other members to bump their threads for them. Bumping/double posting in threads will earn a warn. Bumps are spam posts. A one word post is as much spam as a full-length post of gibberish. Spamming breaks the forum rules, so you bump a post, you earn a warning. Do not ask other members to bump your thread, you are getting them and yourself in trouble.
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-Borrowing/temporary trading.
'Borrowing' Pokemon is a practice that is not advised to do for it can lead to scamming. If you want to trade, trade for keeps. This way you won't have to worry about someone taking a Pokemon of yours