Should I Trade or Should I Sell?

Should I Trade or Should I Should I Sell?

Think of the song by The Clash of a similar name, linked here.

Fairly frequently I get asked this same question in different ways. Hear are a few.

1. Would you trade an A1L Ring for an A3 7th Son V2?
2. Would you trade an A2 Yank for an A3 Yank?
3. Would you trade a Shoyoroll Rio Koi for an CTRL Gigante?
4. Would you trade a BNIB White Skies for a Used Blue Skies? 
5. Would you trade an A1 Illest for an A1 Rebel?

And those are just a few different angles that trades can take. Do you see a pattern? I don't. But I do see many issues of trading that make it a much less desirable method to achieve your goals than would selling what you own and then applying those monies to what you want to buy. And here is why.

Number 1

In #1 above, the consideration here is to trade a classic, lower-production Shoyoroll of one size, for a newer, high-production batch Shoyoroll of another size. So two issues come into play. Not only does this dilemma contemplate trading "out of size," but the value differences between the two gis are far off. Probably by as much as 100%.

Number 2

This one is a little easier to deal with. The proposed trade is for the same batch of gi, but for a different size. So as in #1 above, this trade would be "out of size." However that is a lot easier to do when you are talking only one size up (or down) and both gis being the same batch. It's never "easy," but this one is easier than that in #1.

Number 3

While no size is offered in this trade, the challenge in this #3 is trading one brand (Shoyoroll) for another brand (CTRL). And while sometimes that can be done with ease, oftentimes it hits a brick wall with one party or the other. Sure their are crossover fans from CTRL to Shoyroll and back again. But there are also hardcore fans of each that would not be caught dead in a gi from the other brand.

Number 4

While the value of a BNIB White Skies may be equal to that of a Use Blue Skies, the challenge that this trade presents is mixing a BNIB gi with a Used one. Personally, I have had bad experiences accepting a used gi in trade for a BNIB one, regardless of the value. As a result, I won't do it again.

Number 5

This is an extreme example of the difference in value between one batch and another batch. The value of a BNIB Illest is 300% or 400% more than a Rebel. Yet it's still one gi for another gi. So some people have a hard time wrapping their brain around that value difference.

I even had one guy ask for my A1L inventory once because he had a gi to trade. So I gave him my entire inventory. He picked the Illest. And with over $1,000 in value difference I asked him to send me the $ and we'd make the trade. Well he got all up in a huff and offended because I didn't want to make a straight trade with him. Again, both parties were not of the same mind.

Trading Issues

I have been involved in many gi trades over the years, from the simple to the complex. From straight trades of one gi for another gi, to trades of multiple gis involving multiple people and money as well. So trading can definitely be done if everything is in place, all people are reasonable and honest, and everyone gets what they want out of the trade. But that requires more than just an understanding and agreement by two parties on the value of two (or more) gis. It requires desire as well.

For example. If John has a BNIB Mamba and is approached by Alex for a trade in which Alex wants to make the trade using his BNIB V1 Absolute, is that a reasonable trade? I don't think so. The Mamba is (as of the time of this post) a gi valued at up to $750, while the Absolute is at or under it's drop price because of many issues. So it's a $200 +/- gi.

That doesn't automatically mean that John won't make the trade. But Alex will have to come up with some cash to make it happen. The question becomes whether or not Alex will do so and if he values the gis at these same price points or not. And so it goes.

So one Trading Issue is a mutual understanding of the value of the gis being traded.

And then there is the mutual desire for what the other person has to trade. As in the above example, if John doesn't want an Absolute, then what? And that's a common issue, especially when gis of other brands are involved.

Next, the size factor comes into play. If Alex's Absolute is an A4 and he's lost weight so he wants John's A3 Mamba, while John may want an Absolute in his collection, he may not want an A4 because it doesn't fit him.

What Does It Take?

To effectuate a trade, all parties must have the following:

• A mutual understanding of the value of the gis involved. And if they are not equal (which is often the case), than they must also have...
• A willingness to pay/accept money as a part of the trade to offset the difference in the values of the gis.
• A desire to accept the other party's gi in trade. This includes many sub-issues such as batch, condition and size.
• A receptiveness to the concept of trading vs. just selling and getting the equity out of the gi. 
• An inclination to deal with and pay for the shipping of the gi. This is especially a factor when mailing internationally where the postal expense can be prohibitive. 

Now, with all of these factors that must be in alignment for a trade to occur where all parties are mutually satisfied, do you now see why I tell people all the time to:

Sell your gi, and use that cash to buy what you want.

Isn't that much simpler?

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What is Shoyoroll's GUMA?

October 2017 UPDATE:
Shoyoroll Brand has ended it's Guma program after 6 years. The below text will remain in tact to help new ShoyoFans understand what Guma once was..and what they missed out on.

Guma, and its upgraded sister, Uber Guma, are membership programs of Shoyoroll Brand. As a Guma or Uber Guma Member (collectively "GUMA") you get special privileges that are beneficial to fans of Shoyoroll ("ShoyoFans") who have certain objectives. More on all of this below.

The purpose of this blog is to simply outline GUMA, it's cost, benefits and negatives so that you can easily gain an understanding of the program and determine if it is something that you might want to consider in the future.

What is Guma Reserve?

Guma Reserve ("Guma") is a paid annual membership of Shoyoroll Brand, which guarantees members first access to many online kimono releases through the Shoyoroll web store. In addition, Guma members receive exclusive access to Guma-only releases, as well as a 10% discount on some merchandise.

History

Guma Reserve as it's officially known, started in 2012. Uber Guma was launched three years later in 2015 in an effort to honor the Guma members who have been with Shoyoroll since the inception of the program. Quite frankly, GUMA is a fantastic concept and has an unbelievable success for both Shoyoroll Brand and its fans.

Cost

For Guma the fee has consistently been $300 + shipping. For Uber Guma, it's twice that. But in reality there is no "cost" because as a Guma member, come springtime you get a nice package in the mail that has the Annual Guma Gi, a tee shirt and other "mystery" item(s).

As an Uber Guma member you get the Guma package plus the Annual Uber Guma gi, tee shirt and other "mystery" item(s). The combined secondary market value of these items easily meets or exceeds the cost of the membership. So the fee is well worth it to most ShoyoFans.

How Do You Get GUMA?

If you are an existing GUMA member in good standing, come October/November you'll receive a renewal notice from Shoyoroll via email. It is that simple. As long as you are not asleep and miss the opportunity renew, you are good as gold.

If you are not yet a Guma member, sometime in the Summertime Shoyoroll will announce that it is opening up the next years Guma membership to new members. At least that is what they have done for the past couple of years.

They then launch a dedicated website where interested ShoyoFans can sign-up and get in line for any potential openings in the membership. In the past this has occurred in mid-August. It should be noted that once you signup you will not hear from Shoyoroll if you've been selected until the renewals are complete sometime in the late Fall.

There is no cost or obligation to throw your hat in the ring for any opening in the membership. Monies are only due if you are selected and chose to sign up at that time.

How Many Guma Members Are There?

Only Shoyoroll knows. And now that Shoyoroll has opened up in Europe and Japan, and offered Guma to Europe, it has to be well over 1,000 strong.

As far as Uber Guma goes, the freshman class of 2015 was fairly small  because it was made up of only those who had been Guma since the inception in 2012. The estimate here is somewhere between 150 and 200 Uber Guma members.

However, for 2016 Shoyoroll has opened up its Uber Guma to more members, some of them even FIRST TIME Guma members in 2015. So that 150 to 200 is likely nearly double for 2016.

And it should be noted that many original 2015 Uber Guma members are pretty unhappy with Shoyoroll opening up Uber to people who have only been Guma for less than a year. The air of exclusivity has been tainted with this decision.

How Is Uber Guma Different From Guma?

Well, Uber today is what Guma was in 2012/2013. In other words, Uber is an exclusive club of a limited number of people who have access to small production batches of gis made just for them. Because Guma is so large now it is no longer an exclusive club. It seems virtually everyone is Guma these days, and the numbers are growing each year. But Uber is a much smaller, tight-nit community of ShoyoFans.

So here are a few ways where it is different.

• You get the Annual Uber Guma package, including gi, tee shirt and other "mystery" item.
• For some gi batches there is an exclusive Uber-only colorway. For example, in 2015 the following Uber-only colorways were offered to the Uber Guma members: RVCA (blue), Leo V. Human Chess (Navy Blue), Magik (Blue), Clear Skies (White with blue collar).
• Access to some in-person drops. In 2015 this only occurred with two drops, and is a major bone of contention with the Uber members who had hoped to get access to more than just these two. But they got access to the Black A&P batch 5, and the PIFA white gi. 

How About Albino & Preto ("A&P")

Up until 2015 the answer was "no." But as of 2015 there have been occasional A&P gis put into the Guma program. In 2016, Shoyoroll/AP announced the "AP Reserve" program. Essentially this is the mirror image of GUMA for AP products. The mechanics and costs for the first year of AP Reserve (2017) were the same as that of GUMA. Time will tell how this new program works out.

What is NOT Included

You don't get your 10% GUMA discount on any A&P drops, you have to be an AP Reserve member for that. And you don't get a first look at or right to reserve anything other than gis. So no hats, tees or rash guards. Not even for Uber Guma. And it would make sense if Shoyoroll started to include these ancillary items for AT LEAST the Uber Guma members. But as of 2015, this is not the case. It's only for gis.

Prior GUMA Packages

So, my best recollection as to what the prior packages were is as follows.

2012

1751 Georgetown Gi + 2012 Guma Gym Bag

2013

Black Skies Gi + Hoodie + Lanyard

2014

Guma 2014 Gi + Hoodie + Water Bottle

2015

Guma = Guma 2015 Gi (white with gold trim), + Silver Foil Tee Shirt + Silver Key Chain & Bottle Opener

Uber Guma = The above Guma package + Uber Guma 2015 Gi (same as the Guma gi, but Black colorway with gold), + Gold Foil Tee Shirt + Gold Key Chain & Bottle Opener.

2016

Guma = Guma 2016 Gi (white with maroon trim/accents), + Guma Tee Shirt + Guma Hoodie.

Uber Guma = The above Guma package (except for the hoodie) + Uber Guma 2016 Gi (grey with contrast lapel) + Shoyoroll Jacket (in lieu of the hoodie), and some Shoyoroll branded finger tape.

European GUMA received the same package as above + a foam hand.

GUMA Positivities

Well, the 10% discount you get on the gis basically pays for shipping. And with the retail cost of Shoyoroll's gis constantly going up, any little bit helps. But the two main positives are as follows:

• You never miss a gi drop. Days before the public drop all GUMA members get to log into the GUMA section of the Shoyoroll website and place their orders. So there is no more dealing with the public drops and frustration in failing to secure a gi because you were 2 seconds late to the drop. 
• The other nice aspect to GUMA is the exclusive gis and colorways. For most gi batches that Shoyoroll drops they will make a distinctive colorway for Guma-only and possibly for Uber Guma-only purchase. So while the public only gets to purchase, say the White colorway, Guma might get to purchase the white as well as the Guma-only Black. And Uber Guma have it even better, able to purchase the White, the Guma Black AND, say, the Uber Guma Blue. 

So as you can see, if you are a gi hoarder and like a variety of different gis for your rotation, then GUMA is for you.

GUMA Negatives

The primary negative of Guma is this (taken verbatim out of my renewal notice):

• Member purchases will be monitored. Those who are abusing membership privileges may be subject to cancellation of current membership and being denied access to purchase a future membership.
• Members are prohibited from reselling merchandise on private websites, commercial websites and/or other resell channels.
• Failure to abide by the rules, terms and conditions of Guma Reserve Membership as stated, will result in your membership being revoked/canceled, without refund.
• Shoyoroll reserves the right to cancel membership(s) at any time, at our discretion without refund.

One problem to these onerous rules is that they are selectively enforced by Shoyoroll. They play favorites. So beware.

These "handcuffs" as I like to call them are a major restriction if you like to buy & sell gis. And unless you have a rotation with 20+ Shoyoroll gis, then why do you really need GUMA? You don't. If you are the average person with 2 or 3 gis in your rotation and purchase one new gi per year, then GUMA isn't for you.

Other than that, Guma and Uber Guma are fantastic programs and well worth trying to get (and keep) for many ShoyoFans.

I hope this brief write up was helpful. If you have any feedback, please feel free to leave it here, PM me on Facebook by clicking here. Or email me by clicking here.

Enjoy & good luck.

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