[Five]

b&p tutorial, 2004

Originally Posted by RainDawg

Blanks and Postage (B&P) Trading

If you are somewhat new to lossless audio trading, or have been doing it exclusively throught internet downloading, you may be unfamiliar with the term B&P. Simply put, it is an acronym for a "Blanks and Postage" trade. In essence, you send someone black media (CDs or DVDs) and a postage paid return mailer, addressed to yourself, in order that someone can make you copies of the material you want, and drop it in a mailbox to return it to you without having to pay. In the early days of internet trading, this was one of the few ways that someone could get into the trading field. People willing to donate some time to making copies for you could do so without having to invest in the media and shipping themselves.

Though they are far less common today than several years ago, many, many people still use B&Ps as a way to share with others, get a small tradelist started, or just out of nostalgia for the good old days. I am generally willing to do reasonably sized B&P offers with people who request for me to do so. Many other traders are willing to do the same. Below are some links to help you learn the etiquette, find somewhere to search for B&P offers, etc. Have fun!

• Beginner's B&P Instructions - An exceptionally detailed guide to doing a proper B&P. The author mentions Grateful Dead, DMB, and Phish, but the same rules apply to all trading communities.
• The Trader's Den B&P Forums - A forum where you can seek out, offer, or respond to B&P offers (free registration required to post).