Pick Up Time : what is reasonable?

[dragonpuck]

I like the 24-48 hour time frame but will hold if asked for longer. But I do expect some sort of a response in 24 hours( due to time zone differences), I usually check the persons last posts before going on ,just in case they are on vacation etc.

Also if I have bred an egg without asking if the recipient has room, I do so with the intent of holding it until they do have room. The receiver shouldn't have to drop or change their plans due to my impatience

[Imbecamiel]

I'm definitely with those who feel that communication is key. If someone replies to me, and lets me know what's going on - either for trade or gifting - 90% of the time I'm happy to practically bend over backwards to accommodate them, and make sure it works out so they can get it. I'm willing to fog an egg to make sure it's not picking up views from sites I have other eggs on, stick it in an ER if necessary... I like to help people when I can.

 

But... if they're not communicating? I start getting impatient after 24-48 hours. Especially if they're on some gifting list, and should be expecting to be contacted. Since that kind of lack of reply has been happening more often lately, I've started saying something in my messages for gifts, along the lines of "If I don't hear from you by X time -"(usually 12-24 hours, depending on how much I need to unlock myself)"- I'll offer this to someone else." Now, if the person gets back to me after that time frame and I still haven't given the egg away yet I would typically still give it to them. But I do like to make that clear on gifts, just so they know they need to at least reply promptly if they want to get it.

 

That said, especially with trades, I do know that life gets in the way, and it's not always possible to reply right away. So I do try to make allowances when possible, and give people the benefit of the doubt. As long as the person replies eventually, I'm very rarely actually annoyed, even if things have changed and I can no longer give them the egg. It's only when people never reply at all that I start to get really frustrated.

 

(I mean, just looking at my own recent experience... My dog is extremely sick, likely to die within the next few weeks. It seems like lately every time I open a PM to reply to someone, something happens - I'm needed, the vet calls, someone tells me the dog is suddenly doing really poorly.... And more often than not it's hours before I can get back to finish replying. So it happens, even when the best of intentions are there, and I allow for that.)

Edited August 12, 2011 by Imbecamiel

[MisaTange]

24-48 hours is at most for me. However, it is understandable if you need a little longer to pick-up an egg. Though, COMMUNICATE. A PM or a bit of a chat in IRC is enough to let me know if you can get it in the given time. I get extremely impatient after 24-48 hours, but I'm flexible. I might increase the given time for one simple reason: Life happens.

[Dal]

I generally hold an egg at least 24 hours. When I breed an egg, I'll send a PM along with a teleport link. I have no problem holding an egg/hatchling as long as necessary IF I have at least been contacted and told why I need to hold it. IE: Just got locked, won't be unlocked for x time. I also track messages so I know when they've been read. If the message hasn't been read, I'll normally hold it a bit longer. Most of the eggs I breed I have no problem keeping them if they're never picked up. If you are unable to even contact me in the one or two weeks it takes for the egg to grow up, there will be no further contact until I have been asked again to breed the pair. I will simply remove the person from the list and move on to the next person.

 

As far as trades go, I expect these to be accepted immediately unless contact has been made and a specific time has been issued for when the trade will happen. Generally I will hold an egg about 12 hours, maybe less, in this case.

[AlternateMew]

I don't have too many things to gift, so I haven't run into this issue before. But I suppose 48h sounds good. I'm on pretty much every day, so I reply fast on my end. Atm, I'm pretty lenient. I have no problem holding an egg if a recipient is locked. This will probably change as I get more valuable dragons and hence more breeding lists/requests.

[Arwen17]

48h or less, unless they notify me of special circumstances. But the longer they make me wait, the more likely I might change my mind if a better deal comes along. So make sure I get a response within 24h if you want to be sure I don't change my mind.

It does also depend on the egg. A rare egg I'm more likely to be patient for than a common egg.