TF2 Trading: Where the 'Fair' Happens

Many of you probably do not know this, but the spreadsheet many of us are used to using (tf2spreadsheet.blogspot.com) is currently under some fire. By no means am I saying that the prices listed on the spreadsheet are inaccurate and/or false, but I am warning all of its users to just stay updated with the arguments and claims made against it. I still recommend this as my primary spreadsheet of choice.

View the full argument here:
http://www.reddit.com/r/tf2trade/comments/yk9ji/psa_i_believe_the_tf2_pricing_spreadsheet_at/

Anywho, onto what the title of this announcement said. Some of my friends around the TF2 Trading community (and some subreddits, lol) have introduced me to a revolutionary TF2 Backpack/Pricecheck site, entitled "backpack.tf". Not only are the prices listed on the spreadsheet 100% community-voted, but they are also marked with precision accuracy. With backpack.tf, you can get down to the hundredths of a dollar when talking about your items price in dollar currency (USD). I must say -- as an admin of a trading server, the owner of this group, and a hard-core trader, this site looks very good... like, VERY good. Oh, I almost forgot to mention -- there's a whole entire community made unusual spreadsheet... with EVERY effect and hat known!

Check it out here: http://backpack.tf/pricelist

While the community-voted spreadsheet is nice, it's not what makes this site gold and worth going to. It's the personal backpack pages.

The personal backpack pages on backpack.tf feature lots and lots of cool statistics, types, and modes. For example, at the top of your backpack page (it's your TF2 backpack, like on tf2items... just to clarify), you'll see a couple things: your reputation across SteamRep, Trading Sites, VAC, and the Community. All jumbled together in one area--no need for visiting different sites. To the right of that, you'll see your backpack's value in refined and USD currency. Let me tell you--as someone who used to count and value backpacks by hand, this is an amazing feature. With the click of a button, you'll get a pretty fair estimate for the value of your backpack. It makes selling it a piece of cake.

Below that useful top-bar, you'll notice a couple of graphs. I'm not sure how many of you will actually use them, but they're there if you need 'em. Graphs include, but are not limited to: Value of BP in refined vs. Time, quality percentage, and item usage.

Now here's a really cool part to the site. No longer do you have to keep another tab open to check how much one of the items is worth in your BP. Simply hover your mouse over the item, and, at the bottom of the dialogue box, it'll tell you the suggested/estimated price of the item. Even unusuals.

This site looks beautiful. It's well rendered and graphically designed, it provides a great user experience, and, better yet, it makes your trading life easy. Checking someone's rep is now the same as checking their backpack. How awesome. But, as I do with any new site, I advise you all to stay cautious (for now) and double check all prices with the regular spreadsheet, despite its undergoing reputation. Many reviews of the site mention that the prices decided by the community are the prices people would LIKE to see, rather than what they actually are. So just saying, beware and double check before jumping the gun.

The BMOC and its massive, recent inflation:

As many of you have probably seen around the trading sites (and maybe servers as well), the BMOC has skyrocketed in price. Just a month and a half ago, it was going for a solid 10 keys. Now, on both spreadsheets, its up to nearly 23+/- keys. That's a 13 key/33refined increase. Sources tell me that a group of 'hostile' traders tried to artifically increase the price by posting fake trades, offers, etc.--and, their plan worked, and the community assumed the price went up. As for now, it has. But keep updated with both spreadsheets and watch who you're trading with IF you're buying one. Check SteamRep, profile comments (and friends), SourceOP, etc.

Happy trading!