I wouldn't have a problem with an invitation only bow trade. Here is the issue I see with this years trade, sorry if I recover points I had already covered.
1. Some of the people on the list weren't on the First posted list. Did they not follow the rules of the trade and message their info and post on the signup page?
2. We have a whole lot of crying and complaining about bows that have one flaw or another, with no photographic proof of said flaws.
That creates some issues. First is that then more than likely the person that received a "bad" bow is going to hold a grudge against someone who will not know, and if they do will not know why. Second, the sender then never gets to attempt to make things right.
3. There is a chance that the person who gets a bow cries wolf to get a second bow.
4. The person who gets a "Flawed" bow send messages to other members about how bad of a product someone makes, and ruins someones reputation with the group as a whole.
5. Someone gets a "Flawed" bow and decides at that point that they aren't going to send. Just so everyone is aware, that is fraud.
6. People having unreal expectations of what this trade is about. It was supposed to be about a good time, and building a community. It ended up with people getting pissed because they didn't get the bow from Mike Kestwick, Hunter Bob, or Patrick. It has in fact soured my otherwise very high opinion of some of the members of the community. I am sure it did the same to others. If you received a bad bow you owe it to your sender to let them make it right. If you don't let them know that they sent you a flawed bow, how will they know what to improve next time?
7. People who get into the trade and don't know what they are getting into. Both members running the show, and people building.
I can think of one member that put his very essence into his bow, in the process I think JeffP51 went through A-E before he got one he was proud to put his name on.
In the end it has been extremely taxing to babysit supposedly grown men. It has been taxing to worry about a tainted reputation. I have exchanged well over 100 private messages throughout this trade, I wish I had saved them all. The back biting needs to stop and people need to be adults about being disappointed.