Idea for implementing trading into core game

While reading over some other threads here talking about how trading is or isn't what it could be in PoE, I had an idea, partially borrowed/morphed from an old MMO I used to play years ago and so might as well share and see how it goes.

The basic premise is player-to-player messaging system in the game, that could go something like this where Player A wants to buy something from Player B, while B is offline.

Player A fills out a form with following fields:

"Player B's Name"
"Item/Currency desired" - this could be written in text, no images, so as to simplify things
"Price Offered"


When Player B logs in, he sees this message as a hovering/flashing little envelope icon somewhere easily found but not obtrusive on the screen, and has following fields he can fill out in reply to Player A's request:

"Offer accepted/denied/countered"
"If countered, offer is:"
"If accepted, place the item(s) by picking up from inventory and placing into a screen similar in size to the inventory"

Once the item(s) are placed into the trade window, there are *TWO* confirmation prompts, to ensure that nothing happens "by accident" and people don't get into a mess because of it. Then, when Player A receives Player B's reply, he has only the option of "Offer accepted/denied" (so as to remove infinite loops of counter offers, don't know how difficult that would be to implement or not; if it's easy then add ability to keep counter-offering). Again, Player A gets *TWO* confirmation prompts and he also understands the trade will become 100% final.

Of critical importance, the item(s) wouldn't actually get traded until Player A *also* accepts Player B's offer, obviously, so there is no confusion. However, Player B's item(s) would not be available for him to use or do anything with, until a reply had been received from Player A (can place a time limit built in, say 3 days, where if someone doesn't answer the reply, the offer is automatically reversed and no harm done). In addition, once Player A initiates the trade attempt, the currency/item(s) he wants to include in the trade will also be unusable, similar to Player B, so that no possible issue happens with initiating a trade but then spending the currency or somehow losing the item in the meantime.

I have no idea how difficult this would be to implement given server load and lag times and everything else, but it looks to me like it avoids the various problems people have with trading and lets everyone do it reliably at their own pace. In theory, I think it is sound; practically, only GGG could tell if it could be done.


What do people think? Any improvements/flaws/etc?