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Website Review: Swaptree - An Online Book Swap Meet
A few weeks ago I received an invitation to try out a new website still in beta called Swaptree. The idea of Swaptree is to build a community of people who are interested in trading items -- books, CDs, DVDs, and video games -- amongst each other. While the website is still in its infancy, and not yet open to the general public, the concept is amazing and many of my old books have found new homes in exchange for fresh titles I've been wanting to read. Here's how it works. Once you create a free account and login, your first task is to list all of the items you have to trade. Since I don't really collect video games, DVDs, or CDs, I just went straight to my bookshelf and pulled all of the books off that I've already read and am not interested in saving. I found 25-or-so books, and proceeded to enter in their ISBNs into Swaptree's database as "have" items, or ones I am willing to trade. Then I went through my Amazon wishlist (where I keep track of the books on my "to-read" list) and entered these into Swaptree's "want" database.
Want to beta test Swaptree? Find out how after the review....
This is when Swaptree's magic begins to work, as it goes through my "have" list and my "want" list, and pairs me up with other Swaptree folks who have a book I want, and vice versa. For instance, if I've listed Bill Bryson's A Short History of Nearly Everything as an item I have to trade, and there is someone who wants that book and has something on my "want" list, Swaptree notifies each party and initiates the trade. If both parties accept the trade, the system gives each member their respective mailing address and completes the trade. The only thing left to do is package the book and ship it off.
Swaptree offers the ability to print off media-rated shipping labels so that you never have to visit the post office. Once a trade is completed, the system gives you the option of either printing off a label with the destination and return address on it and all the necessary postage costs, or using your own label.
Everything you list on Swaptree is offered as a one-for-one trade, making it a true trader's market. You won't run into anyone offering something you want for trade with $5 added on top -- everything is one-for-one; DVD for a book, video game for a CD, book for book. One-for-one. This keeps would-be entrepreneurs looking to make a quick buck out of the system, and instead fills the community with like-minded readers just looking to give their books a new home.
Members rate their trade experiences with an eBay-like rating system, so if someone snubs you or waits three months before sending a book, you can mark their account warning future traders.
Best of all: everything is free. Swaptree doesn't charge you for making a trade; the only thing you're ever charged for is if you choose to print off a shipping label from the website. I can't tell if Swaptree marks up shipping when you use their label -- if they do, it's not much -- but the convenience of not having to go to the post office is well worth it for me. If you chose to go to the post office and get the best shipping rate possible, Swaptree doesn't charge a dime.
Swaptree is in private beta and is only accessible by invitation. However, they've graciously given me 20 invitations to give away to Gadling readers, so if you're interested in trying the service out before anyone else, just leave a comment below and I'll send you one, first come first serve. Sorry, but I'm all out of invites! Visit swaptree.com and enter your email address to be put on a waiting list.
Swaptree.com
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
Mark Smith Jun 4th 2008 7:18PM
I just wanted to let people know swaptree isn't as great as it sounds. I joined swaptree 5/24/08 and thought it was going to be great, boy was I wrong.
Idid everything I was supose to do and made two trades with two different people. they recieved the dvds I sent out but I have not recieved theirs as of yet, still waiting. both users sent in feed back and I have a 100 % trading rate and no pending trades.
For some reason unknown to me I tryed to trade some more dvds and every time I tryed to get a dvd it said that item is no longer available, ok someone traded that dvd and it isn't off of the list, no problem right? well I have not been able to trade since then, every item that I try to get is now unavailable. what gives, Have sent swaptree several e-mails and they would not respond. So I sent them an e-mail telling them that in the discussion area that no responce happens alot and it looked like to me that there was noone from swaptree was monitoring the site anymore and asked if they were closing the site .
Well what do you know they resonded back (can you believe it)saying that they take their customer service serious. well when they took the time to send that e-mail why didn't they go ahead and tell me why I was getting "item not available" on everything I was trying to trade for. I signed on as a different user and went to the discussion area and what do you know they had erased all of my comments(none of them were mean) I guess they didn't want other users to know what I was going through. Just thought you should know about this site and let people know to use caution. I still don't know why this happened, I guess they didn't like me e-mailing them asking why this was happening. If you do join, I hope you have better luck than I did.
Linda Stein Jan 10th 2009 11:56AM
Got very excited when I saw this concept. I have a lot of almost new (read just once) that I would like to trade, or I'll even donate. Tried to register, website would not take it. Please help.
Thank you,
Linda Stein Jan 10th 2009 12:02PM
Would really like to join. Please help.
Thank you.
Linda Stein Jan 10th 2009 12:03PM
I already did this twice.
Bob Oct 6th 2009 1:51PM
I was very unhappy with my swaptree experience. Over a period of just 2 months, there were 5 trades that I never received. The users I swapped with all had high ratings, but that wasn't enough to ensure that they would actually send my trade. I ended up paying to ship my quality books, receiving nothing in return. The issues were reported to swaptree, but the last communication from swaptree I received was to be told that they would "pursue every avenue available" to them to try to contact the user to send my books. Apparently you can swindle people on this site and get away with it, aside from having your account suspended. I have deleted my account and WILL NOT be using them again, as there is no way to know whether you will actually receive anything in return for your items.
Amelia Nov 28th 2009 6:53PM
DO NOT use this site. One of my books got lost in the mail & I explained the issue several times but never got a response to any of my emails to customer service & was served w/mail fraud papers.
Mike Apr 16th 2007 4:37PM
Sounds interesting. Can I try it out?
Curtis Apr 16th 2007 4:58PM
I'd like to pick one of those up, this ought to help me clear the clutter even more.
innatejames Apr 16th 2007 5:18PM
I would like to try it too, please.
Nate Apr 16th 2007 5:18PM
I would also like to try it, please.
Asad Apr 16th 2007 6:41PM
Hi there. Would love to get an invite. Thanks.
Tom G. Apr 16th 2007 6:58PM
I just joined and have made one trade. I will be glad when there are many more people with a lot more books. I think it's a great concept.
David Apr 16th 2007 7:04PM
would love an invite if their not already all gone
Steve Apr 16th 2007 7:09PM
Thanks for the invite opportunity!
tom Apr 16th 2007 7:08PM
I would love an invite
Karen Apr 16th 2007 7:11PM
So - can a trade be completed if Person A wants something from Person B but Person B wants something from Person C and Person C wants something from Person A?
Or do you have to find ONE person who both wants what you have and has what you want?
tom Apr 17th 2007 12:59PM
I would love an invite
Justin Glow Apr 16th 2007 7:11PM
No Karen, that's the beauty of Swaptree -- the system will do two and three way trades when it works.
dan Apr 16th 2007 7:24PM
i would like an invite. thanks.
malpitte Apr 16th 2007 7:25PM
Sounds cool, I kinda like the idea of rotating reading material. And i have some books I want to go to a loving home. got any invites left?