Swaptree: Writing Resources (and Other Goodies) for the Price of Postage
July 20th 2009 18:03
An affordable Source of Writing-Related Materials
I came across an interesting website recently and thought I'd share it with you--though I should preface this post with the disclaimer that it will only apply to my U.S. readers. (My apologies to the rest of you! The site is planning to expand into the international arena in the future but as of this writing it hasn't reached that point.) The site, called swaptree, while not directly related to writing, could prove really handy as a potential source of writing resources (books, videos, etc.). The best thing about the site is that it doesn't require a ton of cash to get the informational or inspirational resources you need to keep yourself growing as a writer. The only money involved in any transaction made on this site is the cost of shipping the item(s) you trade with others. It's a pretty revolutionary idea, really. But, I'm getting slightly ahead of myself.
What Exactly Is Swaptree?
Swaptree is a website where you can trade books (on a wide range of topics), CDs, DVDs, and video games for other items you want or need with absolutely no fees for listing items or making trades. Such an arrangement can obviously be a real boon to the writer whose budget is tight but who has unwanted items to trade. And, when you think about it, there's a double benefit to acquiring your writing resources this way: not only can you choose the precise items you need or want from among the many thousands of items others are offering in trade, but you can also de-clutter your home or office at the same time by getting rid of the materials you no longer want or need. It's really the perfect arrangement!
How Does Swaptree Work?
Swaptree allows you--and every other registered user (and registration is free)--to set up two lists: a list of items you have and would be willing to trade and another list of items you want. All you do is enter the UPC code or ISBN number of each item you have to trade, which creates your "have" list. You then peruse the site to find items you'd like to own that have been posted by others and add these to your "want" list. The site's software then compares your data with that of all other users of the site and generates a list of potential trades. You can then determine which trade(s) to pursue further. For more complete information about the finer points, logistics, and safeguards that swaptree has instituted, visit swaptree's how does this work? page. (You'll find a link to their FAQ page there, as well.)
Swaptree is the ultimate way to "recycle" your no-longer-needed materials and end up with a whole collection of new-to-you items that could just prove valuable to your career and/or otherwise enhance your life!
Hope you'll find this site helpful!
Jeanne
What are your thoughts on a site such as this? How needful/helpful would you consider such a service to be? Does it surprise you to hear that this service is completely free? Why, or why not?
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Comment by signals
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Thank-you!
Comment by Jeanne Dininni
Writer's Notes
Happy to help!
I've also blogged about another online outlet for your used books, which you may want to look into just in case you aren't able to effect a trade at swaptree for some reason or would prefer to receive cash for your books instead. The other website is described in my earlier post, SellBackYourBook.com: A Convenient Used Book Market.
Best of luck to you!
Jeanne
Comment by Lillie Ammann
Comment by Jeanne Dininni
Writer's Notes
I've seen many other sites that offer similar free services, such as free price comparisons for various products. I imagine that because the system is automated, it doesn't really require that much monitoring and must not be very time-intensive for the people running it.
The site does, of course, include advertising as well. Just checked to make sure, and when I did, I came across a really interesting page called swaptree in the press. It shows an impressive list of news items that have mentioned and said positive things about swaptree. (Prepare to do some serious scrolling when you view this list!) According to a few of the items I looked at, CNNMoney has referred to swaptree as the "e-Bay of swap." That's a definite indication of its impact.
Thanks for the visit!
Jeanne
Comment by Jeanne Dininni
Writer's Notes
Just checked out BarterQuest, and it's quite a fascinating site! Thanks for sharing the URL. (I've turned it into a link here to make it easier for WN readers to access it.) I'm sure many will be interested in learning what this site has to offer.
Thanks for stopping by!
Jeanne
Comment by Anonymous
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Comment by Jeanne Dininni
Writer's Notes
<3
Jeanne