I’m a tiny bit sad. I recently did a household book and CD purge–loading the car and dropping my unwanted items at Goodwill. Later, as I was wandering the disordered bookshelves of Goodwill, I thought….wow, no one will ever buy my books because HOW CAN YOU FIND ANYTHING IN THIS MESS?
Enter Swaptree: a huge website similar to ebay that facilitates free trades between users. I create two lists: items I have for trade and items I want. Swaptree makes it so easy. I even imported my Amazon wishlists with one click of a button. Here is an example of my first listing. I listed the DVD Twelfth Night. I received a choice of 273 items (books, DVDs, CDs, and video games) that I could get in exchange. If I decide to trade and the other user accepts my trade, Swaptree even gives me to option of printing and paying for a USPS mailing label with another click. Or I can mail it myself.
On top of that, if no one wants my listing, Swaptree keeps watching for a match. And it will even facilitate three-way trades! It is like match.com for lonely books!
I love it. I give things I don’t need to people who want them. They give me things I want and I don’t buy them new. Better for our consumptive world (not to mention fun!). The only problem: after my massive Goodwill purge, I’m not left with much to trade. Maybe I can sneakily visit my parents and see what needs a-purging on their media shelves…
