Swap

= swap.com is a swapping site

Description

"Swap.com helps people tap into the rich resource they have in their homes already. We might not have a ton of money in the bank, but most of us still have plenty of valuable goods in our home that we aren't really using. It is estimated that we have over $300 billion worth of media in our homes in the U.S., and with other goods like fashion and athletic gear, the value of swappable goods in our homes could easily rise to $1 trillion or more. You might not get much selling most of these, but these goods provide a virtually inexhaustible supply for swapping. Starting with media like books, DVDs, music, and games, Swap.com helps people to swap with each other to get what they want for far less money than buying new stuff, and with out going further in debt.

Here's how it works: First you go to their website (www.swap.com) and sign-up as a member. You use their system to enter information on things you want to swap, and also list the things you would like someone else to send you. The swap.com system creates exchanges automatically, matching people up. Once you accept a trade suggested by the system, you buy a shipping label and send off your book. The only charges are for shipping, and a small transaction fee of about $0.25 to $1, for media being swapped.

"Business is going well," said Bennett. Swap.com was just founded in 2008 and already has almost a million members and over 3 million swaps under their belt. "This is a new category that is really an old category." While swapping by Internet like this might be a new concept, swapping itself has been around since the dawn of time, before there was money even. It's not hard to understand--people get it instantly because it is so straightforward and makes so much sense. You've got what I want, and I've got what you want, so let's swap. Setting up those swaps is a heck of a lot easier though with an on-line intermediary like swap.com to make it work. How else are you going to have access to not just one garage sale or Craigslist posting, but millions of garages all over the country?

In addition to mediating swaps on-line, Swap.com is working locally to create, organize, and sponsor local swapping events as well, blurring the line between on-line and off. They recently got involved with a 400 person event in Boston, and they're hoping to pull off 1000 events across the country for Halloween costume swapping." (http://www.fastcompany.com/1697873/swapping-our-way-to-a-new-life-in-the-conserver-economy)