Book Swapping

There's an extensive summary of book swapping sites at http://web.archive.org/web/20070521121829/http://moochbooks.com/books/review/

It analyzes the trading models for each of the services listed below. Since the page is explicitly copyright we just excerpt small snippets to give you the basic idea of what the services are about.

Examples

1. PaperbackSwap.com

They currently offer nearly 700,000 books, list just 9 books with them that you are willing to trade away, and you immediately receive 3 free credits. Once credit equals one book.

• 2. BookMooch.com

BookMooch awards users with 1/10 of a point for every book they list and a full point every time users ship a requested book. Points are then redeemed one-to-one for books.

3. FrugalReader.com

Typically the value for a paperback is 1 credit and hardcover and audio books are 2 credits. However, (paying) premium members have more flexibility in setting their buy & sell credit values.

4. TitleTrader.com

TitleTrader also allows earning and trading points with DVDs, VHS, CDs, video games and magazines.

5. SwapSimple.com

When you post something to trade away they immediately give you that book's 'market value' in Trade Credits.

6. bookins.com

7. SF-books.com

8. thebookcart.com

in place of virtual currency (i.e. points) they use actual currency.

9. ZunaFish.com

ZunaFish is the top site that uses direct peer-to-peer trading. The previous nine convert your books to a tradable currency, but ZunaFish aims to help you trade directly with someone else.

10. SwapThing.com

11. BookCrossing.com

bookcrossing is defined as the practice of leaving a book in a public place to be picked up and read by others, who then do likewise.

More Information

1. Check out our entry on the Book Commons which lists books that are freely available online.
2. Book Renting, a different modality of not-owning books than swapping.