Forget eBay, because these “15 Useful Websites” gives you the power to swap and/or trade your old Books, CD’s, DVD’s, Video Games for things that you want. Great for anyone who can spot a good deal when they see one and are open-minded enough to try something different and fun.
Most people on the Internet who are looking for good deals normally choose to shop with traditional retailers or they may place a bid at their favorite auction website. There is another way to land a fantastic deal and that doesn’t require person to pay an arm and a leg after the deal is done. Consider the art of swapping your old or unwanted items you have for unwanted items other people have for example.
This article was inspired after following the bartering (swapping) skills of a man named Kyle MacDonald and his website “One Red Paperclip”. Kyle, Swapped his self from one trade to another, until he had himself his very own house. Amazingly, he managed to swap himself to a house in only fourteen trades.
Now, I am not suggesting that anyone can do what Kyle MacDonald did, but if you never try, then you will never know. Even if your idea isn’t so grand as swapping until you achieve something big, it is cheaper than buying new or bidding in an auction. You can still swap your old things for the things that you want and only be responsible for paying the cost of shipping the things you have agreed to swap with another member(s).
This list isn’t a Top 10 list, but if it were, then I would suspect that this list would look pretty much the same as I have it right now. So, enjoy!
Books, CDs, DVDs Swaps
Exchange used books with other BookMooch members and “Get” the book(s) that you want in return. There is no cost to participate in the BookMooch community. Only pay for the actual shipping of the books that you agree to swap.
Swap paperback Books, CDs and DVDs with other members of Paperback Swap. Membership is currently free. Like with any swapping community, members are responsible for paying the actual shipping cost for the products that they have agreed to swap.
SwapSimple makes swapping books, DVDs and video games really easy and simple. List the books, DVDs and video games simply by entering the UPC code that is printed on the DVDs or video games or enter the ISBN number that is printed on the back cover of the books into the swap listing tools and SwapSimple will take care of the rest. Swap with members who are included in your swap network free and only pay $1.00 or $2.00 per swap, if you are swapping with members outside of your swap network. Swaps are backed with a 100% Money Back Guarantee. Membership is free and required.
Dust off your old and new comic books, trade paperbacks and graphic novels and use Sequential Swap to swap what you have to get the comics that you want with other members. Membership is free and required.
Fashion and Cosmetics
Swapstyle.com describes itself as “an online fashion swap party where you can swap, sell and buy fashion, accessories, cosmetics, shoes and lots more with people from all around the world at any time, day or night”. This is a fantastic idea in my opinion, because it can save its members a lot of money on the name brand fashions and cosmetics that are normally purchased at retailers at high markups. Members can also participate in forums and discuss the latest fashion trends, sales and/or whatever comes to your mind at the time. Members are only responsible for paying the actual shipping costs associated with the items that they have traded or sold and the other members are responsible for paying for the actual shipping of the things that they agreed to swap with you. Membership is free and required.
Ladies here is your chance to swap cosmetics that you own, but don’t use for cosmetics that other members have and you want. We’re talking about name brand cosmetics – the expensive stuff. Members are only responsible for covering the shipping costs for the cosmetics that they have agreed to swap. Members can read products reviews or write a review on the products that you have used. Participate in forums and meet other members, so that you can get to know the people that you might want to make a swap with later. Membership is free and required.
Swap Anything
Members of the Swapit.com community can swap anything that they desire with other members and for the things that they want. Swapit.com members are not limited, just to swapping books, CDs and DVDs, but can swap electronics, sporting goods or anything that they want to swap with other members. Members are responsible for paying for the shipping of the items that they have agreed to swap with other members. Members can also join into the Swapit forums to get to know other members better. Membership is free and required.
Here is another fine swapping community that allows its members to swap, buy or sell things in a new and different way. Members can swap, buy or sell services, skills or things that they have for services, skills or things that other members have and you want. At the time that this article was written, there were 3,452,775 things available for swap or for sale at SwapThing and that is a lot of things to browse through. Membership is free and required.
Toys
This is the perfect website for anyone who has old or new toys that are no longer wanted or played with and that can be swapped for old or new toys that other Toy Swap members have available for swap with you. Membership is free and required.
Cooking and Baking
If you are a person who loves baking fresh cookies, cakes and pies, then Bake Space is the perfect place to be, because its members swap cooking and baking recipes and share ideas. Membership is free and required.
Swap A Skill
Do you have a skill that you want to swap in exchange for a skill that someone else has available to swap? This is a great website for individuals who process a skill (artistic, musical, engineer, plumber, electrician, or just about any type of skill that you can think of can probably be found here at Swap-A-Skill at times. Basic membership is free, but there are some costs associated with membership upgrades, if you so choose to upgrade your membership. Be sure to read the membership agreement, before signing up.
Swap Term papers have 10,000 term papers in their database and members can swap a quality term paper that they have written for a term paper that Swap Term papers have in their database (term paper that you need). The term-paper exchange is free as long as the member has a quality term paper to trade-in, otherwise members can purchase a term-paper from Swap Term papers at the going rate. “Swap Term-papers has term papers, essays, book reports, book reviews and thesis papers written the way that you need them”, according to Swap Term papers.
For Webmasters: Swap Links
Drive more traffic to your website by establishing quality link partners online.MonsterLinkSwap.com members save time and money, because MonsterLinkSwap.com has an established database of other webmasters wanting to exchange links with you, now. Basic membership is free, but limited. Upgrades are available, but upgrades do require payment.
Fun Swaps
No Membership Required. Just simply draw something and once your masterpiece is finished, then submit your drawing, so you can receive a drawing that someone else has drawn. Personally, I think this is a neat little website even though there is not much to it. Sometime simple is better.
FileSwap enables visitors to swap computer files, photos, music, wallpapers, audio files, animated icons, videos or even PDF and text files, quick and simple. Use the browse button to retrieve the file or files that you want to swap and hit the Swap button to continue. After the file you have selected has been entered into the system, then you will receive a random file that someone else has submitted. Yes, it is kind of like playing the lottery, but your chances of winning something interesting is far better than the lottery.
Conclusion
This was a fun article to write. I hope that I have been able to introduce you to a whole new world, where the things that you want today can be swapped for, while you have fun and save money.
If you know of any other websites that you believe are better than these in this article or you just believe should have been included, then leave a link to them with your comment. I do check web links and I will remove any web link that leads to adult websites or any illegal website.
February 26th, 2008 at 4:26 pm
I love you for writing this article. I have always wanted to find new ways to get rid of the books and movies that I have, so I can buy some new ones, but the ways you have suggested will allow me to obtain new stuff and save money. Wow, neat ideas!
February 27th, 2008 at 9:14 am
very good,I translate it to chinese and india,I like cooking.
February 27th, 2008 at 12:15 pm
Sounds like a good idea to me. Good luck swapping.
February 28th, 2008 at 4:56 pm
I use Swap Thing and I have found some very good deals there. I usually swap old games and cds for more of the same, but sometimes I swap for fishing lures or electronics.
Most of the places on this list I never heard of before now. Thanks for the info, Nelson.
April 6th, 2008 at 1:38 am
Informative article.
July 13th, 2009 at 4:13 am
I have found Swap-Tree to be the best by far when it comes to books, games, cds and dvds. You can print off your postage right from your printer and they charge low media rates. Even with large books I haven’t paid over 3.00 to ship. Membership is free and so far I’ve had excellent results. I swapped off several books for nintendo ds games. Its worth your time to give it a try. You won’t be disappointed I promise.