I don't think I'm going to say anything that the others haven't already said. I did participate in a couple of swaps but after receiving items that I wouldn't wear and couldn't sell for much, I decided I wasn't going to participate anymore. I have realized that there are some people that never received their items in recent swaps and I think that's terrible- far worse then my situation. I'm hoping that in future swaps, most of the problems in recent swaps won't be an issue.
$25-50 value ammount. Same continent is best and most reasonable for postage, but when I participated, if you where okay with international, you went on a list. Shipping from Canada, I always use Airmail. It has up to $100 of insurance, but no tracking. If tracking was required, the price goes up exponentially for US, and don't even ask about international. I agree with Cimmorene. She moderated the first swap I took part in, and the second used the same rules, with very little problems.
With the more recent trades, I think I would have liked to see a few more guidelines about value of the item (whether that meant the organizer matching people up based on what they have, or just setting a fairly specific range) since there's always the concern that what I send out will be worth way more OR way less than what I get, and I think I'd feel bad either way
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I've took part in two swaps, I think the idea of swaps is fun, but since I haven't gotten my item from this one (though I still kind of hope it would arrive), I'm a bit iffy. However, the things I've sent have always been received and I'd also like to note that while I haven't sold many things, I've always been a good buyer and the things I have sent out, whether they were trades, swaps, returns or sales, they've always been received.
Another thing is the tracking. I ship from Finland and if I buy tracking, it's going to cost almost as much as the shipping itself. So that's going to be a problem, especially if I send out something that's new plus I usually put in candy and stuff. I don't mind shipping internationally myself.
I think it would be nicest if the swap was a surprise, but of course there really is a risk that what you get won't be the same value as what you sent out. I guess with that people would really just need to shape up. The things I sent out were usually items that were new, but too small or big for me.
I think I've been really lucky. I've participated in two swaps and received STUNNING items, the girls who organised it did a brilliant job of matching stuff up. But I also parted with items of decent value--of the two items I sent, one girl was able to sell hers for a GREAT price on eBay, and another girl got an item she had wanted to buy anyway, so everyone was happy.
To be honest, I don't mind the cost of international shipping at all, I consider it just part of doing something like this, and if everyone said they wouldn't ship internationally, it'd be a pretty sorry excuse for a swap as I'm sure plenty of people would end up without partners and unable to participate. Obviously, for some people (particularly you poor guys in Canada, your shipping prices are fucking mental) this is tough, but I wouldn't like to see it being done on a country by country basis as a general rule as I feel there are already some weird, xenophobic like attitudes towards shipping internationally. I think a tracking number is UTTERLY ESSENTIAL. Also, I
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Same continent is best and most reasonable for postage, but when I participated, if you where okay with international, you went on a list.
Shipping from Canada, I always use Airmail. It has up to $100 of insurance, but no tracking. If tracking was required, the price goes up exponentially for US, and don't even ask about international.
I agree with Cimmorene. She moderated the first swap I took part in, and the second used the same rules, with very little problems.
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I was so happy to get you in the first swap I did, cheap shipping! :D
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Another thing is the tracking. I ship from Finland and if I buy tracking, it's going to cost almost as much as the shipping itself. So that's going to be a problem, especially if I send out something that's new plus I usually put in candy and stuff. I don't mind shipping internationally myself.
I think it would be nicest if the swap was a surprise, but of course there really is a risk that what you get won't be the same value as what you sent out. I guess with that people would really just need to shape up. The things I sent out were usually items that were new, but too small or big for me.
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To be honest, I don't mind the cost of international shipping at all, I consider it just part of doing something like this, and if everyone said they wouldn't ship internationally, it'd be a pretty sorry excuse for a swap as I'm sure plenty of people would end up without partners and unable to participate. Obviously, for some people (particularly you poor guys in Canada, your shipping prices are fucking mental) this is tough, but I wouldn't like to see it being done on a country by country basis as a general rule as I feel there are already some weird, xenophobic like attitudes towards shipping internationally. I think a tracking number is UTTERLY ESSENTIAL. Also, I ( ... )
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