SwapItShop Is eBay, But With Fake Money
by Jaymi Heimbuch, San Francisco, California 
on 01. 7.09
Did you get a bunch of junk for Christmas and you don't know what to do with it? Or maybe you want to clean out your closet and wish you could get something in return for all the things you're planning to FreeCycle?
The SwapItShop is an online trading system that lets you trade unwanted stuff for points, which you then put towards other items on the website that strike your fancy.
The system is simple - just pick something you no longer want, post it with a photo, description, and how many point you want for it, and other people bid on it. When your item is auctioned off, you send it off to SwapItShop, and you will then have points to go towards another item on the site you do want.
It's a pretty great way to barter instead of buy, have a better selection of trade items, and to keep products in the consumer stream. But it doesn't quite beat the excitement and lower carbon footprint of taking your things to the local swap meet.
More on Online Product Service Systems:
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At least the freecycle network does not aim just at younger people - this site is apparently for 6 - 18yr olds (according to their About Us section) and also has been set up as a business model itself to encourage (exploit) the children to take part in surveys and click on advertising and sponsors in order to gain 'swapit points'. This is an exploitation of the freecycle model which I find disgusting. If the website didn't ask for all my personal details when I signed up and did start to give me more 'credit' than 10 swapit points (a CD single costs around 400 points) then I would have more sympathy, but when the website cannot cope with 'more than 5 users with the same postcode' then there is something wrong with both their idea and their administration.
I hope that people do not use this site and stick to the more ethical local swaps and freecycle networks. If they want to get something in return there are plenty of good 'trade' groups.
Catherine
What a crashing disappointment, they also restrict membership to Europeans. Too bad, because I think it's a good idea. I agree that Freecycle is way better, but it might be suitable for people who just can't let go of stuff unless they get something in exchange.
The idea of a widespread barter system is LONG OVERDUE, especially with the advent of internet. I hope someone comes up with a similar (but improved and ethical) version in Canada or the U.S.