On average, Americans spend more than $100 per day on consumer goods. I would say that it is safe to say that we are currently in the grip of a powerful consumption habit. As is to be expected, this results in a colossal amount of waste being generated. If we end up throwing away all of that stuff when we’re done with it, where does it go? There is a tendency for too much waste to end up in the landfill. There were nearly 292 million tons of trash generated in the United States in 2018. For every man, woman, and child in the United States, that is more than 1,500 pounds of trash a year that goes into our landfills.
Sharing is not only a great way to keep tons of trash out of landfills, but it is also a great way to save money too. The average American could save $15,000 a year if they cut their daily consumption of consumer goods by half. In the modern age, sharing has never been more popular, nor have the tools to help you do it ever been better. I have compiled a list of five apps that will enable you to swap, share, and sell your extra stuff so you can do it like a pro.
Have you got a surplus of things that you do not need but are not able to be bothered to sell? If you are looking for a quick and easy way to exchange your items, you can look to a swap site.
One man’s trash can be another man’s treasure, as the saying goes. That shouldn’t be taken as an invitation to start rifling through your neighbors’ rubbish bins in search of gold, but have you ever considered giving up some of your unused items in exchange for something a little more useful?
It can be a great idea to swap things online as it is a good way to acquire new items without spending a dime on them. The truth is that you might not always get a lot of control over what you get in exchange, but that’s all part of the fun of the game.
And while you’re at it, it’s even better if you end up with something that’s worth much more than the item you started with, which will help you save money at the same time. Here are some of the best swap shops you should check out…
The use of these sites does not necessarily involve any exchange of cash, however bartering is still common, even though there is no cash involved.
The solution to this problem is for you to simply raise your offer if you have your heart set on something that the seller is unwilling to part with in exchange for whatever you have to offer. Give them something else in addition to what you are offering and they may just be convinced.
The best places to swap items online:
1. Gumtree Swap Shop
https://www.gumtree.com/swap-shop
You might know Gumtree as a place where you can buy and sell second-hand items, but you might not know that they also have a swap shop where you can sell your old stuff. If you want to exchange something for something else, you can advertise it here.
Among the most well known online swapping sites is Gumtree – the site has a large user base, so there are many swapping opportunities available. In order to find swaps near you, you can use the search filters to find everything from cars to smartphones to trading cards and everything in between.
2. Swapz
According to Swapz, they are one of the UK’s biggest and most established swapping platforms. In this site, you will find thousands of items that are up for grabs swaps that have been running since 2004.
You are free to add items to your list at any time. Select a category, add some images, and write a description to create an ad after you have selected a category. That’s it!
It is also possible to take a look at their ‘Wanted’ section if you are interested. This is a place where people can post advertisements that describe what they are looking for and post their ads. Also, there is an option on the website to put items up for sale instead of swapping, which allows you to choose items that you would like to buy.
3. Depop
There are several ways to sell your clothes online, but one of the most effective and convenient is through Depop. If you have downloaded the app, you will have the option to post items to sell, just like you would upload a post to Instagram.
In spite of the fact that it’s primarily used to buy and sell items, many people also use it to swap items as well. In order to make sure that you are able to swap with a seller, please read their bio first before you contact them, as many people explicitly state ‘No swaps’ in their bio – in which case, it is not allowed.
The good thing about is that a lot of people will also state that they are ‘Open to Swaps’. This means that you can barter with them. If you are interested in something in their store, you will usually express your interest as well as ask them if there is anything in your store that they might be interested in swapping for something in their store.
In addition to haggling and agreeing on a fair deal, you should also agree on the price of the items you are going to swap- a price that you would be comfortable receiving if you were actually selling the items instead of swapping them.
Once you’ve listed these items on your stores at this set price, both of you will be covered by Depop’s Protection Programme and you will both be able to buy each other’s items, which means that you will now both be covered by Depop’s Protection Programme. In this way, if the item does not arrive, you will be able to get your money back.
4. Vinted
It’s similar to how Depop and Vinted work when it comes to swapping on Vinted.
The primary objective of Vinted is to allow you to buy and sell clothing, but it’s also got a really handy feature that allows you to swap items with other people.
Look for items with the swap symbol on the site when you are browsing through the clothes on the site. As a result, the sellers are willing to swap the items for others.
On Vinted, if you want to swap clothes with another person, you first have to get in touch with them to decide what you want to swap. Once your items are both priced the same for both of you, you can then ‘buy’ each other’s things by setting your prices to match.
The other seller will return the money to you, which means that it works out as a swap. You need to keep in mind that you will be responsible for the postage costs as well as the Buyer Protection Fee (3% – 8%, plus £0.30 – £0.80) if the deal is to be completed.
While you are at it, be sure to read our guide on how to sell on Vinted for tips on how to maximise your profit when you are not able to swap your items.
5. Freecycle
In terms of technicality, this is not a swapping website. I think it’s even better than a swap site because it lets you get free stuff without having to give up any of your stuff, which is why it’s better than a swap site.
There is a website called Freecycle, which lets you give something that is no longer needed to you to another good home, without having to sell it first.
For example, it may sometimes be necessary for individuals to sell large pieces of furniture that they do not have a car to remove or smaller items that are not worth their time to list on sites such as eBay, since they do not have a car.
The best part about Freecycle is that it allows you to join local groups in your area so that you can see what’s available to you in your area. You can see what people in your area are looking to get rid of by posting what they want. Let them know what you’re interested in and they will let you know when it’s available.
In addition to gaining a few cool free things by using Freecycle, you’re also reducing your carbon footprint by making sure that your unwanted items don’t end up in landfills as a result of not disposing of them properly.
6. Craigslist
https://geo.craigslist.org/iso/gb
Craigslist, which is an online classified ads site, on which you can post pretty much anything you like – jobs, items for sale, services you offer, houses for rent, or just topics you are interested in discussing. If you keep searching on there, you can find some gems buried in there, but it is a bit of a maze to navigate through.
In order to receive offers from members, you simply have to upload your item to the ‘Barter’ section of the website. Since Craigslist is much more popular in the US than it is in the UK, depending on where you are located, you might have trouble finding a large audience for your ads depending on where you live.
In order to find a good swap, you will need to put a lot of dedication into it, but if you are dedicated, you might be able to reap some serious rewards. Some people have even managed to produce TED Talks showing how they have swapped their paperclips for houses using the site (gradually replacing their item with a better piece of equipment each time) as a result of using this site.
Conclusion
There is no need to go shopping when you can swap instead? I think it’s a great way to get free items that are unique, useful or unusual and you might be able to save several dollars by doing this.
Even though it’s a wonderful idea to circulate second-hand goods within our local communities, it has the potential to be difficult at times. If your town doesn’t have anyone who’s interested in selling an old computer, or if your taste in clothes is a tad too vibrant to appeal to local buyers, then perhaps it’s not for you.
Therefore, it is important to keep second-hand goods moving within the economy, which is the reason why swap websites can be so helpful. As a result of the presence of many such sites, users have the opportunity to swap a wide variety of goods and services online for free, offering more flexibility, choice, and, most importantly, giving them the chance to make environmentally conscious choices. As a starting point, we have compiled a list of 6 of the best swap websites that you can use to swap services and re-use goods to help you get started.