Online swapping gets easier

Have you been on Swap.com lately? The site has expanded beyond books and media items! We’ve been saying it for a while now, swapping is the new shopping, and with its latest expansion, Swap.com is making it much easier to trade all sorts of items.

Disclosure: Our friends, The Swapaholics, are the swap experts and event planners for Swap.com’s events around the country. You may remember them from our 2010 Frugal Festival — they co-sponsored the event!

The expanded site launched late last year and I recently realized what I’ve been missing out on. Signing up for Swap.com is fast and free!

Members can still create a list of items they “have” and “want.” But now, they can engage in a private conversation with other members to barter. You can then accept or reject their offer! There’s no more waiting for the site to alert you to trade opportunities. Love this! These features are also available in Swap.com’s iPhone app.

Their app also makes it easier to upload photos of the items you want to swap. Just use your iPhone to snap a photo and add it to your “have” list.

The new Market also enables you to swap locally so you can view items in your area to avoid shipping costs! I’m in love with a vintage pink Olympia typewriter that I found, but it’s in Oklahma. All members are responsible for paying their own shipping costs. Yikes! Wonder how much it would cost to ship to LA?

Swap.com does not verify the authenticity or warranty the accuracy of listings so you’re swapping at your own risk. The good news is that you can check members’ ratings and follow those you want! You can also head to the site to find a swap near you on Swap.com.

Have you used Swap.com before? I’d love to hear what you’ve swapped and received in exchange!