How It Works

GET STARTED!

Step 1. Sign up! (psst ... it's free.)

Step 2. Fill out your profile, upload a photo and create your own custom page. This is how swapmates will get to know you.

Step 3. Browse the GROUPS, join all that interest you, connect with others, and start swapping!

WAYS TO SWAP

1. Even Steven. You want something of theirs. They want something of yours.

2. Just Give. Eventually you'll be on the receiving end!

3. Old Fashioned Bartering. Do you have a craft? Maybe you make jewelry. Maybe you have a talent for fiber arts. Whatever your specialty, if you see something up for trade you'd like, why not offer to barter? It's worked for centuries -- why stop now?

SWAP MAMAS TIPS (AND A FEW RULES)

Customize your page. Tell members about yourself, your kids, their ages and what particular goods you may be looking for. The better members know one another, the easier it is to feel comfortable swapping.

Browse the groups. Join a few. If there isn't already one to fit your need, start one! This is the best way to connect and swap. This is where you should post if you have goods to GIVE. For quicker connections, it's a great idea to post photos of your goods within the group -- simply start a new discussion in the forum and tell members what you have to offer! To ensure you don't miss a thing, each time a new discussion or a reply to a discussion is posted, all members of the group will automatically be notified via email. (If you'd rather not receive email notifications, simply click on the Settings link on your page and change your preferences.)

Start a discussion on the Main Page Forum. Maybe you'd like to know how other families are cutting costs. Maybe you'd like to share how it feels to "Pay it Forward." Perhaps you have some questions about a certain product, or are looking for parenting advice. Put it out there and start a dialog. You may be surprised how much you have in common with other members. NOTE: Although this is NOT a place for advertising, feel free to promote your business as much as you'd like on your page.

Browse member profiles. See someone you'd like to connect with? Leave a comment on their page! It's totally kosher. We're all here for the same thing.

Upload photos of items you have to swap and organize them into albums. This will increase your odds of a successful swap. Please photograph your items so they accurately portray the condition of your items. DO NOT use photography from other sites, i.e., eBay, manufacturer's pages, etc. (This just makes everyone nervous and question your legitimacy, plus, it's usually a copyright infringement to use photos other than your own.)

Once you make a connection, Swap Mamas is out of the loop, and it's up to the two of you to work out the shipping details offline, via email or through Swap Mamas messaging.

DON'T EVER post your mailing address anywhere other than in personal messages or emails unless you want it to be seen by everyone on the internet. (This includes non-Swap Mamas members.)

Remember, Swap Mamas has a NO MONEY policy. That means no selling or buying. The whole point of Swap Mamas is to avoid the transfer of funds.

GIVER always pays for shipping.

Of course, NEVER, under any circumstances, give your banking information to anyone. You do so at your own risk. While I have complete faith that 99.9% of you are wonderful, honest people, Swap Mamas cannot be held liable for fraudulent activity. We're simply the middlemama tryin' to do a little good.

SWAP KARMA

First And Foremost ... Get Yourself a Badge!

This is how Junior Swapper and Senior Swapper is determined (see below), so it's important to add it to your page -- grab it HERE.

SWAP RULES BETWEEN SWAPMATES

1. Member with LOWER Give Number is designated JUNIOR MEMBER. Junior Member is required to ship their item(s) FIRST. Junior Member MUST SHIP WITHIN 10 BUSINESS DAYS.

2. Member with HIGHER Give Number is designated SENIOR MEMBER. Senior Member is required to ship their items once they have received items from Junior Member. Senior Member MUST SHIP WITHIN 5 BUSINESS DAYS of receiving Junior Member's item(s).

3. PLEASE purchase Delivery Confirmation. (Also known as "Tracking," this service costs a minimal amount.)

HELPFUL HINTS FROM MEMBERS: If members ship through a service like paypal.com, they will receive tracking numbers for free!

IMPORTANT: You are definitely not REQUIRED to purchase Delivery Confirmation -- it's your call. However, be aware, if you do not purchase Delivery Confirmation, and your package gets "lost in the mail" and never delivered, your swapmate is NOT REQUIRED to ship their end of the bargain. Period. It's only fair. (Remember, Delivery Confirmation also serves as proof that you mailed your item(s), and protects YOU as the shipper as well!)

4. Be a Good Person. Honor Your Agreement. If you take someone's goods and purposefully do not send yours as agreed, that constitutes INTERNET FRAUD. Not only will you be banned from the site, you can be held liable by your swapmate, and may be reported to the authorities. We're not kidding around.

5. Have FUN! Remember the spirit in which this site was started. We're all here to help our families AND one another.

So, welcome Swap Mamas -- let's get swappin'!

RELATED LINKS
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