Swap Sites have grown in popularity in the past few years. Parents are no longer restricted to eBay® or craigslist for getting rid of their used or unwanted items or getting items at a discounted price. Parents are smarter, more informed, and are working more effectively. Some of these sites were born out of the need to help fellow parents out. They facilitate a forum for parents to give, exchange, swap, or trade their old possessions for "new" items.
Location
Various locations throughout the USLocation
Service
The following sites allow parents to swap children's items such as clothes, accessories, toys, gears, books, movies, CDs, etc.Cost
Free, no membership fees are required to join
The Freecycle Network(TM)
Founder: Deron Beal
Established: 2003
Status: Nonprofit Registration: Required
Items: Clothes, accessories, toys, gears
Shipping: Local pick up
How it works:
-Join a local group
-Post items you want to give away or items you want
-Communicate directly with other members
-All items are FREE, no money or trading involved
Established: 2009
Registration: Required
Items: Maternity clothes, children's clothes, accessories, toys, gears, books, CDs/DVDs
Shipping: Paid for by contributor ("seller")
How it works:
How it works:
-Post items you want to swap on the Kiz Store
-Earn Kiz Credits for your posted items that were bought by a member
-Earn Kiz Credits for your posted items that were bought by a member
-Once you have earned Kiz Credit, "shop" at the Kiz Store, no money involved when you purchase
Out Growing In
Founder: Christine Korkin
Established: 2010
Shipping: $13.95 - $18.95 per box, paid for by recipient; arrives in 5-7 days
How it works:
-List a box that you want to swap. If a member chooses your box, Out Growing In will send you a shipping label. Drop off your box at the post office or schedule for a pick up.
-To get items, simply pick a member's box and pay shipping charges
Founder: Orpheux Design
Established: 2007
Registration: Required, free
Items: Clothes, accessories, toys, gearsShipping: Local pick up or arranged by members involved in swap
How it works:
-Post item(s) you have to swap
-Communicate directly with other members for swap
-No money involved in swap
Established: 2009
Registration: Required, free
Items: Books, video games, CDs, DVDs; $0.50 per swap for low value items & $1.00 per swap for high value items
Shipping: $3.18 (1lb. media mail), paid for by sender
How it works:
-Post items you want to trade and items you want to receive
-Swap facilitates the trade; able to do 2-way and 3-way trades
-Once a member wants to trade for your item, you can print a mailing label to ship your item to them
-Swap facilitates the trade; able to do 2-way and 3-way trades
-Once a member wants to trade for your item, you can print a mailing label to ship your item to them
Established: 2009
Registration: Required, free
Items: free
Shipping: Local pick up or sender will pay for shipping
How it works:
-Post items you have to swap
-Communicate directly with other members for swap
-Giveaways on website
Founder: James Reinhart, Oliver Lubin, Chris Homer
Established: 2009
Registration: Required, free; PRO Membership upgrade is $29.99
Items: $5 per box of clothing
Shipping: $10.95 per box, paid for by recipient
How it works:
-List a box that you want to swap. If a member chooses your box, thredUP will send you a shipping label. Drop off your box at the post office or schedule for a pick up.
-To get items, simply pick a member's box and pay shipping charges
-Free swap giveaways on Facebook
Established: 2011
Registration: No
Items: Clothes, accessories, toys, gears
Shipping: Local pick up
How it works:
-Join a local group
-Post an ad for your item(s); your ads will be screened prior to posting
-Communicate directly with other members
-Some items are free and some are sold at owner's discretion
-Giveaways on Blog, Facebook
My Experience
Children's items are not cheap and they take up a lot of space. I have 12 bins of outgrown clothing and shoes for my almost 3 year old son. And, that does not include gears and toys. I know I'm not the only one who has this experience because I hear the same complaint from my friends. I just love the idea behind each of these sites. Thanks to their creative founders, parents have an outlet to free up closet space while helping other parents out. The websites are user friendly and have a ton to share with their members. Each site has a unique feature that separates them from the others. Some sites offer members a community group where parents can post resources and parenting advice. Other sites offer giveaways on their website or Facebook page. And one, offers items absolutely FREE; no money, no trading, just free. Whatever the cost of your trade, be it swapping fee or shipping, it is only a fraction of the cost of buying a new item. If you want to reclaim your closet and garage space, check these sites out. If you are looking for a great deal on used maternity clothes, children's items, and media, check these sites out. Or, if you are simply looking for a new hobby, check these sites out.
Disclaimer: Although I registered with the sites as part of my research, I have not used any of the sites to trade items (yet). I was not compensated to write this post. I received permission from the companies to post their trademarked brand/logo on my blog.
This page was last updated on February 16, 2011.
