Barterbee.com [ site | profile ]
updated August 2006
Reputation: relatively new and improved over other/older trading services
Registration: simple fill-out form and you're in, you even get 5 barterbee points and $1.00 free transaction credit for whatever item you want first.
Navigation/Search: pretty good, you can search through all the listings by dvd, cds or games. Also you have clickable 'recent listings' and 'new releases'. The best is when you can sort the categories by ascending/descending title, details, listing date, points and release date. makes things much easier! I haven't had any problems, you can bookmark the searches too.
Trading: each time you trade it's a $1.00 charge and you must use the barterbee points which you accumulate through either selling your own items or buying the points directly [1 pt = $1.00]. It is always best to trade off a few items first than rather buying points, they just aren't worth it unless you really need filler to get that next item. Watch out for the $1.00 fees, cause once you get started on trading, you'll become a bit addicted and those fees add up! Haha! Almost forgot, once you request an item, there is no cancellation button, so be sure you want that item...I did contact barterbee and ask about this, I think if the item you requested does not get shipped within 10 days [?not sure], it is automatically cancelled. Luckily, I have never had to cancel or had anyone not ship within a week.
Profiles/Rating: each member is rated for each trade, which really prompts good shipping/handling to each other, also there is a penalty if you cancel trade requests, ship missing or damaged items. Your profile may also include your state, gender, last login, joined date and sending/receiving history numbers. The profiles for each user is really informative and the best I've seen anywhere, gives you all you need to know before trading with someone.
Listings: when you chose to list your items for trade/sell, you have two main choices: active or inactive. Active is when you list the item online and it's public for all to see, with your item condition, point value and shipping details like included covers or inserts. One great feature is the optional fill-in comment section about your item. All the listing information is listed through UPC codes, which you can usually find on your item or online, or you can type in your item title and choose from a search-result list. There are a few more independant dvds I have wanted to list that are not available from barterbee's listings, I did contact them but so far - no response!
Finding trades: There are alot of very rare finds in the DVD selection, and the points are generally very reasonable. Of course the more popular/recent the item, the more barterbee points required...and quicker someone will trade for that item before you get the chance! The one negative thing I have to say is that there is no wishlist where you can save items you find and want later, so you'll have to make a list of links yourself. Also, you can only hit the request button when you have enough points or it won't let you buy/trade for it, which makes sense.
Experience buying/trading: since end of May 2006, my first dvd was requested May 27th and arrived June 1st very nicely bubble-wrapped in official Barterbee packaging for 87 cents. The disc was scratch-free and included coverart and inserts. My 2nd dvd was requested June 4th and it arrived June 8th in perfect condition with official Barterbee packaging for 63 cents and included coverart and the disc with no scratches!!! Wow I'm extremely impressed. It's now August 22nd, and I'm glad to say I've gotten requested 25 items [dvds/cds]...overall positive experiences. A couple of items [dvds] I received were in not as good condition as listed, but otherwise still playable. You can leave feedback on the sender's profile, noting if they sent the item in a barterbee envelope or their own, and if covers/insert artwork were included or not.
Experience selling/trading: Overall, I've had no problems shipping any items to people, the instructions are extremely simple to follow and the addresses easy to see and label. I have shipped over 21 items [dvds/cds]. There has only been one damaged item I sent which the receiver said they got a broken CD and I never received the points. I can't exactly remember how I shipped, but after that, I did go ahead and buy the barterbee envelopes since they are insured and you'll receive points no matter if the item is broken or lost. But most items will not get damaged, you'll just have to learn to use better packaging, hard cases and bubblewrap! Barterbee recommends you ship your dvds in their special bubblewrap packaging whether or not you send the actual case, not recommended, with the coverart and/or insert. I was kind enough to send out an entire dvd season set in its original packaging because that's how I like to receive my dvds, it cost me more than usual, but I didn't mind as long as it arrived okay and I got my points to trade for other items.
Site thoughts: I'm quite addicted by now, and it's only been 3 months or so since I signed up on barterbee. I am liking this service even with the $1.00 charge, I think that actually or hopefully, prompts users to trade more good condition items than poor condition items. I really like the theme and look of the Barterbee site, a very cute and friendly style and fun name. The RSS feeds available really come in handy when you want to see the most recently added items without visiting the site, and you get a greater chance of grabbing that newly in-stock item!
Overall so far: A++
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Peerflix.com [ site | profile ]
updated August 2006
Reputation: been around awhile and popular with more users than other services
Registration: basic information required but still easy. Once you're in, you get 2 peerbux and a a 99 cent free transaction for whatever item you want first.
Navigation/Search: a bit dull looking but works decent as you can search title, actor and filmmaker of dvds. Also you have a clickable 'recommended dvds', 'popular dvds', 'dvds in demand', 'new releases' and 'recently added dvds.' The basic categories are included but the listings are very random and you cannot sort through them easily. You have to flip through each page of listings, however, you can do an advanced search but it won't let you do it without typing in words so you have to know what you're looking for, which basically nullifies the point of the search. The advanced search does let you search 'only dvds available' or by certain number of peerbux and dates, but again, you have to type a keyword or it won't work.
Trading: each time you trade it's a 99 cent charge and you must use the peerbux which you accumulate through either selling your own items or buying the points directly [1 pt = $5.00].
Profiles/Rating: no rating system for members, which is terrible, and can and does lead to poor shipping/handling of discs. All dvds are processed online and members are able to use Peerflix's special self-printed paper-you-fold-into-envelopes. This saves you shipping, but really is not a safe way to ship dvds, which are all suppose to ship disc only - no coverart, no inserts and no case. Since there is no rating system, you are basically anonymous to everyone, and gives free reign to such things as slow shipping and likely, false claims. There is however, the ability to rate your item once it is received.
Listings: when you chose to list your items for trade/sell, you have two main choices: available or on hold. Available is when you list the item online and it's public fo all to see with peerbux value, nothing else. Putting an item on hold, means you do not want to list the item for trade/sell yet. All the listing information is listed through dvd titles and UPC codes, which you can usually find on your item or online.
Finding trades: a big selection of many popular items and some dvd sets at pretty high peerbux values. The majority of dvds are 1 to 2 or even 3 peerbux but a huge majority of dvds are in low quantities and are usually all long wait or medium wait. Some things are available and short wait but it is mainly for full-screen dvd versions. There is a wishlist/queue you can make which will advance your dvds in the order you set when they become available to ship.
Experience buying/trading: since end of May 2006, my first dvd was requested May 27th and arrived June 1st in the copyrighted special Peerflix 2-pieces-of-8.5x11-paper folded-and-taped together for 39 cents. The disc was full of scratches and quite dirty and did not include anything with it. I tried to play the dvd several times in different players, and nothing worked. I had to file a claim, which was easy online but send the disc back to Peerflix at my own cost June 1st and have yet to resolve anything. I did, however, get my 99 cent offer back but not my 2 peerbux free from registering. It's been over 3 months now, August 22nd and still no response from Peerflix. Very very bad service...
Experience selling/trading: I have sent out one DVD of mine and the user has received it, no other feedback is available. The process was easy and only cost 99 cents [not including shipping costs]. Even though Peerflix recommends shipping only the dvd disc, I was kind enough to send out the entire dvd in its original packaging because that's how I like to receive my dvds. I was hoping the same kindness would be returned but it wasn't and I am very disappointed! I requested my 2nd dvd June 3rd, I think I received it around mid-July...it is quite used but still playable, no covers or artwork, just the disc...apparently that's the Peerflix way.
Site thoughts: I have completely stopped using Peerflix and am ignoring their emails to trade dvds and return to the site. My experience is definitely negative, Peerflix was the first site I signed up to use, and the worst. The first bad dvd I received and still no response from Peerflix and the lack of a member's rating system are just the tip of the iceberg. Their website is mostly white space and bare graphics, even a small logo...making it seem like a 2nd rate trading site with a basic tab menu. RSS is available and nicely displayed out for you to click and subscribe. They also have a blog that's updated, but the upsides are not enough to cover the downsides...BOO, thumbs down from me!
Overall so far: F
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Switchdiscs.com [ site ]
updated June 2006
Reputation: new and free, run by one man and supported by ads
Registration: suppose to be easy, but I had to email for support and days later, post on the forum before I was contacted and manually registered. Things worked fine after that...no points system or fees involved to participate, only your cost of shipping/trading items with others. Although there is the option to buy switchbucs immediately and start requesting items.
Navigation/Search: very clean look and easy to use, you can search through all the listings by dvd, cds or games. Also you have clickable 'new releases' and 'coming soon'. A great option included is when you can sort the categories by title and switchbucs. I have to give props to Switchbucs for them being the only site with a forum where you can interact with other switchers, ask questions and have them answered rather promptly!
Trading: each time you trade it's free but you must use the switchbucs point-system which you accumulate through either trading your own items or buying the points directly [1 pt = $1.00].
Profiles/Rating: each member is rated for each trade, which really prompts good shipping/handling to each other. The switcher rating also has positive/negative feedback totals as well as a large area for comments from users. A fun part is the included profile, which you can write several things about yourself such as hobbies, favourite movie and tv shows, etc - a friendly way to get to know other switchers. Also the optional to upload your picture or an avatar is nice. So far, there is no penalty if you cancel trade requests but there is a slight problem in that there is no history of cancelations or switches. Your profile also says when you started as a member and your age and location.
Listings: when you chose to list your items for trade/sell, you have two options: available or not. Available is when you list the item online and it's public for all to see, with your item point value and shipping details like included covers, inserts or case or all, and what type of packaging you use. I really like the choices listed, givng you the trader more control over the item so that the tradee has clear details before he/she requests your item. All the listing information is listed through dvd titles and UPC codes, which you can usually find on your item or online.
Finding trades: a decent selection of both popular and secular-ish finds in the DVD selection, and the switchbucs are generally very reasonable, of course the more popular/recent the item, the more switchbucs required. You are given the choice to set your own switchbucs values for your item, although I'm not sure if this option will be updated/limited/reset once version2.0 of Switchdiscs starts in June 2006. There is a wishlist where you can save items you find and want later, and this may be updated to automatic queue once 2.0 starts.
Experience buying/trading: since start of June 2006, I have not been able to request dvds because I have no switchbucs and did not send in any 3 dvds for a switchbucs promotion of 10 switchbucs/dvd. So I after a few days, I got some switchbucs and requested up to 4 dvds total: 2 on June 5th (one mail, another not yet mailed), 1 on June 6th (mailed), 1 on June 7th (not mailed) and 1 on June 8th (not mailing until June 11th? damn). Apparently I am noticing that free services lack in motivation, and users tend to wait more than 24-48 hours to mail out or don't even bother to check their account if they have no money at risk.
Experience selling/trading: I have sent out two DVDs of mine and the user has yet to receive it and gave me my rating/feedback. The process was dummy-proof as I received emails about the requests and logged back into the site to print out the address to ship to. You use your own packaging, although Switchdiscs does offer their own, or will be at least soon. I listed all my dvds as shipping in its original packaging because that's how I like to receive my dvds. I currently have 35 switchbucs pending...Can't wait to request my first dvd!
Site thoughts: Really high up tied with Barterbee as my favourites in being simple to use and understand. Switchdiscs does have a nice site in green theme, probably contrasting Netflix's big red color. I don't like the use of flash on the main page as I feel it hinders newbies from seeing/using the site correctly. I love that this service is free and users can interact on the forum. They also have an updated blog, which lists some cool promotions and different ways to get switchbucs. Anytime you can openly talk and switch items directly with the co-founder of the site, that's a great setup cause there is no middleman! Although there are ads, it's not blocking the flow of the site or even really too noticeable. You have to sacrifice something to have another for free! And everyone loooves free...I think Switchdiscs has the most potential of all 3 so far!
Overall so far: C-
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