A Site Like eBay -- But Free (Kinda)! At SwapItShop.com, trade your trash for someone else's treasures -- no money required

By  ELIZABETH BOUGEROL

Updated 4:08 PM CDT, Thu, Jan 8, 2009

Getty Images

You post stuff you don't want, earn points for it, and then spend those points to "buy" the stuff other people are getting rid of.

 

We'll admit we've perused the "Barter" section on Craigslist on occasion and idly wondered, who would swap an IKEA wardrobe for a six-pack of Heineken?

Enlarge Photo

Who needs money? Trade in your old stuff for new at the brilliant new site SwapItShop.

But money, as we all know, is so 2008 (well, 2007, more like), and bartering is totally the new selling. Enter SwapItShop.com, a burgeoning virtual swap meet in the UK that's apparently doing gangbusters. You post stuff you don't want, earn points for it, and then spend those points to "buy" the stuff other people are getting rid of. Genius, right? And it's not like the stuff available on here is crap - the day we visited, the hot swaps included 8GB iPod Nanos and Wii Consoles. And money isn't completely out of the equation at SwapItShop -- you can still buy blocks of points (called Swapits) to spend on stuff you want.

Unfortunately, the site is limited to UK residents, but in this economy it shouldn't be long before the idea hops the pond. We're waiting.

Copyright NBC Local Media / NBC Chicago

Comments (3)

Sort by: Most Recent | Oldest
  • Spelling Thursday, Jan 8 at 8:39 AM FLAG COMMENT I was going to try to join, but when I was reading, there were a few spelling errors which made me change my mind. lol
  • Anonymous Thursday, Jan 8 at 8:29 AM FLAG COMMENT this is a UK based business, doesn't appear to work for US residents
  • did u put usa Thursday, Jan 8 at 7:25 AM FLAG COMMENT ehh???

Post a Comment

Name


Comment - You have 2000 characters left

Enter both words below, separated by a space, in the field located to the lower right. Can't read the words below? Try different words or an audio captcha. What's this?