If you're a book lover, spend a lot of money on books each month and are on the computer quite a lot during the week, then you've more than likely heard about this website. However, I'm going to sing its praises anyway. Without further ado, please take a gander at the following:
Paperbackswap.com is a site for people who have tons of perfectly good books in their home, but are at a loss as to what to do with them. The concept is quite simple. You take some of your unwanted books, post them on to your paperbackswap.com virtual bookshelf and wait for someone to request it.
Once a book has been requested, you wrap it up nice and neat, address it, slap some stamps and put it in your mailbox. Voila! That's it. Oh well, naturally you click on your account page that you send it and wait for the other member to click that they received it. When they do, you get one credit for that sent book.
Yes, I know what you might be thinking. Wait, I have to pay for the postage? And hang on, it goes by an honor system? You are correct. The thing to know is that after getting credited for sending that book or books, you can use that credit or credits to request more books you would like to read. In turn, that person will have to pay the postage to send the book to you.
In regards to the honor system bit... This is very true. You're going to have to take the word of the requestor that they didn't receive a book. Or that the book you sent was received damaged. In the event of either of the latter events happening, the requestor will get their credit back. Although in cases of damaged packages, I must confess I really am not sure of the procedure. I've never received a damaged package, but I do know it happens.
As for lost books, I think in my four or five years with the site, I've only had perhaps three packages go lost and the person (supposedly) never got it.
Oh, and I didn't talk about the best part...it's free! There is no membership fee to join. There are no limits to the number of books you can post. However, you can't post two or more copies of the same book.
I can't even begin to describe the money that I've saved since joining paperbackswap. When I was going to bookstores like Waldenbooks, Borders, etc, I was spending on average $45 per month. Times that by twelve...no, wait, I don't want to do that. I'm cringing already!
In addition to saving money, I've also been able to take books that I've enjoyed and send them to new homes. For someone like me, this site was a god-send! I found I was collecting more books than I was reading each month. The boxes were beginning to pile up. It was getting out of hand, especially when I stopped and surveyed the batches of already-read books. Just to give you an idea, I once noted that on paperbackswap I had over 500 books posted for swapping! That's not the worst part though. I knew I had at least 100 or 200 more books unaccounted for boxed up in the closet.
Well, that's pretty much the long and the short of me waxing poetry on paperbackswap.com. I strongly urge anyone with lots of books to join this site. I would like to note that if you're unfamiliar with the site and decide to join, there are a few important and vital things to learn before mailing out books. Yes, this is going to sound like a how-to, but these are seven points that I really, really insist are crucial to any new paperbackswap members. The following are all taken from my own experience, so I am confident that I know what I'm talking about.
Tips for new Paperbackswap members:
1. Invest in a postal scale. If you find yourself only mailing one slim paperback, you'll save time and gas by being able to weigh it at home, slap stamps on it and put it in your mailbox. Scales cost about $50. This is what I paid for mine anyway. Trust me, if you're a frequent paperbackswap user, it'll eventually pay for itself.
2. If you have a postal scale and a small bundle of books, weigh them and then check the weight using the USPS Postage Price Calculator. In general, this is a handy site. You can find the prices for postcards, flat envelopes, packages, large packages, etc. And it's great when the post office raises prices and you just can't remember what something costs!
3. Please know that most packages can be mailed by media mail. Media mail is often my choice when mailing multiple books. For example, a package weighing over seven ounces will generally go media mail since the First Class shipping rate will cost more. First Class is faster, I admit, but the point here is to save money.
Also, it goes without saying that packages above the seven ounces is sent automatically media mail.
Lastly, I want to stress upon everyone that if you have one slim book, like a children's novel or a Harlequin romance, these thin and lightweight books can 95% of the time go cheaper with First Class.
4. This is important, so I'm going to include it in the vital information section. Books to swap must be in good condition. That means no mold, water damage, pages falling out, covers coming off, food stuck on pages, etc. Hardbacks without dustjackets are okay, as it's not a requirement to have them for posting.
No advanced reading copies (ARCs) are allowed.
5. When wrapping a book for sending, use packing tape. The post office hates it when people use scotch tape as it'll jam in their machines. Also, don't put tape over the stamps. Lastly, it's not a requirement, but I would recommend wrapping your book or books in plastic wrap. It's an extra step, but during the winter, I've heard many people appreciate the plastic wrapping as some packages were left on rainy doorsteps and in slushy snow puddles. Save yourself the headache should your package arrived damaged.
6. The USPS implemented a few years ago the "13 oz." rule. Anything over 13 oz MUST be mailed from a post office. Or it must have postage purchased from an automated postal machine. (APC) If using an APC sticker, write in one corner the package weight. I would recommend this. I've had a package or two come back with a note saying 13 oz. packages must be mailed from a post office. The solution to this is to physically hand it to the mail carrier and explain.
7. Finally, there's nothing wrong with posting in the "book bazaar" forum advertising about deals on your bookshelf. I do this all the time. I can tell you as a heads-up that most people will most likely want deals that involve three books for one credit. Or four books for one credit, and so on. I can assure you that if you take anyone up on this kind of deal, media mail is the best and only choice.
With that being said, I conclude this paperbackswap advertisement. *LOL* I know it does seem like a plug for it, but in real life I'm constantly telling people about this site. So it makes sense to come online and do the same. If I've found it a useful and awesome site, I'm sure many others will too.
I will leave off by saying if anyone reads this and is not a member but decides to join, I am more than happy to guide any newcomers. I've already weathered the storm and would be delighted to steer any newbies around the speed bumps and potholes.
