Swap Shoes and Clothing Online - The Latest Eco Trend

Author: Gregory Sherrow

Source: ezinearticles.com



Money tight? Got a closet full of unused clothes and shoes? Hate to throw away good stuff? Want to stop adding to the waste stream? There are so many reasons to look at alternatives to buying new. Most people know about thrift stores and consignment shops and you probably have your own reasons for or against them but have you heard about the growing trend of swapping?

Somewhere right now, someone is planning a swap party or free sale. They are a bit like a Tupperware party where no one buys anything but you still walk away with something "new to you." They are fun and a great way to swap your still serviceable shoes and clothing for items you want. The problem is they don't happen often enough and you are limited to what someone else in your area brought to swap. Why not cast a larger net and see what people are swapping across the country?

Swapping Shoes Shoes are a great item to swap online. A good photo will tell so much about their condition, sizes are fairly standard, and they are cheap to send by mail or UPS. There are a few details to pay attention to so that your shoes will appear desirable and you will be sure you are getting the shoes you want.

Shoe Swapping Tips


Take Clear Photos: Make your shoes look their best. Take a clear, well-lit photo of them showing as much of the shoe as possible. If the shoe swap site allows you to upload more than one photo, be sure to upload a photo of any problem areas on the shoe (better to be honest!) and upload a photo of the shoe soles. The sole photo alone will tell a potential swap partner so much about the shoe. If you say they were only worn once, your sole photo will prove it. If your shoes are a patent leather-like material and the photo looks washed out or the flash is reflecting oddly off the shoes, try using a bright desk lamp to light your shoes instead.
Grab Them with a Great Title: Tell people everything they need to know and they will appreciate it. Avoid using a generic title for your shoes. Would you bother to look at shoes simply called "Heels" or "Black Flats"? Think about what makes your shoes so great and add it to the title. For example, descriptions like "4 inch Black Heels with Beautiful Braided Straps" or "Sexy Designer Detny Boots - Almost New" not only tell a lot more about the shoes you want to trade but engage people's interest from the start. Many people will click through just to see what kind of braided straps or why the boots are considered sexy. Grab their eye!
Describe, Describe, Describe: When it comes to writing the description for your shoes, don't forget that people can't simply pick up the shoes, look them over and slide them on. Describe the height of the heel (if applicable). Mention if they have laces, buckles, velcro, or snaps (it's not always obvious from the photo). Describe the condition of the sole, the overall fit, and how comfortable they are. It doesn't take a lot of extra time to be thorough and it can turn an ignored pair of shoes into something desirable.


Example Shoe Swapping Site: Check out Shoe Swappers at http://shoeswappers.com.

Swapping clothes Swapping clothing online can be very liberating and exciting. When you shop for clothes in the mall or department store you pretty much know what you are going to find. Ho-hum! Swap sites, on the other hand, can contain anything! Do you like retro, euro, simple, formal, funky, chic? It's all out there. As with shoes there are tricks to making your clothing swaps a success every time.

Clothes Swapping Tips


Model Shots Win: When putting clothing up for swap, clear photos do a lot of the work for you, but nothing shows off clothes better than seeing them on someone. Some people go so far as to stage their model shots as if the photo were from a catalog. You don't need to go to all that effort. A simple photo of the shirt, pants, dress, etc on a fellow human will work well enough and be ten times better than shooting the clothes lying flat on the floor.
Go Beyond a Description: When describing an article of clothing in the swap title or description field, why stop at telling people what it looks like? Tell them what it feels like to wear it. Was it comfortable? Did it have a "formal feel" or does it make you feel like a million bucks? Suggest when to wear it: "great for work", "perfect for date night", etc. Also, never forget to describe the true condition of the clothes or risk making an unhappy swapper. If you wore it ten times, say so. It doesn't mean that it's worn out and swappers are a very forgiving bunch if you make an honest effort to be accurate.


Example Clothing Swapping Site: Check out Rehash Clothes at http://rehashclothes.com.

Final Tips When swapping anything online, don't forget to respond quickly to questions sent through the swap interface. Most of the time, active swappers are looking at many items at once. If a swapper is willing to trade what he or she has for a few different shoes or dresses, it is often the first person to respond that gets the swap.

One last point. When you agree to swap with someone, go through with it 100%. Ship or meet to swap your goods quickly and do everything you can to protect your online reputation. If there is a disagreement, work to resolve it as best you can. Be prepared to reverse the swap if all else fails. I never swap with anyone unless they have a great reputation no matter how much I want what they've got. It's just not worth it.

Good luck and get swapping!

Gregory Sherrow builds and advises on web strategy. He has created solutions for ecommerce, publishing, and education sites as well as custom sites covering socially responsible and environmental issues. Please contact him at http://www.sharedesk.com