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 2:08 PM PST, Thu, Jan 8, 2009

TWITTER FACEBOOK

Getty Images

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?

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.

Who needs money? Trade in your old stuff for new at the brilliant new site SwapItShop.
First Published: Jan 7, 2009 11:57 AM PST

TWITTER FACEBOOK

  • 0% furious 0
  • 0% sad 0
  • 0% bored 0
  • 0% thrilled 0
  • 0% intrigued 0
  • 0% laughing 0
processing
          No comments have been posted yet.

          You have 2000 characters left

          processing
          So My City

          You are posting in (change)

          550/550 characters

          (jpg, pngs, or gifs allowed)

          (jpg, pngs, or gifs allowed)
          *Tip: You can also post moments via email or Twitter.

          processing

          View Your Moment in

          Posted by | 1 second ago

          Don't Miss

          shopping

          Nov 20, 2009

          Wake Up in the Alarm Clock Bed

          Designed by Florian Scharfer, Melted Clock is a wake-up call embedded in your sheets, with a clock display made out of silicone and electroactive polymers.

          Read It

          shopping

          Nov 20, 2009

          eBay is Style Barometer According to Constance White

          What is in style for the holidays, with millions of items going through the giant electronic auction, eBay is the barometer for fashion trends: All things plaid, leather coats, and other items are...

          food_drink

          Nov 20, 2009

          Finding Peace in the Gourmet Ghetto

          Located in Berkeley’s Gourmet Ghetto, Imperial Tea Court can be easy to miss.

          Read It
          Loading...
          Birthdate:
          You must be at least 13 to sign up.
          Gender:
          invalid

          By clicking the button below, I accept the terms of use and privacy policy

          Already Signed Up? Login Below.

          processing
          Here's what we're posting:

          *Only used for verification. We do not store your password.
          processing