*This is a sponsored post*

Today, we’re going to take a look at SwitchPlanet.com, a stuff trading service. With their mantra “use more … waste less!”, SwitchPlanet proudly proclaims,

SwitchPlanet is a social media trading website where members can switch their old DVDs, CDs, Games and Books with other members for free.

Social tools such as friends, groups and forums are available to help members communicate between trades.

Members also support various charities via our SwitchFunds program.

SP is a great way to enjoy media/entertainment for the cost of postage.

Inventory

True to their words, SwitchPlanet indeed has a wide array DVDs, CDs, video games and books available for switching. Under each type of items are categories to help you navigate to your choice of items. Currently, DVDs and CDs are well provided for - with many of the categories being in the thousands. Selection of books and video games lag behind in terms of availability but are slowly catching up. Stuff range from old to rather new-ish; don’t expect to find recent blockbuster DVDs.

Majority of the items available are accompanied with a good amount of information and an image. Also included is the amount of people that have and wants the item. To begin the switching process, check an item that is available for switching.

Switching

The switching process is done via ‘SwitchBucs’(SB), an internal currency with an exchange rate of 1SB=1USD. Wait a minute… I thought it was free? Indeed it is free when you look at it from a providers’ perspective. See, each item available for switching are actually priced with a certain amount of SwitchBucs; e.g. a Spiderman 2 Special edition DVD would cost you 40SB. So when a person wants to switch with you, 40SB will be deducted from him and then added to your account. With 40SB at hand, you can use it to pay for other items you want.

Here’s where the non-free part comes in - when you want something but have no SB. Perhaps all you have are junk that nobody wants. So anyway, you have no SB and Spiderman 2 Special Edition is taunting you with a 40SB price tag. Click on the ‘want it’ link and SwitchPlanet allows you to exchange 40SB with 40USD. You get 40SB to switch with your object of desire.

As you can see, it isn’t ’switching’ per-se, but rather an exchange of SB to facilitate trading (since members have no way of cashing out on their SB). Members are stuck in a perpetual cycle of switching; which isn’t necessary a bad thing as it sustains the inventory database with frequent switches.

SwitchFunds

The SwitchFunds program is a system that allows you to donate to various charitable organizations as a gesture of appreciation for the free service provided. We think it’s a great addition to the good they are doing by reducing wastage.

Concerns

Our primary concern would be the lack of information regarding purchase of SwitchBucs. We spend a lot of time looking through the help section as well as exploring every link to get some info on that. Finally, we were able to locate it via simulating a ‘want it’ process. How we wished there was a more accessible way to just get some SB!

Another issue we faced was the inability to choose a country and state outside of US or Canada. There was no mention of other countries being restricted. We finally chose ‘Military posted to Asia’.

Summary

SwitchPlanet provides a useful platform for people who don’t mind trading their stuff with others. While an initial purchase of SB might be needed for some, most of the members can get by with constant switching the way it was meant to be. A lot of money could be saved if you switch wisely.

We hope you find the review informative.
link to SwitchPlanet.com

Tags: Beta, Online Services, Reviews, sponsored, SwitchPlanet, Web2.0

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