So you’ve joined SwapaDVD, listed your initial 10 DVDs and have placed a few items on your wish list. Maybe you’re feeling a bit skeptical of the system because you haven’t yet received anything that you really wanted from the other members of the site. You aren’t alone. Some members are evidently feeling a bit impatient about the lack of movement of their wish lists and have voiced some dissatisfaction with the way the site operates, and even some suggestions for changing or improving it.
My personal feeling is that in order to get the most out of a swap system like SwapaDVD, one needs to be patient and flexible. While it is true that the newest members desiring titles that are in high demand may have to wait a significant period of time before being given the opportunity to swap for them, those same members have the exact same window of opportunity to put future hot releases onto their wish lists as any of the “established” members. Please keep in mind that those members who are in front of you on any given wish list have been waiting too – many of them since November of 2007 when the site first opened! No trading system can deliver immediate gratification in all cases. Unless you are willing to go out and purchase those items you want the most, you must resign yourself to waiting behind all those folks in line in front of you. If you filled the wishes of some members when you joined and posted your initial DVD tower, so too have all of the other members of this fine site. That’s where all the magic comes from.
When I peek at the wish lists of these new-but-vocal folks, I almost always find that they have less than 100 items on their wish lists (which may seem like a lot) and usually less than 40 (which really isn’t very many at all). If they truly aren’t interested in acquiring very many films, perhaps they would be better served elsewhere. However, I’m convinced that these same folks might actually be interested in swapping for many other titles if they opened themselves up to the possibilities. Not only could they develop their own interests but they could also locate items that their friends or family members might enjoy. I have given more than a dozen DVDs from the site as gifts, and as I mention elsewhere in my blog, one of the best of these was a copy of Tim Burton’s “Nightmare Before Christmas” that made my step-daughter’s Christmas morning very special last year.
I personally don’t attempt to swap for new releases. I would much rather buy those titles, or rent them locally than clog up my wish list with items where I am forced to compete with hundreds of other members. Instead, I have explored new genres and have received a respectable number of items off my wish list as a result. I have also made it a point to educate myself a little about films that earned recognition in the past. There are many organizations who keep detailed archives that might be helpful to someone who is willing to invest a little effort. Visit the home of the Academy Awards or the Sundance Film Festival to refresh your memory about the some of the best films that have been out on DVD long enough that they should be readily available. As evidenced by this blog, I also frequently choose an actor or director and then proceed to explore their entire body of work. The practice of taking a chance on an unfamiliar title or revisiting one from the past enables me to derive great satisfaction from my membership during those “dry spells” before a wish listed item pops onto my account. I must tell you, when that happens, I feel like I hit a home run!
There are many films that I’ve received from the site that I will never swap back out to another member for one reason or another. Some were gifted to members of my family and others have found a permanent home in my collection. However, in order to have the credits to swap for these items I must actively pursue titles desired by the other members of the site. Just this past weekend I attended an estate sale where I not only secured several items that have been on my wish list but also a number of items that were on the wish lists of other members. Among these were 3 different boxed sets (one for 8 credits!) and 3 Disney films that were 2 disk sets. They were priced low enough that even considering my postage expenses I would earn credits for less than what they cost on the site. The best part is that by fulfilling the wishes of other members, I am actively contributing to the overall good of the site and am eventually rewarded by others members making my own wishes a reality. (Wow – the really sounded very much like “The Secret”, didn’t it??!)
Without getting specific, I can tell you that I’ve received well over 100 items from the site to date. That’s a lot of credits to spend! Of course, I had to earn them just like every other member. Because I have a large library of books and a music collection that I no longer need, trading through the sister sites PaperBackSwap and SwapaCD to earn credits that I can later transfer to SwapaDVD has been a huge benefit for me in the pursuit of building a film library. I do return many DVDs back into the system so that others may enjoy them, and sometimes I must be patient for these titles to be requested from me so that I can recycle the credit.
Let’s face it, SwapaDVD is not for everyone. For those who don’t enjoy the swapping experience there are many other options that may prove more satisfactory. These include such services as Netflix and Blockbuster. I personally appreciate the fact that I can have as many DVDs delivered to my home as I want, without the overhead of a subscription. The only out of pocket expenses I incur come when I send a DVD out to another member. Of course, I also have the out-of-pocket expense of the DVD that I swapped, (but that is an expense that I’d already committed to paying when I chose to buy the disk).
I hope you’ll decide to stick around a little while to give the system a chance to work for you. Like all things, nothing good comes easy and often the best things in life are worth the wait. Develop your wish list and explore the vast catalog of films that is already out there waiting for you. While these titles aren’t guaranteed to be immediately available on SwapaDVD, I can almost guarantee that the wish lists for them won’t be nearly as long as they are for the most popular new releases or the average Disney movie!
