Some tips here for those who might need them or those who are new to SwapitShop and need some guidance and help.
I am not trying to cover everything, just a few things that will help you swap easier, get more respectabilty on this Forum and an excellent rating on SwapitShop and be an all-round good or even great, swapper
There has been so many instances, especially lately, where people are being asked to send stamps, that I am posting this (again, as I have said much of this before in various posts, repeating myself over and over, in the past, like some other people do also, to try to help people)
I posted much of what is below, earlier today, on another thread, but putting it here again in the hope that many newbies (or even longer standing members of SwapitShop who really are not sure of many things still) will read and be helped by it.
Mainly, to make sure your forwarding stamps don't get lost/stolen OR to make sure you don't ever get e-mail's from SwapitShop saying "You must send stamps" because you haven't covered the correct amount of postage that a swap costs to forward on to winner.
NOTE:- If you only send in the one swap, more than one swap to the same winner (you can put all these in one packet/envelope - just make sure you write all swap Numbers on the front of it)
or even if you send many seperate swaps, to different winners, in one package, it is best to do the following:-
Write the address of SwapitShop on the front, middle, and the swap number/s and your member number bottom left (on all envelopes/swaps) weigh and measure each swap or swaps (each seperate one if sending in multi swaps) if you have scales at home to work out the postage, or take to the post office, without sealing the main envelope/package (if you have included swaps in seperate envelopes inside) buy the stamps needed to forward each seperate swap/package to SwapitShop and stick them on each individual swap, top right of each envelope and then you can seal the main envelope/parcel and give it to Post Office worker to weigh and pay them the price of stamps or postage label stamp it costs to send to SwapitShop.
I know SwapitShop say to attach them to the back of the envelope you send to Swapitshop, but you MUST stick them down (lick the gum or stick on a self-sticking stamp) top right on the back of the envelope (if you only send in one swap) DO NOT attach them in a little pocket OR include them inside, cos they can go missing.
I always put each swap I send in its own forwarding envelope, stick on the stamps top right, write my member number and the swap number, on each seperate swap, seal them and then I include each seperate packaged or enveloped swap inside a bigger main package or envelope, addressed to SwapitShop and with the proper stamps needed on front, top right, and all swap numbers and my member number written across the bottom from left to right, and send the whole thing to SwapitShop
This saves on the actual postage costs, rather than sending each won swap individually and also means the stamps are secure.
It's also a good idea to write your name and address on the back of the main package, in case it gets damaged or lost, cos then you have a good chance of maybe getting it (or some of it) sent back to you.
To make sure, even further, that a package (esp. with multi swaps in it) gets delivered to SwapitShop, send it Recorded delivery, there is only a small charge and it then covers you insurance-wise, should anything go wrong.
I have
never had a problem by doing everything this way (and have sent in many swaps over the years I have been with SwapitShop - except when someone in their Post Room has messed up and not read or put through something, properly
LOL)
ALSO; when you go to the Post Office to send off your swap/s - you have a choice of buying proper stamps OR you can pay for a sticker stamp which the Post person sticks on your package (it's a white label with 1st or 2nd class on it and the price you paid etc) -
These sticker stamps are only valid postage on the day they are bought & the swap must be sent off from the Post Office, then, so no good to use one of these as forwarding stamps.
Sometimes swaps can take a few days to get to SwapitShop and then sit in their office a day or more before being forwarded, so that would make a sticker stamp invalid.
You can use them for the actual envelope/package you send the swap/s in to SwapitShop with but not on an inner envelope containing a swap to be forwarded as the post office could charge SwapitShop for stamps if they notice it whilst its in their hands being delivered or could even end up asking the receiver/winner for the postage costs (plus a £1 on top as a fee) when its delivered to them.
Always buy proper stamps as forwarding postage.
PS Once again I urge everyone to actually look at the Postage Costs chart on SwapitShop to make sure they are sending the swaps with the correct amount of postage
http://www.swapitshop.com/posting_swaps
Size and weight of each swap makes a difference to how much postage a swap costs to post.
EDIT (added after first posting this):- Personal Note:- I am so used to sorting out my own postage/swaps, that, I always have stamps of different prices at hand (of course you need to have the money to pay for them) I have a ruler nearby to measure the thickness and size of items I am swapping and have a set of good, reliable kitchen scales to weigh everything on, and am so used to reading SwapitShop's Postage Cost Chart that I already know how much it costs to send many (of the same swaps) things, that, i don't even have to go to the Post office, often, as, if I am sending a package/envelope that will fit in a Post Box, I often just sort all swaps out, package them up and post in my local post Box (2 mins walk away - yes I am lucky it is so close etc)
Not everyone can or will swap a lot, and that's fine, but at least, when you do offer a swap, spend a little time figuring things out before and during postage
One more tip!:- Send in as many swaps within 5 days as possible, or, if you can't do that, DEFINITELY send them in within 7 days! Sometimes post is slow and, for some reason or other, with delays at RM or SwapitShop, your swap may end up arriving after 14 days and you will get minuses
Hope this helps many of you and that myself, and other members, do not have to keep repeating ourselves, on this subject, too often
It is a LONG post but VERY INFORMATIVE, so be bothered and read it and it will help you be a better swapper and not have some of the problems many seem to have
Wow very long, interesting post. Thank You very much!
