Late last night (perhaps it was early this morning?) I found out about something I’d not previously been aware of. And it could save you money! You know that really depressing moment you realize you no longer have enough room for your books? Or perhaps that exhaustive feeling after stopping a book before you finish because the story never really grasped you? You know you do. And in both cases you make the decision to give away some books. Maybe to your local library or the Goodwill or a non-profit. But before you do that you may want to keep reading.
Perhaps Paperback Swap is a better alternative. Some initial conditions must be met before you can actually start swapping books with other members, but here’s how it works once the conditions are met. You have a book you’re looking to get rid of. You post it on the site. Someone says they want it. You ship to directly to them. Easy. And as soon as someone gets your book you’re able to get one from someone else. The shipper will always pay for shipping.
And members can also purchase new books at discounted prices from the site.
The obvious downside I’m seeing here is quality. Sure I’ve bought a few used books in recent weeks, but I HATE when people don’t take care of their books before, during, or after reading. And I’m not sure if there’s any way of knowing the condition of the books posted. And if the site is international, then you could potentially see some high shipping costs to ship a single book.
BUT I still think it’s an interesting concept, though I’ll never be using it because I’ve stated a million times that I don’t get rid of books. But I know a number of you do. Do you think you’ll be interested in swapping books any time soon?
You can visit the website here.
Johnny Reads 
Reblogged this on William Chasterson.
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I’ve been using PBS for years and I love it. I don’t mind used books and I’ve never received one that I felt was damaged, though many are well loved. I also don’t ship internationally…I assume if there’s an option for that you select it, to avoid high costs. You can also set conditions, for example, I don’t accept books from a smoking home. Before someone sends me a book, they agree that the book is smoke free. If they do send me a book that don’t meet my conditions, there are ways to dispute. But I’ve had almost no issues with the site over the years.
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Hmm. See, I didn’t know you could set conditions like that. How long does it usually take for someone to request the books you post? Just curious.
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It really depends on the book. I’ve had books requested within hours or days, and others sat on my shelf so long I donated them when it was clear no one wanted them. It’s hit or miss with the books you find as well. But it’s an easy enough resource to use and I’ve found a decent amount of books I’m looking for there. You can add things to your wish list too, like a waiting list for when they’re available
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Hmmm. It sounds like they have every aspect covered. All you have to do is find a book. I did a little searching and it looks like I could have gotten more than a dozen books I want at the moment. But I think I’d rather just buy from Amazon or Half Price Books. And I still have no desire to give up any books.
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Yeah I have a buildup of credits at the moment due to a lot of books I posted a while back. But I only have one book available to swap now. I actively put up books I don’t like, but most of the books I read, I enjoy. So i don’t always have something to offer.
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Same. I probably really dislike fewer than five books a year.
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I don’t think my number is that low, lol. But I know my tastes well at this point and generally enjoy what I pick up
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I think you read more than I do.
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Haha yes, based on your posts, I think so too.
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Sounds like you’re making fun of me. 😳
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Aww, no. Just that you’ve talked before about how you haven’t read a ton lately. And I do my best to read at least 100 books a year to keep up with my book hoarding. Lol!
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Yikes. You’re a crazy woman.
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Yes! *insert cackle here*
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I’m gonna run away now. 🏃
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A roommate a few years back did that. She loved it! However, I can see that if you are particular about the condition of the book, it might pose some problems… 🙂 Thanks for this post! I had forgotten about the existence of this!
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Glad I could visit your memory bank! 😊
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Interesting! I’ve never heard of this. I’ll have to check it out while I’m traveling.
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Do you typically donate or give books away?
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I so rarely get rid of my books, it’s hard to say. I think I’ve donated some, but those were the ones I really didn’t like. Others I’ve given away to friends for their kids’ enjoyment. And I’ve sold some on Ebay. But, again, it’s been a while since I’ve done any of those things.
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Hmmm. Well you have to post books on the site to be able to swap.
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I understand. I’ll probably wait until my book-buying diet is over and see which books to swap. I’m trying to restrict how many books travel with me since it’s a vast number and takes up most of the space in my car.
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I’m imagining you driving without being able to see anything because you have too many books. 😂
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You’re not too far off. Except the books are at the bottom of the seat/trunk because they’re so heavy. I can’t put them on top of anything except themselves or they’ll crush it.
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You are a traveling hoarder of books.
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You speak the truth.
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Always. Which reminds me, I watched Deathly Hallows Part 1 and 2 today. I seriously love those movies.
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John — Thanks for posting about this option. Wouldn’t work very well for me, as my husband and I travel full-time (shipping, picking up mail… all must be carefully planned and scheduled). So what to do with all these books in a small RV? I donate them — RV parks often have book exchanges (usually in the laundry room), and sometimes I run into a bookstore with a swap/credit program where I can re-stock and get credit for the books I have. Someone also suggested donations to hospitals — a great idea, but not one I’ve tried yet. For those of you swapping and shipping the swaps, doesn’t that get old — and how are you sure the receiver pays for the shipping if you have to pay to send it in the first place? Thanks again!
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Hm. I think you misread what I wrote. The sender pays to ship the book, not the receiver.
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