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Profile Surprises for Newbies

Launch gallery slideshow

Swap Coordinator:pumpkinniki (contact)
Swap categories: Random Items  Miscellaneous  Newbie 
Number of people in swap:48
Location:Regional - USA
Type:Type 3: Package or craft
Last day to signup/drop:October 19, 2009
Date items must be sent by:November 19, 2009
Number of swap partners:1
Description:

I made this swap to help newbies proove themselves so they may build the requirements for future swaps. Everyone will send to 1 partner. When you are assigned your partner, scope out their profile. Then, send them something you believe they will love based on their profile. If you want a decent rating, send something nice. If you don't send something nice, you will likely get a bad rating which may keep you from qualifying for future swaps. Please no flakers! And please rate your partner accurately.

You can send bought or handmade items. A postcard is not good enough. Think 3D!

Requirements: ~Fully filled profile. (I will be monitoring!) ~NO "no sends"

OPEN TO MEN AND WOMEN!

The following is emailed to all participants. Check your email inbox. Since this is a newbie swap, expect me to be here walking you thru the swap process.

You have been approved for the Profile Surprises for Newbies Swap. Look to the top right of the swap page for a link to view who you send to, a link for when you've sent your item, and a link for rating your partner and coordinator when the surprise is received. I have reviewed every participant's profile and I've been able to come up with a gift idea for each (no, I won't share the ideas). However, if you are hard pressed to come up with something, feel free to contact your partner about adding more to his/her profile. Do not ask for something specific! That ruins the surprise! And if you have allergies, please put them on your profile.

When you send your package, please be sure to write the name of the swap somewhere on the box along with your screen name. Please include a small letter inside letting your partner know what part of his/her profile inspired the gift. Since some gift ideas take longer than others, if after 2 weeks of the deadline passing you have not received your gift, please notify me. If for any reason you believe you may be late sending the gift, please contact your partner before the deadline passes. When all is "said and done" and time for rating: a 1 is if the person didn't send anything, a 3 is for if you got something but the swap requirements were not met, a 5 is for if you got something and the requirements are met, and a heart is for if you felt the person went "above and beyond" so to speak and sent something extra special. And the star is for if you felt the coordinator did a swell job. Remember, the numbers are not rating if you like what you recieved! In the case of a swap like this one, if there is a logical reason your partner thought you would like your gift, but you happened to not like it, then you still must rate a 5. You can always use that item in a future swap for someone else that will like it.

Please use common sense. There is no monetary minimum or maximum limits, but keep this example in mind: A $5 hallmark greeting card may not mean as much to someone as a ornament made from all recycled items that costs $0 to make! I, also, can't encourage you enough to send as soon as possible and not to wait til the last minute! The sooner you send, the sooner you get your ratings built up, the sooner you gain the access to the many swaps that don't allow newbies!

Thank you and happy swapping!

~Pumpkinniki

PS: Please do not reply to this email as it is being sent from a never checked email account. Contact me thru swap-bot if you have any questions. Thanks!

Discussion

Stefanija 09/19/2009 #

great idea.. I would join if it stayed US only..

BelleSouth 09/19/2009 #

I'm interested if it stays US, simply because of postage. Any size or cost limit? If you have a lot of folks, 1 partner would be good.

BelleSouth 09/19/2009 #

I'm interested if it stays US, simply because of postage. Any size or cost limit? If you have a lot of folks, 1 partner would be good.

pumpkinniki 09/19/2009 #

I didn't put a size or cost limit because I wanted it to be pretty much unlimited. I suppose maybe I should put at least a minimum limit on it. I think the limit will be easier when the vote is over since sending to other countries may be easier to accomplish with a lower limit. But I also wanted to leave it open for those that like handmade things instead of bought things, and smaller things instead of big things. (Or vice versa.)

KerryOut 09/19/2009 #

This sounds like a good swap to help get started. I'd be interested if it stays US, mainly to save on postage.

pumpkinniki 09/21/2009 #

Ok USA it stays!

ilove2smile 09/27/2009 #

I'm worried about the part that says... "If you want a decent rating, send something nice. If you don't send something nice, you will likely get a bad rating."

I don't know if this goes along with Swap-bot rules, because if you send something (anything! even if it is not something you like) and it fits the swap requirements, you must be rated a 5. If you send something that does not fit the requirements, you can get no lower than a 3. But the only requirements I see is that it cannot be a postcard, it should be something from their profile, and it must be "nice." But what if I think something is nice and my partner doesn't think that?

Sauterelle 09/30/2009 #

I think ilove2smile has a good point.

As a newbie, I worry I might get a bad rating just as I'm getting started.

dynasourX 10/ 1/2009 #

I have the same worries as Sauterelle..I'll watch for now :)

Bexs 10/ 2/2009 #

This is a perfect starter swap for me! Joined today and thrilled about the swap.

pumpkinniki 10/ 4/2009 #

The statement before the "something nice" statement tells what "something nice" is. If you send something nice based on their profile, then they will likely think it is nice too. But if you for example see that your partner likes to quilt and you send them a clothing pattern thinking sewing is sewing, then the reciever may be lost as to how you came to the idea that they might like a clothing pattern and believe you didn't meet the requirements while you think you have.

ilove2smile 10/ 6/2009 #

So...do you see why I think this is a problem?

Kim1012 10/12/2009 #

I think you'll be ok as long as you send something that goes along with your partner's profile - which, according to the Swap-Bot wording "fits the swap requirements." Perhaps "nice" isn't the right word to focus on. Maybe "nice" isn't referring to the quality of the item (putting to rest the "I think it's nice, but my partner might not!" fears) and moreso on how you incorporated your partner's profile into the item you sent? That's my take on it...but I don't want to speak for Ms. Pumpkinniki :)

I think we can all agree though that this could be a really fun swap :)

pumpkinniki 10/12/2009 #

Thanks Kim for wording it better. That is how I mean it. I'll admit communication is not my best suit. I asked my husband and friend to read it and they understood so I didn't know how better to word it for those that didn't. Granted different linguistic patterns...

ilove2smile 10/12/2009 #

Thank you for clarifying :] I didn't mean to try and cause trouble. It is just really important that swap descriptions are as precise as possible, especially in newbie swaps, because ambiguous descriptions can leave loopholes and lead to problems sometimes. I hope everyone has a lot of fun!!! :D

Kim1012 10/12/2009 #

It just kills me to have to wait to start crafting! :-)

withourhands 10/14/2009 #

I wish this swap had a dollar minimum. For example, someone might look at a profile and see that someone collects buttons. They could send someone 5 buttons and "fullfill the swap". Where the button collector could spend $5 on someone and feel disappointed that they only received 5 buttons. Having a minimum swap value helps clear that up.

countswapula 10/14/2009 #

I agree. A dollar amount would really help. I would be more likely to participate if there were monetary guidelines. I'll watch for now.

scraphappy55 10/15/2009 #

I will give it a try, I need to work on my profile and add some likes and dislikes, it sound like fun

charmachine 10/17/2009 #

As a newbie, I was hoping to join this swap to get ratings (plus, it sounded fun), but I can't because I'm Canadian. Any Canucks out there that want to swap? I'm willing to swap to the USA too. Any of my neighbours to the south want to swap with a friendly Canadian?

amytheist 10/17/2009 #

oh ... not international :(. Happy swapping guys!

CarlaTV 10/17/2009 #

Thanks for creating this. It's hard for a newbie to get started and this is perfect. I'll do my best to interpret my partners likes. Good luck to everyone!

RainbowSplatter 10/19/2009 #

i think this is too vague... and if brand new newbies are involved, they shouldn't think that it's okay to give a 3 or 1 just because they didn't like an item... because it's not. everyone gets a 5 if they make the swap requirements. "something nice" is too broad of a requirement and there is no dollar range. this could get complicated when it comes to rating.

Caerah 10/19/2009 #

I agree with RainbowSpatter, it is too vague. From the Swap-Bot official FAQ (linked at the bottom of every page):

"There are only three different rating criteria: I got my stuff and it met posted swap requirements (5 points); I got my stuff, but it didn't meet the posted swap requirements (3 points); I never got anything (1 point). Keep in mind that you are NOT rating your partners on whether or not you liked what you received, only on if it met the requirements of the swap. The fun thing about swaps is that you never know what you are going to get, and that means that sometimes you may not be thrilled with what you receive."

So for this swap, as it is now without any dollar or item limit/requirement, if you receive anything (other than a postcard, of course) it meets the requirements of a 5. Swap-Bot ratings are not based on how much you like what you get, that's what the heart system is for. Swap-Bot ratings are to identify flakers.

MrsMartiV 10/19/2009 #

Thank you for creating a newbie swap.

Andi 10/19/2009 #

Hi, this will be my 1st swap on swap bot... I can't wait to find my swap buddy so I can get this started.

lovelovelove90 10/19/2009 #

it's usually not that hard to find people things that they will like! really, just look at the profile and pick something out and swap something that's not horrible and you had laying around. make it personal, be kind, think of your partners likes. if it says they love green, GREEN green green, send them something neat/cute that is green. and stay away from whatever it is they don't like. :]

really, just don't send someone something of value or interest that you WOULD NOT like and think of the person as if it's a dear old friend and you're giving them a little something you know they'll love and it will brighten up their day. :] - L

Sandpunk 10/20/2009 #

Okay, I think I know what I'm gonna make.

dynasourX 11/ 2/2009 #

I decided not to join, but I just wanted to give whoever has TaraK429 as a partner a heads up..I believe she may have flaked on me. She hasn't logged onto swapbot in 20 days.

Sandpunk 11/17/2009 #

Took me longer than I expected, I will be mailing tomorrow.

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