Emailing the owner of an item on the Swap's ads is easy, right? All you have to do is click on the underlined name of the seller, say you're interested or ask if it's still available, and that's all there is to it...right?

Well, there really is a little more to it, so here are some tips to make your transaction start off smoothly. The atmosphere on the Swap's ads is similar to a garage sale, except that the prices usually are more firmly set, as sellers have already reduced their items to the minimum for which they wish to sell them. We also assume that buyers and sellers have read and are in agreement with the Swap's Policies statement.

"Interested" or "I want to buy it"?

If you're sure that you want to purchase the item, say so in your first email! For example, "I'd like to buy your (name of item) if it's still available." Say so even if you have a question or two about the item. If you're not sure that you want to buy the item, say something like "I'm interested in buying your (name of item) if it's still available, but I'm not sure yet. I need to ask some questions first." Then ask your questions--and keep them short! The seller isn't obligated to type out the entire table of contents, or give you a synopsis of the storyline. All the same, there are some questions you will want to ask.

Buyers, please remember that it is your responsibility to clarify any terms of a sale.

If a listing does *not* include the following information, please consider asking:

"What condition is the item in?"

(Make sure you understand what each other mean by "poor", "good", "excellent", or other item descriptions! Consider asking about permanent marks on the cover and in the pages, erasures, worn edges, tears, number of students who have used it previously, etc. )

"What is the publish date of an item?"

(Check against the publisher's catalog date to ascertain whether it is the most recent edition, if that's what you want. Keep in mind that many times, older *is* better.)

"Will the seller allow refunds?"

(Under what conditions?)

"Will costs be shared in case of loss?"

(Consider postal insurance! Accidents happen, so protect your investment if you can't afford to lose the item to the postal machinery.)

The better you structure and understand the "terms of the sale", the greater your chance will be for a happy outcome.

We take no responsibility for accuracy of listings, and encourage you to ask appropriate questions about any item you might be interested in. All transactions are specifically between item owner and purchaser, and Swap managers bear no responsibility for the outcomes.

If you're new to selling your materials, protect yourself. NEVER send out materials before receiving funds, and if you wish, wait for the check to clear before you send out the materials.

Wise sellers will have a prepared list of their personal policies. Many email programs allow for templates to be created, so if it sounds structured and canned, you can be sure that the seller put much thought into it.

Here's a sample template.

Thanks! I will reserve
(name of item, price)
for you.

Please send your check or money order to Joy Homeschooler, 123 Denim Drive, Havinfun, IL 33333.

My policies are as follows:

I will accept a personal check imprinted with your name and address, or a money order, and will send the item(s) by USPS special standard (book rate) promptly after receiving the funds. All sales are final, like a garage sale, and I will notify you by email when I mail the item out. In the rare case of postal loss, I will not refund nor share the cost, so if you wish postal insurance, please add sufficient funds to cover the value of your contracted-for item. This will place the financial burden in case of loss upon the postal service, where it would belong.

For my part, I am committed to accurate descriptions of items, good packaging of your contracted-for item, and barring emergencies, I also am committed to sending out your item promptly. For checks over $25, it is my policy to wait for them to clear my bank before I mail out the item. Please be aware that book rate packages can take several weeks to arrive.

For your part, please send me your mailing address now so that I can pre-address the label. I'd also appreciate knowing when you receive the item.

I reserve the right to re-post the item for sale after a reasonable time (two or three weeks) if your payment has not arrived, and I will inquire by email about your intentions before I do so. If I do not receive a reply to my inquiry within 24 hours, I will withdraw from the proposed sale, and proceed with re-posting the item for sale and will notify you accordingly.

Thanks again,

Joy Homeschooler

Don't leave the seller hanging!

You'll be the one to lose out most of the time, because Internet commerce takes place very very quickly much of the time! It's very common for a hot item to sell within the first hour of its appearance on the ads, especially during the spring and summer. Sellers want to sell, and aren't obligated to wait for any length of time for an "interested" person to make up her or his mind. Some sellers will wait for you, but most can't afford to wait for a casual inquirer to decide. If you only check your email every couple of days, you probably shouldn't be trying to buy over the Net. You'll get much better results if you check your mail at least twice daily. Of course, sellers should also be checking their email a few times daily, but then, they're motivated to do so! Remember that sellers have the right to refuse to sell to anyone, so if you leave a seller waiting to hear from you, there's a very good chance that the seller will be reluctant to sell to you the next time you want to purchase something. That goes double for contracting to buy an item and then never sending the money, unless you can convince the seller that your backing out of a previous deal was a one-time thing, and you're extremely sorry for the inconvenience you've caused. If you want to have good relationships with sellers, be a prompt, courteous buyer.

Keep good records.

Most sellers know the importance of keeping good records, like keeping track of inquiries, sales, email and postal addresses of buyers, dates sent (with notifications) with item names, and when materials arrive. It's important for buyers to keep track of the seller's name, email address, mailing address (assuming the transaction progresses to that point), as well as where the sale was contracted and when. The Swap is the oldest used curriculum site on the net, but there have been a host of imitators that, sadly, do not have as many (or in some cases, any!) safeguards in place. As a buyer, you could keep an email folder of inquiries, another of sales in progress, and another of sales that have been completed. Computers do crash, though, so keeping a simultaneous paper record is a good idea, especially if you are buying a large amount or from many different sources.

What about bargaining?

This is a matter for the seller to decide. If a buyer contracts to purchase several items at once, the savings in postage to the seller is considerable, and many buyers and sellers feel that it is OK to share the savings. Some folks, however, feel that if the buyer doesn't ask for a reduction for a multiple sale, they don't have to offer one. I often knock off some for multiple item orders upon request, and don't mind negotiating a little, but I'll never knock off anything on a single item, because it's already been priced where I want it (with postage included in the price).

Some sellers get seriously annoyed at the suggestion that their prices are too high, but like a garage sale, if the item doesn't sell after a while, the seller is always free to modify his or her ad and reduce the price. Most sellers I know, though, get upset if the first thing from a potential buyer is the question "Will you take less?", as sellers have already reduced their items to the minimum for which they wish to sell them. Both parties should be prepared to walk away from a potential sale if each party's target price cannot be met, without taking a refusal as a personal affront.

Nail down the price, INCLUDING POSTAGE.

Smart sellers build postage prices into their item prices, and say so in their ads. "Postage paid" means exactly that--the price in the ad has the postage included, and the seller is paying it and charging the buyer for it as part of the item price. Building postage into the price usually results in a faster sale, because there are no hidden costs. If you encounter a seller who has not done this, make sure you are completely in agreement about the extra amount that will be charged for postage. You can do this in your initial inquiry email, like this: "I would like to buy your (name of item) for your listed price of (amount), and I understand that postage costs are not included in that price. What would the exact amount of additional postage be?" When in doubt, spell it out.

I hope these suggestions--which have come from long experience--are useful to you. These aren't commandments, of course, but many veteran buyers and sellers have demonstrated that these tips WORK. Please let us know of other transaction tips that have worked for you!

Tips compiled and written by Sarah Acker