This is a quick tip that I think will cut down on swap flaking – or at least make it less likely for you to personally encounter it. When choosing swaps, only join those which you will have the most fun completing instead of ones that you would most like to receive. We all love to receive our snail mail swap packages, but swapping should be a creative process that is enjoyable on both the sending and receiving sides.

In the more than three years that we have been running Swap-bot, Travis and I have noticed a pattern in the swaps that the truly malicious flakers gravitate toward. The more expensive “go buy such and such for your partner” swaps are always targeted by the thieves. Not to say that putting together a fun package of goodies for your partner isn’t rewarding, but it is smart to be selective about which store-bought swaps you participate in. Private or group store-bought swaps are much safer. And never sign up for a swap you cannot afford! Inexpensive mail swaps, like postcards and letters, are a still lot of fun without being as financially risky.

Creative craft and art swaps can certainly still end up with flakers, but most of the fun in these swaps is in sharing your creation with others. The swappers who sign up for craft and art swaps are usually very interested in the creative process and love the challenge of creating something new, not just the promise of receiving a package. Swapping can help you explore your creativity while also connecting you with other artists, writers, crafters, and makers from around the world.

There are a few more tips on how to choose successful swaps in this previous Tuesday Tip post. Please add your suggestions for how to choose swaps in the comments section.

5/14/09 UPDATE:

Here are a few more helpful tips for how to choose safer swaps from Swap-bot user, LINDA50 :

  • Do not sign up for swaps with hosts with less than 40 completed swaps.</a>
    • Do not stay in swaps with questionable swappers. Either have the host ban them or drop the swap.
    • If the swap title has the word bored in it, don’t join. Don’t know why this word attrats flakers but it does.
    • Avoid public swaps for items that require a large time (or money) investment.
    • Go for low value, medium effort public swaps.
    • Do not wait two or three months to give a one. Ones can always be changed, but you cannot go back and warn people. The longer it takes to spot a flaker the more they walk away with.

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    Thanks, Linda!!