Help & FAQs

Registering

I am not in Australia, can I join?

Unfortunately, we do not ship outside of Australia. But if you do move here, we’d love to have you as a customer.

How is Aussie Swap different than other swapping sites?

Aussie Swap is the first and only swapping website in Australia for books, DVDs, CDs, and video games. We create a hassle free swapping experience by providing selection, convenience, and guaranteed customer satisfaction. And it is only $1.00 per swap. What more could you ask for?

How do I sign up?

Simply click on the register button on the homepage or the register link at the top left of any page and fill in all of you details. It’s absolutely free to sign up. You will be sent an e-mail to confirm your registration. Just click the link in the e-mail and you are ready to go.

Wish List

What is a wish list?

You can add items here that you’d really like to receive as swaps in the future. It’s a great way to keep track of all the items you want. In the future we will have it set up so that you’ll receive an e-mail notice when someone adds an item to the system that is on your wish list.

Can I add items from my wish list to my Swapping Cart?

Unfortunately, no, because you’ll have to choose which seller you want to get the item from before you can add the item to your swapping cart. The wish list is simply just for you to keep track of items you might want one day.

Points

What are points?

Points are our virtual currency. You spend them when you receive an item and you receive them when you send one of your items to another user. You choose how many points you want for each of your items for swap. You can use our handy guide to help you choose point amounts if you’re unsure.

When do I receive my points?

After you have mailed the item to the buyer and they confirm that they have received it, your account will be credited with the amount of points you wanted to receive for the item.

What can I do with points?

You can request items from other users. If you received 15 points for a book, DVD, CD, or video game, for example, then you can use those points to get a new book, DVD, CD or video game from another user if they want 15 points or less for their item.

Can I use points I received on a book to get a DVD, CD, or video game?

Yes, you can use your points to request any item.

Why do you use points at Aussie Swap?

Using points instead of money makes swapping safe. It allows us to guarantee user satisfaction by providing refunds when a transaction doesn't go as planned. Points are also used so that users can swap items of unequal value. Say you have a textbook you don't want anymore. Textbooks are expensive. It's going to be a lot harder to find something you want from another user that is the same value as your textbook. With points, you can sell that textbook to one user and use those points to get multiple items from multiple users. 

When I first join, how do I swap when I have no points yet?

You will receive 1 point for each item you add to the system up to a maximum of 10 points to start your account with. This not only helps to populate the site with a large selection of items available for swapping, but it also allows you to start swapping right away with fellow Aussie Swap users.

What if sellers want crazy amounts of points for their items?

It is part of our system that multiple sellers can list the same items, which enables you to choose which seller you would like to get the item from based on points required, condition of the item, how quickly the seller can mail the item to you, and the individual seller reviews. If there is just one seller of an item, then you can choose to get the item from them or wait for another seller to list it. It is in the best interest of all sellers to list an appropriate amount of points for their item, otherwise they will have no one requesting their items and can’t get points to request any items themselves. Please refer to our handy guide for points suggestions.

Can I buy points if I don't have enough and really want to get an item on the website?

Yes, you can. Just click on the Points link at the top of the page and go to "Buy Some" and it will take you to a page with a listing of point packages. You can buy 10 points for $10, or buy 30 points for $27 and save 10%, or buy 50 points for $40 and save 20%. You can buy points at any time if you need them for a swap and find you don't have enough from swapping out your own items.

Credits

What are credits?

A credit is what you pay to play. It's a transaction fee you pay for each item you request. When you go to use your points to request an item you must use 1 credit to do so. It is $1.00 per credit, therefore it is $1.00 per swap. You only need to use a credit when you request an item and put it in your swapping cart.

Do credits expire?

No, they do not. If you purchase 50 credits, you can use them whenever you want. They will never expire.

How do I purchase credits?

You can click on the Credits link at the top of the page and it will take you to your Credits Summary page. From there you can click on the “Buy Some” link and it will take you to an order page where you buy a package of credits. then it will take you to a checkout page with the amount of credits ordered and the amount due. You will then need to click on the Checkout with Paypal button at the bottom of the page and it will navigate you away to Paypal. Paypal takes care of everything from there. Once you have paid through Paypal, the credits will show up in your Credit Summary and be available for you to use in swaps.

Is there any incentive to buying larger packets of credits?

Yes, we give you a discount when you buy large packages. If you buy 30 credits you save 10%. And if you buy 50 credits, you save 20%. Since they never expire, if you plan to do a lot of swapping it would be better to buy in bulk.

Is there a refund on credits purchased if I no longer want them?

Unfortunately, no, once you purchase credits they are non-refundable. We do not give refunds back through Paypal. Why not use the credits for swaps?

My Swaps

What is the My Swaps page?

The My Swaps page shows your swap list of all outgoing and incoming swaps. Outgoing swaps being all the items that have been requested from you and what stage they are at. The item is first a “Requested Item” from there you can accept or cancel the item. If you accept the swap (agree to send it to someone), then the item moves down to “Waiting to be Mailed” where the requester's name and address are conveniently located for you. Once you have mailed the item out, you click on “Mark Sent” and the item moves down to “Items Mailed”. There they wait for confirmation from the requester that they have received the item and once they confirm, the item is removed from the swap list page and you receive your points for the item. All incoming swaps are items that you have requested from sellers and the stage each item is at in getting to you. The My Swaps page is a handy way to see where each item is at in the swapping stage.

My Items

What is the My Items page?

These are items that you have made available for swap. You can edit or delete any of your items from here.

How do I add items to My Items page?

You can do a search for an item in the search box and choose a category from the drop down menu or you can simply click on the books, movies, music, or video games icons on the top right of the page and browse from there. When you search for an item in the search box and the item comes up in the system, then simply click on the Offer Swap link, choose a condition from the drop down menu, add condition notes, how many points you would like for the item, choose how long you need to mail the item from the drop down menu and then submit the item available for swap. You’ve added an item of yours to swap! If the item you are looking for is not in the system, then you’ll need to click the link in the search comment which will take you to an extended search page where the item will show and you can click on Offer Swap from there.

How do I find items to request?

As above, you can do a search in the search box or click on the icons. If the item is in the system, then look under the title to see how many are available for swap. If there are one or more available for swap, then click on Find Swaps and at the bottom of the item detail page is will list the sellers offering the item for swap with their username, their review, how many points they’d like for the item, the condition type, and the condition notes. Choose a seller you’d like the item from and click Add to Cart, it will then take you to the shopping cart where you will see the item, its points and credits required and how many points and credits you have available. If you have enough points and credits, then you can click the Place Order button. After that you will be taken to a page to confirm which address you would like the item sent to, then a swap receipt page – you’ve requested a swap, it’s that easy!

What if an item I want shows 0 available for swap under the title?

then there aren’t any available for swap and someone must offer it for swap.

Refer a Friend

What is Refer a Friend?

This is where you can tell all of your friends and family about Aussie Swap. If you enjoy Aussie Swap, we’re sure they will too – so, spread the word. All you have to do is simply type in their first name and e-mail address. To view a sample of the e-mail that is sent you can click on the link to view e-mail template.

Is there a way to keep track of my referrals?

Yes, if you click on the Referral List link you can see who you have sent a referral e-mail to. There is also a “resend” button listed next to each person so that you may resend the referral e-mail, but this can only be done once per week and no sooner. The resend button will not show until a week has passed.

Do I receive anything for referring friends and family?

Yes, you do. For each person you refer that signs up with Aussie Swap, you will receive 1 credit. Each referral will have a unique code attached to it, so even if your friend or family member signs up through our site instead of clicking on the link in your referral e-mail, you will still get your 1 credit.

My Account

What can I do in My Account?

You can add addresses and set a default address to send items to, you can change your e-mail address or password, you can pause or resume your account and change your e-mail notification preferences.

What is pausing and resuming your account?

If you go on vacation, for example, you can pause your account so that the items that you have available for swap do not show up in our system and buyers cannot request them while you are away. When you get back from vacation, you can resume your account and the items you have available for swap will show up again in the system for buyers to request.

My Profile

What is my profile?

It lists your activities such as your reviews of books, DVDs, CDs, or video games under Item Reviews, the items you have available for buyers to request, your wish list, and the feedback you have received from other users.

Shipping

Who pays for shipping of the items?

The seller pays for the shipping. It works out because the seller receives points for mailing the item out and when they buy an item, they will get free shipping to them.

How do I ship my items?

The cheapest and safest way possible. Items should be packed in a manner that will prevent them from being damaged. Padded envelopes would be best in most cases. Pack every item as you would like others to pack the items that are being sent to you and karma will be on your side.

You can find shipping supplies at your local office supply store.

I got an e-mail that someone wants my item, but I no longer have the item, what do I do?

If you have already found a home for your item, just sign into your account, go to My Swaps and click on the cancel swap button next to the item. Or click on the cancel link from the e-mail that you received.

Do you guarantee every swap for the seller?

Yes. If you send something and the other member does not receive it for whatever reason, contact Customer Support and we will help you get credit for the swap. Please read about our "Swap Guarantee" to learn more.

Why do you allow sellers to choose timeframes for shipping items when they list an item available for swap?

Some users live further from a post office or have less time to get to one, and we here at Aussie Swap are all about flexibility and making it easy for our customers. It gives sellers more choices on when to send items and buyers can choose between sellers who can ship faster depending on when they’d like the item. This timeframe is when seller can get to the post office, not when you will receive the item. It will take 1-3 business days on top of that timeframe (depending on how close the seller is to you) to get your item. You will get an e-mail when the item has been marked sent. 

When do I receive my points for something I sold?

Points are transferred into your account when the buyer confirms receipt of the item. Or, if after 30 days pass the item still isn’t marked as received you can contact Customer Support and we will help resolve the problem.

Why 30 days? Most items shipped will arrive within a couple days depending on the location of the sender and receiver. But sometimes things can take longer depending on weather conditions and other uncontrollable situations. This also gives us enough time to spot fraudulent activity and stop it before it gets out of hand.

Can I cancel a swap after I already committed to mailing it?

If for some reason you can no longer mail an item after you’ve already marked it as mailed. Contact Customer Support and we will cancel the swap. The number of cancelled swaps show up on your profile page. So don't cancel too often or nobody will want to swap with you.

Can I sell copies, counterfeits or other illegal products?

No.

Receiving

What happens if I don't receive an item that was mailed to me?

Delivery times vary depending on where the item was shipped from. If you haven't received it within a few days after the seller marked it as sent click on the "Remind Seller" link on the My Swaps page. We will send an email to the seller. If you do not receive your item within 30 days, contact Customer Support and we will look into it.

I received an item that is damaged. Now what?

Contact Customer Support and let them know the situation. We will work to get you a full refund ASAP.

I received an item but it's not what I requested. What should I do?

Contact Customer Support and let them know the situation. We will cancel the swap and get you a full refund ASAP.

Does Aussie Swap guarantee every swap?

Yes. If you don’t receive the item(s) you requested or they arrive damaged we will work to get you a FULL refund. Please read about our “Swap Guarantee” for more details.

Billing

Who pays for shipping?

The seller pays for the shipping. It works out because the sender receives points for mailing the item out and when they request an item, they will get free shipping to them.

What method of payment does Aussie Swap accept?

We currently only support PayPal. PayPal accepts all major credit cards as well as bank transfers. You do not need to be a member of PayPal to purchase with a credit card.

Can I cash in my points and credits for real money?

No, points and credits are to be used on the site only and cannot be exchanged for real money.

Customer Support

Swap Guarantee

The “Swap Guarantee” protects both the seller and buyer. Below are the details for both the seller and buyer involved in a swap.

Seller Guarantee:

The seller is protected if an item(s) they send arrives damaged due to shipping, gets lost in the mail or for whatever reason the buying member never confirms receiving the item.

If an item(s) is damaged during shipping we will refund both the seller and buyer.

If an item(s) is lost in the mail or is never confirmed after 30 days from the day the seller confirms the item(s) sent. Contact support and we will work to get you credit for the swap.

IMPORTANT! For items with a value of 50 points or higher the seller will need to provide proof of delivery in order to receive a full refund.

Buyer Guarantee:

The buyer is protected if an item(s) they buy arrives damaged, counterfeit, is the wrong item or never arrives at all.

For an item(s) that never arrives you must wait 30 days from the day it was confirmed as mailed before you submit a claim for a refund.

For damaged, counterfeit or wrong items please contact support and we will work to get you a full refund.