Profile Surprise (no USA swappers, sorry!)

For those of you from USA, I have a profile surprise swap going for you too!
http://www.swap-bot.com/swap/show/7506

A lot of the reason you see "USA only", isn't because we feel we are "special" or want to not include other countries, but in case you DIDN'T know, our postal system here in the USA just not only upped postage prices (AGAIN) but got rid of international ground mail, which was the cheap way to send internationally. Now our only option is priority or express mail to other countries, which is REALLY expensive. For example, I just send 2 books in a used book swap here internationally to South Korea and the CHEAPEST postage for the 2 books was $15, which cost more than both the books put together.

We do not say "USA Only" as a cliquish, "you can't join, nyah nyah nyah" sort of way, but our government has now made it so that mailing overseas is far too expensive. So to say "Everyone but the US is welcome" in your swap is just a little on the rude side, don't you think? As postage from Australia to Russia probably costs just as much!

I totally agree with the last statement...

I live in Germany and it is as expensive as it is for you to send parcels around the world. For a three things from the dollar shop for example I have to pay 24 EUR. This isn't really cheap - but I join those swaps cause it is fun... Perhaps you have to think about it, wheter it isn't also rude to write "Only US/Canada".

But we aren't writing "USA Only" to exclude the world because of nationality (duh), but to save on postage. It would be the same as to say "Australia only" or "China Only" or "________ only" because postage within your OWN country is cheaper. And there ARE many of these type swaps on swapbot.

But to say "All countries EXCEPT the US" are welcome has nothing to do with postage, it's to exclude a group of people. It's like saying "All people except Jewish people" can join a swap - to discriminate based on nationality is just plain ignorant and I fail to see what this swap's exclusion has to do with postage. The only reason there are ANY "US only" swaps is for us to save on postage.

In addition to the previous posts, many, if not all of the coordinators hosting "US/Canada only" swaps all to often will host an "International" swap when they get enough interests from swappers. And many state this very clearly along with suggesting that if anyone wants start an international version of their swaps they are more than welcome too.

As for the cost of US postage, it has risen astronomically over the last couple of years and it hits my wallet like a boulder since my family lives all over the US.

There have been quite a few of "Europe" or "Australia" only swaps since I joined and I take absolutely no ofense as I am sure they think about the cost to ship also. But, not a one has said, "NO USA" or evey country but the USA. That's obserd. If you want to do a "Europe Only", then by all means do it, but don't do it that way as a direct insult. That is just lack of home training!

my...i dont't know why you're all acting like that. i mean if you want to join this swap you heard that there's an international one... i don't know why you're all making such a fuzz about it...i also often thought that when I received something from the US, i wondered why you're all complaining about postage costs...i live in germany and i often pay the price three times higher than of those things that i receive...i had to pay 8 euros for a letter only because it was heavier than 100 g...is that fair?, i don't think so.but we don't complain. just think about not joining so many swaps then you can do the ones you really want to and stop making such a big issue out of this. you're acting like hitler's back ...

Maybe it would help to think of it this way: when us non-US swappers do international swaps, the chances of us getting a partner anywhere in the world are small, because the site is dominated by North Americans, mostly from the US (I'm not saying this is bad, but it's certainly true). Therefore, the likelihood is that we will be sending to and receiving from US swappers nearly all the time. This sometimes gets a bit boring, to be honest; i'd personally like to do more swapping with truly international partners! I love getting US stuff but i also would love to see some more European/ Asian/ etc stuff in my swap packages, and by doing a swap that excludes the US, that becomes possible.

(I'm totally overcommitted at the moment so i can't be in this swap, but i do think it's an interesting idea.)

Can't say I commented because I wanted to join this swap, but I clicked on it because of the title. But, from reading the posts preceeding mine, I felt that it was fairly clear that the coordinator presented the swap with wording that was rude and some what condensending. No one that I have heard of has any issue with a swap being set up to cater to a particular country. The issue was excluding just one country. Kinda tacky to be honest. The first couple of posts were just addressing that the specific exclusion was rude, impolite. It appears the purpose of the wording was to incite others, which it has done. I'd suggest all avoid this particular swap and start another, say European, and an Asian one, and an Asian-Pacific, and a US/Canadian, A Swedish one, and a English one, and a German one, get the point. Any one listed like that would not have resulted in any offense. I can't join because I'm one of those USA people, but enjoy it, hope this coordinator can change the wording in future swaps. Just a matter of politeness!!!!

What a mess I did with some words...:O

Sorry all USA swappers, I didn´t want to be rude or something. I know that you put "USA only" because of postal prices but as alicepalace said, "the chances of us getting a partner anywhere in the world are small, because the site is dominated by North Americans, mostly from the US". That´s it! People out of your country want to receive packs from other countries but USA. That´s simple! I think there´s no way in create a swap saying "Brazil only" or "South America only" since I know there´s just a few people here who would join it. I don´t want be rude at all, girls! Sorry again and please, comprehend my point of view. :)

Adding...

Really this swap´s exclusion has nothing to do with postage at all(for me a pack sent to USA is quite cheaper than if I´d send it to Europe or Asia).It has to do with the chance of an Australian swapper gets a pack from South America or Europe instead of from USA. Don´t you comprehend this?

If there´s a way to say gently that USA swappers can´t join this swap (cause we non-USA swappers want the chance to receive packs from other countries too), PLEASE tell me and I´ll do it!

I love to receive things from USA (That´s why I joined Swap-bot too). But sending to/receiving from USA all the time is a bit boring really. Try to comprehend this, girls! At least try to do it!

Hi Banshee,

I'm from the US and I do understand what you're saying. I wasn't insulted from the way you worded anything either. There are a lot of us USAers here....LOL Have fun with your swap!!! :o)

Banshee, By the looks of the comments you only offended one person. Don't worry about it. People take things the way they want to. I would love to get packages from other countries but chances are I probally will not. Maybe I will get lucky some day. Your idea is a wonderful idea!! I really hope you all get something interresting!!!

I think this is a great idea. I'm from the US, but I can see how swappers in other countries would like to receive things from each other in international swaps, and not just from here.

Thanks for all your comprehensive words, girls! :)

Good job on editing the words on the description. Now I totally understand your point of view and I think it is a good idea and I hope everyone in this swap has fun with it!

Wow, just write one "wrong" word and people go mad. Haha! :D This is a good idea, I'd love to receive things from other countries than US, too.

Your wording is not offensive. But i do understand how US prices are more expensive than some (not all) countries. For example, I was in the Philipines this summer. It costed $5 dollars to send a parcel from the Philipines to the US, but it costed $12 to send a package of around the same weight from the US to the Philipines. That's not all cases, of course. I'm just sharing my experience.

Yeah the postage went up here in greece too...hahaha

I think it is a great idea to have a swap for international folks other than the U.S.

I would like to point out that the first comment is inaccurate though, there is still regular airmail available from USPS, I use it all of the time for both swaps and my online business.

Also I want to put in my experience that when I was living abroad in Japan, the postal rates were far higher for international (and domestic) than I pay in the U.S.

I live in Canada and it's cheaper for me to send to the US than it is to send a package to somewhere else in Canada... explain that one! :D

haha, Tracy! That's hilarious!

josie and mplovetoswap i sent your packages today from norway.

Sent to Malaysia and Israel today. :)

SO I HAVE A PROBLEM: THERE IS NO POSTAL COMMUNICATION BETWEEN ISRAEL AND MALAYSIA. IT SEEMS OUR COUNTRIES ARE NOT GOOD FRIENDS. SO MY SWAP TO MALAYSIA WILL BE POSTED FROM USA IN A WEEK (DELAY, BUT WHAT CAN I DO IF POLITICS IS INVOLVED)- WHEN I GO TO VISIT MY SISTER IN NY I MAILED MY SWAP PAL - SO IT WILL TAKE A WEEK MORE. JUST WANTED ALL OF YOU TO KNOW THAT SOMETIMES WE ARE INSIDE OF SOME POLITICAL STAFF AND CANNOT HELP IT' EVEN IF WE ALL ARE FRIENDS HERE. MY SECOND SWAP TO UK WAS SENT TODAY- THIS IS EASY.

My packages goes out to Baccarita & Banshee from Singapore today. Enjoy :)

I SEE MY PARTNER DIDNT SEND IT YET :(