Suck-Bot!


That’s what Swap-Bot should change its name to. I understand the need to swap with reliable people but Suck-Bot’s “Swapping” and Rating methods are absolutely ridiculous and way out of control it seems to serve more as a popularity contest than a site for people to show their artistic talents and share them with others. Points for swapping emails…really? Since when the hell is swapping a mother-effing email a legitimate swap? More points for swapping letters and even more points for swapping packages, stars for being awesome, and hearts for being more awesome but good luck joining a descent swap or hosting one that doesn’t suck for that matter bc of all the crap swaps you must first endure in order to get a good rating but not before relying on others to “rate you”.Suck-Bot Sucks the suckiest suck there ever was to suck and I hope that CO&K doesn’t ever resort to their crap style of running their website.
I’ve been at CO&K for almost a year and ½ and have only been flaked on by 2 idiots but that’s no reason to take such drastic measures as does Suck-Bot. I think a simple thumbs up/thumbs down button on each person’s page to reflect their swapping history would suffice. The buttons would only be active when a swap has been completed or abandoned for 3 weeks, and then people would know automatically about one’s swap history by looking at their thumbs up/down on their page. Hmmm think I should include that to the CO&K suggestions board.
Anyway, I’d like to swap on other sites in addition to CO&K but I don’t like how some places are set up and absolutely loathe how Suck-Bot runs. What other places do y’all swap at?

Edit Delete
Moderate: Hide this post Mark as Spam
13 replies since 25th August 2012 • Last reply 25th August 2012

Reply #1:

I thought about joining swap-bot but I was a bit put off my the fact I would have to start from the beginning again to build up my reputation as a reliable swapper. I wanted the freedom to do any swap I fancied not just swapping postcards or teabags. So I didn't bother. Now I've read your comments about problems with the site, I'm glad I didn't.
I do think that although the swapping on CO+K has worked well so far, it could do with a bit more help from the site. I think a rating button like you suggested could be a good idea. I also thought about an introduction to swapping/swapping guidelines sticky at the top of the swap board. I think that would help newbies a lot.

Edit Delete
Moderate: Hide this post Mark as Spam
Reply #2:

Hehe suck-bot hehe that's a good one Happy

I use swap bot but only for small things like tea and granny squares. Because they always have them going. I've done a few jewelry swaps on there too and loooove it! I haven't had any issues with ratings or being able to join swaps, if I think my swap bot profile doesnt fit the criteria I just message the hostess about it and tell them I swap all the time (direct them to my CO+K profile) and they have always allowed me to join. The reason I don't use it more often or for larger swaps is because I hate the round robin partner situtation. I love our swaps here becuase we message back and forth so much and have our own threads to post to. I feel our swaps are much more personal. And I love that! I have meet so many awesome people here that I wouldn't have of our swaps were set up like the ones on swap bot.

I dont swap any other places, honestly becuase other craft sites are too hard to navigate like craftster and such. I can never find anything there and I hate it!

I love the idea of having a sticky post explaining swapping at the top of the swap section.
I like the scale of 1-5 rating system from swap bot and I even like the heart addition. I think a 1-5 is good because I always think that a thumbs up is =5 and a thumbs down is =1. I like being able to give scale rating to show a wider range of feedback. The hearts I like becuase sometimes people just go above and beyond. and hey deserve to stand out. also I like their rating the host of the swap. That is good to know.

I'd love to have some sort of rating for swaps and would be happy with anything Cat and Tom could work out. Happy anything would be a great help to swapping here.

Edit Delete
Moderate: Hide this post Mark as Spam
Reply #3:

Weirdly, I just did a blog post about swapping, it was mainly about the pro's though as I have been lucky enough to have a had a lot of good swap experiences, however I have done a bit of swapping on swapbot and whilst my ratings and profile are good,recently I was flaked on about 4 times in a row, so that sucked.
There isn't a lot of visibility with who your swapping with on swapbot, so I ended up packing it in and just using CO+K for swapping.

Though me and Libby were recently chatting about swapping and flaking etc and it seems there is no perfect way of doing swaps, there will always be flakers, its a really difficult thing to moderate.

Heres the blog post if anyone wants to read it! http://hayleyscraft.blogspot.co.uk/

Edit Delete
Moderate: Hide this post Mark as Spam
Reply #4:

I've never swapped anywhere but here - I've looked at swapbot and craftster but they just don't appeal in the same way. I suppose if your gut feeling isn't comfortable with it don't go for it.
I've been very fortunate with my swapping experience on here - 100% no flaking!
Do like the idea of a granny square swap though - my sewing machine is rather neglected at the mo due to my current obssession with hooking!

Edit Delete
Moderate: Hide this post Mark as Spam
Reply #5:

I'd be up for a granny square swap. I'm trying not to take on too many swaps at the mo, but I could definately make time for a couple of granny squares.
@Julie have you hosted before? Cause this could be a nice chance for you to give it a try, if you fancied it.

Edit Delete
Moderate: Hide this post Mark as Spam
Reply #6:

Yeah someone should host a granny square swap Happy I'd be in for it too!

Edit Delete
Moderate: Hide this post Mark as Spam
Reply #7:

Why not!
I'll plan it out and post soon.
(Sorry ISL for hijacking your thread!)

Edit Delete
Moderate: Hide this post Mark as Spam
Reply #8:

I was just annoyed with Suck-Bot and wanted people to be aware or more appropriately beware. CO&K is better than the other sites bc people are actually civil to each other & there isn’t really a competitiveness among anyone here also the site is just better organized /managed in general. So, it’s fine that you’ve hijacked my post. At least something good came out of my irritation for Suck-Bot.

Edit Delete
Moderate: Hide this post Mark as Spam
Reply #9:

I will be using the term "Suck Bot" from now on Happy Nice word coinage Suzy! Happy

Edit Delete
Moderate: Hide this post Mark as Spam
Reply #10:

I have run into problems on the site with cliques and inter-personal antagonism. I don't know what to do but document it. I recommend ATCsForAll for artist trading cards and other small mail art.

http://artg33k74.deviantart.com/journal/The-Gaza-Strip-356654991

Edit Delete
Moderate: Hide this post Mark as Spam
Reply #11:

I started using Swap-bot a few months ago. Its okay. I am very picky which swaps I choose to partake in. I also find the site to be very impersonal. There is no communication between people and it just all seems automatic.
That is the one thing I like about swapping on here. You are paired up with someone and you get to know them as you go. There is communication between people. People here are encouraging and very appreciative of the things they receive. Whereas at swap-bot, you are lucky if you get more than 1 sentence rating.


Edit Delete
Moderate: Hide this post Mark as Spam
Reply #12:

I signed up a few years ago but there seemed to be so much red tape before you could even start swapping that I gave up. Although I've been flaked on a few times here I much prefer co&k. It feels less formal and more supportive.

Edit Delete
Moderate: Hide this post Mark as Spam
Reply #13:

Never swap on Craftster. I learned that lesson the hard way. They allow people to be extremely tardy with their swap packages. They also allow people to produce really poorly done work, deem this acceptable, AND then praise it's poor craftsmanship like it was the most fantastic thing they've seen yet.

On Craftster be prepared to receive garbage like domino and button bracelets and poorly made tchotchkes that look like a third grader made it at sleep away camp. I joined a "friends of Craftster" swap which is for people who have a website subscription. The swap was for a medium item, which means its the size of a scarf or purse, costs about $20 in materials, or takes at least 2 hours to make. I submitted a beautiful fairy art doll... what I got in return was a piece of junk button bracelet that in no known universe took two hours to make or cost 20$, and it did not meet size requirements either.

I PMed the swap organizer and told her she shouldn't have even accepted this in the first place since it didn't meet requirement and she was like " oh I feel bad NOW... let me fix this somehow". That's all fine and dandy, but she should have just said " this doesn't meet requirements and made the lady submit something else.

When I contacted a mod her response was "We thank you for your opinion regarding the policies of this site and regret your unhappiness with your partners and the items you have received in swaps." And that was it. A "sorry your package sucks but we're not doing shit about it" answer. This isn't the first time this has happen there, and I got a similar response the last time it did.

So in short, don't swap on Craftster.

Here's a picture comparison of what I'm talking about as proof: http://i1292.photobucket.com/albums/b578/Shaunna_Espinosa/unfairtrade_zps251e5983.jpg

Edit Delete
Moderate: Hide this post Mark as Spam


Reply