A card exchange is a voluntary creation of a member of this site (with permission from Cathy). It is designed to help site visitors find the singles they need to finish a card set without having to find a specific person to trade with.
You've probably been in the situation where you only need card 53 from set X to complete the set, but everyone who has card 53 either won't trade with you, or wants to trade for some card you don't have. It's frustrating! If a card exchange has card 53 however, you'll be in luck, as a card exchange will trade for two of any other card from that set (so long as the card isn't overstocked).
What?
2. How a Card Exchange Works.
Here's a general overview of how a card exchange works.
A. Some very kind and generous person donates their time (and usually some cards as well) and their effort to setting up an exchange.
To do this, they create a list of the available cards by category and after receiving permission from me, they post this list to the Card Exchange area in approved format.
B. You look through the posted list and find that common card you are missing (only common cards are posted to the exchanges). You send an email to the exchange's manager requesting the card. You tell them which other cards from the same set (or approved equivalent set) you will be donating to the exchange in return for the card. You must donate cards to the exchange to receive cards, as this guarantees the exchange will have cards for future visitors. You must donate a minimum of two cards for each one you request (giving more is always okay).
C. The exchange manager pulls the card(s) aside for you and marks it as potentially taken on the list (remember they are donating their time and effort, don't waste it!).
D. You send your exchange cards to the exchange manager along with the following: A Self Addressed Stamped Envelope or appropriate IRC (International Return Credit) and any protection you wish your card to have for its return voyage. Please do not expect the exchange managers to also donate postage and shipping materials. That's just not going to happen. A note should be included reminding the exchange manager of which card you are requesting, and your email so they can let you know the cards are on the way.
E. The exchange manager updates the list on this site with the removal of the card sent to you, and the addition of the cards you have sent to the exchange.
3. That's all there is to it?
Yes. That's all there is to it. Individual exchange manager are free to add specific rules to their exchange. They might refuse to accept more than three of any particular card they already have available for instance, or choose not to open their exchange to International mail, or they might only respond to requests on Saturdays, etc. Exchange managers are required to notify me in advance of any individual exchange rules so I can determine if they are fair and reasonable.
4. Please be nice to our exchange managers!
The card exchange managers are doing a great service to this community. They are helping to make sure that common singles are available for the average collector without too much hunting and searching, and without many of the problems involved in regular trading. They receive no profit of any kind from their efforts, and generally speaking they will have donated a starter group of cards to create the exchange to begin with. Plus lots and lots of time. While there are some rewards for managing an exchange, they are mostly intangible, one of them being the kindness you show to them in exchange for their time and effort.
While many of the exchange administrators will also happen to be Jedi Masters, being an exchange administrator is not a free ride to becoming a jedi master. Please don't ask to become one just to obtain that status. Existing Jedi Masters have a lot of say in who obtains that rank, as does your daily participation on the site.
I will be creating a small exchange myself in the near future. Exchanges are not designed for chase cards or for cards that are by their nature expensive or difficult to find (I doubt anyone will create one for 3D cards for instance).
Rules for Exchange Administrators:
1. You may not set up an exchange that will be posted on this site without the prior permission of Cathy and a clear set of rules for your particular exchange.
2. You may not use cards from the exchange to trade with or to sell. Once cards have been donated to the exchange, they belong to the exchange. You cannot 'take back' a donation. Doing so may jeapordize your position on this site.
3. If you decide you can no longer handle the responsibilities of managing an exchange (you graduate from school, get a new job, get married, have kids, or just don't have time anymore), you are asked to notify me so that the exchange can be formally closed. It is requested that you help find a replacement exchange manager if possible, and that you provide the exchange cards to that manager (the site will try to help with postage costs for this). In that way, cards will always remain available for the site members.
4. If you are going to be away for a prolonged period (vacation, etc.) please post a notice to your exchange. You should try to respond to exchange email in a timely manner, but feel free to set rules regarding when and how quickly you will respond. I don't expect you to dedicate your life to the exchange, just an hour or so a week if possible.
Lastly, exchange managers have my gratitude and I hope everyone else's as well. I once tried to do this on a grand scale, and found the task overwhelming. By spliting the responsibility for helping others find these relatively worthless singles (they really are priceless when they happen to be the card you need), we are making collecting Star Wars cards a great deal more fun for everyone. That's a wonderful thing.
Cathy
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