Meet-up: The INCrowd Trades and Barters

Alicia, aka tinybox, was kind enough to meet with me at the Central Branch of the Marion County Public Library the other day. She had important family plans, but she brought her husband (who took the picture) and daughter (who was wearing a fantastic pink and white outfit!) to the library so that we could make a trade.

I checked out her shop when she first joined the INCrowd recently (Alicia actually has 3, but I just checked out the photos for starters) and I fell madly for two altered photos and a color photo at tinybox. I love photography, and I love trading, so I contacted her and asked if she'd like to make a trade for some of my stuff. She did, and we met up for the exchange. While we only had a few minutes, I was so glad we met! I was prepared to size the ring she got but it just needed a little adjustment, and the pendant worked out fine. I was already planning the how, where and when of framing and hanging my new photos. They rock.

Anyway, the point of the story is that I've learned my lesson: one wonderful way to have a quick meet-up is to have a trade with a fellow INCrowder. You get to talk shop AND enjoy one another's work up close. Best of all, both of you get "free" goodies out of the exchange!

I enjoy bartering with many people on Etsy, but my favorites are definitely those I've done with fellow INCrowders. If you want to see what I mean, check out jennylanesoap and guess how happy I was to trade for about $25 of her work!

Note: If you do this, please make sure that you handle your exchange as you would any other sale on Etsy so that they get their cut of the deal. After all, it is Etsy policy - they provide the bandwidth and so forth, so they get a cut of the transaction, even if there's no money exchanged. Just make your purchase from your fellow but don't actually pay, and have your fellow mark your purchase PAID. Do the same for him/her, and then Etsy will be satisfied with their %. Make your barter, and you will be, too. Guaranteed.

And if you want to get to know other shop owners across Etsy, approach them too! Lots of people love to barter but don't advertise it on their sites. You may not get to meet in person, but you'll make a friend.

Carolynn
aka nilochlainn (I'm on the left in the photo)