Sunday Morning Coffee Talk-Swap, Sell or Share?

What do you do when you get something in a box that you know you won’t use or don’t like?

So today’s post is dedicated to that question in your mind:

Should I swap, sell, or share?

  1. Swapping Options:

(A) My Subscription Addiction Swap Site

msa

Here is an example of a swap I recently did on MSA:
PicMonkey Collage

I tend not to swap very much only because shipping prices for me make swapping pretty expensive on top of what I already paid for the box.

(B) Makeup Talk Swap Site

MUT

Truthfully I have a hard time using this site for anything other than commenting on posts. I am not sure why but the swapping portion seems confusing to me (but i know others use it successfully)

(C) FACEBOOK!
There are a million groups out there devoted to sub boxes and the concept of swapping.

Downsides: Even though these sites have rating systems in place you can still be the victim of swap lifting, deception, poor packaging and just general un-coolness.
Feel free to vent your swap stories below!

    2. Selling

(A) EBAY

ebay

I have sold some things on Ebay but in many ways I do not recommend it for selling. It can be a frustrating experience.

Downsides:

1. someone wins your item but doesn’t pay you then you have to wait 5-7 days for Ebay to close the case

2. someone buys your item, gets your box, doesn’t like it, then you have to pay to ship it back to you…..

(B) Glambot
glam2

I have not tried this one. It is for beauty products. It seems like a good deal if you don’t expect to much money but want to get enough back to reinvest in mores sub boxes!

     3. Sharing!

(1) I have really come to love having a big basket of stuff to share with friends. Last Christmas I crafted friends and family their own “sub-boxes” and gave those out with great success!

(2) One of our readers named Susie has an amazing calling to send out Caring Crates to people who need encouragement. Check out the Caring Crate facebook page!

Who do you share with? Sister? Friend? Co-Worker? Are people tired of your gifts?

I recently gave a friend the Victoria Secret Body Lotion from the Feb PSMH box. She goes, “Why don’t you want it?”  !!!!!!!!!!! 

Alright dear readers, what do you do? Swap, sell or share?

  18 comments for “Sunday Morning Coffee Talk-Swap, Sell or Share?

  1. March 13, 2016 at 6:13 am

    I used to swap a lot and I still will once in a blue moon. Now I tend to save my goodies for the MSA forum exchanges. I get to create my own sub box for a lovely lady and clear out my stash! I don’t have the patience for selling and a very limited amount of femal friends that are interested in this stuff.

    • Mailbox Junkie
      March 13, 2016 at 10:33 am

      Ooo I haven’t tried the forum exchanges. That sounds fun!

      • March 13, 2016 at 8:03 pm

        They are so much fun! We will have at least one coming up very soon 🙂

  2. Artemis
    March 13, 2016 at 6:49 am

    I’m not responsible enough to swap and don’t want to deal with all the issues with selling. I usually just give away what I don’t want to my best friend. I’ve also thought about filling a candy jar with beauty samples and leaving it in my gym or bathroom at work – I think that would be a big hit and others would refill it as well.

    • mailbox junkie
      March 13, 2016 at 10:55 am

      I like that idea of a jar of samples! I may have to start one for when guests visit!

  3. Heat7918
    March 13, 2016 at 7:20 am

    I’m at my 1 yr anniversary of sub boxes – started with Ipsy & Birchbox and wanted to try everything myself so I couldn’t swap what I didn’t like. I also never ship or mail anything so I wasn’t sure if the cost was worth it for little beauty samples? Swaps seem to make more sense for higher value items (I don’t get many like that) so I just save them or share them with my mom, 2 sisters & 2 best friends. I really should start donating some or sending them to Susie!

    I’ve never heard of that Glambot but I’m kind of shocked that you can sell used make-up…. And even if you aren’t weirded out by a stranger’s germs, it can be up to half used!

    • mailbox junkie
      March 13, 2016 at 10:57 am

      I know right?! The concept is weird to me too for stuff like eyeshadow or blush. But maybe they expose it to some type of UV light to sterilize it?

  4. chillybeans
    March 13, 2016 at 7:35 am

    If you travel to the Caribbean, Mexico etc, I save up my Birchbox/Target etc samples that don’t work for me or my daughter and make boxes up for the staff (we go to same place each year). They love them! In the poorer islands there’s a real lack of beauty products, so even when you give cash tips (I do that too) it’s stuff that’s just not available or easy to find there. I read an article on beauty in Cuba, and Olay is considered “High End!!!”.

    • mailbox junkie
      March 13, 2016 at 10:59 am

      That is such a cool thing to do!! How fun to share “girly” stuff with ladies all over the world!!

  5. March 13, 2016 at 8:53 am

    Share 100% (got no patience from swapping and/or selling)!

    • mailbox junkie
      March 13, 2016 at 11:01 am

      Concur! I have tried all three and sharing is the most fun unless there is something I really want for a box that I didn’t get (like the popsugar NM box-I swapped for the sunglasses!)

  6. Sherry
    March 13, 2016 at 1:31 pm

    Seems petty to me to swap.. Cause if postage is more then the product or box… Why??? I give mine to my niece who is just getting into makeup. Christmas gifts and friends get the rest. Its nice to always have something to give for whatever the occasion.

    • March 13, 2016 at 1:54 pm

      I think swapping is a whole other thrill of the sub box world for some people! Like some of the swappers on MSA have done like 1000’s of swaps!
      But I agree, giving items as presents is or small surprises is by far my favorite way to share!

  7. March 13, 2016 at 3:39 pm

    I share. I feel like part of the deal with subscription boxes is that you’re not going to love everything, so I’m ok with getting stuff I won’t use or don’t like. I give out birchboxes to family members as stocking stuffers and through the year I share makeup items with my niece. She’s 16 so makeup is her hobby. I have no patience for swapping or selling online. Maybe one day when my hoarded piles get too large to keep I’ll have to resort to it though.

    • Mailbox Junkie
      March 13, 2016 at 10:08 pm

      I know the work and effort required to swap or sell makes me tired just thinking about it

  8. March 13, 2016 at 10:29 pm

    Great post! I swap and share. I just sent a small box of stuff to my cousin’s tween daughter, and I was super excited that someone who loves fandoms got it. Before I started MSA swapping, my sister and I collected a bunch of stuff we didn’t want and traded it. My mom also gets most of my sunscreens because she has very fair skin [and has gotten melanoma a few times]. Though I sent her some fancy lotion I didn’t like, and she didn’t like, so we agreed she should leave it in a bathroom by the sink.

    • March 14, 2016 at 10:45 am

      haha! I have that a lot too where I try to share something with my mom but our tastes are so similar that if I don’t like then usually she doesn’t either!

  9. Laura
    March 16, 2016 at 2:46 pm

    I like to swap especially if its a high value item. I’ve realized mystery boxes aren’t a good idea for me anymore, I don’t use enough of the stuff they send, and they send a lot of repeat items. Deepa Gurnani again? come on luxor!! So now I have quite a stash built up to use on the swap site for any new items that may come up that I want.

Leave a Reply to mailbox junkie Cancel reply