Discussion Forums - Questions about SwapaCD

I've had a requested selection marked "Waiting for member" since 10-26 when I first requested it - that's 13 days, as of today, 11-08.  Another selection also shows "Waiting for member" since being requested on 11-02.  Both of these discs were shown as being available in the system.  In fact, the second disc had been newly posted right before I requested it.  So isn't there a time-out on how long we have to wait for a member?

Based on my own similar experience I think there is a timeout after a while, but I'm not sure how long it takes.  You could always PM the member who listed the CD and gently remind them of the request, or if you're just tired of waiting, cancel it.

Are you sure it hasn't been passed on to the next person in the database?  The first didn't get to it, so the request went to someone else?

I agree with Kayote, the one from 10/26 has passed on to the next person... i think it's like a 5 day wait per member?

5 days is the maximum time a member has to respond before the request is sent to someone else. Check your Transaction Archive and see if the CD is listed there with an X beside it- if there isn't, then there's a problem. The system is working on finding you a copy and you will be sent an email if there are no more available copies to request. Until then, let the system do it's work!!

The CD from 10-25 is listed in my Transaction Archive twice, each with an X by it.  Does that mean that it timed out on two different members waiting for them to respond and they never did?  I think 5 days is too long.  If you have CDs to listed as being available for trade, you should respond to the e-mail that is sent within a reasonable amount of time.  I'd rather see the request posted to everyone who has the CD and the first one to respond gets the trade.  That way the deadbeats won't effect anybody besides themselves.

Yes, a red X in your transaction means that there was a problem with the transaction - either the person timed out or couldn't provide the CD - it also shows that way if you receive something and report it damaged.

5 days is pretty fair - after all - some people live on the computer (yeah, I'm guilty) and some don't and only open it up once in a while.

You experience a longer than normal wait because two people timed out - but on the bright side - you chose a CD that people are uploading.   It would take a lot longer if you chose one that people did not put up.

BTW - if you're looking for a site that puts out a request to everyone, then you could try la.la.   However, if you read the posts here, many people that have been on lala come back or come to SACD.   We have a better community and, unlike lala and some of the other sites, if there is an issue, the programmers and site owners respond.

Regards,   Steve :)

Thanks Steve for pointing out the positives of our system. We are all about fairness here, so we tried to choose a time frame that was fair to everyone, including those who are not able or do not want to be on the computer all of the time. If we shortened the 5 day deadline to say 48 hours, we would be getting complaints from members who constantly get their requests canceled because they cannot log in to their account in time. Patience is the key to being a happy SwapaCD member. Instant gratification is not so much the key!

When you are in your Transaction Archive, you can see the reason for any of the symbols beside CDs by mousing over the symbol. There's also a description of the symbols in the Help Center topic that deals with your Transaction Archive.

We are very concerned with our members' satisfaction and are always working on making improvements that will benefit the club as a whole. Even if we don't make immediate changes, we are listening and will take into consideration all comments, concerns, questions, or whatever else you guys throw our way.

I really prefer the FIFO system here, even if it requires some patience.

The "first to get the computer system" I have never liked.  It penalizes people who actually want to have lives.  The wish list and the FIFO system mean I DON'T have to camp the site--either for sending out or for finding CDs that I want, and I think that's one of the BIG plusses of this site.

How often do you check your e-mail?  Even if it's only once every few days, is it so hard to also click on your SwapaCD account page to see what might be waiting for you?  Actually, you don't even have to do that, because there is an e-mail sent informing of a requested CD.  If you send someone an e-mail asking a question and they don't answer for a few days, how long does it take before you start getting irritated, or wonder what's happened to them? 

BTW - if you're looking for a site that puts out a request to everyone, then you could try la.la.   However, if you read the posts here, many people that have been on lala come back or come to SACD.   We have a better community and, unlike lala and some of the other sites, if there is an issue, the programmers and site owners respond.

Curious here--how does Swapa have a better community?

Sinj:

Implied is "of traders", as in better community of traders.

LALA has de-emphasized trading to the point of allowing posts of CDs that will never be traded. Here, you post a CD it's available. With this community of traders vs. the LALA model, it is far superior in both quantity and quality.

I ask for all art, this community responds with all art. Not so in LALA land.

I have a problem with the send, the solution is practically immediate. Not so in LALA.

You hafta admit, with the SWAP system, you know EXACTLY where you stand with a want, and you can direct trade without even knowing it!

To paraphrase George Washington Carver (or was it Booker T. and the MGs?): "Love SwapaCD and it will reveal its secrets to you."

Love & Peace,

Steve

Because I'm in it!  :)

Read the discussions - people are very friendly here.   When I send out a CD, I almost always get a "thank you" here - very rarely when I was on lala.

I'm just judging from my personal experience - but I have found that the quality of the CDs I receive on SACD seems to be a lot better than the ones I received (and there were many) when I was on lala.  Part of that was due to their packaging, which discouraged people from shipping CDs in their cases (and, by design, damaged CDs during shipment) - but part (and you can read their forums) was because a lot of people there seemed to want to do the absolute minimum at providing decent shaped CDs.  Again - this isn't a general statement - it's based on my personal experience.

And most importantly - when there is an issue - the people who run SACD listen and investigate.  If it warrants changing, they make a change.   Quickly.

Regards,   Steve :)

Is there anything wrong with just canceling the transaction if you think there's too long of a wait for the member to respond?  I canceled one today after waiting 5 days.  I know there's no "karma score" here as on lala, and I don't make a habit of canceling transactions, but if it's a CD that I wasn't overly eager to get, and I'd like to use the credit for something else, is there any real harm in an OCCASIONAL cancel?

BTW, I LOVE the system here as Steve mentions.  Lala used to be fun.  It sucks anymore, and I've put myself on permanent vacation there, having listed everything HERE.

And I see the number of CDs is growing every day!

Is there anything wrong with just canceling the transaction if you think there's too long of a wait for the member to respond?  I canceled one today after waiting 5 days.

While there's nothing wrong with canceling, if you had let it time out (at the end of those 5 days) that person's CD would have been removed from the system instead of sitting there for the next requestor to come along. Also, if you request it again before someone else does your request would go right back to that same non-responder. It's hard to be patient, but it does everyone a huge favor when you let them time out.

ZepFan:  That's something I didn't know - that after their request times out, their disc is removed from the system.  How did you know that?  I cannot find anywhere in the Help where it says that.  That would be good if it's true.

ZepFan is right abou this. Check out the Help Center document, "The sender hasn't responded! Should I cancel?". Link: http://www.swapacd.com/help/help_item.php?id=159

The system is smarter than you think- let it do its work!

Thanks Jill! I've been spending too much time over at the DVD site and I missed Daniel's question. I'm on the third potential sender for a disc I've ordered for a friend. The first one timed out after waiting 5 days. The second person cancelled (and now has nothing in their Tower). Hopefully the third time will be the charm. Man, I know we need to be patient, but it gets hard after waiting over a week for someone to finally accept my order!

Yesterday a request I wanted ended because it was never answered and it was disappointing because it was the only one available. If people aren't going to participate any more then they should take everything off of their tower and wish list to save everyone else from waiting on them. It is common courtesy don't you think?

You'd think, but apparently not so common.

One of the discs that originally sparked this thread is now waiting for the fourth person to ship it.  Am I getting close to a new record on how many people you actually have to go through in order to get a specific disc?

Unfortunately Not yet Daniel, my record is 8 and I got it from the 9th and it was so scratched that I had to manually skip over two songs because it would loop that section over and over. I actually have it on my wishlist again to try to get a better copy.

Well, I finally listed 10 cd's yesterday (I've been an inactive member since this place opened) and mailed out two today.  When I checked in just now (at lunch), another had been requested.

I am someone who practically lives on the computer though.  I requested a Christmas cd yesterday that is waiting for the member to respond.  I'd love to have the opportunity to receive the cd before Christmas. *grin*

It's hard for me to believe, but a lot of people don't think to get on their computers very often.  I use Firefox and I have several tabs on my homepage, but the first three are PBS, SwapADVD, and now SwapACD.  You can't really forget to check when they pop up.  Well, I guess you could, but it would be more difficult.  I also check my email frequently (only at home though) and it's even more difficult for me to imagine people not seeing their emails from SwapACD (etc)!

Oh well.  I'm just hoping my first mailed cds arrive in good shape and that I'll get this cd I've requested.  :-)  It's totally different here than at PBS and SwapADVD! (I think.)

I ordered a cd and it is marked that it will be mailed by 12/3 and since it is 12/5 and it still hasn't been sent will the system eventually cancel it, if so how long will that take? Also, the label hasn't been printed yet. I looked in the help docs but couldn't locate anything on this situation. I hope someone can shed some light on this for me.

Yes, the system will cancel it, put it back on your WL and send you an email saying what has happened.

If you do end up receiving it because the member forgot to mark it mailed, AND you haven't already received a second one, you can go to the Transaction Archive and mark it received there--which will give that member the credit you will be getting back.

Hope that made sense.  :-)

Thanks for answering me. It actually was canceled today so I guess I spoke too soon. :-) I hope they decide to send it because it was the only one left in the system.