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All of these changes are coming too quickly....I would have liked to have been informed a while ago that changes were coming.I'm behind uin several of my "monthly" individual swaps due to a death in the family that has put me behind 2 months. I( fully intend on sending my cards but now there is more peressure than ever and I think that the 10 day limit will discourage me fromjoining swaps ( I'm in Canada too and at times my mail has taken 2 weeks to reach the hostess)
I also understand some of this...I was flaked by two hostesses and one individual product exchange within the first few months of becoming active here. I finally said that that is the chance you take and you learn which swaps to join and which ones not to.
I hope that this all works out and does not greatly impact this fantastic site and group of new friends that I have met during the year...it's great to have someone to listen to you and give support when you need it.
I'm glad I saw this tonight ( Thanks Susan) but it is very sudden and yes I agree like a punch in the stomach until you get used to the idea...
The 10 day limit applies to hostesses mailing the swaps back to you. As long as you turn your swap in by the designated due date, you should be fine.
I mad dose mean All PIf thread?? Your guys just took me fun.... and friendship! :(:twisted::confused: I am not to sign up mebmership... Just so I can hung with Ipf friend that dump....
inker say hello to my friends hottiw
Hottie - what are your reservations about being a member of the swap forum? It's much like being a member of the RAK group. It's just a matter of signing up. You can continue to chat within the PIF threads.
hotwheels...you can join as many as you want but they need the information just to make sure that if you "flake for no good reason" that they can contact you....the information will not be sold or sent to a third party. You are just basically updating your info and joining...
__________________ SANDE
trading fun pick one: PAY IT FORWARD THREADS
Hottie - what are your reservations about being a member of the swap forum? It's much like being a member of the RAK group. It's just a matter of signing up. You can continue to chat within the PIF threads.
Hello [B][FONT=Georgia]Michelle it long story..... I don't undstand everything.... I am afirad kid off scs doing some worng.... And tell my friends explin things to you....:( and My preants don't the phone listed Pricviey and I other like Cp so kind unstanding do things
hotwheels...you can join as many as you want but they need the information just to make sure that if you "flake for no good reason" that they can contact you....the information will not be sold or sent to a third party. You are just basically updating your info and joining...
I thought some we can olny play in swapped 3- 5 times I am not hostenss And olny do card swapped and play two times.... But if that becuse just Pif thread that friends are being take me.... just because preants don't wanted posted my phone number.... you know what I have PC scs mean world to me you ladies are my support and frinendship I just want to cry!
hotwheels
Ok, as someone who is not a swapper in anything other than PIF stamped images, I think the new rules are great.
But I do have another question. It has been metioned above that people can communicate with the hotess via PM if they do not sign up for he swap usergroup. But if they can still swap without signing up, how can the mods remove them from the group if they flake?
oh......and I wasn't suggesting that anyone have 25 'mini swaps' within their 5 swaps, I was just seeing if I understood what was said. ;) I don't know how the whole swap thing works (other than images) I have only participated in one swap so I am just learning.
Ok Mods I Just got some upsetting news. I had messages on my swaps this morning from swappers that are not going to join the user group. So they asked to be removed from the swap. Now I have to find angels for there spots. One was my 6 month swap and there is one month left after may and they are withdrawing from the swap.
What can we do about this???
Please help. I dont want to lose friends and great swappers because of this.
Thanks
Lisa
__________________
~~Lisa Cox~~
Every child is an artist. The problem is how to remain an artist once we grow up. ~Pablo Picasso
Lisa - they will still be able to view the swap thread and can communicate with you via PM. Why don't you suggest they finish out the swaps they are currently signed up for? We were planning for people to finish out the ones they are signed up for and if they decide not to join the user group then they will not be able to join future swaps.
Great minds think alike in that I already had this discussion with Michelle yesterday. However, I think all this will result in is a lot more work and frustration for responsible hostesses who can manage them but do it in multiple swaps to be more organized, and still have irresponsible hostesses who can't manage the bigs ones set up ones that if they then fail to do or flake on will have even bigger impacts. So it defeats the original purpose of the limit of 5 again.
I'll comply to the changes of course, no choice, but I still think and vocalize that its the wrong route to try to achieve the desired result. You are still going to have flakers, still going to have people who get over their head and can't manage well, and still going to have people upset. It just means that then you have a phone number to try to call them at, and an address, but just as any creditor will tell you, that doesn't mean you are going to collect.
Sounds like a lot more work for mods in the end rather than just addressing it by suspending memberships for anyone who flakes, or take away hosting rights when someone can't host by the rules. Technically should have just required hostesses to join a user group and have certain access/permissions to start a thread. And made them electronically agree/sign the new rules to do so, emphasizing the expectations. As for participants who flake, the old way of just reporting them if the hostess wants to and then suspending them if needed or removing their SCS access I think would have been better.
Okay, I've said my peace and suggestions, off to manage my swaps and craft.
Thanks again to everyone who has been a part of my swaps and my fellow hostesses who have been so supportive and paid me many complements on here. I greatly appreciate it and just consider myself blessed to be amongst you!
Quote:
Originally Posted by vz5dzh
Like if you were to host a Birthday Card Swap and have different groups within it for different manufacturers. Or switch it around and have a SU! Swap but break down groups underneath it for different occasions, birthday, sympathy, hello, blank, etc. Does that make sense?
These are all great questions and I am working my way through the responses.
I have more than 5 swaps open and understand that I can continue with them, but cannot open any new ones till I am down to 5 open swaps.
What is the definition of an 'open swap'? I have several that are 'closed' and not due for over a month, because I closed them since we had a large number of participants.
Maybe this has already been asked, if so just re-direct to the answer ;)
Does this effect the Rak and Wishrak exchanges too? Since these groups are already "member only" groups?
No. That is a whole seperate usergroup. This is just for swaps and there are some RAK threads in the swaps, but this is not for the RAK group. Ha ha. Does that help?
These are all great questions and I am working my way through the responses.
I have more than 5 swaps open and understand that I can continue with them, but cannot open any new ones till I am down to 5 open swaps.
What is the definition of an 'open swap'? I have several that are 'closed' and not due for over a month, because I closed them since we had a large number of participants.
I would define an open swap as a swap that is taking signups or full and receiving. Once they arrive and are on their way back out the door I would consider it closed/over, you can start a new one.
Hello everyone, just checking in and reading through post. I have only had two people so far wanting to "drop" a swap. I talked them through it and explained that we could still communicate through PMs and emails and they could finish out the swap. They were not upset AT ALL and understood the need for the change. The one girl has a DH that is in law enforcement and I'm not sure the other girls reason but either way.
Susan I'm so sorry gals are dropping your swaps. Do they understand they can still fulfill the ones they are currently commited to?
Oh yea Tracey you are good on the ones you already have going on. It's just for in the future when these start to end you won't want to open any more till you only have 5.
I have to say as a hostess who had a lot of swappers not send anything in, I am happy for the changes. In defense of the moderators, if they had put this out for discussion, nothing would ever get resolved. It is going to be really hard at first, but we will get used to it. I like the extra level of "security"--people put a lot of time, effort, money and creativity into their swaps and then to get burned really hurts!
I want to say thank you to the moderators who give their time freely and deal with all of us!
__________________ Pia 2024 Scrapbook goals MAY /10 layouts YTD 113/120 Check out my gallery
I have to say as a hostess who had a lot of swappers not send anything in, I am happy for the changes. In defense of the moderators, if they had put this out for discussion, nothing would ever get resolved. It is going to be really hard at first, but we will get used to it. I like the extra level of "security"--people put a lot of time, effort, money and creativity into their swaps and then to get burned really hurts!
I want to say thank you to the moderators who give their time freely and deal with all of us!
We don't believe so. There are a few thousand members that use the swap forums. There are lots of swap ideas floating around. The "5" rule might even encourage more first time hostesses to give hostessing a go.
This is what I really like about this rule because we have new hostess with great swaps but they are never recognized because swappers are going with veteran hostess.This rule gives everyone the opportunity to share their ideas for swaps
Leslie I'm glad I'm not the only one liking the new "rules" I'm feeling out numbered. ;) J/K!!! I know it's not a popularity contest, just a means of simplifying and something that needed done.
Bingo. :-D
The one site that I WAS on was very unorganized and the Mods were horrible. My one buddy told me about here and it's the complete opposite.
Yes, I've emailed/PMd them and posted on the groups, but many are just plain upset with the changes and requirements and dropping off SCS.
Quote:
Originally Posted by mnewby
Hello everyone, just checking in and reading through post. I have only had two people so far wanting to "drop" a swap. I talked them through it and explained that we could still communicate through PMs and emails and they could finish out the swap. They were not upset AT ALL and understood the need for the change. The one girl has a DH that is in law enforcement and I'm not sure the other girls reason but either way.
Susan I'm so sorry gals are dropping your swaps. Do they understand they can still fulfill the ones they are currently commited to?
Yea and it's a GREAT group to be a part of. I agree I looked at other swap sites and in my opinion SCS take the GOLDEN AWARD for organization and for caring about their members.
Oh yea Tracey you are good on the ones you already have going on. It's just for in the future when these start to end you won't want to open any more till you only have 5.
Oh the pain of withdrawl.....lol. I have 17 'open' swaps, but only 4 are open for new swappers.
I am all for the new rules and I know this will help making hosting so m uch better. Just remember, change is good.
well, I vouch for Susan: she commimunicates extremely well, has great themes and is so highly organized I am amazed. Props to our gal, Susan!! And we would loose a lot of great options if she is limited to 5.
I don't think so. No offense to Susan, but I think others will have the same exact ideas. What if she's hosting 15 swaps but I'm only hosting 2- but I want to host the same swap as she posts? How fair is it that I have to wait a few months to host the same exact swap- even though she's working on 15 already? :confused:
I've swapped with Susan and she is a great organizer, but the new hostesses should also have a chance to post their ideas as well.
Yes, I've emailed/PMd them and posted on the groups, but many are just plain upset with the changes and requirements and dropping off SCS.
That is their choice. Maybe they haven't been impacted by people who don't complete swaps, or hostesses that disappear, or the people who say they are sending a stamp set on the PIF threads and never do. There are many people who have. This change has been made for the good of all who play in the swap forums. To try and add a little more protection. To try and make people a little more accountable for their actions. If they can't see that, and decide not to join that is too bad.
Yes, I've emailed/PMd them and posted on the groups, but many are just plain upset with the changes and requirements and dropping off SCS.
I'm really sorry to hear that, Susan, because I love your swaps. I'm not going anywhere so at least you know I'll still be in your swaps. I joined the user group because I have swap addiction. Yes, it's true. I am a swap addict and I love it.
Now let me say this for you, Susan. I realize a lot of people don't do well with change (I am one of those), but sometimes we have to go through the initial growing pains of changes to get to the outcome that will probably be better. Like LittleScrappy said, we were on another place and there were flakers and I had one hostess who never returned anything nor responded to any pms even though that hostess was still posting and opening swaps. Reporting to the mods did nothing since we felt there was a lot of "favoritism" going around. Actually LittleScrappy ended up leaving because she couldn't deal with the cliques. I just left before she did. That's why I invited her over here where the people are great, the swaps are fun, and the hostesses have been fabulous!!! So to me, if people can just hold on and get through the initial phases of change, it will work out and probably be much better.
But I'm an optimist. Shoot it could all crash and burn around our heads. j/k!! And don't worry too much, Susan. I'll always join one of your swaps if I think I can handle it! I know I'm in several others' swaps that are commenting in here as well.
I am, however, sad to see that I can't give away my 5 swaps that I'm not going to hostess. :( Actually that was just a silly question. I already knew the answer.:mrgreen:
__________________ It always feels like somebody's watching me. Hey, is it YOU?
A question..............I was just editing my details and noticed there is no place to enter a different country, other than the U.S. Does this mean the swaps are no longer available to us stampers in a different country? I know sometimes there is an issue with postage amounts, but these could be addressed.
__________________ Ina
"Surely His salvation is near those who fear Him, that His glory may dwell in our land." Psalm 85:9
A question..............I was just editing my details and noticed there is no place to enter a different country, other than the U.S. Does this mean the swaps are no longer available to us stampers in a different country? I know sometimes there is an issue with postage amounts, but these could be addressed.
No, you are still fine. I would put the country by your province or whatever you have where you are at, state?
Yes, I've emailed/PMd them and posted on the groups, but many are just plain upset with the changes and requirements and dropping off SCS.
Hold the phone, y'all. We do listen to you all, and are talking about ways to improve on what we've proposed. Before people decide to drop off SCS, let's give this some more thought!
I don't think so. No offense to Susan, but I think others will have the same exact ideas. What if she's hosting 15 swaps but I'm only hosting 2- but I want to host the same swap as she posts? How fair is it that I have to wait a few months to host the same exact swap- even though she's working on 15 already? :confused:
I've swapped with Susan and she is a great organizer, but the new hostesses should also have a chance to post their ideas as well.
I think susan like myself encourages everyone to open swaps on her swaps. And I help to promote everyone's swaps. Others have the same color swaps going as I do and that is fine. I think it is better if they are in different months as it gives swappers the chance to finish one and then go to the other but don't think that if you are a hostess who does a lot of swaps we are keeping anyone from doing the same or similar swap. I have a lot of newbies on my swaps who have now become hostesses and have my full support and are doing well. So I don't agree with the 5 limit.
