The 10 Best Websites To Swap Books, CDs, DVDs & Games

Do you have a ton of books sitting on your shelves? Would you like to get rid of them and make space for new books? With the websites introduced in this post you can exchange your books and even other items like video games, tools or DVDs for stuff you really want.
Bookcrossing in this post refers to exchanging the books you have for books you want. However, there also is a website called BookCrossing that follows quite a different strategy. You sign up with BookCrossing, register the books you would like to give away, print the ID for each book, put it into the books and set them free in a public place. The lucky finder will eventually report your book using its ID and post a comment about how he liked it. Likewise, you may find a book that was registered at BookCrossing and share your feedback using its ID.
Now let’s look at the sites that allow you to swap items.
Title Trader


Through this website you can swap books, DVDs or CDs with people around the world.
To participate you sign up and create a list of the things you are offering. This procedure is quick and easy as the site supports ISBN numbers to identify items. Then you have to wait until someone is interested in one of your items.
Once someone has received an item you sent them, you receive a request credit which you can trade in for an item you want from somebody else. The service is free, but you cover the postage.
There are two more ways you can earn request points. First of all you can purchase them. Secondly, you receive points for referring new, active members.
BookMooch


BookMooch works very much like TitleTrader, but it’s limited to books. It’s a multilingual, community-driven site that works based on a point system.
The site supports English, Deutsch, Español, Français, Italiano, Japanese, and Português and is available to anyone around the world. Points are earned by providing someone with the book they want and these points can be spent by requesting and receiving a book you want. The only fee you pay is the postage to send books.
Using the MoochBar browser toolbar (IE, Firefox, Opera, Safari, OmnniWeb) you can search books on Amazon and then see if they are available for trade on BookMooch.
SwitchPlanet


This site allows to trade DVDs, CDs, video games and books. The mission is to reduce environmental waste, help those who need it most and support arts/culture and education.
Much like Title Trader and BookMooch, SwitchPlanet works based on a point or currency system and adds the community aspect. Users can create profiles, and join groups. Also, SwitchPlanet hopes to collect donations from its members. This money will be used to help needy families.
Textbook Revolt


Textbook Revolt is made for students around the world who cannot afford to buy new college textbooks all the time.
The limit is that you need a valid .edu address to register. However, if you are a student, would like to participate, but don’t have such an eMail address, you can contact the site owners and request to be added.
Other than that, Textbook Revolt works very similar to the sites described above. Through Twitter you can keep track of all new books listed or requested.
Read It Swap It & Swapz


This is a service for people from the UK to exchange books.
Books are swapped between two users, which eliminates the necessity of credits. If you find an item on someone’s list, you can ask them to swap with you. If there is nothing on your list they like, they can deny to swap with you and you’ll have to find somebody else to swap with.
Swapz is a similar page. It’s also limited to residents of the UK. However, you can exchange any item you have or want including collectibles, instruments, stamps or clothes.
Swaptree & PaperBack Swap


Recently, Wendy wrote about a site through which US residents can swap books, CDs, DVDs and video games for free.
Items are listed based on their ISBN numbers and users can add a short description. Like on Read It Swap It, users are matched for swapping an item.
PaperBack Swap is a club for swapping books that is also limited to US residents.
The cool thing about this site is that books are sent using a wrap that contains all essential information, like address and sender details. The book can simply be wrapped into this printed piece of paper, which simplifies the packing and labeling process.
The advantage of sites limited to residents of a specific country is that postage costs remain predictable for all members.
SwapAce


SwapAce allows you to swap, buy or sell items and meet members. The site supports any type of item, such as electronics, services and of course books.
Users can use the system to barter and negotiate for items or services. This makes the site extremely flexible.
Neighborrow




Finally, here is a page that makes anything possible.
Join neighBORROW hoods and trade items within these groups. They can be made up of strangers around the world or your personal neighbors, friends or students from your campus. You can borrow, lend, sell, buy or trade anything with whomever you like.

Remember the story of the guy that started swapping stuff online and ended up with a house? What was your best swap?