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Need advise about not getting a swap package from SCS swap
I need some advise. I send in a swap package to someone who posted a swap on SCS last month. I was promised my exchange swap package would be sent. Still nothing just an excuse. Then another promise it would be sent early last week, but I still haven't rec'd my package.
Now I am not getting an answer to my emails, so I think I am out at least $10.00 with postage and all.
I am wondering if I should post a message with the name of this person on SCS to warn people about this hostess so she doesnt do this to anyone else.
I spoke with someone else who was in another of her swaps and she hasn't received her package either.
i would most definately post that person's name so that others don't get involved in the future. i think you did your part with checking ith the person first. if it was because of an emergency, then im sure she would of or could of at least sent you a quick email to let you know and that would of been understandable. but to give excuses and then totally ignore your emails...well that wouldn't fly in my book. we put alot of time and money into these swaps, and if your going to host a swap you need to fulfill your commitment.
I tend to be a "benefit of the doubt" kind of person. If the swap is only a week late, maybe you could wait a little longer. Is it possible that the swap hostess has had something come up, so she can't communicate with you?
I would also hesitate to publicly name her. What if there are extenuating circumstances that are preventing her from mailing your package? I think you would probably feel badly if you put the word out and then found out that something had come up for her.
I was recently involved in a swap (Michelle/Michele), and there was a mailing mix-up with one of the participants. Her mail was not delivered because the package was placed in an outside mail box. Due to new postal rules, those packages are considered suspicious, and are opened immediately. Her swaps were all ruined.
So, to answer your question, I would wait a bit longer and continue to try to get the swap hostess to communicate with me. Personally, I would never publicly name someone. I would chalk it up to "lesson learned." However, I'm new to stamping and swaps. Maybe I am being naive about it.
My two cents,
Christine
__________________ "We don't see things as they are; we see them as we are." Anais Nin
I also wouldn't want to name her publicly because life does get crazy once in a while & I wouldn't want to be "branded" so to speak if I were in her shoes. I don't think Jenn, Beate, Daven, Lana, Camsmom would take your post very well either......
Suzanne
Do we have a swap moderator on this site? If so, I would contact him/her and see what they can do. This site has grown by leaps and bounds and has changed so much in the past few months. There are bound to be a few bad apples now. It would be nice to be able to toss them out (if indeed they are bad apples and there are no extenuating circumstances).
This is a very special site and I want it to stay that way!
__________________ Sharon Rogers
My Blog: www.stampwithsharonrogers.com Attitudes are contagious. Is yours worth catching?
I know I had an issue on the SU board with this happening, and they would NOT allow any names to be posted. Although I didn't agree with it at first, I also understand why.
I think swaps are kind of "Enter at your own risk" propositions. Does that mean I won't follow through if I host or participate in a swap? NO. But, also understand that people may have had issues that haven't allowed for the swaps to be mailed. I do not in all honesty think that anyone would knowingly keep swaps (iI mean as much as I love cards, I do not need all the cards from a swap LOL) I have had my cards lost in other swaps, as well as had hostesses who took LITERALLY 2 months to return a swap. It turns out she had been hospitalized (yes, life does interfere with stamping sometimes LOL).
Publishing a name as a "warning" is one solution, and I TOTALLY understand where you are coming from by wanting to do this. But once things are in print it is hard to take them back. I also know Daven frowns very seriously on people being named for negative reasons on this board. I am certainly not speaking for him or representing him in any way, just don't want people to get hurt when this board is such an overwhlemingly helpful "community."
I certainly am not telling you to not do this, but I would respectfully ask Daven first after you wait a bit. I know you are frustrated, I would be as well. I would also contact her (even if she doesn't respond) and ask for a clear answer.
Sorry for rambling.
__________________ I want people to be afraid of how much they love me-M. Scott
I got several private emails from others who did not get their packages from this hostess too. She sent them an email about ten days ago saying she would send them, but so far no one has received their packages.
I learned a very good lesson from this and will not be participating in any other swaps on the SCS list. Everyone seems so friendly on the SCS website that I guess I never thought anyone would take my stuff and not send the swap package back to me.
The swap was not for cards and I bought some supplies to participate in this swap, so I am out quite a bit of money. If it was just a card swap, I would write it off and not be so upset about it.
I realize that everyone can run into an emergency or have a problem, but then the hostess shouldn't keep promising to send the packages and not follow through.
I don't think you would have to worry about the slander issue if you just posted a "friendly reminder" to the person to please contact you and the others about the swap and when she might be able to get them returned.
I hope this doesn't dissuade (sp?) you from ever participating in a swap again and hope it gets resolved!
__________________ "They always say time changes things, but you actually have to change them yourself."
-Andy Warhol
I just talked to one of my neighbors (and dear friend) who's DH is an attorney here in town.
She called me back after asking her DH about this, and he said it is not slander if it is true.
He also said that truth can be warped in a court of law.
I like stardust's suggestion - it gets the word out and warns the rest of us and at the same time nudges the hostess to do the right thing. And she has the opportunity to make things right and post that she followed through and her reasoning all at the same time.
Swaps are hard. I know I'll get ready to mail and all of the sudden get an email begging me to wait. Usually I wait and then the person doesn't end up sending the cards. But I still give in and wait. This time it paid off as the person did send their cards, but along the way I constantly try and communicate with people. In this swap, I'm going further and sending a thank you goodie for waiting.
It's hard to be a hostess sometimes and now that you have to take packages into the post office, it gets even harder. Give her a few more days and keep participating in other swaps. People who hostess are essentially good and not looking to rip anyone off.
I was recently involved in a swap (Michelle/Michele), and there was a mailing mix-up with one of the participants. Her mail was not delivered because the package was placed in an outside mail box. Due to new postal rules, those packages are considered suspicious, and are opened immediately. Her swaps were all ruined.
Christine
I just wanted to comment on the above. Your mail may NOT be opened without a warrant if it is First Class (or Priority) Mail. If you recieve intentionally openned mail, it should be reported to the Postal Inspection Service. You will need to maintain the wrappings and contents.
The correct proceedure for items weighing more than 16 oz that are not presented in person bearing stamps and any international mail is that the item be returned to sender, if possible. If not, they are transported via ground transportation. Also, if it is isolated due to protential HAZMAT concern (leaking ink pad, for example), it is segregated from the rest of the mail to assure a minimal contamination. All these procedures can slow things down.
I hosted a swap where I got back 7 items due to the window clerk messing up. One came back twice and two went on via ground. What a mess! But they all got there, just longer than I hoped.
I still have one missing from a current swap but after going back and forth with the swapper via email, turns out I used her PO Box and she hadn't checked it since the box went "missing." I am hoping it is there.
I hosted a swap here as a brand new stamper and demonstrator and didn't have any problems. I don't think it's a straight across the board thing and I hope you will give others who offer to do swaps a chance and not stereotype everyone here as not following through with swaps. I've done 2 others in my short two months here and haven't had any problems whatsoever.
Find out from the administrator if it's ok to post names. I don't want anybody else getting burned as you and your fellow swappers have been. The truth should be known if they aren't going to follow through.
__________________ Stampin fool...will stamp on ANYTHING!
I participated in my first SCS swap that was due the middle of July and never did get anything. It was an embellishment swap and I was so excited I sent in double the amount of items I needed to.
I know there is a lot that can happen that wouldn't be the fault of the swap hostess so I know that happens. But I've talked to a number of others who are in the same boat...not getting anything. It's just a bummer when it happens because it does make people hesitant to participate in another.
Re: Need advise about not getting a swap package from SCS sw
Quote:
Originally Posted by deeth1
I am wondering if I should post a message with the name of this person on SCS to warn people about this hostess so she doesnt do this to anyone else.
What would you do if this happened to you?
Man that stinks. I'm all for giving the benefit of the doubt, but I also believe in once bitten twice shy. I dont think I'd write of all of SCS for it, after all there are thousands of folks here and probably over a 100 or so swap hostesses. SCS can't be responsible (or blamed ) for one bum hostess anymore then Yahoo could be blamed if a yahoo group had a bum one.
I'd probably approach the SCS team, give them the details of whats going on and what happened though. Not publicly out the person, but give Beate, Jenn etc the option of asking this hostess not to run swaps anymore.
Again, sorry that it happened to you.
__________________ Seattlejo
aka "The Cruise Director" [email protected]
SCS can be responsible (or blamed ) for one bum hostess anymore then Yahoo could be blamed if a yahoo group had a bum one.
I think you meant can'T be blamed, which they can't. I was on one message board where the owner tried to regulate swaps, but in the end, it came down to it's the hostess to be blamed and the owner decided she didn't want to police every swap and every swap participant.
Many things can happen, but if the hostess isn't even emailing you back, I would be a little concerned. Don't out here yet, but do keep pestering her.
Here's my 2 cents worth. Life often gets in the way of our best intentions.
In this case, I would definitely give the hostess the benefit of the doubt for another week or two. I am sure she had/has the best of intentions, and in no way is trying to scam the participants. Hostessing swaps is a lot of work, especially for the bigger swaps. That's why I don't hostess swaps myself. Maybe she has a crisis of some kind in her life.
FOR SURE, I don't recommend posting the hostess's name here at SCS. That would create a world of hurt for her and quite possibly cause a lot of regrets for you later, if you find out that there is a good explanation for this.
I agree with the others who have suggested that you contact the Daven or Jenn. They may have a way to contact the hostess privately and find out what's going on.
Good luck!
Alicia
SCS can be responsible (or blamed ) for one bum hostess anymore then Yahoo could be blamed if a yahoo group had a bum one.
I think you meant can'T be blamed, which they can't. .
Right, thanks Fixed the typo.
It's really a tough situation. I've seen it happen in the soap making community as well. (and imagine the postage /material costs involved in sending out 20 bars of soap.) There really isnt anything you can do, and outing the person isnt going to make the swaps appear, though it might make that person a swap leper, and make you feel better.
__________________ Seattlejo
aka "The Cruise Director" [email protected]
I completely agree with not posting the name. A somewhat similar incident happened to me with eBay. My package didn't arrive when it was supposed to and I kept emailing the seller with no replies. I was just about to leave negative feedback when I finally heard from her stating her daughter had gone into the hospital for a few days. :shock: She told me when she was finally able to send out the package and I did receive it just fine. That was a close one and I know that if I had left negative feedback before learning of the seller's situation I would have felt absolutely terrible. So don't post her name. Maybe you could contact a SCS team member and they could try contacting the hostess just to make sure she is even receiving the emails! Maybe her computer broke down, a family member has fallen ill, etc. There could be so many reasons behind all this. Just give it time.
I hosted a swap a while back and never received packages from 2 people - I held up swapping out because 1 of the people said they were putting thier package in the mail - well I gave some extra time and I let everyone else know what was going on...
Finally after an extra week and a half and not getting the package I just swapped it out and the extra cards I just swapped out (so that people didn't get back extras of what they did they got extras of other peoples work)
I do wish there was some way to "rate" people so you would know if it would be ok for you to participate in thier swap.
I guess a rule of thumb could be to go by the # of posts and gallery items they have - if they post alot then it shows they are fairly active on this site and hopefully more likely to be on the ball when it comes to swaps.
__________________ Jenni -Happy SU Demo - MY GALLERY & MY CHAOTIC LIFE One kid makes you a Parent - Two makes you a Referee
I haven't received my package either! I think we participated in the same swap!
Please do not have a bad taste in your mouth about participating in swaps. They usually flow very smoothly! I know exactly how you feel about the loss and cost but I also think this is a very uncommon charicteristic of the Splitcoaster and something must be going on? Perhaps she bit off more than she can chew?
I feel the same about emails going unanswered and promises made to send it out (about 10 days ago) Since this swap was dine in June or July.
I am just hoping everything is alright with the Splitcoaster who hosted- there are more important things in life than a few paperclips or whatever and I am certain she will make due-I hope anyway.
I do wish there was some way to "rate" people so you would know if it would be ok for you to participate in thier swap.
I guess a rule of thumb could be to go by the # of posts and gallery items they have - if they post alot then it shows they are fairly active on this site and hopefully more likely to be on the ball when it comes to swaps.
Oh now thats a good idea. A swap rating, kinda like a Karma or trust rating. Wonder how you would execute that.
__________________ Seattlejo
aka "The Cruise Director" [email protected]
Kymber, thanks for clearing that up for me! :lol:
As baby crazy as we all are on this site, I was a bit surprised that there could be a new arrival and we wouldn't hear about it!!
~Alicia~
I could understand if this person had an emergency or had to go into the hospital, but she is still hosting and posting new swaps on SCS in Sept so obviously her computer is working and she is well enough to post the new ones.
I got lots of private emails after posting this yesterday saying they knew who this person is and they haven't gotten their packages either nor were they getting replies to their email messages. If she can take the time to post a new swap, she should take the time to answer her emails too.
How can we stop her from posting new swaps until she completes the ones she posted in June or July?
I would definitely advise you to go to Daven and/or Jenn with this one. They are awesome to work with and I'm sure they will know exactly how to handle it.
Good luck,
Alicia
I still say there is nothing wrong with posting a public "reminder" though at this point it may come across as negative no matter how you phrase it. I appreciate that Daven is working on it, however - unless the site itself is going to regulate and monitor all swaps, you should be able to post a responsible and considerate post letting others know about your experience. I know I would hate to sign up for a swap now having no idea which hostess this is. I am all for giving ppl the benefit of the doubt - but I am also all for be forewarned. Just my 1 cent!
__________________ "They always say time changes things, but you actually have to change them yourself."
-Andy Warhol
i too am in a swap where the due date was JULY, and have not heard anything from the hostess in almost a month. me and some others have been posting in the swap thread asking about what happened, --nothing.
also, quite a few people dropped out of the swap too, which annoys me to no end. i end up sending my cards in on time and making 15 of them, and i will either get none back, or get like 7 of my own back.
why do people join swaps and don't follow through?! i know rl gets in the way, but some people drop out AFTER the due date saying they forgot or they are too busy.
I think you just have to hang in there and keep reminding the hostess via email and pm's that you're still waiting for your swaps. I would be really annoyed too. I'm glad to hear the Daven is getting involved. SCS is such a wonderful place, I wouldn't want anyone to be left with a bad feeling about something that came from here!
I am hosting my first two swaps now and I have had a couple of people drop out after they committed. Granted, this is still weeks before the due date, but I really don't understand why people sign up for a swap and then back out. It just leaves the hostess scrambling to find more swappers.
Anyway, I still need two more swappers for a Christmas swap, and I promise, I am not a deadbeat swapper!!! :lol: :lol:
I really hope this turns out that you get your stuff.
Wow, a lot has happened since I last read this forum! I do have twins, two boys, and believe me they are both ALL BOY, though so far haven't had the problem of constant holes in the knees of their pants like some kids go through. But I love them!
I don't know if anyone has mentioned this but here goes…….
I hosted a swap. The people were dorks in this swap. It was a while back....not on SCS. It took me an extra 3 weeks to get all the swaps to me so I could send them out........I was so embarrassed.
This killed me for swapping for a while. Being a hostess is harder that I thought. I was so worried about being late....it just ate me up. This hostess does need to communicate; she might be waiting on so many people.....who knows. Maybe it has gotten out of control.....maybe her hard drive crashed......maybe she is having a DUH! moment???
Take the pressure off her for a week...............maybe that will help her get things done.
I am not involved in this swap…………………..just a stupid comment from little o’me!
I participated in a swap that was due in July and did get my returns back. Unfortunately, it was missing a bunch of items (not cards) and I had sent in enough of my own item for 10 players + extra for the hostess. (i think i only got back 5 or 6 participants worth of items back.) I emailed the hostess to ask what happened (even if it was just that the other players backed out) and what about my leftover items since apparently we didnt' have full participation. I have received no response back (it's been weeks). Really disappointed and don't think I'll participate again. :(
If the hostess has good reason, I don't mean to be harsh. Just a quick email response would have been appreciated. Or a note w/ the items explaining.
mikage99, please don't be discouraged! Most of us swap hostesses are great and make sure we keep the lines of communication open. If you want a list of some hostesses that I believe are trustworthy, let me know!
Another thing I have noticed on the SU board is sometimes people have MULTIPLE swaps going that they are hostessing. For me, that always makes me nervous. I am sure some people love to swap and are really good at organizing, but I know when I hostess I have to keep my attention focused on the one topic at hand. So before I sign up for a swap I see how many other swaps are going on. If there is more than 2, I don't sign up. Just my personal policy.
__________________ I want people to be afraid of how much they love me-M. Scott
Nothing new at the moment. I haven't rec'd a reply from the swap hostess to my pm's here or the email I posted to the yahoo group she runs.
She posted on SCS on 8-29 so she is still active on this site, just not responding to her pms.
Davin is trying to reach the hostess, but hasn't heard back from her so far.
I considered posting a friendly message as suggested, but someone else already did that last week asking if anyone has heard from her. Since that didn't work, I decided not to do it again.
Thanks for all the pms. It's terrible that so many of us are having problems with this person. I have held off posting her name because I hoped she would respond to Davin or this post to resolve this matter privately.
I have not responded to this thread yet, but I feel as i must.
I agree w/ lisa
We should give this person some time to pull herself together.
She is probably overwhelmend, embarrassed and dosen't know how to respond to this. Just think...what if this had happend to you? How would you want people to react?
I'm not condoning the action of not responding. I know that you spent money on supplies, and things to send, and time on beautiful cards, but ladies these are just material poseesions. I would not be very happy if this had happend to me, but remember its not the end of the world.
Please don't let this incedent make you think badly of this swapper, of this site, or the other members of SCS. We do not know what is going on in this person's life, and those of us who know her have notice her actions have been uncharacteristic of her.
I know that several people have been trying to contact her about this issue. The moderators of this forum know what is going on, and i'm sure they will do the best they can. Continuous emails and pms to them is not going to help the situation. Continuous emails and pms to this person is probably not going to help it either.
Ladies please continue to swap! Don't let this incedent stop you. " it is better to have swapped and lost, than to have never swapped at all"
Need advise about not getting a swap package from SCS swap
