Archive for October, 2009

Book Swapping and Exchange Sites : the Pros and Cons

Saturday, October 31st, 2009
The idea of exchanging your old used books for new ones you haven’t read is an idea which is gaining momentum across the internet. Used book swapping sites now boast hundreds of thousands of registered members and millions of used books ready for to be exchanged with other book lovers.

So what is the appeal? Why should you join an online book exchange web site when there are so many other ways of acquiring books? Well, here are some arguments for and against joining.

The Advantages Of Online Book Swapping Sites

Why should you join a book trading site?

Well, for a start, if you are someone who regularly buys books, it is more than likely going to save you a lot of money. Book swapping sites are free to join, and for the price of postage and one used book from your collection, you can get new books to read. Effectively, this means you can pick up a new book for under $2 – this includes hardback books, cookbooks and textbooks too. That offers the possibility of making big savings when compared to any other way of buying books.

Secondly, you can give yourself a pat on the back for recycling books and saving the environment in the process. Swapping rather than buying books means less trees are felled to produce reading material. Again, this can only be a good thing so far as environmental issues are concerned.

Thirdly, it’s a great way to declutter your book shelves and help out someone else at the same time by giving them a book they are looking for.

Book trading sites are also a great place to find out of print and hard to find books. These can often be expensive to find otherwise, and you can waste a lot of time looking for them. At book swapping sites, you simply add the books you want to a wish list and when it comes in to the site, you are sent an email alert saying its there. Much easier.

One more thing – the selection is huge. Sure, you can go hit all the used book stores in town and you might find what you are looking for but probably not. A used book club on the other hand has millions of books in their system. One swap site claims to have over 2.5 million books and that’s just on one site.

The Disadvantages Of Online Book Exchange Sites

Firstly, why not just use a library? Then the books are free right? Personally, I look at libraries as something aside from all other forms of acquiring new reading material because you do not get to own the book. You get a specified period in which to read the book, in many cases will get fined for returning it late if you’ve not done with it, and have a limited selection to choose from. Libraries are great, but they’re not ideal.

Used books are not for everyone. If you like your books shiny and new regardless of the price, then an online book swapping club is not for you. Most swap sites have rules about the quality of book allowed to be offered up for exchange but they are predominantly used books.

New books make money for the publisher and the author, used books do not. Whilst its easy to argue they have already factored in trading on the used book market into the price of a new book, the fact remains, buying or swapping used books costs them money and may affect new authors in particular.

The Verdict?

Either way, online book swapping sites are becoming increasingly popular, with millions of books waiting to be traded with swappers all over the world. Whether a book swapping club is right for you is a matter of personal choice, but either way, it is something to consider the next time you look at that shelf full of books you’ll never read again or choke on the price of a new hardback.



By: Mark Falco

About the Author:

Mark Falco is an avid reader and is always on the look out for ways to save money on his literary addiction.

Online Dating Coach Reveals His Amazing Secrets to Meeting Fascinating Singles on the Internet

Saturday, October 31st, 2009
At the end of a long day at work, what better way to enjoy the evening than to share it with your heart’s companion - your Soulmate. Not only is having a love relationship a healthy way to live, but you’ll feel more fulfilled as a person too.

As an Online Dating Coach, I’ve had the pleasure of working with clients worldwide. People just like you have contacted me from all over the world wanting online dating advice… with the ultimate goal of finding their Soulmate - no matter where he or she may be living. In the global community we all live in today, connecting with and meeting singles online is the most natural thing imaginable.

Today I’ll be your Dating Coach while I share some helpful online dating tips. With my online dating advice to guide you, learning how to find your Soulmate through online dating can be fun and easy - so let’s get started!

A Dating Coach Offers some Tips for Success

One of your first and most important decisions is your commitment to joining an online dating service. Whether you join a large dating site with millions of members, or a dating service that targets matches within a smaller niche, your online dating success will, to a large extent, be the result of how well your Online Dating Profile is written. With this in mind, here are the first steps to finding your Soulmate.

First, make a commitment to joining one or more paid dating services, each of which has enough members living in your general vicinity so you’ll have a variety of prospective Soulmates to choose from.

As your Dating Coach, I’ll help you create your Online Dating Profile, since this will become your “Online Dating Brochure” and “calling card.”

Then, decide who you would truly like to meet. Your online dating services can help you to some extent, but always keep in mind that you’re using computer matching for your introductions. Therefore, to take full advantage of the technology, it would be helpful to first understand how it works! Online Dating services match their clients by performing both a keyword search, as well as a simple match of the preferences you’ve assigned in your Online Dating Profile. When the online dating services ask you to select your “interests and hobbies” for example, you’ll be much better off selecting as many of them as you can while still being truthful. Let’s say, for example, that under “interests and hobbies” you have 25 options to choose from. If you select only one of them, then you’ll be matched with site members who have made that one selection too. Computer matchmaking works by matching the words or phrases from your dating profile with those of other members within your chosen age range and geographic area, while applying your preferences for height, hair color, drinking and smoking habits, and so on. So one of the secrets to getting more matches is to be more flexible with the options you choose, just like in the example I’ve given.

Finally, and most important of all, to take full advantage of the online dating services you join, whether you’re a man or a woman, take the initiative and send some letters of introduction - and if possible, do this every day. Don’t expect the online dating services to do all of the work! My best advice to you as your dating coach is to become pro-active - and be responsible for your success!

My Dating Coach Advice

You really can find your Soulmate on the Internet. So just take a deep breath, make a decision that you WILL succeed, and then get the ball rolling! Today more than 25% of single adults use online dating services, and within the next five years, this number is predicted to double. Will YOU find your Soulmate through Online Dating? To a large extend, the decision is up to you!



By: The Online Dating Coach

About the Author:

Jay Reiss is an Online Dating Coach who has worked with more than two thousand clients worldwide! He’ll help you design your Online Dating Profile and show you how to succeed with Online Dating! He offers a free telephone coaching session (a $100.00 value - free!) and has Free Online Dating Advice on his website http://www.online-dating-coach.com