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Press & Media >Newsday
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May, 2009
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Online book, DVD swaps gaining as way to save money
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BY EMI ENDO | emi.endo@newsday.com
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Swapping online seems to be gaining popularity as people think twice about buying new books, DVDs or video games during the economic downturn.
Like other avid readers on Long Island, Giselle Harrison-Eras has found swapping is a less expensive alternative to buying new books.
Harrison-Eras, 48, of Cedarhurst, swaps used books through a bartering Web site called Bookins.com. Trading has helped save money as her husband was reading his way through various "best of" lists, which included older and difficult-to-find titles, she said. "We didn't want to spend full price on them."
Bookins founder Mitchell Silverman, of Park Slope, Brooklyn, said his barter community, which began in 2005, has more than 40,000 traders.
On Bookins, receivers pay a flat $4.49 shipping fee (the site keeps about $1 of the fee) for a book or DVD, which is matched based on the point value assigned to it, and senders must use the site's prepaid postage labels.
In addition to saving money, Long Islanders who trade said it helps them clear out clutter.
Nita Hollander, a senior citizen who lives in Huntington, said she had treasured all her cookbooks, mystery novels and organic gardening books but was running out of space.
"It's like I'm sending little presents," said Hollander, who has given away about 100 books so far via Bookins and received about 35. "People are getting the books they actually want."
http://www.newsday.com/technology/ny-bztrad0612687766may05,0,1146237.story
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