TRADE FOR THAT GIFT YOU WANT
Bunz Trading Zone helps you get rid of unwanted presents
It was inevitable that at least one of the generous gifts you received during the holidays wasn’t a hit and, for reasons of missing receipts or decorum, you’re now unable to return or exchange it.
You could stash it in your closet or try regifting it or, in keeping with one of Toronto’s biggest trends of the year, you could trade it on Bunz for something you actually need.
In case you missed it, Bunz Trading Zone has been the name on Toronto’s collective tongue this year.
First a Facebook-based community trading group, an accompanying iPhone app was launched this year to further facilitate trades and, as of press time, boasted a thriving membership of 90,000.
Community members post items they’d like to trade and thos interested make offers.
When they reach an agreement, they meet in person (potentially at one of the official 26 designated Bunz meetup spots across the city). Nearly any product or service can be traded for, with the only rules being no cash and no jerks allowed.
More than 133,000 trades have been completed and, as Bunz founder Emily Bitze explains, it has become a great alternative to sites like Craigslist, Kijiji and VarageSale, and a solution for items that otherwise might be destined for landfill.
“When you’re using Bunz, you’re getting something tangible in return and it feels good that you’re not simply throwing something away.
“You’re giving it someone who actually needs it or wants it. The by-product of that is making a connection with somebody,” Bitze says.
“It’s different when money is involved. If I sell something for $10, I’ll probably buy a coffee and then it’s just change in my pocket.”
With more than 500,000 items up for trade, the odds of finding something you want more than that illfitting sweater from Grandma are high. But in such an active marketplace, you need to know how to make your item stand out.
To successfully trade away your unwanted holiday gifts, Bitze offers her tips and tricks.
Don’t be lazy with your post
Successful posts have clear pictures, appropriate hashtags, and sufficient item details (size, age, colour, condition, etcetera). A specific explanation of what the poster wants in return also helps. “I like to put an ISO (short for ‘in search of’) directly in my post, because a lot of people don’t want to go to your profile. “I like to make it clear. I want a notebook, or a bottle of beer. Someone sees that and they think ‘I want it and I can do that after work. That’s easy,’ ” Bitze says.
Be strategic with your tags
Adding descriptive hashtags to your item is the best way to help users find them when searching. In addition to a literal hashtag — #desk, for example — use tags to describe the category of product, the materials it’s made of and its condition, like #homedecor, #bamboo, and #likenew. Taking a look at the categories on the app can help you hashtag appropriately.
Know what you want in return
Bitze says users need to be realistic about what they could receive in return, as well as creative.
She mentions a recent post by a woman who wanted to trade a gift box of Kiehl’s products for “red wine, tickets to a cool event, some of your artwork, handmade stuff, vegetables.” Thinking outside the box when it comes to what you’re in search of can lead to rewarding and one-of-akind payoffs; a quick perusal of the app reveals trades for tattoos, woodworking services and hair styling.
What Bitze calls “true trades” can also fast-track your exchange. “True trades are usually the easiest way to get your stuff traded. That means trading an item for something that somebody already has, instead of asking for something really specific. Sometimes people will ask for a $25 gift card for Starbucks which is fair, but it’s easier for someone to say ‘Well I have this thing, let’s trade.’ ”
Tell a story
The more “likes” and comments an item receives, the more visibility it will receive on the app. Highly sought-after items can attract that sort of attention, but so can not-so-exciting items with a story behind them.
“If it’s something kind of boring, like a box of cake, you might want to create a story for it.” Bitze says.
“If you write an interesting story or write something quirky, you’ll get more attention.” She cites an example of a woman looking to trade clay pots she made by hand. She gave them an attention-grabbing name — boob pots — and provided creative ideas for how the pots could be used.
“Give someone an example of what they could use it for. Or give (an explanation), like ‘This was my grandmother’s and I can’t have it anymore, but I want to give it to someone who would love it,’ ” Bitze adds. “Things that help people feel a connection can make an item more wanted.”