I've traded around a few things through Switchdiscs and had a good experience so far, though I'm extremely disappointed that a request I made for an available Xbox 360 game has thus far been ignored by the Switcher that has it listed. Apparently said individual has not checked in at Switchdisc in at least a week and has not gotten or responded to the e-mails from Switchdisc (including one I sent directly through the "contact sender" link) that are telling him/her to please send the title and collect the Switchbucs.
The people I've sent things to so far have apparently been very happy, getting a PSP movie title from me, and getting a used DVD from me, as well as one Xbox 360 game that I pumped into the system.
My biggest complaint (other than the apparently unanswering member noted in first paragraph above) is that the search function at SD is too quirky. There's no ability to search for individual game platforms (and should be, as the games should be categorized according to system platform).
Also, when you search and choose "search available titles" you have to refresh the page and when you do, again the system acts very quirky.
Searching titles for keywords like "360" seems to help turn up titles, but it's too inconsistent to tell what is really all there.
Searching titles for "DS" for Nintendo DS games gets virtually no answers at all, perhaps because none are in the system, or because Nintendo doesn't mention DS in their game names.
A minor nit to pick about not being able to add a legitimate title into the system - I have a UMD set of Entourage, complete first season. I can list that title just fine at Amazon, so I know that there's a UPC in Amazon's db for it, and yet if I try to add it into SD it's not there, and there's no ability to add by title (actually I don't really want add by title as things get screwed up too quickly, but when I contacted the SD support folks they didn't indicate a way to add a title manually from their side, even though I provided complete details on the discs in the set so it could be added).
And finally, my last complaint would be the members that are apparently smoking crack when they picked the prices for their items. For example, members that put up a copy of Oblivion (the excellent game for the 360) and ask for 69 Switchbucs for it. If the $1 / Switchbuc price is used, then the game is $9 over priced, even more so considering the title is used, and used copies of the same title could be found at ebgames or Gamestop for $54.99 + tax in most places. Much less at eBay.
Same issue on some DVD sets, such as the 80 Switchbuc set of just one season for Smallville. Same set sells for much less new in stores, much less used at eBay, Amazon, etc.
I know that the folks at SD are about to (RSN, real soon now) put in an upgrade/overhaul that will potentially change the way Switchbucs price are determined for items being added into the system. I hope that the prices that are used are in the "list price - 10% for being used" area. Meaning a $59.99 game (new) would be priced around $54.99 or approx. 55 Switchbucs. Something close to that would seem to get prices in line, at least if a title is fairly new. Of course, over time the prices will have to drop as the titles age over time, etc. |