Poll: swapping

I work as host at restaurant and one of the jobs as host is make sure your guest leave happy. I believe swap should kind be like that too. I belive if your going be a Host it your job make sure that those participating in swap get something in return. It not fair to those that put faith into Host only to get jeep in the end. Host makes the list after all.
I believe that Host should find some way make it up to person who was flaked on and flakes should get negative feedback. If Host don't do nothing, the unhappy swap may never joining any of the Host's swaps again and they may even leave the Host neutral feedback.

In end flakes should get their just desserts.


Should their name be posted so that they can be excluded from future swaps? Yes

Should it just be accepted that this will happen and their behavior ignored? No

 

Wow, was just wondering if there was a topic for this already.

A lot has changed since the beginning of this thread, and I would think that since nowadays joining a swap is a market place transaction flaking on a swap should definitely be considered negative feedback. Which it is. A lot of us that join swaps put a lot of time and effort into our gifts, and would hate to send to someone that dropped off the face of the internet and leave someone else empty handed. It's considered stealing.

There is one person whose name I can't say, because I figure the post will be deleted, who joined 5 swaps, received 5 gifts and sent nothing out in return. She has come back with multiple (at least 4 known) accounts and tried joining other swaps. Luckily, this person tripped up multiple times and tried joining swaps run by people they had already swindled and were found out and banned repeatedly.

I wish their names could be posted, but that doesn't leave room for redemption. I figure enough negative feedback will get them declined by swap leaders and other marketplace transactions, even when they really do want something.

Eventually when they finally do find someone willing to deal with them it would likely make them more willing to not flake. /2cents

 

I really didn't like either choice given in the poll, so... (and "you" = general)

If the swap has ended and you've PM'd your partner and received no answer, is there anything that should be done?
I would first check out if they've been on DoA, or any site they provided, at all. It might not be someone purposely not getting me something. For all I know, they are having a situation that stops them from being near a computer. Whether or not they were online or not, I'd also PM the swap organizer, and explain my dilemma, and what I've done. I would then hope that they try to PM them and see what happens.

Should the offending person's name be posted so that they can be excluded from future swaps, or should their behavior just be ignored? (Posting names probably wouldn't solve the problem, but it might make people think before they sign up, especially if they not allowed to do so again.)
I don't like having someone's name out there for all to see. I would rather that person's username be given to the mods, who can all keep a word or excel document on hand for that. There could be a rule that a swap organizer must report all members who are signing up for the swap to the mods, who can then compare that list to the 'banned' list, and notify the organizer privately.

Even more interesting, how about having each swap leader keep a list of who didn't contribute, and PM anyone starting a new swap with their list of members who flaked? That way, things are kept on a need-to-know basis and (like others have mentioned) it's up to the swap leader to decide if they want the risk or not. Maybe, if there's one person who is known for not swapping, the swap leader can take them on as a swap partner so no newcomers get cheated.

I think most people who enter a swap go in knowing they're going to do their best and contribute. If there's someone who just wants to get stuff, getting their name posted on a swap list of banned people isn't going to stop them. In regards to it not being a 'flaming issue', I think it can escalate to that, and someone who signed up just for a free ride will happily complain to all who will listen about them not getting a fair deal. People who just want a free ride are going to try to stay in it, even if they have to fight for it. Sending a polite, calm email to the organizer of the swap and your partner can easily put someone on good terms (in addition to their partner receiving something, of course); fighting about how you were late, and that it's totally unfair isn't going to win sympathy - especially if you still don't send anything.

But you need to fulfill your end of the swap. If you don't make an effort, don't try at all to communicate and then become hostile when confronted, then it shows you really weren't interested to begin with. If you're polite, and you know you screwed up, just say so. Everyone screws up, but you have to own your screw ups.

Would this alternative be considered too harsh/unnecessary? Or would it be viewed as a constructive way to prod people to be responsible/honest?
I think it depends on how many swaps they participated in. If this person has been reliable before, then there could be a real issue that came up. If it's their first swap, then I think they should receive some kind of warning, and if they don't pull through the second time, they don't get to go again.

I think swap organizers should keep up-to-speed with people who are reported to not pull through, and if they notice action from them, they should send a PM. If that individual seems to be avoiding the organizer's PMs, then they should ban the person.

If the person eventually does fulfill the request, then they should be given a warning, but let back in. I believe that a severely late swap member is just as bad as a member who doesn't contribute.