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Driving a hard bargain just for fun
By Chen Qianqing |
July 8, 2009, Wednesday
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IN Hangzhou people are getting together once a month to trade the things they no longer need for the things they might want. It's fun and can be profitable as people mix and match. The social network 1joo Online is behind it all. Chen Qianqing swaps a bargain for a story.
Bartering is back in fashion. The social network, 1joo Online, brings Hangzhou's white-collar workers together ready to trade what they have for what they want.
The online bartering community in Hangzhou was started by organizers on www.1joo.com in 2007. Last Saturday was their 39th gathering.
Regularly the organizers set a date on their online community bulletin board and those who want to take part gather on that day at the appointed cafe. After they have displayed their goods on their tables, the bartering begins.
"We were inspired by the story of a man called Kyle MacDonald who successfully traded one red paperclip for a year's free rent on a house. So we came up with the idea of establishing a like-minded bartering community here in Hangzhou," says Zhong Yang, one of the organizers at 1joo Online.
About 30 people take part every month. The record number of participants eager to barter and trade was 72 and the event is most popular among young female white-collar workers.
"At first I was surprised that almost 80 percent of our participants were girls aged 20 to 28-years-old. That is because they always have a bunch of things they do not use to barter away," says Zhong.
There are no restrictions. You can trade anything you own as long as others are willing to make the deal. Books, CDs, digital equipments, souvenirs, cosmetics, accessories and home-made gifts are the most common objects.
"There are lots of interesting cases around here. Once, one of our members managed to trade just one magic trick for something he wanted," says Zhong.
The bartering community has many devoted fans. Xu Yun is one who attends almost every month. She is exactly the kind of girl in Zhong's words who has "a bunch of things" to trade.
"Bartering was new to me and now I'm addicted to it. Every time they announce the date for the event, I ransack all my closets and take out the things I no longer want," says Xu.
For fans like Xu, bartering is much more than "I'll take yours, if you take mine." The event is more like a weekend party where girls like her get together and have fun as they exchange a cute range of gadgets. A barter chain is the most exciting part.
"My most unforgettable experience was when I traded a handbag for a purse, then the purse for wireless headphones, and finally bartered the headphones for a Lucite CD case that holds 100 CDs. I enjoyed that thoroughly," says the fan.
Among the items that are bartered, home-made gifts are the most popular. Way beyond Xu's expectations, she once traded a simple hand-made accessory for a silk scarf.
Unlike mass-produced items, home-made goods are hard to price. What seems to be an ordinary or even pointless item can appear very special to another person. That's the essence of modern bartering.
"We will continue the tradition of monthly bartering. I hope more people will come here and enjoy the fun," says Zhong.
Bartering is back in fashion. The social network, 1joo Online, brings Hangzhou's white-collar workers together ready to trade what they have for what they want.
The online bartering community in Hangzhou was started by organizers on www.1joo.com in 2007. Last Saturday was their 39th gathering.
Regularly the organizers set a date on their online community bulletin board and those who want to take part gather on that day at the appointed cafe. After they have displayed their goods on their tables, the bartering begins.
"We were inspired by the story of a man called Kyle MacDonald who successfully traded one red paperclip for a year's free rent on a house. So we came up with the idea of establishing a like-minded bartering community here in Hangzhou," says Zhong Yang, one of the organizers at 1joo Online.
About 30 people take part every month. The record number of participants eager to barter and trade was 72 and the event is most popular among young female white-collar workers.
"At first I was surprised that almost 80 percent of our participants were girls aged 20 to 28-years-old. That is because they always have a bunch of things they do not use to barter away," says Zhong.
There are no restrictions. You can trade anything you own as long as others are willing to make the deal. Books, CDs, digital equipments, souvenirs, cosmetics, accessories and home-made gifts are the most common objects.
"There are lots of interesting cases around here. Once, one of our members managed to trade just one magic trick for something he wanted," says Zhong.
The bartering community has many devoted fans. Xu Yun is one who attends almost every month. She is exactly the kind of girl in Zhong's words who has "a bunch of things" to trade.
"Bartering was new to me and now I'm addicted to it. Every time they announce the date for the event, I ransack all my closets and take out the things I no longer want," says Xu.
For fans like Xu, bartering is much more than "I'll take yours, if you take mine." The event is more like a weekend party where girls like her get together and have fun as they exchange a cute range of gadgets. A barter chain is the most exciting part.
"My most unforgettable experience was when I traded a handbag for a purse, then the purse for wireless headphones, and finally bartered the headphones for a Lucite CD case that holds 100 CDs. I enjoyed that thoroughly," says the fan.
Among the items that are bartered, home-made gifts are the most popular. Way beyond Xu's expectations, she once traded a simple hand-made accessory for a silk scarf.
Unlike mass-produced items, home-made goods are hard to price. What seems to be an ordinary or even pointless item can appear very special to another person. That's the essence of modern bartering.
"We will continue the tradition of monthly bartering. I hope more people will come here and enjoy the fun," says Zhong.
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