Further details on how to set up a local SwapShop.

If you want to set one up in your town, please let me know, I would be glad to help. Feel free to copy as you wish. Do let me know how you get on, I would be intrigued to know how successful it becomes.

Firstly, decide upon a name. We didn't think that SwapShop was an ideal name, but we couldn't find a better one, you might.
All you then need is an e-mail address. I added another name to my virgin account as if I were Mr. Lancaster Swapshop. I therefore got:- lancaster.swapshop at virgin.net. I don't know if you are supposed to do this.

Now you need to write an "introducing .........SwapShop" e-mail. You can copy the one on the previous page's button, and modify it.
You will have to decide on what night you will send it out etc. and you might need to think about any rules or guidelines that you may want to impose. i.e. no dealers adverts, or whatever.

Once you have created and saved this intro message, you need to plan the actual editions, ready to paste on the messages.

You might like to make a poster to put up in appropriate places, Library, Wholefood shop, college etc. You may need to think carefully where not to advertise it. We thought that there was a danger of dealers etc. who may not use the service with the best "spirit".

I would stress that you should keep it small and cozy, It will grow at its own rate.

Next you need to gather some e-mail addresses, I got the local environmental groups list, and asked a few friends for contacts that they thought would be suitable. I then put these into a separate contacts list. On my Browser (Internet Explorer), I right click on the "main identities contacts" in the address book, and create a new "folder". Name this folder "Swapshop". then drag contacts from your main contacts over to the Swapshop folder. There are various ways of adding names to this folder.
You can now send out the introduction to all in your list. If you go to the address book, you will see the file "swapshop" listed. I send it to myself, and send to the list as a BCC (blind Carbon Copy) This is IMPORTANT. In this way, peoples e-mail addresses are not shown to everyone else. (Just to clarify, you send to the group "swapshop" , and not to each individual name in that group).

You can create a folder in your inbox called "swaps" etc. then, as messages come in , put them there.

You need to create a template for your SwapShop edition (or copy and modify an edition of ours) . Save this in your 'drafts' folder.
Each week COPY the text from this template and paste it onto a NEW email. The original template should be kept for subsequent issues.

Now comes the work of going through the e-mails you receive, highlighting , copying, then pasting onto a new e-mail, then adding your brief introduction, small print etc. (see "edition 1" button on previous page) . At the same time every week, send it out to the list. We do it on Sunday night.

As people ask to be added, put their email address in the address book file called "Swapshop" and send them the Introduction message.

You can encourage non-Internet users to use the service by asking them to find a friend to search or submit for them. Mention this on the poster.

Good luck.

Please contact me if you have any questions. cantor.john-at-virgin.net (please correct the "at" to @ accordingly)
Please let me know how you get on, and how well your Swapshop is doing. This will help me to improve this site. Please add me to your SwapShop list.

John Cantor.