WEBSITE REVIEW

Online swapping

E-Bay, Yahoo!, Amazon.com – the names that define the online auction community. As the market becomes cluttered with an array of other sites bent on capitalizing on Web-based garage sales, few will stand out. But for movie-music gurus surfing the web, there is salvation from newborn auction sites – although using a search engine to discover this online gold is probably a lost cause.

The reason: Xchangecity.com isn’t listed in Yahoo’s database, or many others. Less than two months ago, the site decided that a revolution was needed – and very appropriately, too. With less than a dozen people on its staff, the site launched in late January and has since garnered more than 3,500 members simply by word of mouth.

The idea: Instead of buying used goods from E-Bay, why not trade them? Signing up now offers members three free months of swapping CDs, DVDs and video games. From the recalled DVD edition of Little Shop of Horrors to LucasArts’ latest Star Wars spin-off, anything can be listed on Xchangecity.com’s database. Then, all you have to do is await the mouse click of another eager trader to grab your used product.

Even after the initial three-month period has concluded, trades are only 1 dollar each, pending their success. Unlike the auction sites, which usually charge listing fees, there’s absolutely no cost involved until a connection has been made between two users.

Saving a few bucks has never been easier, and as Xchangecity.com matures out of its infant stage, finding your favorite out-of-print import might be just one click away.

Jon M. Gibson writes about video games for Metro Times.