Ok guys, I wrote SaySwap.com a letter about what they need to change and what is good about the site. If you have anymore suggestions or comments please lay them to me and I will get them to the guy that is working on the site. I can talk to him on the phone and through e-mail so he'll get all your guys points across if needed to, this way you get a site you want. Here is what I sent him:
Disadvantages / Suggestions:
1. The price for a trading tokens is way to high compared to any other site for a trading token. $4.95 isn't something everyone will pay to trade a game because they might as well go to ebgames.com and buy a bunch of crappy ones for $5. The price should not be more then $2 for a trading token, where as most are only $1 per token.
2. A search engine for find members with games that they want or games that they have and other people want should be created. People are being really stressed on finding gamers to trade with and talk too.
3. A message forum or message board should be created for all users to post at and talk to each other. It's to hard talking on Hot Chick's message board because some users actually think that's a girl that trades with them and just hit on her. For a good example of what a message board should look like check out:
http://www.cheapassgamer.com/forums/
4. Don't allow people to post links to other sites for cheats, reviews or anything such as that. It drives people away from your site and then you don't get any business and possibly lose traders. Tell them they have to write out the codes and cheats or copy and paste them. This way they get more Swap Points and become a more dedicated member.
5. Come up with a chat room and show what users are online at the moment so people and chat and make trades faster and more convenient.
6. Once the site get's going and you get most of the major problems fix. Graphics and banners for games need to be made so users think it looks cool and want to play the games. A good example is
http://www.gamespot.com/ps2/action/gta4/index.html?q=Grand Theft Auto see how it says: Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas well behind it, it has characters and game members of what the game is like. Make up banners like that for the games listed members enjoy that. It's not very hard to do.
7. Have deals of the month, or competitions. I realise you do that now but come up with new ones and be creative. Like best review for a game, or best cheat, or most trades this month. Stuff like that really get's users to work on helping the site.
8. Need a clear explanation on what games are available for trade at the moment and which ones are most popular for trading and wanted.
9. When mailing out games they should be sent in bubble wrap or cardboard protection envelopes. This protects them from getting wet more and from bending and scratching. No gamer wants to receive a game that is wrecked and no gamer wants to send a game the way they were told and get blamed for it being wrecked when they did what was said. They have bubble mailers for really cheap at Dollarama in Canada 3 for a $1 and I've seen them at other Dollar Stores also so suggest people to go there for them. Also you could create a spot where you could sell bubble mailers cheap to users so they don't have to worry about finding them.
10. Instead of free shipping because I'm sure some or most users don't use it anyways, lower the price of trading games. It's better all around. Members would rather pay $2 shipping and $2 for a trading token then. $5 for a trading token and free shipping.
11. Allow the option of cases/boxes with the game. Some users want the case and some don't and it's up to the person sending the game if they want to send the case also. So just let it be an option it's up them on how badly they want a game or not.
12. Lower the free purchase tokens to 10 and add one 1 trading token instead. This will make more trades happen instead of people getting their free game and then pissing off. If they get any game it won't be worth a lot so it's better that way.
13. Add a section in member's profiles so they can add their collection of games not games that are available for trade or wants. Just games they have, this will get rid of people putting games in the available section of their profile and people will ask less if they can have that game.
14. Base the value of the games on user ratings for reviews, MSRP and release dates. Not just MSRP because that is sometimes over rated or underrated make it fair for the users trading and the ones that want games.
15. Add more stuff to the profile so users and can tell more about themselves.
16. Add a section for Strategy Guides. Lots of gamers like strategy guides to beat games completely and gamers would like to get rid of them if they don't have the game anymore. They usually sell for $20 to $25 CAD but sold used for only $3. So 2 or 3 Purchase tokens would be great for those.
17. Make the section of games related to the game they are reviewing actually make a game that is related. That section never seems to change on sayswap it needs to improve on that.
Advantages of the site:
1. You allow CANADIANS to be members. This is uncommon on most trading sites and is really comforting for Canadians to have place to trade. Great job on that!
2. Free tokens for signing up is always a bonus just got to be more careful on how much you trade but yes a bonus.
3. Profile is kind of like Myspace.com which is nice so users can share their thoughts and talk with people on their on profile.
But yeah, I would definitely be worried if I had sunk any more money into this. So far, my preference for trading is with GameTZ and Goozex, but we'll see how this works out.
