B/S/T: Buy/Sell/Trade & What You Need to Know

[Babywearing Around Tulsa] 

[B/S/T: Buy/Sell/Trade & What You Need to Know] 

So you purchased your first babywearing carrier but after trying it out for awhile you decide you would like to try something different...now what? 

You have been bitten by the babywearing bug and now you want to try all the carriers! The babywearing world is so vast and you have only just begun! For some it is an easy decision, for others it is a dilemma of trying to decide to sell and buy new or used, or trade for another. The search for a new carrier begins. With a little experience under your belt, you have a better idea of what your needs are and what you are looking for. So what do you do now and how should you decide which avenue to take? 

Buying New: Buying new is probably the easiest route to go. You are not looking to get rid of what you have, you are looking to add to your stash. Can't ever have too many, right? When buying new you have the ability to take your time on a decision, research the different brands, blends, retailers, to find just what you're looking for. Just like any brand new purchase. Pretty easy.  

Selling: You have decided to sell your carrier to purchase something new or used. So where do you go to sell? Luckily, BWAT is growing larger by the day and the local For Sale or Trade album is growing also, so you have the option of keeping it local and not worrying about invoicing, shipping, etc. But, no one is really biting and you have your eye on something else and you would like to make a quick sale. You decide to put it on a B/S/T page with the most popular being the Facebook group, the beast, 'The Babywearing Swap.'  

There are a few things to consider when selling on a large B/S/T group.  

• How much do you want to sell for? 
• How far are you willing to ship? Stateside? Globally? 
• Are you comfortable using PayPal? 

It is a good idea to keep in mind that you're selling a "used" item. It is likely that the carrier has been sucked on, drooled on, vomited on, pooped on, the list could continue... So be honest about what you are listing and price accordingly with fees and shipping included so you can be on your merry way to purchasing your next carrier! Yay!  

But, is it always that easy? I would like to say yes, but we are dealing with humans here and sometimes we get a little messy.   

Sometimes people get buyers remorse and feel guilty about purchasing your carrier, or an unexpected bill comes up, etc, but they are not going to tell you that so they ask for a refund. But, wait! You have already shipped the carrier and purchased your new item! It is only natural to ask why, right? This is where it can get a little hairy. 

People can be dishonest and that really blows.  For instance, they are saying something is wrong with the carrier you sent and it is not in the condition that you described. (I don't know about you but at this point my cheeks are burning and my heart rate is up!) How could they say that? You have worn it, inspected it, even washed and dried and saw no issues!  

Please, please protect yourself. PayPal has your back! Always use the invoice option so you can describe the carrier in detail if need be, that way the "buyer" is completely aware of what they are buying. Stains, pulls, thread shifting, weavers knots, slubs, nubs, wrinkles, discoloration, whatever it is--write it down. You, the seller, can sell on YOUR terms. They do not have to buy your carrier if they do not want to. If they file a claim, 99% of the time, PayPal will back the buyer and most likely you will need to issue a refund and that really sucks. But, it is part of the BST world and you can always choose to stay local!  Most of the time, the transactions go smoothly. 

Trading: You have decided you would rather not deal with buying and selling. So, trade it is! Your carrier has a trade value, just like it has a retail value. Typically, the trade value is close to retail. If it is a popular carrier, your trade value could be market value which is sometimes way more than retail value!  A little confusing, but there are such Facebook groups to help you determine the value! Trading is very similar to buying and selling but there are generally two options when trading,  

• PayPal backed trade 
• Non-PayPal backed trade  
• Local Trade

A PayPal backed trade is where each party sends the same, agreed-upon, amount of money to one another. Basically, you are cancelling it out, but regardless, you have made a PayPal transaction and you are covered if something happens to the carrier in the mail, etc. A PayPal backed trade is the safest way to trade. 

A non-PayPal backed trade happens when both parties are comfortable paying for shipping and sending the carrier. Ideally, both parties agree to ship the same day and pictorially document the receipt from shipping and update with tracking numbers via USPS, FedEx, UPS. 

A local trade is easy! You meet up with the person that has the carrier you want and, Voila! Immediate satisfaction of new to you carrier in hand. And, maybe a new friend!

And, finally...Feedback plays an important role in an online B/S/T  transaction. Feedback is a link with your picture from the huge Babywearing Swap Feedback group. Each person you have done a B/S/T transaction with has commented on the experience they had during the transaction, positive or negative. If it is negative feedback it can't be emotional as the admin may delete. Just a simple or in depth description of the transaction experience.

Once your transaction is complete, which is carrier in hand, you leave honest feedback on the other party's feedback link they provided in their listing. Describe in detail or little about your B/S/T experience.  

So now you have bought, sold, traded, and you are stalking your postman for your epic fluff mail or already using your new carrier!  #BWAT #wearallthebabies

My name is Lauren Hyatt and I'm a SAHM

I have two littles under two.

I enjoy eating and spending time with family and friends~

To learn more about me, friend me on Facebook! 

I'm New and Lost

Welcome!

Are you new to babywearing?  Or maybe you still haven't found that perfect carrier for you or your child?  There's so many options that it can be a bit overwhelming.  

First what is babywearing?  Babywearing is using cloth to wear your baby or young infant.  This allows you to comfort your child while still being able to get things done, if you so choose hehe.  It ranges from essential for many parents to an art form.  And of course there is always a price range to normally accommodate all budgets.  

Are you semi local to Tulsa?  If not, feel free to email babyweartulsa@gmail.com and we will help point you to the closest group that we are aware of.  Okay so I'm a bit biased but Babywearing Around Tulsa (BWAT for short) is an excellent resource for you to take advantage of.  BWAT has two FREE meetings per month (monthly and mid-month) that cover safety as well as a brief 101 that showcases all the main options you have to wear your baby.  In addition to the free meetings, BWAT also offers small classes on specific topics for a small fee.  Fees go to benefit the group as well as the instructors gas and time.  Likewise private consultations can be done at the discretion of the instructors for an agreed upon price.  

Instructor Somer demoing a Front Wrap Cross Carry (FWCC) during Babywearing 101

But where do I start?  Come to a meeting!  Immerse yourself.  Babywearing (BW/BWing) 101 talks about airway safety, spine and hip development as well as comfort for the wearer.  It also goes over the 4 major categories of carriers: Woven Wraps, Mei Tais (pronounced "may ties"), Ring Slings (RS) and Stretchy Wraps (Moby, Boba, etc), as well as Soft Structured Carriers (SSCs) like Boba, Tula, Kinderpack, Ergo, etc.  A demo of a front carry in each carrier will be shown.  In addition to the educational aspect of the meeting, you'll be given approximately an hour to visit stations and even try on a carrier or two.  Will you walk out knowing which carrier is perfect for you, possibly.  More than likely you'll have a better idea of what you would like to try.

Trying on carriers is great, but I don't think I will know if it's the perfect carrier for me in just 5 minutes?  How right you are!  Only time wearing will really determine if that carrier is your ideal comfort for you and baby.  BWAT has another resource.  We call it a Lending Library.  

What is a Lending Library?  A Lending Library (LL) is basically a library of wraps and carriers for member check out (normally 2 weeks to a month).  A Lending Library is great though, as it allows members to actually see if carriers will work for them before they buy them. Our Lending Library is constantly growing and we are striving to obtain more variety. We'd love any carrier that you would like to donate or any amount that you are willing to give. Donations will be accepted at our meetings or via paypal at babyweartulsa@gmail.com.

What's the cost of membership to the LL?  For BWAT we have a yearly membership cost of $20.  If the carrier is damaged or not returned while it is in the member's possession it is the member's responsibility to replace it monetarily (that's the small print :)). To ensure the ability to charge the member for the replacement or repairs cost we hold either a signed credit card slip or a signed blank check in a lockbox that is only accessible by two leaders; the Librarian and the Treasurer.  All damages and costs will be discussed with you prior to charging you.  However if you fail to communicate in a timely manner you will be charged.

So I'd like to try x carrier, how do I go about checking it out?  BWAT has a large LL however it's also popular.  Some carriers are checked out every chance and others go months between check outs.  To simplify the process for our Librarian we have a digital wait list.  You do not need to be a member before signing up for the wait list.  You can only check one carrier out at a time.  Prior to our monthly meeting Tiffany will tag all members that are up for a carrier (and which carrier).  If you can not make the meeting then the carrier will go to the next person on the list that isn't up for a different carrier.  Yes this means that at times the ninth person gets the carrier.  After 11:30 am at our Saturday meeting the LL carriers that have not been picked up become available to check out to the members at the meeting.  This happens a lot!

So when can I check out a carrier, when is it due, what if I can't make it to the Saturday meeting?  Check outs occur at the monthly meeting as well as our mid-month meeting only.  Most carriers are due back by the next monthly meeting (if you can not return the carrier by the start of the meeting then it needs to be returned to a leader BEFORE the meeting).  Late fees accrue for late (even if it's during the meeting) carriers.  BWAT requires and needs the carriers for members and non members to try on during the meetings so this is important!  No carriers can be checked out before the meeting for this reason.  However if you can't make the Saturday meeting you can see if a carrier you want has been returned or not checked out at the mid month meeting or contact Tiffany about picking up a non checked out carrier from her in between meetings.  Some carriers are on two week checkouts which means they need to be returned at the mid-month meeting.  

So where is the wait list? It can be found here:  http://bit.ly/1r2Vdfz
or if you are mobile: http://bit.ly/ZrSZMm

Now I'm on the wait list and I've been tagged, how do I pay my membership fee?  You can pay by cash, check, or card (for a small processing fee) at the meetings.  You can also PayPal the $20 gifted (friends and family) to babyweartulsa@gmail.com prior to the meeting.
Link to pay for membership via PayPal:

Okay so I'm now a member and this will be my first meeting, what can I expect?  First you'll sign in at the meeting and attend BWing 101 (if you arrive in time).  Next you'll visit the stations and play with the carriers.  You'll fill out our Lending Library Form (for every check out) and turn it in.  You will be verified for a current paid membership as well as a "deposit" on file.  At 11:25am carriers are released to be picked up and a leader or volunteer will check to make sure you are leaving with the correct carrier.  If you need to pay your membership fee or submit a "deposit" a leader will be available to assist you at the meeting.

If you would like to print and fill out the forms to bring they can be found here: http://bit.ly/1o6xMO0 and http://bit.ly/1sw3mpq

Have other questions?  Feel free to post in group.  

Happy Babywearing!

C.J. North is the Babywearing Around Tulsa Treasurer.  She is a Babywearing Institute Scholar working on certification.  C.J. stays home with her 3 kids and manages the allergy and special needs of her family while being overly addicted to research.  In her rare spare time she enjoys crafting, reading, photography, and playing video games.