Something from the list..

Am signing up for this swap as soon as I send off 3 of my current swaps. Newbies allowed right??? crossing my fingers here

I thought about joining this swap until I read.. "Send more for a heart." Read on the forum.. people to not want requirements for the hearts.. I will never join a swap where one is stated. The swap item itself is what needs to be extra special.. not sending MORE... From FQA on Swap bot... What are hearts and how do I give them?

If someone sends you an extra special swap package that far exceeds the swap requirements, you can give that person a heart. The option to give someone a heart only appears when you give them the highest rating ("5 - I got my stuff and it met posted swap requirements"). Under this rating option a check box will appear that you can mark if you want to give a heart. You do not have to give anyone a heart just because you gave them the highest rating. We suggest that you reserve giving hearts to those swappers who you think deserve even more than the highest rating (more than 5 points). The number of hearts a person has collected will be shown on their profile page next to their average rating. Lots of hearts indicates a very special swapper!

Hi In answer to your comment, what I find most frustrating is when you do sent a special parcel and put extras in, that the receiver does not ever give you a rating, even after you send a couple reminders, THAT is very upsetting and disapointingand saddly I've had a couple.

i am new to this site. i sent off my first swap this week! i would love to participate if you could make an exception for me. i understand if not though, i'm sure people have had bad experiences with flakers. so many of the swaps i want to join require prior participation and i am trying to get there!

Yes, here is the actual rule from the "Swap Coordinator Info" page after you click on "Create a Swap":

"IMPORTANT: A swap coordinator can help their users determine how to rate a swap accurately, but they should not make specific rules about when to give a heart."

There is some very important information on that page, so you should probably take the time to read it. I would love to join a swap like this, but not if it says "send more for a heart."

Sounded fun but the hearts requirement is a huge turn off.

Why do hosts insist on putting a requirement for hearts?

well... and obviously for the 15 people who have signed up for this swap as of October 20 at 10:10 PM...it doesn't bother them in the least about the "send more for a heart" statement. All I can really say is that for the people who get angry at something so like this, it's your loss for not getting over it...and yes, it's understandable that in the guidelines it says that a coordinator cannot specify what earns a heart, and it's always been up to the recipient, just like it always has and always be.

heart schmart. Your score is still 5. What's the big hairy deal?

The deal (big and hairy or not) has less to do with what one is rated and more to do with one being told how to rate. Too many people on this site expect a heart for sending extras, rather than understanding that hearts are given at the discretion of the rater, and can be given or withheld regardless of extras. And when swap hosts add "send extra for hearts" to their swap descriptions, it feeds this misconception.

its in the swap-bot faq, aka, the rules. hearts are up to the receiver, not the host. put what u want in the description. it can't be enforced, and you lose some of the best swappers. 90% of swappers here know this.

I do think this is a cool swap though. I love the choices.

I agree with the disgruntled comments. I've done swaps where the coordinator said send extra's for hearts. The extra's were SO lame I mean, cheap lame stuff. And they said "my extra's are" like 2 small peices of cardstock. And they only sent like 3 blank atc's but I felt obligated to give a heart. It still eats at me. I ended up handmaking her a really cool journal for a later swap. If I don't get a heart for that.... I hope I get a heart.

It's interesting to note that the people who don't mind the "send extra for hearts" mandate are newbies who 1) haven't been here long enough to understand how the system is designed to work, and 2) haven't yet dealt with unfair ratings, non-raters, and flakers - especially as a result of a poorly designed/hosted swap. :-/

I don;t pay any attention to the extras for hearts claus. I always send the best swap package I can and if the person I send it to does not feel like it rated a heart, then so be it. I know I sent a package I'd love to receive. You can't be responsible for other people's inconsideration s. Some people don't even rate at all, it's not fair but it happens and as long as I did what I felt was right, it's all good. I have given hearts when I have gotten duplicates of things but it shows that the person at least read my profile and they tried. I feel the hearts should be given for the effort. Just my opinion.

sigh a bunch of lame extras dont qualify for a heart, but I hate to feel the need to give a heart just bec. that person sent out "more" and would specify on their note that they've added extras.