How would you feel if the recipient was trying to swap a card you sent?

I sometines buy older used cards from Ebay, but these are generally 50+ years old. Personally I would feel a bit weird getting someone’s “recently” mailed card, but I guess its better than going to a landfill…

1 Like

I wouldn’t mind much, as long as it’s the typical “one contact” type of card, where nothing private was shared. I would mind for cards that I write to people I know for longer, where it gets more personal.

And I would prefer a 2nd chance somewhere else over being binned for sure.

I have a few used Postcrossing cards in my own collection, another Postcrosser sent to me. There is literally nothing personal on them. They all decribe what is seen on the front or give background information about that sight. The sender’s data (name, ID) was covered before.

And I gave away a few for crafting purposes, so they got upcycled (the picture side and / or the stamps).

1 Like

I would not be upset because it doesn’t mean they didn’t like the card. In fact, it may mean the exact opposite. I try to include whatever I can to make the recipient feel special when I’m sending something. And if that includes something someone else sent to me, then I may just pass it along to them so they can get some joy from it as well.

2 Likes

I would feel odd if it were written as I’m usually pretty personal/write based on the profile of the user it goes to :frowning: But if it were blank, it’s fair game :slight_smile:

3 Likes

I would be very sad to know that somebody would trade the cards that I have sent to them to get something “better”. It kind of negates all the time and emotional resources needed to send a personal card.
I do not like this idea ar all.

10 Likes

Once the card is out of your hands, the card belongs to the recipient. Would you rather the card gets dumped into the bin? The recipient has all the rights to choose what to do with the cards. The cards probably brought the person joy before and now years later, the recipient is moving on with life and hope the cards will bring joy to another person. I do not think there is anything wrong. If you go to vintage shops, there are many used postcards for sale.

I personally spend a lot of time and effort before mailing a card. I do mail art on almost all my outgoing cards, I put in effort to fill up the card with words. But if the recipient chooses to pass the card on someday, I will be fine with it because the card no longer belongs to me. It is my gift to the recipient. He/She has all the right to choose what to do with the card even if I put in 200% of my time decorating or drawing something on it or spending 1 whole day writing the card.

1 Like

I would, yes.

In vintage shops the card are usually so old, you can’t find the person alive online anymore.

I think also the ones in vintage shops are kept very long before ending up there, to me seems old times people mostly kept their personal letters and cards.


But yes, it’s the risk that is good to understand, some think more their rights, than how others would feel, or more likely don’t even think someone might not like it and feel kind of hurt or even used (if the persons asks for series card and swaps those).

2 Likes

yes, I know, this was no legal remark, just an expression of my feeling… a certain melancholy that a personal gift is used to get something else that seems more wanted… hard to explain.

I would not mind giving cards for an art project in a kindergarden, it is more their use as a currency that makes me a bit sad. That is all.

1 Like

I wouldn’t be sad if someone wants to trade one of my cards with someone else, because if the new recipient wants the card so much that he/she would even trade it with another card, that just means that he/she really like and wants the card. If the first recipient didn’t like the card then I’d rather see it with someone who really likes it :blush:

3 Likes

Yes, I also just talk about the feeling, it’s the topic of this thread. Not if it’s legally ok or not.
And if someone doesn’t like the cards given to other/sold, other telling they can do what they want, it’s like invalidating my feelings (this also my feeling only).

Yes!

No, they have no right to share what I wrote to them.

4 Likes

I’d prefer if the recipient didn’t trade the postcard I’ve written. My message is meant to be personal, not an item to exchange. However, if it’s blank, that’s okay.

4 Likes

Honestly, I couldn’t care less. As soon as I put the card in the mailbox, it’s no longer my choice what happens with it. And I’d rather see it traded than thrown away.

3 Likes

I completely understand your feelings I had these feelings long time ago when I was new into postcards, I was feeling pissed, disappointed confused and more but I’ve learned with time that

Lots of people here love all kind of postcards and that’s amazing they enjoy every single postcard they get.

Other people prefer direct swaps so they’ll be sure they get what they want/need

but

Other people

Other people like to collect only about certain topics or series and the rest of the postcards are not important for them, as they cannot control what they receive here in Postcrossing because no matter my profile says I collect pin up postcards not all people has pin up postcards to send and they send what they have, what they think it’s pretty beautiful or close to what the user asks, some people may think I’ll create a pin up handmade postcard and maybe they will say oh my handmade postcard is amazing but the person who receive it doesn’t think the same and they see someone else loves to collect handmade postcards and they have pinup postcards to send guess what will happen?

Some people has goals and let’s say that I have only nature postcards and I want a pin up postcard from Sophie but Sophie collect only postcards about city views and you love nature postcards, I’ll send a nature postcards to you and get a city view postcard from you that I will trade with Sophie to get the pinup postcard that I need in my collection (that’s a very common thing I’ve seen in a lot of collectors)

So just have fun, be sure that at the end you were part of his smile when he got what he really needed.

3 Likes

Yes, actually, I would rather they dump the cards into the bin.
If I have to get rid of correspondence for any reason, I remove the name and address info, tear it up, and then tear up the handwritten note, letter or message as well.

5 Likes

I would not mind at all if we were talking about blank cards. But „please do not share my personal message“…

4 Likes

Iv just received an envelope full of cards for a swap . The sender asked if I minded a couple of extra used cards which I happily accepted .as they were on the same theme.

When it arrived the used cards had been sent by people that I know from the forum which made me feel really sad and a bit weird.

8 Likes

I never write my address or personal things on the cards I send - so do whatever you like with them
however
I will never swap/trade/give away written cards I receive, for me it feels wrong.
I remove the stamps and recycle the cards if I don’t want to keep them.
Some of the stamps I keep for myself others as gifts to PC’s who collects them (according to their profile)

2 Likes

I am terminally ill and will die sometime in the foreseeable future. If my relatives don’t throw out the cards I received, but try to sell them, then don’t think that I’m doing it!

4 Likes

:disappointed_relieved: Sad to read that! Best wishes to you!

3 Likes