Right , but USA has 36 cent cost for postcards… others outside USA is same postage as international…
Hi @kanosis and welcome to the forum!
I was a bit confused about your question🙃, but I think I found what you are referring to:
When searching on the main site, you can choose a box “with avatar”. If you check that box, only profiles with a picture (like your flower or my little monster) will be shown. Exactly like you guessed! 
Online, in forums like this, and also in games, an avatar is a picture, figure or character one chooses to represent oneself in the virtual world. 
If you have more questions, feel free to ask! You can also send me a PM (= private message). For that, you click on my username and then on message.
Thank you…,
another question…, if they do not have picture, why wouldn’t I choose that person? Is there a difference?
It totally depends on you, but mostly people without an avatar are very new or not too involved in the site they’re using. While most people who care about that certain site will set any kind of avatar sooner or later. There are always exceptions though! (for an example: I haven’t seen many active users on this forum without an avatar so far…)
Hm, that is a good question… and I am not entirely sure what the answer is.
Here are some reasons I could think of:
You are trying to find a person you know has a picture and therefore can eliminate all accounts without a picture.
You are lookingfor someone, but only remember the picture, not the name.
One could think that a person without an avatar is not that into Postcrossing since they didn’t even bother to upload a picture. (This is definitely not my take on this!)
An avatar is like a first impression in real life. If you are looking for swaps, you might want to “have a look” before contacting them.
Like I said, these are just theories and I don’t know whether anybody actually thinks that way.
Edit to say: Cassiopheia was faster than me. 
Also: I meant to say that only because one doesn’t have an avatar, it doesn’t mean that they are not into the experience. But I agree that many accounts without an avatar seem to be newer.
I noticed those who don’t have a picture or avatar do these hyper swaps within minutes of joining. I am worried they may ask for stuff, we agree on a swap, I send my card but never receive anything…?
So I am learning to be more aware of this.
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Some people have the policy that if someone they don’t know contacts them for a swap, the person who contacted them should be the first one to send the swap and only once they’ve received it, they will send stuff back.
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Thanks. Sounds like a good policy. I’ll remember that tip! 
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There are also members requesting “proof” for sending, meaning a photo of the written side of the card with address and stamp, ready to be sent out.
As I’ve made some bad experiences with direct swap requests from new members in the beginning of my.Postcrossing experience, I’d also ask for a photo of the cards they offer, to avoid disappointment when receiving…
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Oh yes, I like to verify pictures, addresses for swaps. I double check and triple check for huge swaps ! I learned to take pictures. Then pictures of stamped envelopes
I learned another tip today. Today I received the postcards from swaps, but I didn’t have their User ID. I had to spend over an hour sifting through all correspondence to locate their User names. So now I realize I should add my User ID, and Identify the name of swap .
Thanks again!
~ Maria
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Yes! That’s important too. I also got cards from swaps hard to identify… Stating the user name and theme of the swap really makes sense.
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I don’t do many trades but here are my suggestions: scan a few cards into a photo album (I am using Flicker) so that people can see what you have to offer (serious traders may have multiple folders and hundreds of images). Then post in the trade forum…if you are looking for something specific (country, theme, card publisher etc) be sure to say so. If you only want to trade US for US be sure to say that clearly in the offer title or in your description. Folks will contact you by message or reply in you offer; with luck they will tell or show you what they are offering and let you know which of your cards they want. Next exchange address and mail them off.
@Cassisia Ahhh…I just had a few people do that and I wondered why. I didn’t ask for it and I just assume that everyone who participates is honest. I didn’t return the gesture as my cards were already in the post!
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Hello!
I’m on the site since 2018 but I was not interessed by direct swaps. Now, I want a postcrad from different countries like Greece, Egypt or Peru for example but I think it’s very rare because lots of countries have many users (like Germany or Russia) and they appear all the time in the algorith.
I want to continue the classic Postcrossing because I live it but I want too a direct swaps with some countries for an exchange with enveloppe for send small typic objects.
For example, I’m looking for the one euro greek coin with the antic coin inside. In exchange, I can send a typical coin or small object.
So, my question is: are the direct swaps are certains?
Thanks for your help!
I’m not sure I understand your question… But I’ll try…
In #trades-requests-offers:postcards, #trades-requests-offers:other-trades and #trades-requests-offers:stamp-trades we can post our trade requests. Just choose the section that fits the thing you want to trade.
It’s also possible to go to Explore > Search on postcrossing.com and seach for users in certain coountries that are open for direct swaps.
Most of the time the items we swap in direct swaps arrive. But sometimes they don’t arrive; it gets lost in the mail, life gets in the way, etc.
If you still have questions, feel free to ask.
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Ok tank you so much! I will go search 
Hello. I am fairly new to postcrossings. I am really interested in direct swaps but I am having trouble finding out how to get started. I have updated my profile to say I’m interested in direct swaps But how do I find people to swap with? Thanks!
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This is a great way to do it. 
I’ll send you a PM (private message).
I have better luck here on the forums than on official postcrossing. There’s a trades/requests/offers section here. Otherwise, I would think maybe scroll through the postcrossing gallery, if you see a card you like wander onto their profile to see if they’re also open to direct swaps and if so message to see if they have any more of the cards/style you’re interested in?
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I’ve had a lot of fun in the “Trades, Requests, Offers” Forum under “Postcards”. I’ve participated in blind swaps as well as themed swaps. I have received some amazingly awesome cards and have met some really awesome people this way. Sometimes I’ve had in my possession a card I think is ordinary or nothing special and yet it is exactly what someone is looking for. I’ve learned to appreciate postcards in new and interesting ways. Check it out!
The Round Robin section is also fun, but to me it is a little less personal. I’m sure you’ll figure out what is best for you. Good luck!
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