Netcycler is a fantastic new service running in Finland and Germany and now in Beta in the UK.
Netcycler was conceived by 2 entrepreneurs in Finland who have extensive tech backgrounds and experience in marketing. They wanted to be able to get something good recycled and second hand, without it being complicated. They believed that in a single transaction you should be able to get what you’d like and give what you have.
There are dozens or sharing, swapping, trading websites out there, however Netcycler is unique in its own right because of the interesting tech it uses. Netcycler uses a simple algorithm to create swap rings, whereby the swap isn’t necessarily just between two people. You can swap with several people. Trade rings can involve any number of people, from three to many. One recent swap on the site involved three people. One gave an MP3 player, one gave children’s winter shoes and another gave a book. Despite the difference of value in these items, they all ended up happy because they all managed to obtain the item that they wanted, while getting rid of something they had.
Everything is free, although there are additional features with a cost such as the mailing service. The mailing service is designed so the recipient pays the cost. Users are able to use their own method of courier, but it’s more convenient to use Netcycler’s system.
Netcycler identify the “easiness of shopping” as their biggest competition. At the moment if people need something they’d try and go for the easier option of buying new from stores. Now people can go to Netcycler to find what they’re after, and they would only look for other options if what they want isn’t available from the site.
To find out more about Netcycler, check out their test link for the UK and join them on Facebook.
Katherine Hui is currently the Social site editor at Green Thing, a web-based public service in London that inspires people to lead greener lives through creative content.
Before this, she worked as the Development Manager at Social Innovation Camp, an organization that encourages people to use web and mobile-based technology to mobilise social change. She oversaw 300 ideas submission and helped build 20 prototypes – five of which have gone on to get further funding or investment.
Katherine’s came over to the UK form Canada in 2007 for an MSc program at the London School of Economics. Before arriving in London, she managed a small environmental start-up in Vancouver called the Canadian Climate Change Alliance.
Katherine is football mad. She is a loyal supporter of Arsenal FC, plays for Islington Borough Ladies FC and coaches for Gunners in Islington in her spare time. Her second favourite hobby is kite surfing and she can sometimes be found chasing the wind.
