Some people love shoes and are always buying into the latest shoe trend, others simply adore clothes. Then there are those who can’t get enough of accessories. We all have our favorite obsessions that we pay any price for! Those who collect perfumes might love switching out their scents day and night, but might not love the dent it places on their bank account. I’ve been there trust me! Perfumes are pricy and wanting to grow one’s collection comes at a very steep price.
But just because your budget can’t allow for any new perfume purchases doesn’t mean you have to go without. There’s this relatively new thing called “perfume swapping” that many perfume enthusiasts are partaking in. It’s a great way to expand your perfume collection without going broke. So if you’re interested in being able to wear the hottest and latest new fragrances from some of your favorite brands, then read on to find out more about perfume swapping and if it’s something you’d be interested in.
What Is Perfume Swapping?
Perfume swapping is something kind of new in the industry and works sort of like an exchange. Perfume swapping works by joining a swapping group. Once you’ve found one you feel comfortable with, you then send some of your perfume to other members and they send some of theirs to you. You can swap fragrance samples you’ve saved, full bottles, decants and whatever else you’d like. It’s really that simple! The hard part is finding the right perfume swapping group to join.
The Pros and Cons of Perfume Swapping
Perfume swapping sounds great, right? It really is, but there are some cons to it (just like anything else in life). The main pro of perfume swapping is that you don’t have to spend money on new perfumes you want. You get to try someone else’s perfume without having to exchange any funds. In return, you simply let them try one of your perfumes and that’s it. You’ll be able to try perfumes you’ve never dreamed of trying, too. That $300 bottle of perfume your bank account hasn’t let you try is now readily available!
That’s why many find perfume swapping very appealing and doable. And you’ll find other perfume-obsessed individuals in the process! So you’ll most likely meet some friends along the way who understand what it’s like to love all-things perfume related. As a member of one of my Facebook groups posted recently: “Swapping with fellow fragrance friends is one of the most enjoyable parts of this hobby. I don’t think anything fragrance related makes me happier than introducing a fellow perfume nut to scents they have never experienced. We get to make others happy, and still have lots to utilize ourselves.”
But the cons to this that there might not be a lot of people looking to swap with you or have the perfume you’re dying to finally have. Or it might be the total opposite with too much demand and not enough supply to go around. Then there’s the fact that not everyone has the same concept and ideas as what defines a “fair swap.” Some swappers are literally dollar-for-dollar when it comes to their perfumes, making sure they get a perfume of equal value. There are some that just want a perfume they’ve wanted to try and don’t really care about the values and if they aren’t even. You’ll soon find out that swapping perfume with another person who has a different swapping style is quite a challenge.
Another con to perfume swapping is that you might find it hard to find mainstream department store perfumes. People in perfume swapping programs are often mostly interested in decants of perfumes they can’t readily buy on their own. If it’s a fragrance they can get at a department store, they’ll just go and get a tester of it themselves.
You’ll also notice that perfume swapping takes time since you need to constantly negotiate the swap and then prepare the fragrance to be mailed out. It can be a lot of work, especially if you’re sending out a few swaps a week! Plus, the supplies can add up. You’ll need to pay out of pocket for the supplies.
The biggest con is the fact that swaps don’t always have a happy ending for both swappers involved. You or they might find that the sample isn’t what was wanted or expected. Packages can get lost and items can get damaged in the mail. And you can even be “swap-lifted!” This is when you send an item and the other person doesn’t follow through with theirs. Because of this, you might really want to think about agreeing to swap any really expensive perfumes you have, especially with others you haven’t gotten to know yet.
And unless you join an international swap program, you might not be able to swap with international parties. But that’s because it’s more expensive to ship out of the country and then there’s customs and more. It’s easier to just swap with people in the U.S.
The final con with perfume swapping could be the fact that you just don’t know the condition of fragrance you’re getting. You might get a sample of something from a swapper and hate it. But later go into a store and smell in and absolutely love it! The fragrance you got from the swap could have been stale, old or even contaminated. There’s even a chance that the fragrances could have be reformulated since the sample was made. You never really know with swapping! One sample that you gave a month ago could have been in the hands of 10 different swappers and made it’s way back to you. So the chance of getting a sample that’s in pristine condition could be slim. But programs make you label the description if it’s new or if it was received in another swap. Just make sure you ask if you want to know where a decant or sample came from.
How To Swap Perfume
The front runner in perfume swapping was Makeupalley until it closed down its swap shop in 2014 after more than 15 years and over a million swaps. There have been rumors about too much swap-lifting going on but no one really knows why they ended their swap operations.
If you’re interested in joining a swap perfume group, there are several places where you can do it. There’s Basenotes which is a forum-driven swap place where you post what you’re willing to swap on a Perfume of Life board. Facebook has a few groups such as Fragrance Friends, LFSG Sales, Swaps and Splits, ::Exclusive Niche:: Fragrance Talk, Splits and Sales and Perfume SWAP/BUY/TRADE USA. Even Reddit has a perfume exchange site. Most of the groups are closed so you have to request to join and tell them something about why you want to become a member but I’ve never encountered any problem with joining.
They are all slightly different but basically others read the posts and then find what they want to swap. Some of the swap groups such as Perfume of Life require you to buy a subscription which runs around $3/month to see the swap forum. With most of the sites you can sell items here if you’d like instead of merely swapping so it’s worth the subscription cost if you have an expensive perfume you no longer care for.
To make the most of your swapping experience, here are some helpful tips!
- Learn the system
Before you dive into perfume swapping, you should learn everything you can about the swap program. They all have their own rules and guidelines. Read all the FAQs and familiarize yourself with the system before actually participating in any swaps. By doing so, you’ll be able to cover your bases when it’s time to make your very first swap!
- Create a list of swap items
You’ll have to create a list of your swap items, which are the things you’re willing to swap to others. To create it, you’ll need to list the details of everything, including the product name, how much you’d like to swap and more. If you can remember the year of purchase make a notation since perfumes are frequently reformulated and may smell quite different than the original version. If it’s a vintage perfume this may increase its value.
- Create your wish list
Once you create the items you want to swap, it’s time to create your wish list, which are items you’d like to receive from others. Just as you detailed your swap items, make sure to add details here, too!
- Make and Take notes
This is important and will come in very handy since you can note down any information swappers would need to know about you and vice versa. Things to jot down here include scents you like, how you swap, what sort of swaps you’re interested in and more. Making notes on potential buyers is important too and may save you time and money if you sense they may be difficult to work with,
- Swapping
Being a newbie is hard since others might be understandably suspicious of trading with you since you don’t have any swaps under your belt . You’ll need to build your swapping reputation and doing so will take some time. To start, look through some wish lists and see if can find individuals looking for samples of what you have listed to swap. If you see something you want, message them to see if they’re interested. All you can do is wait for a reply. Know that it might take several messages to finally get someone willing to swap with your. Patience is a virtue, right? You might be asked to send first, and then they’ll send over theirs when they get yours.
- The swap
Once you finally land a swap, you’ll want to exchange addresses and get the package ready. Some like to wrap their items in little gift bags or something fancy. Although it’s not required, it is a nice gesture. A useful tip is to use bubble wrap and then mark it as “Fragile.” When you receive the swap item, be sure you leave feedback on the swap!
Now that you know everything there is to know about swapping perfume, it’s time to get started!
Happy swapping and best of luck!
This is interesting. I never thought of swapping perfume. I love to collect perfume, especially the perfume bottles. It is really a great idea to swap perfume. Thanks for the information.
I will visit the few websites you mentioned. I am excited to pass this information to my best friend who is crazy about perfume too 🙂
Hi Christine,
I’m so glad that you dropped in and reach out if you have any questions. I always love connecting with fellow perfumistas.
Erica
Hi Erica
I can understand the appeal of swapping perfume but the obvious question would be won’t some people take advantage of the system, getting better perfumes than others. Will the amount of perfume that is swapped be a problem, whilst some getting a lot and others not getting much. You may not get enough to try. There must be a lot of rules to abide by and this must cause some contention, as some people do not like to stick to the rules. The number of people taking part is also very important if you want a larger choice.
Sounds interesting, is there a male ground for aftershaves?
Thanks
Antonio
Hi Antonio,
Of course there will always be those who will try to game the system and break the rules etc. There’s no getting around that unfortunately. Swapping isn’t something I’ve had too much experience with but I belong to a few fragrance forums and hear what goes on. If someone has been known to misrepresent the swap and/or doesn’t deliver the product as stated they are banned from the site. Like everything else on the internet you need to make sure you’re buying from someone reliable.
Re: aftershaves you are on your own there lol
Thanks for your thoughts!
Hi Erica! I had been introduced to this concept quite a while ago but hadn’t really considered it until recently. A friend has been mentioning it almost every week so I decided to research a bit about it.
I was excited about the pros but after reading your post I have realized there are also quite a few cons. Nonetheless I still find the idea appealing and will definitely give it a try! Thank you very much!
Hi Henry,
Yes there are definitely pros and cons. There are people on both sides of the transaction who may not deliver what they agreed to. When it works out both parties are thrilled. I wish you luck and let me know how it goes.
Cheers and Happy Labor Day Weekend!
Erica
Excellent initiative, This is amazing,I’ve not heard about this before but it serves a need. Perfume swapping is a brilliant solution. It’s a great way to expand your perfume collection without going broke, Its’ a welcoming development, I won’t need to spend full price on new perfume and can give mine in exchange for the one I’m not keen on paying full price for. Thank you for sharing this educative post.
Hello there Abayomi,
I hope it works out for you. I did mention the potential cons so take care in researching the seller.
Best of luck and let me know how it goes!
Erica
Interesting never heard of this concept before. Didn’t know people are so crazy about perfume that they are willing to swap it. Initially, my question was what if one of the swappers sends a cheap perfume, how would the other person know if it’s real or not?
You kind of answered that, but wouldn’t this deter them from buying the perfume they think they are getting, only for the swap they receive isn’t actually the real one? How do the perfume businesses feel about their perfume being misrepresented?
Just curious not saying this is not a good idea. It seems simple and will even encourage people to buy in my opinion.
Hi Jagi,
You are absolutely right that this isn’t a safe and foolproof process. There are pros and cons and I mention those points out. Nevertheless many people I know have had happy results which is why I wanted to do a post about it.
Thanks again for dropping in,
Erica
I had never heard of this idea until reading your article, but it makes a whole heckuva a lot of sense! I think, in many cases, our minds think of the type of “1-for-1” exchange that is so common in marketing today that we forget there are many other ways to obtain or try new products. Your suggestion of joining a perfume swapping group is one that I think a lot of folks could benefit from so that they don’t have to purchase a whole bunch of different fragrances just to find the few that they like and will actually use!
Tucker
Hey Tucker,
It’s definitely not for everyone. It takes some time and effort to make a successful swap but there are many happy stories when it all goes right. When it doesn’t go as expected or hoped for that’s another story.
Thanks for dropping by!
Erica
Hi Erica,
The truth is, I never knew there is something called perfume swapping where you have the opportunity to try different perfumes from other people. I always thought you had to pay for a bottle or just live on samples.
It seems like a very good idea, however, I can see why it can also be a challenge as you said. You can save money this way but there are obvious risks. Finding the right perfume you want to swap for yours and even getting the right person can be a gamble as most people today can’t be trusted. I like your guidelines on how to do the swapping. I will consider carefully looking at this article again anytime I feel like doing this swapping. I have bookmarked your article for future reference.
Thanks for sharing.
Stephen
Hey Stephen,
You definitely have to do some research. Swapping can be very successful or turn into just another bad experience:) There are a few bad apples out there but I’ve found most fragrance enthusiasts to be honest and reliable.
Addios and thanks for dropping in!
Erica
It’s good to find ways to meet the needs of perfume obsession and craving. Swapping is a grood idea. As much as it sounds great I will say that the biggest setback might be finding the right swap group. Also the cost of shipping might be a bit high.
But all the same it’s nice to know one can enjoy perfumes from ones favourite brand without having to buy.
Hi Olonisakin,
Perfume obsession can lead us down some interesting paths that’s for sure! I’m not saying it’s without risks but swapping is an option some people are unaware of. It’s something to consider especially in cases where you may have been given a gift that you no longer like or maybe never did. If you’re fortunate you can swap that with something you’ve been wanting. Shipping costs should be made clear prior to the swap to avoid any misunderstanding.
Have a great day:)
Erica
This sounds like a really good way to try new perfumes. It’s an advantage that you can swap the perfume again if you didn’t like it as much as expected. I’d imagine that a lot of people would be reluctant to swap expensive or rare perfumes because of dishonest scammers.
Hello Cpascal,
Swaps involve perfumes at every price point, even at the high end. Many perfumes are discontinued and/or have been reformulated and smell nothing like the version you love. Like anything you need to be careful about who you are placing the transaction with.
Thanks for stopping in!
Erica
Hi Erica,
Awesome article! I really enjoyed the reading!
I love parfum, but I think that it’s very personal and sometimes we make mistakes. We buy something we think we love just to discover that we don’t like the way it smells on our skin. It must be fun to swap and I would really want to try this in the future, but with clothes or shoes. But what if it doesn’t fit? What do we do, then?
Thank you for this excellent post!
Hey Daniella,
I’d personally think twice about swapping clothes or shoes. Shoes especially! Perfume swapping isn’t for everyone, that’s for sure.
Thanks for taking the time to comment:)
Erica
I see the issue here being the free rider problem, where too many people want to try the high end perfumes and not enough people want to trade theirs for them. It’s probably very difficult to find a reliable group with similar tastes in perfume and who would be willing to trade the kind you are looking for. I could see this being useful as a way for men to try new types of cologne as well, might be a great way to save money!
Hi there,
I think there are any number of reasons people want to swap, including unwanted fragrances received as gifts to no longer enjoying a fragrance to downsizing fragrance wardrobe due to a move. It’s a great way to save money and also get your hands on something that is difficult to find in stores. Many men fragrance swap and it’s worth trying if the idea appeals to you.
Thanks for your comment:)
Erica
I love shoes and handbags but parfums for me is a Must Have, I have my mini swap in house, meaning different parfums I wear depending on where I am going.
This was so interesting but my first fear is swap-lifting because there are s few honest people out there. That said this is an interesting possibility for us parfum lovers..
Unfortunately I am in Italy but hopefully I can get a group of people in Italy who does that..
I will check your the Facebook groups you have mentioned and see if I can learn one or two things.
Hi Cinderella,
I wish I could help you with swap groups in Italy but there are so many Facebook groups as well as others that I’d be really surprised if you couldn’t find one or two. I know what you mean about being careful with doing business with anyone you don’t know on the internet. That’s why it’s really important to check them out beforehand.
Good luck!
Erica
Excellent article. It is very thorough and glad I stopped by. Your content is amazing. You kept me wanting to read more and more of what you wrote. I love love perfumes and fragrances of many kinds. I have a small collection, but I would like to get more in the future so this info is sure to come in handy. Thanks for writing this wonderful post.
Hi Angelina,
I’m always happy to share whatever advice/tips I’ve learned along the way. I think that’s true for most of us perfumistas. Sharing the love is always a good thing:)
Erica