Tea Swaps - What is it and How does it work?
Hello Steepster!
I am a new member just getting into the swing of things here at Steepster. I have heard of these Tea Swaps and that they can be great experiences to try new teas, so my question is: what exactly does the process entail and how do I get in on it? Anything I need to know about safety and security/privacy? Tips for getting the most out of the swap?
Any information would be greatly appreciated!
How it works? That all depends on the two who are swapping.
Knowing what you like or would like to try helps a lot.
You’ll have to ask a really specific question. Short version: Person A and person B both send each other some goodies and talk about them before/after a tasting note on here.
All swaps are different though
Keep your tea cupboard up to date(along with your Steepster wish list) You can ask someone if they want to swap and then they will look in your cupboard while they browse yours. Sometimes swaps turn out with only one or two teas each and sometimes very large. Depending on what you have to swap.
Do the teas have to be unopened/new?
What if all of my tea tins are only half full?
Have you guys had experiences with tea swapping?
I’ve had over 50 swaps this year and they have all been different.
The majority of individuals send portions of something they own a decent amount of. The only times I’ve sent new stuff would be for special events on here. Generally I use aluminum zip lock bags and sent a fun variety.
LP, That adds up to a lot of samples! Good thing you go through them fast.
Mookit , usually people only swap samples which is enough for about 1 – 2 brews per sample. No, they don’t have to be unopened or new but I don’t like to swap teas that are too old. Since this is all new to you, I would suggest buying from some that are reducing their tea stash. Right now, I see you don’t have much to swap with. You will find some discussions of those reducing their teas. Sometimes they will accept a swap and other times you can pay. I did that in the beginning.
Thanks for all the info, guys, that it really helpful.
Do you have any tips for making sure to swap with trusted users or ensuring safety in other ways?
Any other things to know?
If by safety you are meaning safety as in making sure you are not getting tea that has been messed with or kept in unsanitary conditions, there’s really no way to be positive about any of that. If you look for swap partners who are very active on this site, through, as mrmopar mentioned, looking at the frequency of reviews someone writes, you can be pretty sure they aren’t here to cause trouble and they are here for the tea. They likely care about their teas and are in it for the quality so they aren’t going to keep it poorly because they drink it themselves. :)
And if you mean safety as far as strangers knowing your actual address, again, not much way around that but in a swap you have each other’s addresses and using the direct message system here keeps that info between you and your swap partner.
I was initially nervous about both of those issues but once I started swapping it became something I was comfortable with in large part because the folks here in this community are largely just super nice tea nerds. :)
ah yes, you have to follow a person (follow button in profile) and they have to follow you back so you can send a pm.
welcome to steepster!
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