Germany

Buchticket - Book Exchange

Submitted by joonsbaek on Sun, 06/26/2011 - 8:48am

Countries

Germany

Themes

cultural activities

Link:

Buckticket

Stakeholders / Promoters:

Buckticket (a company), users

Background/ Context:

Most books we own are read only once. Afterwards they are mostly stored unused on the shelf. Giving them away as a present is not possible, so what to do with them? The idea of the book exchange was started by a group of five actors as a means of sharing books among themselves. They never imagined it would become such a big success, with a constantly increasing number of members. The technology was organised by a young media agency which organised job searches on the internet.

Case Description:

사용자 삽입 이미지

(source: Meroni Ed., 2005)

The website Buchticket provides a free service offering thousands of book titles for exchange. Users have to become members of Buchticket. Exchanges are then based on trust and a so-called ‘book ticket’, like a virtual coupon, which enables users to choose a book. One ticket is worth one book. To get more tickets, members have to contribute books of their own. If somebody is interested in a member’s book, Buchticket sends the book-owner an e-mail and they send the book in the post (Germany has a special low price for book postage).

The service has existed since 2002 and it is unique. Other exchange formats exist but not for books, and without the integrated forums and social platforms. The interface works perfectly, and needs very little maintenance. When it started, the providers thought they would have to invent fictional members to attract other users. This was not necessary and by 2005 18,000 members were using the platform actively. This number is still increasing without any marketing or advertising.The solution providers are considering extending the service abroad, and including DVDs, software and media products. A network of friends and supporters provides service and web hosting. The platform earns no money.

Benefits (Social, and environmental benefits):

Society. Society benefits from sharing things and the platform for communicating with each other. Without a technical platform this service would not be possible, and without the community and chat functions people would not use the service. In this way, IT and community tools are spreading sustainable ideas.

Environment. Fewer books need to be produced. Statistically people buy or borrow a new book when they’ve just finished a previous one, meaning that reading encourages more reading. By offering people easy access to new “used” books, the idea of using instead of owning diffuses into people’s minds.

International Home Exchange_ Homelink Ferien-Wohnungstausch e.V.

Submitted by Eunji Cho on Thu, 01/13/2011 - 7:08pm

Countries

Germany

Themes

cultural activities, housing

Background/ Context:

Homelink is a platform providing peoples, couples, families etc. to find a partner Families for exchanging their houses or apartments during the holidays. The exchange partner can be in a foreign country or even in the same country.

Case Description:

Homelink.de is a German association developed by Manfred Lypold who liked the idea to invite people swaping their houses during the Holidays to get an inside point of view of other parts in Germany. Today Homelink.de is connected with the homelink international association. People are able to find swap partners all over the world. The reasons are different. The people are saving money by not paying accommodation. But the changing provides although a network of relation at the holiday home. Ususally the neighbours and friends are informed and willing to help and show the country. Before leaving the house the owners leave information about the area, places to visit and important telephon numbers as a welcome package for the changing partners.

Benefits (Social, and environmental benefits):

Home Exchange means on the first hand limit the holiday budget to cost of travel plus the spending money. On the second hand it offers the opportunity to parachuteinto a genuine local community and live like a local. The exchange can be tailored to the needs. Exchanging Families with children in the same age, make them travelling light, as many normal accompaniments can be left at home as a car seat, high chair etc.