Power Wichteln

Wichteln is something you do in Germany around christmas. There are several different forms of it but in one variant everybody in a group brings in something that they don’t want anymore and puts it on a table. Then the first person draws a number and gets the related present. The next person gets the next present but can exchange her present with all the previous ones already drawn and on it goes. At the end most people end up with something they more or less want.

Now comes the power wichteln, as I would call it. This is what boogg in Germany has developed. For two years they, 9 people, have built a platform where you can give away your stuff. I have three books that I don’t want anymore. I put them up at boogg and get one certificate for putting three up. Everyone that already has a certificate can then go in and pick up one of my items, for which I get another certificate. I then send the item to him, paying the delivery costs. I have now two certificates. With those I can get any two items that are listed on boogg. It’s asynchronous gift giving. :) Due to a rating mechanism similar to eBays I know if a person is likely to really give me something or not. And all the stuff is free for the receiver! And I only send stuff I don’t want anyway! Good one people of boogg! Congratulations. (source)