HOW TO: Host An ATC Swap

LisaB

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This is a prefix now. You only need to fill it out!
Put at the top of your swap thread:

Swap Due Date - Month Day
Signup/withdraw date - Month day
Number of Cards - 3 for 3
Number of participants -


- In the title box, put the swap name, then a comma, then the due date as Month Date. Like this:
Frida Swap, Due Feb 14th
(If you don't do it correctly, our helpful Moderators will fix them for you as they find them - LisaB)

- If your title has an error, you can't edit it. But Mods can! Just PM a Mod and they will fix it for you.
Remember to ask PERMISSION before you post links to other people's art!

Hosts add to Regular Swap Directions:

Players - when you receive your cards for the swap, remember to leave iTrader for the Host (me) and Rep Points for the people you received cards from! - optional


Taken From Our FAQ: Swap Hosting FAQ

Who Can Host an ATC Swap?

All Hosts must be active members of this site for the 3 months immediately prior to hosting a swap and have a positive Feedback rating of +15.
New hosts are limited to one swap at a time, with a limit to the number of participants they can have per swap. Once 3 successful swaps have been hosted, then the host is granted full hosting privileges.
You must have your profile page filed in.

How Many Swaps Can I Host?

You may host no more than 6 swaps at one time. (both open and active, total includes both mail art and ATC combined.)
* First Time Hosts are limited to 12 players and a 3 for 3 card swap.
(First Swap must be completed [mailed out/iTrader received from a few players] before starting a second swap)
New hosts are limited to one swap at a time until they've completed 3 successful swaps. Read more here-->
Swap Hosting FAQ
Clarification:
Once the swap returns have been mailed and players start to post to the swap thread that they have received their cards, a new Host can open a 2nd or 3rd swap.

How Do I Start a Swap?

Swaps must be started in the Open Swaps Forum. Please open a thread with the name of your swap as the thread title. Include information on the theme, the number of cards to submit and a due date for submission.
If this is your first time hosting a swap at this website, please supply your full contact information
* Your real life name.
* A real home address.
* Two contact phone numbers
* Your email address
to AFA by emailing or sending a private message to any moderator.
Your information will not be made public or shared with members of this site. Your contact information is only required in case we need to contact you offline regarding your swap.

Notify players to send a Conversation to you for your mailing address, or if you prefer send it to them upon signup. For safety reasons, we do not permit addresses to be posted in threads and will remove them.

Sending Out Returns
All Swaps must be completed in 90 days (or less), no exceptions.
Hosts must send out return ATCs within 2 weeks of the swap closing date. Please return any late cards to the artist.

Commitments of Hosting

Hosts must be prepared for the time and financial commitment of hosting a swap. Most players in the same country will send you a SASE for their returns. However, international participants may not be able to do this. You should be prepared to cover some of the postage of returns to international participants. If funds are short, please limit the total number of participants in your swap rather than not accepting international participants.
Hosts are allowed to request return postage from their players, either in stamps from the player's country, well concealed dollar bills or PayPal.


Hosts who do not send out the cards received from swap participants will be asked to leave the site and will be permanently banned. If you are unable to fulfill your hosting duties, whatever the reason, just contact us and we will take over your swap for you and pay to get the cards from you to a new host. We do want to help if you're having a problem. Please don't run away with other peoples' cards.

Hosts are expected to update members of their swaps in the thread at least once a week. This is so that all the members are aware of when their cards have arrived and so the swap doesn't appear to be inactive.

We highly recommend that hosts take their packages and envelopes to their local post office to mail returns so that the postage can be double checked. This helps prevent delays in returns for participants.

Uneven Swaps

Hosts cannot host uneven swaps. If the artist is required to send in 3 cards for the swap, then they must receive 3 cards in return. Please do not ask participating artists to send you extra cards in lieu of postage. An extra card is a gift should the participating artist want to thank you for hosting.

Pick-A-Theme (PAT) Swap Host Guidelines:
Pick-a-Theme (PATs) swaps are swaps where participants join groups (usually limited to 5 per group). Each person in the group has chosen a theme. You will make one card for each person in your group in the theme that they have chosen.
In return, each person in your group will make you a card in the theme that you have chosen. All cards for PATs are sent to the host who will swap them out just like a standard swap
--To host a Pick a Theme (AKA: PAT) Swap you must have a minimum Feedback of +30, and have been an active member at least 6 months.
--To host a PAT you must have successfully hosted 3 regular swaps first.
--PATs should be completed and mailed out in 90 days, or less
--You can only host ONE PAT at a time.


__________________
 
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Pick-A-Theme Swaps -Hosting Guidelines

Make sure that you are REALLY committed to running a PAT swap. These swaps are a huge undertaking and you will have to stay on top of things every single day, be super organized with your lists and mail arriving at home. There is no such thing as too much communication.


Requirements regarding themes:
  • 1. Theme is the main focus on a PAT so themes must be checked and no obvious theme deviation should be sent to the receiver. Such as if someone asks for a green cat and a blue one is sent in the creator must be informed immediately that it is off theme and asked to do it again.
  • 2. Cards must be checked as soon as they arrive. Checked for theme, size, construction, weight of substrate etc.
  • 3. Any obscure themes must have a link to a clear image of the sort of thing they want, broader themes such as a film character must have a link to the character from the film site etc. If the host is not clear on the theme from the link it is likely the creator might not be so ask the receiver for another more clear link. Several links can be supplied if needed. Links must be shown next to the players name and theme. Inform players in the first post that if they are not clear of what they are required to do they must contact the receiver.
  • 4. When the cards arrive and you are not sure if the theme is correct. Scan or photograph the card/s in question and send the image to the receiver. Ask them if the card/s are what they expected. If they say it's not and you think they are being unreasonable send the images to a member of staff and we will make the judgment call.
  • 5. If you are unsure about doing a PAT that has complicated themes then ask that they be easy general themes or pick out several themes yourself for the groups and provide your own links.
  • 6. PATs involve more work than regular swaps. If you are unable commit to the extra work, then hosting a PAT is not for you. The above requirements endeavor to be fair to both the host and players and following these guidelines should avoid off theme cards being submitted. (amended 5/2013.)
You must be very clear about how it will run. Give all the details that you can think of and ask for help if you are not sure about something or need input. Ask someone to proof read the information to be sure that it is clear.

You need to require participants have an established positive trader rating of +15 in order to join these swaps because if just ONE person flakes out in a group you will have a problem. No exceptions! (Even an experienced member can flake out but this will keep a new member with little or no experience from causing a calamity.)

You must have a signup date deadline and a mail by date deadline. Strictly enforce your deadlines.

Your groups will be easier to manage if they stay at 5 participants per group. They can join more than one group if they want to. (Each group will produce 20 cards total.)

No more that 8 groups per PAT swap. That is a lot of cards (160) to keep track of. Certainly you can have less than 8 groups in your swap. We recommend you keep it around 5 groups of 5 participants. (100 cards total)

If they don’t send all the cards for every member of the group by the deadline they should be eliminated from the swap and their cards returned. Do not hold the swap up and wait around until they get the work completed and to you.

Like other swaps, PAT cards should be mailed out within two weeks of the swap ending date. Occasionally, members of a PAT group within the swap will mail early, resulting in that group's cards being turned in well before the ending date. In such a case, swap hosts may choose to swap out individual groups as soon as all cards are received. In no case should mailing a PAT group's returns be delayed beyond two weeks after swap closing date.

When a participant flakes out or gets eliminated from a group the other member’s of the group must receive the card back that was made for that member, with their returns. You can not keep them, don’t even try.

No one will be allowed to run more than one PAT Swap at a time. No exceptions.

Feel free to direct participants to these guidelines if they try to ‘fudge the rules’; please don’t risk your good standing to accommodate them.
 
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Sorry but can i ask what a AFA is? :unsure:How Do I Start a Swap?


QuoteSwaps must be started in the Open Swaps Forum. Please open a thread with the name of your swap as the thread title. Include information on the theme, the number of cards to submit and a due date for submission. If this is your first time hosting a swap at this website, please supply your full contact information to AFA by emailing or sending a private message to a moderator. Your information will not be made public or shared with members of this site. Your contact information is only required in case we need to contact you offline regarding your swap.
 
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OS = the Other Site (ATCards)

TMA = TheMailArtist site, soon to have it's own new digs

iATCs = IllustratedATCs site
 
Thanks for the information, I am considering a swap as I am nearly there with my ratings. I might ask for guidance or a buddy system, which I think was in place on the other site to guide me the way through, still thinking about it at the moment though. :wub:
 
QUESTION on PAT swaps

A basic dummy in the third row question.

What makes a Pick A Theme swap a Pick a Theme swap? There is so much talk of this type swap but I do not see it defined for we who are new to hosting swaps here. I assume as a host I am expected to pick a theme for the swap I host. So what is the difference? I'm obviously very unaware here to the point that asking for clarification is even confusing.

I guess my question is: What is the difference between me Picking a Theme for a swap I host and a Pick A Theme Swap.
YIKES! :swoon: HELP !
 
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In Pick A Theme swap, each person signs up for a theme. So within a group of say, 5 artists, you'd make a card for each person on the theme they chose, and send it to the host. The host sorts the cards, and sends each player cards that were made specifically for them on their theme.

Hope I explained that OK-- check out one of the PAT swaps to see how it's set up.
 
Hi MaryEllen! A Pick-A-Theme swap is different from a regular one. The host sets up groups of participants (example: 6 groups with 5 participants each). Each participant picks a theme, then they create a card based on the themes the other participants selected. In the end, they'll each wind up with 4 cards in the theme they selected. :)
 
Thanks you 2

Thank you Miss and Merricat for your clarification. I get it. I am now enlightened.:jiggy:
 
That was such a good question! I added the definition to the 1st Post since we were all new once!
Thanks!
 
Hosts must be active members of this site for at least 3 months prior to hosting a swap ...

Since this site only appeared in February, may I assume one can count experience on another ATC site as part of the three months?

I am very active on "artisttradingcards" (a Yahoo group with over 3000 members) and have hosted many swaps there. Perhaps some of you know me from that venue -- maybe as "davisbirder" or "pop" or "Lois Richter".

Once I have accrued 15 points, I hope I can host a swap here also.

-- Lois Richter, Davis, California, USA
 
Lois, did you belong to ATCards? If not then you have to wait to host here until you have met the 3 month membership requirement.
 
We aren't saying it is not okay. There are other sites that "require" an ATC in lieu of postage, but that makes it an "uneven" swap and that is not allowed here. We don't allow our Hosts to demand an extra card as payment for Hosting.

It has been a long standing policy here (since the OS) that Players would send SASE to a Host in their country and the Host would happily cover all international. I don't remember a case of an international Host requiring ephemera or an ATC for postage before. Members, and I would say a large number of them, send "gifts" of an extra ATC and ephemera to an international Host anyway to thank them for their time.
 
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I'm thinking about hosting a swap.... is it ok to do a Euro-zone only for my first one, requesting that people send me stamps to the value it would cost me to send the returns so the postage is covered?
 
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