Last Updated on February 23, 2024 by JigsawPuzzleGuru
If you are a die-hard puzzle fan and you’ve been doing tons of jigsaw puzzles during the covid-19 pandemic, then you’re not alone. Puzzle sales have been increasing significantly in a bit of a boom, and they’re selling like warm bread.
Gamemaker Ravensburger told CNBC that their U.S. puzzle sales jumped to 370% at the beginning of April—an unprecedented event in its 136-year history. We’re not making this up: everybody is doing puzzles right now.
That makes us think. Our primary concern is that puzzles are great… until you finish them. After hours spent putting the pieces together, you’re left with another used puzzle doomed to sit in a closet and collect dust.
If only everyone else had a pile of puzzles sitting around that you could trade for…
Let us spill a little secret. This kind of trade exists. And it has existed for a long time within the puzzle community. It’s known as jigsaw puzzle exchange or puzzle swap. It’s only now coming to the limelight because of the surprising popularity of jigsaw puzzles as a whole.
As it turns out, you don’t have to buy a new puzzle after you finish one.
Table of Contents
Why bother with a puzzle exchange?
For some people, puzzle swapping often seems like an unnecessary hassle. However, there are some interesting benefits. Puzzlers have found it so beneficial, they even travel to nearby states because they can’t find a puzzle swap event in their community.
Community
You might think that the most important aspect of the puzzle exchange or swap is financial. Yet, that is second only to the community. Connecting online and meeting up with like-minded people at events simply to exchange puzzles can be a great encouragement. Everyone needs a community and developing relationships with others around a hobby is an enjoyable and beneficial way to find a place to belong.
It’s cheaper
Depending on your puzzle-solving capacity and the piece count you’re dealing with, you might be solving 4 puzzles per month. While some puzzlers do, even more, some basic math proves this hobby can be expensive. An average puzzle goes for around $15-20, not including shipping. Buying four puzzles a month can easily lead to an average annual expense of over $1000. This is where the puzzle swap comes in. If you participate in a jigsaw puzzle exchange, you have two options. You can either create a local community of puzzle enthusiasts who enjoy puzzle solving and are willing to participate in an exchange, or you can join a particular puzzle exchange platform. Comparatively, this can be free or significantly cheaper than purchasing puzzles outright.
It’s more EcoFriendly
As time goes on, it becomes increasingly important to care for our environment. This means actively pursuing a more eco-friendly lifestyle that will ensure lowering your waste contributions. By taking part in a puzzle exchange or puzzle swap, you are doing something good for the environment. Think of it as a way to recycle fun!
Where can I trade puzzles?
The puzzle swap community is more extensive than you perhaps assume. There are countless groups on social media, local puzzle clubs, and online platforms that deal with the puzzle exchange arrangements. Here are some of your best options.
Go Local
The easiest way to arrange a puzzle exchange is to go local. This means reaching out to people in your neighborhood, joining Facebook groups, looking for events in your area. Local trades are commonly free so that they could be the best pick for location and community.
Libraries
Many libraries also now have options for puzzle exchange. Go to your local library and ask about the possibilities. If so, you can participate only with a library card and no additional fees. Get a puzzle, leave one at the library, and when you’re done, repeat the process!
Online
There are numerous puzzle swap platforms on the internet. Most of them require an annual membership fee, but you get a pretty good value for your money. In addition, you can attend meetings, events and meet many people with the same passion for puzzle solving. Two prominent online platforms are Jigsaw Puzzles Swap Exchange and Puzzle Swaps.
Jigsaw Puzzles Swap Exchange has an annual fee of approximately $60 or a two-year membership for $90. To date, they have facilitated over 11,000 puzzle swaps.
Puzzle Swaps is a free option. It offers users the ability to connect with puzzlers who have posted previously worked puzzles that can either be bought at a reduced price or traded (each person pays for shipping the puzzle to the other and no money changes hands).
Puzzle Exchange Etiquette
We can’t finish the article without mentioning that puzzle swap comes with its own etiquette. It’s strongly suggested for all puzzle exchanges that you follow them closely
Here are some of the basic etiquette that all participants should follow:
- You can only swap puzzles that have a similar or equal piece count. For example, if you bring two 2000 piece jigsaw puzzles, it’s not fair to go home with three 150 piece jigsaw puzzles
- You don’t have to exchange an equal number of puzzles. Swapping two 500 piece puzzles is fair game for one 1000 piece jigsaw puzzle
- Swaps should be similar in quality. You shouldn’t try swapping a generic dollar store puzzle for a high-quality Cobble Hill jigsaw.
- Find some way to accommodate people that have specific preferences so that no one feels like they are stuck with a puzzle they have no desire or ability to complete.
- Puzzles can be exchanged forever while some puzzles should be returned to the original owner within a set period. Make sure you know the agreement before you go home with a puzzle.
Conclusion
If you’re a regular puzzler, it is a great idea to consider taking part in a puzzle exchange. It is cheaper, better for the environment, and can help you connect with people who share the same hobby.
So what are you waiting for? Head over to Google and search for “puzzle exchange near me” to see if there is a jigsaw puzzle exchange in your community and dust off your old puzzles. If you can’t find one near you, consider starting your own. You will be glad you did!