We asked our community of swappers for some advice on how we should think about changing the badges system to make HomeSwapper work better for them. We had a great response and some really helpful suggestions.
Following this feedback, we will soon be reducing the number of badges offered to swappers on HomeSwapper. While getting a badge for logging in on Christmas Day is fun, it won’t really help you find the perfect exchange partner!
That’s why from January we’ll only be keeping the ones that really matter: the badges that are useful to other swappers and maximise the chances of you finding a swap.
These are:
Reply badges– these show everyone how active a swapper is and how likely you are to get a reply.
In 2019 we will also be replacing the Platinum, Gold, Silver and Bronze badges with just two new ones – one showing the swapper has answered all their recent messages, and the other showing they haven’t. We’re still deciding on the names for these two badges and any suggestions would be very welcome!
Open to Multi Swaps– if you’re building a MultiSwap these are really useful. You can avoid wasting time contacting anyone without this badge as some tenants may prefer a simple one-to-one swap.
(Please remember that your chances of finding an exchange are increased if you’re willing to take part in a MultiSwap)
In 2019, we will also be changing the MultiSwap feature so only swappers with this badge will be automatically included in MultiSwaps. Watch this space!
Any location– having this badge does not match you to everywhere in the UK, but it does show other swappers that you may be interested to move anywhere for the right home.
If you see a home with this badge it is still worthwhile contacting them even if they’ve not added where you live in their list of preferences.
Just looking / Serious about swapping– these badges set realistic expectations for other swappers. You can obviously still contact someone who has the “just looking” badge, but remember that they may not be as active as other more serious members and you might not get a quick reply.
The following badges are the ones that we’ll be removing, as feedback suggested that they weren’t as helpful as others:
Thank you to all the swappers who gave us really helpful feedback. These changes won’t be coming into force until January and we’ll be letting you know as soon as they do.
The HomeSwapper Customer Support team are always on hand to give advice and tips on how to get the most from HomeSwapper. They deal with Swappers every day and have a unique insight and view on the thousands of successful swaps that take place on HomeSwapper.
