Do they know it's Christmas...
On Christmas Eve, as a rebellious teenager, I once gave my brother the sweater my mother gave me the year before. Laced with its original price tag, this gift was used as a protest to stop wasting money on things she knew I'd never use. If Swappingtons.com existed then, I would have surrendered these wild days of regifting to this "trading things online" concept--maybe appealing to mothers who are looking for gifts for their sons.

Among other web based services, Andrew is best known as the creator of Diaryland.com. This is a community composed of personal journals ranging from angsty teens and neurotic hipsters, to mothers who want to talk about their kids.

To add to the internet community, he installed the marketplace: Swappingtons.com. It's basically Ebay without the money, where you offer your own items instead. The system is based on the simple currency of points which is best understood after viewing his animated "dramatization."

It's just a baby!
Just premiering a couple months ago, the inventory of Swappingtons.com is mostly a dumping ground of regifters, but much like a regular thrift store, the gems are what you dig for. And as this free service rapidly (and rightfully) gains more users, the stock of items is sure to be as abundant and diverse as Ebay's offerings.

One reason for the assurance of its rapid growth and popularity, other than the great concept and word of mouth, is his good use of "viral marketing" techniques. For example, when you register for the membership, please fill in the referral box with the username: cardboard. I need the points for an Aaron Carter album on vinyl.

The advent of corporations and shady entrepreneurs cluttered the internet with pop-up ads, junk mail, and other devilish schemes, which is what makes Andrew's refreshingly clean style and practicality a godsend. Not only does he promise not to sell private information, but he also doesn't employ the use of any ad from outside the utopia of free services that he's building. These are just his personal interest projects which are characterized by the simple designs and candy-like solid colors. He's our pastel Moses of the dotcom business world. And for that, we are thankful.