It's probably impossible to have a swap or system that could meet everyone's needs or wants. We all have different preferences. One reason I always liked the group swaps is that I didn't like setting up individual swaps with multiple people. It wasn't just managing multiple shipments, but the back and forth deciding what to trade. Bartering is not my thing, and I was always uncomfortable asking for things, and offering up things in exchange that the other person might view as less valuable. Personality differences I suppose.
I also never liked going to yard sales or markets where things either weren't priced or intentionally over-priced with the expectation of haggling.
It also seems like for many of the large group swaps, just trying to agree on a date is difficult. Some harvest seeds early and are ready to trade in early fall. Some like to wait until after the holidays because they are all wrapped up in that. Some want to start sowing seeds in December and early January, while others don't start until March. It is really hard to please everyone when dealing with group activities!
