Tinder-style app is a local swap shop for unwanted goods

Shufl is a online marketplace which enables users to buy, sell and trade items directly with other users in their local area.

One man’s trash is another man’s treasure, and a new online marketplace called Shufl is putting this into practice. The platform, which takes the form of an app, enables users to trade unwanted items directly with other users in their local area.

To begin, users create a profile and list items they want to get rid of. Next, they browse other users’ items via a Tinder-style deck and tap to like items they are interested in, and the platform will start curating items based on their likes and interests. When there is a match — where two users like each others items — Shufl notifies both users and prompts them to start a negotiation, or simply make an offer on the item. Once a price or swap is agreed the users can organize the physical swap.

Shufl is the latest in a stream of platforms which facilitate recycling through sharing economies. Other recent examples include a food sharing fridge in Spain, and a project in Switzerland that sees residents posting stickers on their mailboxes to denote items they have to share. How else could we incentivize people to share and donate their unwanted belongings instead of adding onto landfills?