Freecycle replies!!

[lisad123]

Ok I thought it might be fun to list all the lovely replies I get for what I have offered today;

I have offered a broken dyson (brushes arent working but sucking ok)

3 wheeler buggy great for walking.

Here are the replies so far, who shall I choose?

good afternoon , if you still have the dyson and also the pushchair on offer i would be very happy to give both a new home , my husband could collect this afternoon , many thanks

dyson please

Hi, is the Hoover still available? I'm able to pick up after 6pm if it is

Hi there, Wow do you still have the buggy please? sounds just what i need? also what dyson is it as mine is starting to play up!?

Oh I know. Some of the rudeness is just amazing.

I got rid of our ancient Dyson recently on Freecycle too. I had a lovely thankyou email later from the chap who took it.

Im sure I will get more replies later, I like to wait a bit because most normal people dont sit on their PC all day replying to Frecycle BUT some bussiness people do

Yes, the first one. They can both be out of your way in one hit this afternoon.

Sorry, I don't understand what's wrong with those replies?! There is only one that doesn't say please or thank-you, and that is a bit rude. But the others - what's the issue?

NB, I don't use freecycle but this is really putting me off if there's some kind of fancy etiquette to mess about with. I thought you just put stuff you didn't want any more on it and people put a reply in if they did?

it's the people who keep mailing you days after you put a big IT'S TAKEN message up that get on my tits

next one: Can i have both. Will collect tonight

I have got ones which assumed they could have the item before I've even agreed - "I'll take the X. Please be in at 6pm and I'll collect it". Er, no. You say "I would like the X please. I can collect at 6pm tonight if that's convenient."

I also swear every time that it is the last time I freecycle anything.

Ha ha, cross post. There was a 'can', but then 'will' collect tonight.

The first reply is nice and polite. I'd let them have both of the items.

LRD - I do use freegle (same thing) and agree with you. The only response Lisa posted that I'd ignore so far is the one missing a please or thank you.

LOL.
I am a massive fan of Freecycle.

Have just given loads of stuff away clothes old pcs's telephones etc. Must say all of the people came within the hour and were so greatful one woman had tears in her eyes. One woman we gave our old furniture too had just left an abusive husband and needed to get a flat together quickly she sent us a bunch of flowers a few weeks later to say thanks.
I always ask them to state when they can pick up when responding so people think about actually think about picking the items up rather than just winning it IYKWIM.
The ones that ask for delivery are hilarious though.
I just delete the knobheads immediately.

I agreed I'd give something relatively small in size to one person and she replied saying she didn't drive (my street has a bus stop at either end and is 2 mins walk from the train station) and could I drop it off tomorrow?

I gave it to the next person on the list

I offered a christmas tree last month and got "what colour is the christmas tree please?"

Yes, I know they come in different colours but in the main they are green.

PS Ill have the Dyson as long as its a newer model. Ok to courier it.

Freecycle stuff is offered to the one with the politest message? WTF!!

I always write a nice polite message... e.g.

---------------
Hi, I saw your advert on freecycle for [item]. I would be interested in it if you still have it available. I can collect this evening or at weekend which ever is more convenient for you.
my e-mail is XXXXXXXXXXXXXX, my phone number is XXXXXXXXXX
thanks,
Catherine.
---------------

Yet I very rarely get a reply. Is it not polite enough? Although, I did get the most amazing desk off freecycle once, absolutely perfect for what I was looking for. :)

I'd give it to the first one, just because it was first.

To put the opposite perspective from the grateful-recipient one - when I found out people had actually driven to my dad's house (in the middle of nowhere) to remove two very old, very cheap children's wardrobes that were up a flight of stairs and taken them away for free, I was both surprised and pleased. My dad, who is in denial about the worth of all the crap he keeps, thinks he did them a favour. My mum and I are a little more realistic!

I have to say, some people would feel the same about a broken hoover.

I saw an ad this morning from someone after a laptop 'would be great if you could deliver it too'. Wouldn't it just..... I think on the whole freecycle is great. I got my dd bunkbeds from there, the lady we collected them from was lovely and said it was the politeness fo the reply (and the bride of some homemade scones if selected...) that clinched it. I've got rid of lots of stuff too good to just throw away that I can;t get to the tip either. I remember the girl who picked up my old suite (which was frankly minging) being so grateful, similar story to another poster she had left dv with nothing.

That's the thing LRD. Freecycle works both ways - each party is helping the other equally. The recipient is helping to keep things out of landfill. But somehow many people who put there unwanted items onto the website have come to think that the receiver should be more grateful than they are to have the items taken away. I thought the whole ethos of freecycle at the start was of a more equal thing, not the givers feeling they're superior.