To wonder if I'm missing something here? (freecycle)

[BibiBlocksberg]

Put a few things on my local freecycle today as having a clear-out.

Almost without exception I'm getting e-mails saying 'yes, very interested, call me' or in one case just 'ring on this (mobile) no'

Is this the norm now? Am I missing something here?

Why on earth would anyone think it should cost the giver money in phone calls to mobile no's - and just WHY? Do you want it or not? If you want it tell me when you want to pick the item up and then come and collect.

Job done surely>

[starfished]

YANBU. I quite often give things away on freecycle and usually it is pretty decent stuff.
If I get rude 'I'll have it' messages or 'call me on 10449329585' I either ignore it or email back saying 'I have decided to give this to another freecycler as your message came across as quite demanding.'

I don't think it hurts to send a reminder to people that manners on freecycle should be expected. They are getting free things after all.

[HorryIsUpduffed]

I've had great experiences with Freecycle, typically with items of low intrinsic value (eg large cardboard boxes, flushable nappy liners, etc).

Our group has fairly strict rules. When you reply, you have to say where you live (there is a vague "nearer the better" rule) and giving a landline number. You can communicate by email/mobile instead, but you have to give a fixed line number.

[sebastianthesingingaubergine]

Not Freecycle but I was giving away a baby walker "free to collector" on local FB group. The girl who replied asked if I could deliver it, and I replied that sorry no, I couldn't. She then arranged a time to pick it up, didn't arrive and text me later that evening saying sorry but there had been a family emergency. Fair enough. Arranged another time, and I explained I was taking my ds to a party at midday, but would be in all morning up until then. She text at 12.10...... I can't get down to you, could you deliver it?

Aaaaaaaaaargh! I told her where to go I'm afraid she lived in the same village in a very posh part, and I'm sure she must have known someone with a car! It amazes me that people are so rude and ungrateful when they are getting something for free.

[plainjaney]

I'd spent a week offering an exercise bike, I got the usual "ILL HAVE IT" followed by "CALL ME" and then 2 no shows for collection. In the end I thought sod it, stuck it on eBay with a £5 BIN and it was sold and collected within the hour.

I left my local group in the end. I'd noticed someone always asking for a certain thing as part of their 'hobby'. He claimed to be a pensioner and these items were part of keeping him occupied etc etc, then one day whilst browsing local ebay auctions I found this person selling the very thing they were always asking for.
I contacted Mods, no reply and a few days later another wanted appeared from the reseller. I contacted them again, in all I contacted them 3 times and waited a month. Meanwhile reseller was still asking for items for his 'hobby'.

Finally, frustrated I posted to the group with all my evidence that they were giving items to a reseller. I got put onto moderation and the reseller is still doing what he does best to this day, with newer members blissfully unaware that he's flogging on ebay for a tidy profit the things they give to him.

[Primrose123]

I have never used free cycle, so I thought I'd have a look on my local website. I couldn't believe some of the 'wanted' posts! People asking for things, but being so fussy! Some people wanted TVs, Nintendo DSs etc. I can't believe they expect to get these given to them!

I felt sorry for the poster though, who only had a settee, and was asking anyone for any type of bed, or just a mattress.

Someone even posted that they had an out of date calendar, if anyone wanted it!

I think it is a great idea, but have not been impressed by my local free cycle website.

[AndBingoWasHisNameOh]

I've found it a real mixed bag. I've given away some items when I've had a number of polite, keen responses and they've turned up on time etc and some where I've been royally dicked about. Classics include:

• offering some unusued maternity bras so worth a decent amount - one response, I said she could have it, then she told me that she was actually 10 miles away from our (urban) group and asked me to post it. I told her that if I could be bothered to wrap it and take it to the post office I'd have put it on ebay to begin with
  

• the woman who collected an inflatable item from me. The advert made clear it had been sitting in a cupboard for about a year so didn't know its condition. I then got abusive emails from her sayiing it had a puncture and that they had complained about me to the moderator as I had WAISTED THERE TIME (sic)
  

• on the other end of the spectrum, I gave away a large stack of wedding mags and got a really lovely email afterwards saying how helpful they were and how much they were enjoying reading them
  

These days I tend to give a clear steer on my location, state I will be unable to help/carry out, flag if they'll need a car/van, give a time slot on when I am looking to dispose of it (eg Saturday 10-noon only) and ask people to confirm they can make it and try and do a burst in one go making any no shows less annoying. I then give preference to those who confirm they can make the slot and write nice, polite, properly constructed emails.

[daisydoodoo]

i've only used freecycle once recently and i had lots of emails saying i will collect your sofa on tuesday, etc but only had two that asked if they could collect and what time would be best for me.

I sent photos and measurements to one lady who decied it was too big for her lounge (large corner sofa and two footstools) and the other lady's husband came to collect at the agreed time. She sent an email after saying thank you.

to be honest im glad that i didn;t get a lot of sob stories as thats not why i was giving the sofa away, i just wanted it gone and not to have to hire a van to take it to landfill. I di call several charities but they said at 3 years old it was too old and they wouldnt be able to sell it!

[audumla]

I asked this person to stop being abusive and this is the email I have just received from her.

ABUSED YOU LOL... GIVE OVER... JUST CAUSE YOUR A PENSIONER YOU THINK EVERYONE SHOULD TIP TOE ROUND YOU... I DONT THINK SO...NOW STOP HARASSING ME OTHERWISE I'LL REPORT YOU!!!

That's me finished with Freecycle. I will donate to charity shops in future.

[mamasmissionimpossible]

I had mostly good experience with freecycyle when we were moving out of our flat and needed to get rid of things quickly. Most people were polite, friendly and turned up when they said they would. :)

[BibiBlocksberg]

happened even, sigh!

[BibiBlocksberg]

Well, after starting a moany thread here I got a beautifully polite message from a lady who wanted the printer/scanner/copier I was giving away.

So refreshing and I told her so.

Even sent me a thank you message the next day (first time that's haloened)

I have a whole house to clear out in the next couple of weeks though so we'll see how many more polite requests I get compared to 'call me' :)

[lljkk]

I've had good experiences recently, getting rid of stuff that would have gone to landfill otherwise. Win win.

[whois]

Free cycle is shit.

People are rude, give shit sob stories and don't pick up. Used to work well but the group I was part of because really rubbish I've the last few years and it was easier to chuck stuff. Shame as I gave away some really good stuff, iMac, snowboard etc in the early days and dealt with some nice people.

[audumla]

Hi,
I recently offered a bedside cabinet on freecycle and someone contacted me about it. She said that she was pregnant so asked if I would deliver it but I don't drive and my husband is seriously ill at the moment so I refused.
A few days later she contacted me again and asked if I still had the cabinet. I automatically assumed she'd found someone to collect it since she already knew that I couldn't deliver it but when I told her that I still had it she asked me again to deliver it.
When I told her again that I couldn't deliver it she asked me why I'd contacted her so I told her that she had contacted me.
I then received an email all in upper case letters which ended with UP YOURS.
Manner cost nothing especially when people are giving away things for nothing that they could sell.

[louisea]

i always ignore the first messages that come through with "Can I have it, call me on xxx". I wait a couple of days until a nice message comes through with a little explanation as to why the person would like the item. That's the one that I usually respond to. I always make email contact first and give them my number to call. I will not spend my money on calling someone who wants something for free.

[HoHoHoNoYouDont]

I had a similar experience when I put a property to let advert on Gumtree. The amount of messages I received on the line of 'I want the house tel no xxxx'
....and that was it! I never called them back. Bloody rude.

[MrsMangelFanciedPaulRobinson]

I stopped using freecycle because of rude people.

I now use Facebook selling/freebie groups locally but tbh people on those are as bad. People that expect you to wait in from 9-5 for them to just call by and collect a dress they are buying from you for £1. People that make arrangements and then don't turn up. People that say 'Wud u tk eny les' when you advertise an item for a fiver that cost you over £50 brand new.

[JeeanieYuss]

Well I guess that's different as you may not have as many replies as a city, town etc.. Or maybe your just nicer than me

[JeeanieYuss]

Well I guess that's different as you may not have as man

[BikeRunSki]

I ignore the rude replies, which often narrows the possible takers down to one!

[lljkk]

Wow, I thought 36 hours was a bit mean of me, lol. I live in a rural area. No shows are the biggest problem, I find.
I just realised my area has both Freecycle & Freegle.

[Bogeyface]

sorry for typos, fill in the gaps!

[Bogeyface]

I did once deliver an item for someone because she messaged asking if I could post it (a antenatal baby listener) because she had SPD and couldnt get out, she would pay postage. I had just had my baby after serious SPD in my pregnancy so I was happy to deliver, but that was a one off.

I usually reply with "I would be grateful if you would consider me/us for X item as (reason for wanting it), I would be happy to collect at a mutually agreeable time, many thanks Bogey" I have been lucky to have been gifted everything I replied to recently, although one of the giftees said that she picked me partly because of my polite but mainly because she has seen me offer things too which most of the repliers dont do.

[Doubtfuldaphne]

Nearly everyone who has replied to my ads have been rude. People can be so lazy.
One loon also stayed in my garage for 3 hours 'arranging' it for me. I was scared!
I just can't be bothered any more