Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Protection built in.

Meet the Other Phone.
Protection built in.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

WTF is wrong with people - Free Stuff

244 replies

Iamnotagoddess · 29/09/2019 17:54

So I have some furniture that I have offered on Facebook Market Place, for free.

The furniture is in good condition but it has slight (cat) damage so I have offered it for free.

Women messages me asking for more photos which I sent, she then messaged me saying they are “too worn” and she’ll keep looking. They aren’t worn at all, it’s our furniture and has been for some time and there is nothing wrong with it - and it’s free!! Why not just say no thanks and leave it at that.

Other people messaging asking if it’s still free and if they don’t get a immediate reply sending another message “??”.

I reckon I would have been better off asking for a tenner. Wtf is wrong with people?!

OP posts:
Babybel90 · 29/09/2019 19:46

@Yellowpolkadot haha yes, I’ve seen this a lot with new season Joules stuff, “I want this coat in size 12 brand new with tags only, will pay up to £10 inc postage” optimistic doesn’t quite cover it.

MyShinyWhiteTeeth · 29/09/2019 19:49

I was getting rid of my old small two-seater sofa - it was only a few years old but in fantastic condition. I needed more seating and couldn't find anything to match with it.

I listed it on freecycle. The first couple thought it would fit in the boot of their car. It didn't. The second person didn't turn up and kept rearranging the date.

My new sofa suite arrived. A 3 seater and arm chair. The interested third person turned up a few days after and didn't really think my two seater was big enough (measurements and reason for getting rid of it listed on advert). He then tried to persuade me to give him my new suite, quilting me about his travel costs and having to hire a van. He thought my room was too small for the new suite. He eventually left with the sofa but wasn't grateful.

A few weeks later the 2nd person turned up at the house with a friend's van wanting to collect it even though I'd let them know it had gone to someone else.

Now everything goes to the BHF (who collect) or I pay the council to take the items to the tip.

Backinthebox · 29/09/2019 19:52

I’m currently trying to sell a very large, very unusual but very high value item. I’ve had over 50 enquiries about it and have heard every excuse going. The most recent one was someone wanted to buy it if I would deliver it 300 miles away and knock an amount off the price. She went on and on about how far away we were and she really wanted it but it was just too far. How fortunate for her that we were off to visit my FIL that weekend and he lived only 30 miles away! I said I could drop it off with her on the Friday night if she transferred the money, at which point she back-pedalled rapidly.

Also trying to give away a knackered piano, free but you must collect. Another bunch of numpties asking me how much, is it heavy, can I save it for a few weeks till they’ve got the room etc 🙄🙄

Sobeyondthehills · 29/09/2019 19:52

@GetMeOffThisCycleOfMisery

Thank you, to be honest he was the last in a long line of cheeky fuckers I had had to deal with.

I honestly don't know what he wanted me to do

Janaih · 29/09/2019 19:56

no good deed goes unpunished! always put a price on your free stuff.

AnneElliott · 29/09/2019 20:03

These are so funny - I have snorted and upset the cat!

I offered our car fir sale through marketplace. Dealer had offered a price for part exchange but I was checking if we could get a better price privately (should have learned after the last nutter!)

Woman messaged me offering an amount lower than the dealers price. I replied, told her (truthfully) what he dealer was offering and therefore I wanted more than that.

Repeated messages with guilt trips, pleading, getting annoyed, then one final message telling me she's on her way from Brighton with the money in cash (£1k less than dealers price) and she knows it's a good deal Shock. She was most put out to get a strongly worded response and then unblocked her.

Then the next day her husband tried it in as a new buyer! But they had the same surname and the same FB profile pic so not quite as incognito as they thought Hmm

Legoandloldolls · 29/09/2019 20:03

I gave away a bag of children's play wear clothes. All I got was these exact questions "I am coming at 2pm" "postcode?" No please, no thanks. No reply any of my messages so the other bits I found of playwear quality went to the nursery
It's the same with some buyers wanting things and held and then delivered by I'm never giving things away again. I would rather they went to charity. I sold a £600 for a token £2 thinking putting a token price would mean a genuine person, but no. A month later not collected so I took more pleasure in dumping it at the tip. I'm not sure really that anyone wants things too good for the bin but too low to re sell on. I think mostly free things only attract CFs wanting to resell on. Just my experience

RavenLG · 29/09/2019 20:04

I’ve had a few weirdos with free collections. Also had some lovely people (one around Christmas time when we gave away a tv stand and got w box of mince pies from the collector, and we had an out of tune piano, someone came to collect and gave us some chocolates). So they aren’t all crazy 😂

jimmyhill · 29/09/2019 20:11

You've got the economics of this all wrong OP. Just because you're giving something away for free doesn't mean it's free to collect.

The person acquiring it spends time, effort, and energy acquiring the object, and bear the costs of its disposal should it turn out to be the wrong thing.

The only reason you are giving this item away for "free" is that nobody will take it away from you for free (e.g. for recycling)

You are asking a favour, not offering one.

DownstairsMixUp · 29/09/2019 20:21

I absolutely cannot stand market place. Full of weirdos! I was listing a steam cleaner I had barely used, someone offered half the price for what I put up and I politely said no thank you as I had only just listed it. He replied whatever I can get them on eBay for that price anyway?! I was like okay so go there then?? Full of fruitcakes.

Original poster
Iamnotagoddess · 29/09/2019 20:25

@Iamnotagoddess
WTAF? It is sellable I host don’t need the money that badly

OP posts:
Original poster
Iamnotagoddess · 29/09/2019 20:29

@jimmyhill sorry Blush

OP posts:
Alabasterangel6 · 29/09/2019 20:37

Freecycle is terrible also. I offered some immaculate baby growbags for free hoping to help someone who needed it. Smoke and pet free home and I made sure I listed them saying I’ve washed them in non-bio the day before. CF comes to collect and say before she is willing to take them she wants to smell them, proceeds to do so, then says ‘oh go on then I suppose I’ll have them.....’

Nomorechickens · 29/09/2019 20:41

Most people don't have the facility to collect a sofa, wardrobe or bed so they are hard to sell or give away unless they are particularly attractive, so you are lucky if you can get someone to take them away for free. I also have found that people value things more if you ask £10 or £20 than if you offer them free. I would always give clothes, toys and books to charity shops unless I really want to get some money for them.

Appletreehouse · 29/09/2019 20:46

We were selling a sofa bed, modern, great quality, very cheap as needed it gone. We had hired a van that day for taking rubbish to the tip so offered in the ad to deliver for free but said can't help unload as I was heavily pregnant.

This woman kept messaging all day asking questions, haggling the price. At 6p.m. she finally agrees she'll have it. But then she mentions she lives in a 2nd floor flat with no lift in the middle of our town high street with no parking nearby. And he's boyfriend is working so nobody to help her unload it. My husband finally agrees he'll help her, loads it into the van, just about to set off when he messages her to confirm he's leaving our house. Turns out her boyfriend has taken her cash card with him to work, would we mind if she does a bank transfer once we've delivered it. . . . Err no thanks, we're not daft. Grrr.

randomusername · 29/09/2019 20:50

I actually got my chest of drawers for free when I was on Facebook, it's honestly the nicest chest of drawers I've ever had! Very sturdy unlike its flimsy but affordable predecessors. I'm very grateful. I didn't ask over condition as it was already described as good condition, which it was. But asking about condition or clarifying I don't think makes you cheeky, whilst you might be getting it for free, what's the point in taking it if you won't use it due to condition?
Although they have been rude and the other person should of been more patient for a reply! Definitely rude manners, but asking or clarifying about condition is acceptable isn't it?

FrenchBoule · 29/09/2019 20:52

Good quality sofabed, in very good condition, with fire ticket. BHF turned up to collect then left it with a note “ not suitable for our shop”. Gobsmacked as the sofa wasn’t old and really nice.

TokyoSushi · 29/09/2019 20:57

I once had 'can you meet me at the train station?' with a dining table and four chairs!

Marketplace is really handy, but it does attract absolute weirdos!!

TitsInAbsentia · 29/09/2019 20:59

@jimmyhill well you're rude! Most people giving things away give plenty of info and photos, if people aren't sure it's for them then they should just buy something and have it delivered.

@FrenchBoule that's odd, did you ask them what was wrong with it?

Fuma · 29/09/2019 21:00

Spot on @jimmyhill.

Also, if you're giving stuff away then it obviously has no value to you, so you can't be surprised if others approach it the same way. If it's so great, you'd be keeping it, wouldn't you. Most people on here have talked about how they "need stuff gone" so yes the person taking it is doing you a favour.

DisappearingGirl · 29/09/2019 21:03

Tempted to leave it outside the front of my house, would soon be gone...

Don't be so sure. A friend of mine's fridge broke so she called the council to arrange disposal and left it outside on the allocated day. Someone took it. A few days later it reappeared, presumably after they discovered it was broken!

IdiotInDisguise · 29/09/2019 21:11

I’ll like it when they ask you if you can bring the piece of furniture to them so they can have a look and decide if they want it.

Having said that, anything slightly scratched by a cat would be far too worn for me.

NemoIsLost · 29/09/2019 21:12

I was selling a few tools for DS, all useable but duplicates. Asked for £10 the lot.
CF txt I will give you £4! I agreed to £5 just to get rid of them.
When he came to get them he rang me from his car to tell me he was outside!🤣 I said do you want to come and knock the door then?!. Turns out he was in a taxi, and he stood and inspected the tools for what felt like forever before chucking me a fiver.
The taxi must have cost double that!!

BringBiscuits · 29/09/2019 21:15

Always charge something as people have no respect otherwise! I tried to give away baby stuff and was messed around by ‘buyers’ being fussy and not turning up when agreed.

Butchyrestingface · 29/09/2019 21:16

So I have some furniture that I have offered on Facebook Market Place, for free

Following a sudden bereavement and two house moves, I am an expert on trying to offload things for free on freecycle and FB market place.

I have only this to advise:

RUN FOR YOUR FUCKING LIFE, @Iamnotagoddess!

Before long, you will wish for all humanity to be nuked out of existence and find yourself muttering ”good!” at Greta’s dire predictions whenever she pops up on the news. 💣 💥 🌍