'Up for grabs' but then asked for cash

[FireworkFran]

Someone I vaguely know has listed an item on a local group as 'up for grabs, on its last legs be quick'. I would be able to use the item, so PMed them to arrange to collect it. All good. However they've asked me to drop cash through their letterbox, if I feel like it, or just take it if now. I was expecting it to be free but now feel awkward just taking it. AIBU or are they?

We wouldn't otherwise be going to buy this, and the price they've asked for is only a little less that it would cost if I'd bought it new (rather than collecting something which is 'on its last legs').

“Just spoken to dh and MIL is getting us similar for Christmas so I’ll leave it for now, thanks”

There’s no conflict in saying you got it wrong!

Just say you didn’t see a price on the ad and thought it was free. Even if you know them the worse they gave to do is relist it. Hopefully with a price on...

Up for grabs means free to me. Otherwise it would have a price and 'available now' on it surely?

Just tell her straight that it was confusing and you wont be taking up the offer thanks.

Please do as PP say and don't pick up this thing. Paying or not paying, it won't be worth it - and the 'sellers' are CFs trying to trick you into paying well over the odds for their junk.

This is a not uncommon issue on my local FB selling pages. The ad says free and then later on says DM for prices or similar. Just say you want it for nothing, or not interested.

90% of the price of a new one, for something on its last legs?! Wow! That's probably why they didn't list a price - they knew no-one would take them up on their "kind" offer!
I'm another one for interpreting "up for grabs" as meaning free

I would definitely have interpreted that as being free.

@ZoeTurtle

"Just seen they're only £x new so we'll get our own."

This.

I'm an admin on sales sites on FB and this nonsense is frowned upon. On the stricter pages these ads would be removed if they gave the impression of being free and suddenly whacked a price on via PM.

When you say no thank you, do it on the post itself and save others the bother.

"Hi, apologies, as I have just seen that I can get a brand new one for £15 (or whatever) more so DH is going to buy a new one. Thanks for the offer to sell, sorry to waste your time! Xx " Throw a "hun" in there too for extra sweetness and naivety that you're in fact warning everyone.

Personally, friend or no riend, I would have no embarrassment in saying “sorry I misunderstood, I thought you were chucking it out as it’s on its last legs. I can get a new one for not much more so feel free to give it to your second refusal xx”

Lots of good suggestions, please message back one of them and let us know, she is being a total CF and you don't want/need it anything like that much!

They are relying on your embarrassment here to get a few quid for whatever it is. Just say ‘I’ll leave it thanks - they are £x new so I’ll just do that instead. Hope it finds a good home.’

Was it on a proper selling page? I'd be annoyed if ot was listed as free and then the person asked for money

I've not seen up for grabs but if it was listed as free of course you don't have to pay anything. Please don't pay simply out of embarrassment.

OP you have to tell us what it is, between this and the election results I can't take any more suspense!

I’d interpret up for grabs as free

Just say "that's more than I'm happy to pay, thanks anyway".

I wouldn't be paying 90% of full price for something described as on its last legs!

Please 90% isn’t even knocking vat off. Just be like nah.

Up for grabs? Up for grabs?

Surely everyone knows the acceptable term is “needs gone.”

What price are we talking here?

I would probably have messaged and asked how much they wanted for it, just to make sure, even if I was almost certain it was free.

I may be odd in my thinking, but when I see an acquaintance offer something for free, although tempting, I would assume that they are offering it to one of their closer family or friends and would feel like the cheeky one diving in their first and claiming it if I didn't know them all too well. As much as I wanted the item I'd resist jumping in too soon. I reckon this is why they've suddenly asked for money.

I would just say that as they had said the item was 'on its last legs' you thought it was a finished with item they were giving away. You have thought about it and now think you would rather buy a new one. Thanks anyway.

Up for grabs is vague to me. I would probably have assumed free.

Is it a table?

Crikey. "That'll learn 'em" is a well-known slang expression: it's usually used sardonically or ironically and in this case the poster was clearly alluding to the number of times acquiring items on these sort of Facebook 'Buy/sell/swap/donate' sites, goes fuck-up. Calm down.

I’d take ‘up for grabs’ with no mention of £ as ‘free’. And if it’s on its last legs, there is no way it is worth 90% of the full, new, selling price. Just tell here no thank you, you’ve changed your mind.