Giving away baby things for free

[LeonoraFlorence]

I’ve listed a few baby things like bouncer/car seat/jumperoo/play mat etc. I’ve offered them for free (all excellent condition) and I’ve had numerous messages from people asking for them (sometimes not in a very polite way!) and also wanting me to deliver!

Honestly, I’m quite annoyed as I think it’s a bit rude. Has anyone else had this? Normally I give things away to friends but littlest DD is the youngest of them at the moment.
I have 6 daughters and a DH who is working today, I certainly don’t have time to go round delivering things!

Just make it clear, all items are collection only, do not pm you direct and follow the site rules, which means use basic good manners! I just ignore rude and pm messages and give to whoever I feel is nicest. I will even check to see if that person is constantly getting free stuff without gifting anything themselves.

Maybe a women's refuge would want them.

@Wanderlust20

I put things on Gumtree all the time for free and the amount of CFs never fails to astound me! Wanting delivery, wanting me to post... The whole point is you get it for free in exchange for local collection!!

I definitely don't want the purple jumper either, so please don't appear on my doorstep with it. It'll just be awkward...

Oh sorry tagged wrong person, oops!

Where do you offer it? Facebook market place is full of time wasters, and almost impossible to give stuff away as a result.

Do you have any baby banks or food banks locally? Or refugee charities? They will usually gratefully receive baby item donations, and you know it will go to someone in need. Or try a local neighborhood group.

I’d contact a baby bank or refugee charity and see if you can donate it all in one go to a place that can make sure things are routed to someone in need.

Second this - I volunteer for a baby bank, and (clean, good condition) donations are very welcome. If you've got a lot of stuff it's worth finding out if there's one in your area who can take it off your hands.

I've been using Freecycle and FB buy nothing groups for ages; generally if I'm giving stuff away I don't care too much if it then gets resold as long as it's out of my house. But I don't wait in for people, I do porch pickup, and I don't respond to CFs and rude people, and I'd only deliver if it was a short bike ride away.

If you live on an estate or family neighbourhood, I'd just put the items outside your house with a 'free' sign. We've had some incredible stuff from our neighbours and we're very grateful and visa versa when we've had a clear out! Easier to show gratitude when you live down the road! And easier for you.

Ask for a small amount to split between the kids.
People will be collecting your stuff to sell.

A group near me often gives stuff away and a regular couple always get in there first as they desperately need it (and asks for delivery). Someone the other day outed them as they were making a massive profit!

I'd definitely ask for a money box donation at least.

Fwiw they are extremely rude yes.

I've been giving lots of baby things away for free on Facebook marketplace and I've had no issues at all. I say on the ad that it's collection only.

I've got something on marketplace at the moment (not baby stuff) and the latest message is from someone saying "please sister keep it at £x". It is on for twice that. I am not her sister. She can get stuffed if she thinks the price is coming down.

The people who ask for delivery when you say something is collection only are the worst. If only you could review your buyers to warn people off them and get people not to be idiots.

I got sick of this kind of attitude. Also some sellers pleading poverty and how their baby is without xyz, to only be selling the items for a large profit two days later. I don't need the disingenuous sob stories I'm giving the stuff away anyway, but the nature of some of the lies left a bad taste.
I found a local baby bank and now give them the things instead.

Yanbu that it is extremely rude. If stuff is free then people can at least be polite, and collect when they say they will. I will deliver to neighbours, but not to Facebook randomers.

Perhaps see if there is a local women's refuge who might collect them

@polkadotclip

Oh sorry tagged wrong person, oops!

That's made me laugh, I'd almost rather be told in person though ;) (In my defence, it was a listing for a barely worn RL shirt and I'd chucked in a matching GAP jumper as a freebie).

I presumed his message was the start of a negotiation but that was it. Just "I do not want the purple jumper". Perhaps it's a way of passing the time, telling random strangers that you don't want to buy their items for sale.

Reminds me a bit of some eBay feedback I once received: "Good item but he (bit of an assumption but we'll let that go) could halve his prices". I'm selling clothes and toys with no scarcity value or any necessity to purchase, not an early Banksy....

Yes! So many rude people. The other day I was giving away a mattress. Excellent condition. Clearly stated, “collection only”. One person wanted it and asked to be delivered. I don’t have a car and said so. Then suddenly, she could pick up. I told the others the item is gone, and then a little while before a pick-up, she’s like, “nope, I don’t want your mattress. I found something Better’. Incredible.
So many stories like this. Not showing up etc. I usually give it all to charity instead of dealing with ungrateful people.

Yes some people can be a bit rude in how they express themselves online especially considering they wanting a freebie. I mean it's not rude of them to ask for something if you offer but people show be gracious about it.

I've had similar, my most annoying wasn't a baby item, it was a bit of furniture, but it was up really cheaply considering it was brand new basically as had been in our spare room the whole time we had it. I get a message asking if they can come and view it, and asked me for the size. Sent the exact dimensions as listed on the original selling site. Confirmed they'd come to see it. Came in, late, snouted around my house "ooh I've never been in one of these, such a long hallway!" and on seeing the furniture said, "oh it's smaller than I expected" - why the bloody hell did you ask for the measurements if you weren't going to check the size? Total waste of a rare weekend morning off work waiting in for them.

Seems I’m not alone! I will have a look for a baby bank or similar. I don’t desperately need rid, I’ve room to store in the loft but seems pointless hanging on to it.

Don't offer free stuff to strangers. It will only be sold on.

I think there are people out there who do this as some kind of sport just to piss people off. Is it really possible for anyone to be that obtuse? I only offer things for free on my estate Facebook page which is private so only members of the estate can see.

I was giving away a lovely pink stroller a few years ago. Person who messaged me lived about 20 minutes walk away, I was in labour with DS and had 3 other small children at home and the CF still asked me to walk halfway. I told her no and she tried to convince me I should do it. I put the stroller in the shed. How can people be so bloody rude?

I'm always on the hunt for free baby things. I would never expect to have them delivered!!! That's wild!! I dont even drive either, I make sure DP can collect before I enquire. I do feel it's a bit rude personally if it's free..

When I have sold bigger things online I have always met the other person in a neutral location such as a car park to offload.small items like baby clothes and toys are just donated to the local charity shop.

I find Freecycle the best place to give stuff for free. Everyone I have dealt with has been polite and turned up as arranged. Re the delivery, some people are just asking, even if they don't do it very eloquently. You can reply with "no sorry I can't deliver, do you still want to collect the XYZ"

I have saw quite a lot of these rude posts. Answers sometimes with no please or thanks. Just no manners whatsoever. I would only answer the ones that are polite.