To think “first come, first served” is a bit shit when the same people always get there first?

[AngeloMysterioso]

I’m having a big clear out of a lot of the stuff I held onto when my Mum died earlier this year and I’ve been posting it onto a local Facebook group for people giving away unwanted things. Some of it is really nice stuff, could be used as Christmas presents etc.

The vast majority of the items I’ve posted are being shotgunned by the same few people and I’m starting to feel like they’re taking the piss, but because they got in there first I feel like I have to honour it.

So AIBU to think FCFS is rather crap when it allows people to be greedy and get away with it?

Just don’t write that and choose who you want to have it?

Just chose who gets it so it isn't the same people?

First come first served is a rule of the group, and it’s done by comments so you can always see the order people go in.

Hasn’t stopped a load of people sending me DMs trying to get first dibs mind you…

Agree

I get round this now by noticing who else asks but not as quick as the stalkers and mention to them separately that I will have X, Y or Z to give away soon, would they be interested? Then give them the heads up before advertising

You have the control. You can put in your post you will leave it up for 24 hours for people to request it, then chose someone you've not given stuff to before.

People who are quick off the mark aren't scamming anyoneor playing unfairly, they just saw it and asked, like anyone else could. It doesn't necessarily give them dibs.

Can you block the people you don't want?

Then you need to find a new group to sell/give on.

Oh this is good. They won’t see any of your posts going forward!

If you don’t want to give your stuff away for free then don’t. If you want it to go to people who you feel genuinely need it then give it to a local charity or donate it through some other side than the one you’re currently using. It’s really not an issue.

You don’t want to do FCFS
so just don’t.

i don’t understand what your dilemma is

One of the groups I use is like that. You are of course allowed to post your stuff on other sites too, so I always add "On other sites". That way I have a bit more control over who I give it to because I can say it's gone on another site.

I just block the greedy grabbers. They can't see then what I'm giving away.

Can you block them so they can't DM you?

You could also try freecycle. Nobody else can see who has asked you for it so you can choose who to give it to.

I’ve used Freecycle before but have had a lot of people claiming stuff and then never coming to get it, so I don’t really bother now.

My advice would be to put a token price on everything you list. This weeds out the 'grabby' people who just want a freebie and anyone who wants to make a few quid on your free items.

I do this and (generally) will just tell the person to collecting not to worry about the money. They're pleasantly surprised and I know that my stuff has gone to a good home and isn't going to be back on Marketplace within the hour for a few quid.

Choose another group? My main free site has a limit of 3 collections a week and is monitored by admins. Obviously if someone has asked for specific things in a list then they can have more. It gives people a chance though! Like me as I work full time and chat use my phone at work!

Those FCFS people are probably selling your items on, they can't need everything that you advertise. I'd just pick who you want it to go to and if anyone complains just tell them that you'd like it to go to someone else who hasn't had anything yet

Excellent idea / stealing this

You can put at the end of your post “also advertised elsewhere.” Then after leaving the ad up for a day, give to who you want and sort out via private messages. Then just delete your post without explanation to avoid debates/whinging. But, see below.

I’ve given a lot of stuff away over the last few years and I find that the options are:

(1) Facebook mum group. Rich sahms will always be first to comment. They’ll use the item as a spare at their childminders, or put it in their airbnb. But, they’ll turn up on time, be polite, and collect with nice big vehicle.

(2) Facebook mum group where you sneakily via private message choose someone who isn’t one of the usual rich mums, and congratulate yourself on your own charity and cunning. Unfortunately your chosen person will fail to turn up the first few times, make up an increasingly ridiculous series of excuses, then demand you deliver. You’ll then move to the next person who will come, but they’ll look around and start asking for your other stuff that isn’t available and be annoyed you won’t give them whatever they like for free. They hate you and they do not understand the difference between someone who’s ok for money and a council-funded giveaway service.

(3) Drive it to a charity shop, where there will be no parking nearby and you’ll have to carry heavy bag through several streets until you eventually reach the shop, where a suspicious old lady will insist on pawing through the bag in front of you and rejecting half the items at random to show they have standards.

(4) supermarket donation bins for shoes / clothes. Annoyingly, perfectly nice clothes may be turned into rags.

(5) Sell on ebay for £5 plus delivery. This works surprisingly well but ebay demand a lotta info from you.

I usually do charity shop now, or ebay if item is big, but frankly I do also value the quick and easy collection service provided by the rich sahms.

You do realise that the people who always ask for the free stuff are selling it on for profit, don't you? If someone is spending all day scanning the ads and responding to them all first, it's because they are making something from it.

No one needs that much stuff.

Yeah we have a local group like that, I noticed the admins (who had to approved the posts) ways nabbed anything half decent so I stopped using that group to give my stuff away.

Yes, I agree, I'm part of a local one with this rule.

Have missed out a few things we would have found really useful because the same one or two people respond in under 2 mins. Often they turn out to be sham accounts set up by people who collect and then sell the stuff on.

It puts me off ever offering anything on there.

Definitely find another group. We have a local one where the rules are strict and the giver decides whom they're going to give the item to.

I don't do FCFS as I agree those people who always commet are going to be selling it on.

I don’t like using groups like that.

To some extent, I am just trying to get rid of my unwanted items, but ideally, I want to give them to people who are actually using them.

it doesn’t work if you are doing a whole house clean out, but if it’s just an item here or there, I just watch my neighborhood chats for someone to mention they are looking to buy something used. Then I give them the item for free. It’s a slower way of clearing things out, but I find that they always show up because they actually want what you are offering.