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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

In thinking this guy just wants my dd's shoes for ebay?

44 replies

lovecat · 22/03/2008 11:09

I've just put all off dd's old shoes onto freecycle as I am too lazy to ebay them and am having a clearout.

There are 10 pairs of shoes in all, all Clarks, all in good to excellent condition (toe scuffs on most but otherwise fine). They go from sizes 4.5 to 6.5 (I've been hoarding them thinking I'll ebay them but I just can't be arsed anymore!) and I listed them all individually.

Some bloke has just emailed me saying

"Hi, Can I have them all, please?"

Now, if you actually wanted the shoes for your child, you'd want specific pairs, wouldn't you?

I'm a bit about this and yes, I want them out of the house so I suppose I shouldn't be, but I'd rather they went to someone who would actually get use out of them, rather than someone who appears (to my cynical mind) to be looking to make a quick buck out of them?

So does any MNer in East London/Essex want them? (I thought we used to have a 'for free' section on here but can't find it any more?!) All in G or F fittings....!

OP posts:
Original poster
lovecat · 22/03/2008 11:10

ew! all of

OP posts:
belgo · 22/03/2008 11:12

If my child had slightly smaller feet then the lowest size, I would want all of them (especially clarks). I would give them to him.

Original poster
lovecat · 22/03/2008 11:14

Hmm... fair point, I suppose I'm not that forward thinking, and would always want dd's feet measured first, so I'd know I'd be buying shoes that fit her, iyswim...

OP posts:
belgo · 22/03/2008 11:15

do second hand children's shoes make a lot of money on ebay?

Original poster
lovecat · 22/03/2008 11:20

Some do! I've seen boots go up to £15 plus postage... but when they cost £28+ new, I suppose it's still a bargain.

OP posts:
itsahardknocklife · 22/03/2008 11:20

there is a for free section on here!
Don't be afraid to not give the shoes to him - a lot of Freecyclers will share out stuff, so you could give him one pair of the smallest size.

charliecat · 22/03/2008 11:21

You put them on freecycle coz you wanted rid of them? And now someones gonna take them off your hands you are questioning his motives?
Does it matter they are out of your hands...

itsahardknocklife · 22/03/2008 11:24

yes I think it does matter - many people freecycle to help others out, as well as to clear stuff from their house and to keep stuff out of landfill. As a freecycler myself, I think it is important to give the items to someone that you think will appreciate them and use them.
On my Freecycle, lots of people advertise things and say they don't mind if someone wants to sell them on, but other than that, I think it's wrong to sell on something that you have got for free.

Pannacotta · 22/03/2008 11:25

If you really think he is a dealer (and it's quite possible) why not agree for him to have a few pairs? And then give the rest to other freecyclers or offer on here? For free is in teh classified section brw.
If he takes them then at least they are all gone, though I do know what you mean as there are dealers who use freecycle to get their stock and its not in the spirit of freecycle...

Flight · 22/03/2008 11:25

Well his motives could be genuine or not - but he is being a little bit greedy maybe. Just reply saying 'would you like to choose one or two pairs as I would rather share them between everyone who has requested a pair, thankyou'.

Original poster
lovecat · 22/03/2008 11:26

Thanks for that IAHKL - I will search harder (eyes not working!) and post them here too.

OP posts:
belgo · 22/03/2008 11:26

yes it is possibly wrong to sell something you got for free, but what is the evidence that he is going to do that?

If you really suspect him, offer him one or two pairs and see what his reaction is.

lentengrrl · 22/03/2008 11:30

yes, it does matter in a weird way.

i didn't think it did - same as charliecat, but then a man came to get a cot, when i asked him when his wife was due, he said, errr.... oh it's for my... cousin and then complained because it was dusty! I found it quite upsetting as I really wanted to give it to somebody who needed it - which is why i didn't sell it.

It's as much hassle to freecycle (emails, setting up delivery time etc) as it is to put on Netmums local/Families for a price... I do it as it feels like a community minded thing to do and it feels horrid when somebody goes against that.

Now I specify that I want to give it to somebody who needs it, not for resale, and can get quite a good feel for genuine people.

Youcannotbeserious · 22/03/2008 13:08

It def. does happen... I had a car boot sale a few months back (same reasons - couldn't be bothered to ebay!) and one guy bought loads of stuff from me which he was quite clear he WAS going to resell and make more money from....

But, it was going to be HIS effort.... I made £200 from the car boot sale and was gone by 11:30am (set up at 7am).... so the guy that spent £50 on the stuff he bought from me might go on to make another £200 - but it's going to take him an awful lot longer and take more effort from him and I wasn't prepared to do that...

So, I reckon, if you want to have a clear out... give them to him.

wheresthehamster · 22/03/2008 13:14

Why don't you just take them to a charity shop?

Brantanos are offering £10 voucher for each pair of shoes given in at the moment.

Spread them around

dingdong05 · 22/03/2008 13:23

Well, the whole point of freecycle (aside from the sharing caring thing) is to keep stuff out of land fill. You do your bit by offering it up for other people he does his bit by passing it on to folk who'll use it (assuming you're right and he's going to resell it)
I do understand why you'd be miffed about it, but next time make it clear in your posting that you don't want resellers to ask for your items.
If it bothers you so much, either put them on ebay or tell him no and pass them on to the next bunch who asked for them (assuming you're sure they won't resell them too...)

dingdong05 · 22/03/2008 13:24

Oh, I'd forgotten about the Brantanos wheresthehamster , but you have to spend over £40 to use the tenner!

wheresthehamster · 22/03/2008 13:28

Yeah- there's always a catch

Youcannotbeserious · 22/03/2008 13:36

Dingdong - I think you are right.... The point is to keep good stuff out of land fills....

I can't see what you can do to stop people reselling stuff - but I would bear in mind that if they are keen enough to spend time scouring freecycle ads etc., then maybe they are reasonably worthy cause.....

cupsoftea · 22/03/2008 13:40

take them to a charity shop

wheresthehamster · 22/03/2008 13:40

I just love the feeling when the stuff disappears out of the front door with minimal effort from me! Couldn't really give a toss where it goes. If I had the energy to sell it myself I would but am incredibly lazy. Hurray for freecycle!

Original poster
lovecat · 22/03/2008 14:08

Wow, this has grown!

You're quite right, it shouldn't bother me, but it does... I suppose I just think that someone might genuinely be in need of shoes for their child and I'd much rather give them to them than to someone who was going to flog them.

Re. charity shops - my nearest 2 won't take children's shoes (some vague health & safety reason that they couldn't really clarify) and the next nearest is a good drive away - and as I said in my OP, I'm a lazy cow (and totally disorganised - it's only because I have my niece downstairs playing with dd that I've been able to have my mega clearout today!)

OP posts:
cupsoftea · 22/03/2008 14:09

take them to a school or hospital?

Original poster
lovecat · 22/03/2008 14:10

Would they want them? Seriously?

OP posts:
Elkat · 22/03/2008 14:10

If they're clarks shoes, then take them back to Clarks... they send them on to third world countries etc.. so then you know they're going to a good cause. You can do that the next time you're in town!