AIBU to just donate things to charity rather than use Fb market place

[Notthecorner]

DP and I are selling some (working) household electrical items we don’t need. We don’t have any issue taking them to the dump ourselves, but there is still plenty of life in them so would rather someone else get use out of them, and assumed someone might want a bargain as it’s a cost of living crisis and we assume people might need these things on a budget.

We also often buy second hand locally ourselves - we have bought TV’s and furniture from market place and they have been great. We would always look 2nd hand first before buying new

We checked out the prices other people had similar items on and as we want them gone for the space, we put the prices pretty low. Even a washing machine at £10! I put all the sizes in the listing and many photos so I don’t think I’m doing anything wrong there. It’s not about the money but putting free doesn’t make any difference either to the people who respond.

I get messages either asking for the sizing and telling me a sob story their car is way too small so can I drop it off (when it’s already in the listing collection only and sizes) or demanding my full address immediately for collection immediately. I feel really uncomfortable with those messages as if they are planning on doing our house over. No pleasantries exchanged or making polite arrangements for me to be home at the time they are demanding. I respond asking to schedule a time between us and they just keep asking for my address, which is so off putting so I end up blocking them. Also the expectation that I am going to deliver a £10 washing machine using my own petrol and car 20 miles away?! The dump is 2 miles away I would rather do that 😂

We aren’t out to make a fortune so AIBU to just ask a charity to take them as donations at least if they can sell them I know the money has gone to a good cause and I don’t have to deal with the general public myself

Another vote for Freecycle, although you can still get the sob stories on there too.

I had a couple turn up with a nice bottle of wine as a thank you for a radiator I was offering, which was a really nice gesture I thought.

My absolute favourite though, was a youngish lad who was first in for some carpet we were getting rid of. It was 5m by 5m, so a lot of carpet. He rocked up in a Peugeot 205 with a roof rack and I just stood there laughing. He said, do you not think I'll be able to get it on?" to which I replied "well, do you need to see the road when you're driving?" He came back later that day with his Uncle and a trailer. He also sent a very nice thank you email to say the carpet had furnished most of his new flat.

I've had 'naice' experiences on Freecycle, although have now probably jinxed it forever.

Contact your local food bank. They sometimes pass stuff on to people that really need it. I got rid od my old electric cooker this way. Nothing wrong with it, just hadn't been used much since I got an air fryer.

I think my recent experiences were just making me despair for humanity. If something is really cheap and I would otherwise throw it out but it is still working, I have left it out front before and posted on a local group ‘free to come collect’ and got nice people. I gave away a lawnmower a few months ago for free. I also did drop off a huge chest of drawers for no extra fee for someone who was really polite and nice. Being polite and nice will get you far!

but I have since moved and my new area is mostly suspicious weird scammers from London who want my address and CF’s who all have tiny cars 😂

I always do this. I give to charity rather than selling my stuff on.

I can’t stand FB marketplace and all the associated sob stories and stupid questions. I either donate or take to the recycling centre so YANBU at all.

Put it on the pavement outside your house, it will probably be gone in minutes!

Yanbu - if you’ve a local homeless charity they’ve often got a furniture etc initiative. Glad BHF
takes electrics

I always just donate to charity using the icollectclothes webiste (which I discovered via another Mumnsetter).
I just can't be bothered with the faff of Marketplace and sometimes downright rude demands.
I've had a lot of timewasters via Marketplace too - people who tell me to reserve something (normally that I've offered for free) and then they never turn up and never message again.
In all honesty, I'm happier knowing that they go to my chosen charity and I don't have to waste my time waiting for people or dealing with rude, demanding messages.

If I'm not going to get much money, I prefer to donate to charity. That way someone gets something at a bargain and the charity makes money. I assumed when people give things away it's because it might not be something a charity shop will want or they can't be bothered taking it to the shop

You couldn't pay me to use FB marketplace. I moved house last year and chucked £££ worth of stuff rather than put myself through that. Picked up a couple of extra shifts at work which covered any 'losses'. Much easier than dealing with all the numpties you inevitably have to deal with when selling secondhand goods these days.

Agree with this, far fewer time wasters on Freecycle.

I don’t know I just see it as CF territory. I suppose it depends on how much less they’re asking.
If I was to put something on for £20 and they’re asking to pay a fiver is that really not them being a CF chancer?
If I was to put something on for free it means I’m not bothered about the money. If I put something on for £20 it means I want £20 for it, or something around that amount. If they asked to pay say, £18 for it I’d be like fine whatever. But at that point I’d probably be rolling my eyes and preparing myself for further questions. Eg it’s collection only and they want me to deliver. 😂

Of course there is the saying that if you don’t ask you don’t get. But some people really do take the piss.

Everytime I go to the dump I am enraged with how much perfectly good stuff is there

charity always

When marketplace first started, I had good luck selling furniture, toys etc that we no longer needed. It's got worse over the years and more recently everything has been scams, no shows or aggressive behaviour. I would absolutely rather just give things away that go through that.

Our local British heart foundation do. They do electrical testing in store and I believe will come and collect from you if close or donating other stuff.

I agree makes me really sad but our dump now has a recycle section and I always try to give it to the (very excited) workers there. I gave them a bike recently. I am not sure where they go but the guys who work at the dump always seem to be rescuing stuff out of the bins and stopping people putting decent things in there now

I find olio better for giving things away, seems to be a more polite group of freecyclers who turn up when they say they will! Tried emptying my DM’s flat on fb and it was a nightmare with people messing me about.

Absolutely agree with everything people are saying about Facebook marketplace. It used to be great but now it is more hassle than it’s worth for selling or even giving away stuff. I do occasionally still buy stuff from it if it’s very local and I’ve worked out that the person is genuine. But as for selling stuff or giving away stuff on it, no way– I would rather use eBay or take it to the charity shop. I didn’t actually realise that Freecycle was still going – I used this back in the early days and always found it to be great, so I’m going to look it up again!

Your question is strange to me, as my first thought would be to see if a charity shop will take them, if, as you say you don't particularly need the money.

I find it odd though that you are trying to sell stuff, but then won't give the people who want to buy it, your address

They are being weird and aggressive demanding my address and not even arranging a suitable time to meet me. It makes me feel uncomfortable. I’ve also listed them for free but the same things happen people are weird, aggressive and CF! I already explained this? I thought £10 is pretty fair to avoid complete timewasters - many people online take free things and sell them for profit

Bikes are given to a community bike place (charity) where I live. They get a proper service and then might be sold or used for community projects.

I really rate ours, they do lots of free bike workshops and have a bike library for children.

I can normally tell by the first interaction whether a fb marketplace buyer is a genuine person or whether they’re going to be really rude and annoying. Some are so bloody cheeky with their sob stories and requests for delivery. It’s actually worse if you list things for free - I normally put a nominal price on things for that reason, the free adverts seem to attract the most rude people!

I also err on the side of giving things to the charity shop rather than selling if I can. I’m happy to buy from fb marketplace.