Freecycle (Merged Thread)

Penelope_Penguin

I usually wait 24 hours, then pick who has the best reason.

Please and thank you stand in someone's favour :T , and text speak usually counts them out :rolleyes:

I'm against *first come first served* as it counts against people who don't have 24-hr access to their computer.

Penny. x

shellsuit

When I want shut of something, obviously I want it gone asap, so I always ask for anyone interested to let me know in their reply when they can collect.

I've had dozens of replies saying, 'can i have it'/'ill take it all' and that's it! -but the person it goes to is the first one to let me know when they can collect.....oh and please and thank you helps my decision along

Edinburghlass_2

Penelope_Penguin wrote:

I usually wait 24 hours, then pick who has the best reason.

Please and thank you stand in someone's favour :T , and text speak usually counts them out :rolleyes:

I'm against *first come first served* as it counts against people who don't have 24-hr access to their computer.

Penny. x

I do the same Penny, I "judge" the emails and haven't been wrong so far.

Once put up a load of bulky office equipment and someone wanted it all and responded as soon as the post hit the listings. Probably going to re-sell but as they were prepared to pick up within a few hours I was quite happy to let it go to them as it cleared a large space.

Ken68

I once travelled 10 miles to collect a 'picnic' kettle, which turned out to be a one cup electric job, and was denied anything else because the giver wanted' one item per person'. It was all home/kitchen stuff.

clairefun

I love Freecycle, though haven't used it much, as I'm moving to a new house in a month or so. I got a 21" computer monitor to replace mine when it broke (I only asked for a monitor and was offered this huge one - a !!!!!! to move but wonderful to use!), I've also given away a baby walker, a unopened wedding gift of a dartboard (my 5 year anniversary is coming up so I thought it had better go!) and a small colour tv - all three to the same person, accidentally - I offered the walker & they replied saying their son had just taken his first steps in his cousins walker that weekend, so they 'won' it - then I replied to a post requesting a dartboard as I didn't want to try posting it on Ebay and the request turned out to be them - I then said 'as you're coming, do you need a small TV?' and they said their bedroom tv was on the blink! What are the odds? I was very pleased to get it all gone from the house & to a good home.

full-time-mum

HugoSP wrote:

For example, I have at the moment a lightweight buggy that I need to get rid of. When I advertise that I will probably state that traders etc are not welcome and I will probably choose a recipient based on their e mail. People who are after everything that goes tend to respond differently than people who genuinely need an item.

Sometimes, freecycle isn't necessarily the best first port of call. For example, if you want your buggy to go to someone in need then contact your local surestart, health visitor or local NCT.

As has been mentioned above, some people use it to make a quick buck - sometimes, thats fine. We have a couple of non-working TVs and if someone wants to fix them and then sell them on, then fine, but like you, I want my baby stuff to go to someone in need.

Freecycle is a brilliant service but is, like most things on the net, open to abuse.

Ken68

It's a good system in that 'takers' very quickly become 'givers', no doubt in others things too.
I had a lady round not so long ago, working as part of a neighbourhood group with a long list of addresses from which to collect stuff. She said it was her turn this week.

helen81_2

Thanks for all the replies!
Ive decided against choosing the first person to get in touch for the reason someone mentioned about some people not having access to a computer alot.

Helen x

16011996

i too try not to go for the first poster back, we have had problems on our local one with someone who applied for everything and was selling them on ebay using the same user name!!!!!!!!!!!! very annoying,
for me manners count a lot, and if they seem to have a genuine need (i.e. some bits i had went to a school teacher who would use them at school) and i hate the ones who put i'll have it, give me your address, thats a guaruntee to be deleted. very rude. i even had one email me three times telling me i hadn't replied and they wanted to know where to collect the stuff!!!!!!!
go with your gut instinct i find, most people are genuine, and its a great thing, just a shame it gets abused.

cookie54

cant believe it . i have offered 5 different items and had some replys none have given a reason for wanting the item nor have any of them put in there "p or q " in the replys .......... what would you do as i want rid of these items but having never done free cycle before i am feeling a bit mifffed at peoples rudeness ....................