Freecycle Etiquette

keld

I suppose that why they say don't deliver! But well done you anyway.

Penelope_Penguin

zippychick wrote: »

ialways give a gift and one lady was so touched and send me a really nice text. She said all the times she had gave stuff away, she had never ever received a gesture of thank you. I wouldn't dream of turning up without even a small thank you - home made fairy cakes, hand cream, wine etc - depends , the bigger the value the more i spend on the thank you.

That's very kind of you, but it's frowned upon by Freecycle. The whole point is that you give away stuff to some, and accept from others. All transactions are supposed to be FREE I've never offered a gift, but was once given some random HM wine :cool: and a blessing from a vicar :eek:

FatVonD

One couple that I gave a table to came back later with a bottle of wine and another lady gave me a jar of jam, neither were expected but both were gratefully accepted and a nice gesture as the items in question were both quite high value and very good condition. I'd have been just as happy with a thank you having also had my fair share of people that don't bother!

Both waited until they'd seen the item though which I can understand as I went to collect a bed once that was in worse condition than the one we'd just got rid of (it was seriously only fit for firewood and they just couldn't be bothered to take it to the tip.)

I've given a bottle of wine once and a bunch of flowers another time when collecting stuff.

clairecymru

I love giving away stuff on freecycle. I am wary of giving people my home address though, so usually take things to my work and get people to pick them up from me there. It also avoids all the waiting around because as long as they turn up Monday-Friday 9-5 then I will be in the office.

I have never received or expected any gifts but I am always touched when someone really appreciates what they have received.

Even if my former belongings end up on ebay, it would not bother me, after all it is something I no longer needed or wanter.

stilernin

My gut feeling is to hate text speak, terse emails and a lack of please and thank you just as much as the next person. However, I am mindful of the thousands of people who are almost illiterate or for whom English is a second language; they are often in most need of an item. Difficult to know though isn't it?

I don't give gifts, but express my gratitude on the doorstep, send an email a couple of days after and put up far more Offers for items than requests. Particularly, items of little monetary value which are still very much sought after. Jam jars, 1/2 pots of paint, plants from sorting out the garden, A4 and jiffi envelopes, bubble wrap and small boxes rescued from work (ebayers love these).

If an item will fit, I leave it inside my recycling wheelie bin for collection. I do make it clear to the 'chosen one' which Friday the council collects though! This allows the person who is collecting to chose a time that suits.

I love Freecycle though, faults and all :j:j:j

zippychick

Penelope_Penguin wrote: »

That's very kind of you, but it's frowned upon by Freecycle. The whole point is that you give away stuff to some, and accept from others. All transactions are supposed to be FREE I've never offered a gift, but was once given some random HM wine :cool: and a blessing from a vicar :eek:

They are free- it's my choice to take a small gift of thanks. This is how i my mother raised me - i would be extremely embarassed to turn up and take something from a person without even a small gesture of thanks in return. I did it once, and was very uncomfortable with it. It's just not me.:)

boydE

starlite wrote: »

I collected some baby clothes from a lady , and we chatted by email a few times beforehand and she invited me for lunch which was lovely!
I then invited her to ours for lunch and she looked through my massive pile of unwanted clothes and books and took loads away which was great!

we meet quite often for coffee!

One time I was very annoyed was when someone came to collect a baby changing unit from us, and just said 'i'm here for the unit' picked it up and left..no thenks or anything!

i had that, we had a dining suite worth about a grand in immaculate condition bar 2 of the chairs which had cracks, we put them on freecycle, they turned up, picked it up, into the van, not even a thank you or a smile, grumpy sods.

Scoflo

I posted yesterday an item I was offering. I have to say some of the emails I got in response, and there were many, left a lot to be desired.

I normally choose by names out of a hat but I decided to eliminate the "tx msg" type and those that didn't say please or thank you. I have young people living in my house but I was taken aback by the agressive tone of some of the messages and the taken for granted nature of others.

If it makes a difference to me how people respond it might make a difference to others and it would be a shame to rule yourself out of the running through lack of politeness.

Or am I on my own? :eek:

rach

No you're not, i'm the same! I listed something today, clearly saying 'please let me know when you can collect' and I had a reply saying 'hi im intersted in yr comp desk thanlu sandra' (copied and pasted direct from email). I've actually put it on netmums in the end too as people are so much nicer on there!

I had an interesting situation recently whereby a guy had listed a bundle of maternity clothes and said he would wait 24 hours before deciding who to give them to. I just sent what I thought was a normal email saying I'd be grateful for them and how nice it was not to just give to first come first served. He responded and said he was so glad he waited as my email was by far the most gracious! Lovely couple and it was a bin bag full of amazing condition clothes!

Now I know that freecycle is about keeping things out of landfill, but a bit of common courtesy doesn't go a miss!

ChocClare

Not in the slightest. I was offered an ice-cream maker last year because the OP said I was the only person - out of dozens - who had asked politely and said please! I got a guinea pig hutch from freecycle last week for my bantam chicks, and I brought the lady a dozen eggs as a token offering and was very surprised at how overwhelmed she was at so slight an offering - considering it would have cost me at least fifty quid for the guinea pig hutch. I know it is free, but I always try to take something round to say thank you - perhaps not for firewood, but for something "big".

This is basic stuff, I would have thought!

When I offer anything, the ones who just put a phone number or "let me know when I can pick up" (or even, when you can deliver :eek:) get put straight in the reject pile. They still all get a personal email telling them it's gone and thanking them for their interest (why should I descend to their level?) but yep, the polite ones are the ones that get the stuff on offer. And I think it makes you feel happy when you're able to help out someone who is genuinely grateful - I can remember how overjoyed a young mum and her toddler were when they had our kids' old cozy coupe - and that's actually worth more than the tenner or so I could have got for it if I'd sold it.

So yes, you're absolutely right - it costs nothing to ask nicely, and I thought that was something we all learnt as kids, no?