Freecycle Etiquette

suzybloo

I totally agree with you, if giving anything away I would only look at the replies that were polite and showed some manners. It amazing how flippant some people are becoming and in some cases presumptious that they are going to get the item. Manners cost nothing afterall,
and common courtesy means alot in my mind

Suz

Scoflo

I am so glad I posted this! I am actually the owner and get blasted for this and that at times but its good to know Freecycle is appreciated and I'm not on my own being annoyed at the sheer being taken for grantedness (my own word lol) of some of the participants.

Nicoll

Totally agree with all the above. I always get replies along the lines of "I'll pick it up tonight" or "yeah I'll take it" or the dreaded txt speak!

How hard can it be to type a sentence with a please or thank you? I know some people can't help having reading and writing problems but basic politeness should be automatic.

Also get some people who seem to reply to everything I advertise, they don't get anything either once I notice this.

seabright

I get annoyed with the "please phone me" ones. If I am replying to an "offer" I often add my phone number, but make it clear that I don't expect them to phone me, I'm just including it as a show of good faith, to try and let them know I won't be a "no-show".

Don't get me started on the the No-Shows! Grrrrr.

I don't think it's necassarily an age thing though, as you can often make an educated guess at peoples ages from their first names and the lack of please & thank you seems pretty evenly spread to me.

northwest1965

seabright wrote: »

Don't get me started on the the No-Shows! Grrrrr.

.

Isnt that annoying, I offered 2 things a couple of weeks ago, both no shows!

OrkneyStar

On the ebay board there is a long thread going about this.....have a look there as it is scary some of the things people ask for/write!

missychrissy

I've been using freecycle about a year now and have given and received so many items now that I have lost count. I have never had a 'no show'. I've never had anyone be rude either but I know what yu mean about being presumptious.

Austin_Allegro

I used freecycle to give away my tellie last year. It was ok, but I did have a no show which was annoying as it meant I had to spend a fair bit of time chasing him and then reposting.

In a recent turn out, I decided it would be better to put stuff on Ebay at a low reserve, and give buyers the option of 'pick up' if they wanted to save on postage.

This way I get a little bit of money but more importantly, the system is more disciplined and because people are paying they tend to behave a bit better I think. If something is 'free' it seems to make some think that they don't have to be polite or honour a commitment.

I can see that Freecycle would still be worth it for big/heavy stuff that wouldn't go on Ebay though.

invisiblecabbage

I bought a pack of thankyou cards that I keep in th glove box of the car. Whenever i am fortunate to be 'chosen' to collect I always hand over a thankyou card. Manners cost nothing.

ubamother

it always amuses me slightly when some people really haven't got the spirit of freecyle/freegle - we've had an asker for a seven-seater car in working order, someone who wants a DSi, and someone after an XBox 360!
Some 'offerers' in our group make the point that anyone who wants must put down a landline number - this is very useful as I think it puts off less-genuine poeple and a one-to-one conversation probably leads to less no-shows that just email contact, and then the offerer doesn't spend pennies ringing a mobile. I've started doing this and I think it gets rid of the 'I'll have it, when can I get it' type responses.