Freecycle Etiquette

yummymummy79

I've given 2 things over the last month or so, 1 to be collected on Saturday so will see how that goes! But some of the emails I got for my fridge freezer were almost laughable 'i'll have it if it's still available' and 'i'd like this and can pick up on saturday' without a hint of a please or thank you! The person who picked up the other item was ok via emails, but when he turned up only whinged about having to carry it up 2 flights of stairs when he got home (mattress - which I had got downstairs myself!) and don't think he said thank you at all.

I don't necessarily go for the first reply, usually the one of the first few which sounds the most polite and worthwhile.

Gizmogiz

I have had the exact same thoughts everytime I put something on Freecycle. I always give it to a polite reply who actually answers my post correctly (i.e when you specifically ask people to let you know when they can collect it & they don't)

I have had a few bad experiences with Freecycle and its such a shame as the idea itself is great. I've only ever used it to give stuff away.

Don't get me started on 'Wanted' posts :mad:.....

TonyMMM

I've given away quite a few things, and always ignore the following ...

1) Anyone who uses txtspeak in their message
2) Anyone who doesn't use the word please
3) Anyone who expects me to phone them
4) Anyone who asks when I can deliver the item (happened more than once)

and finally, if I have a few candidates, I look them up on Freecycle to see how much stuff they have given away themselves.... funny how many only ever seem to take stuff and never offer anything !

uolypool

I give and recieve on freecycle,I get very annoyed with the simple "yeah I want it if you still have it" messages.When I put something offered on freecycle I always wait 24 hours and weed out the polite ones and keep them to one side then decide from there who to offer to.I always make sure that the item if it is clothing is freshly laundered and ironed ready to use .I fully agree manners don't cost anything I wouldn't dream of leaving a txt email or anything that resembles one.I also where possible take a token gift for what I recieve, for example when I recieved an email offering my daughter a pe kit for her secondary school my daughter made a thank you card and I baked a victoria sandwich as a thank you.The lady who collected my daughters pe kit that she had outgrown several weeks ago brought round a box of chocolates as a thankyou.

roosterpotatoes

My local freecycle board has got a bit out of hand, people seem to be really rude, ive offered numerous things where the people have said please on the "asking" email but they will come and collect then thats it, not an email saying thanks or to freecycle saying they have taken an item, thats the bit which gets on my goat

People are now asking for GHD's, DSi's, Wii's, things that are really expensive and ive never seen offered lol

I may be on my own by wanting at least a thank you email once they have taken the item, i always have sent one out to things ive collected.

Rant over

wssla00

I have got some amazing things over the last year from freegle but I offer a lot more than I ever ask for. But the thing that gets me is the ones that always email when you have something on offer! How can they want everything????? They must be selling it on..... Anyway that and the ones that ask you if you still have the receipt.....where you bought it etc..... It's free surely you take a risk that it isn't from john lewis? Or am I naive....?

Amethyst_ice

As a student- and now unemployed- me and my bf are always on the look at yahoo freegles and freecycles.

I finally cleared out under my stairs and had lots of small boxes from ebay i decided to offer. I put, they are small boxes, suitable for an ebayer.

I had 2 people reply, so i told them both that to be fair they could both come at 3pm. One person replied saying could they not have them all so i said no because i want to be fair.

ANyway...2.40pm and my doorbell went and it was one already! I thought this was rude. He came in, looked at them and went...oh...they are small...you said some medium boxes and started routing through them all tutting! SO i told him i had said they were small and i didnt know he was moving house! Then a woman arrived 5 mins later and didnt even say hi...she also started tutting they were no good , took a few and half shouted thanks!

The guy after gettin what he want asked me to help him take them to the car!!! (oh yes in the message i was asked to ring him as well which i didnt!)

I ahd loads of bubble wrap so i let him have that but he just got in his car and left.

I was left feeling rather annoyed by the whole thing. why arnt people greatful!!!

serious_saver

I used to love freecycle but our local group is getting a bit out of hand. One thing that annoys me nearly as much as no shows is the people who turn up at completely the wrong time. On one occassion I offered a lovely pair of satin Latin American Dance shoes. They had only been worn once (as I injured my ankle soon after) with an rrp of £70. She said she could pick them up that day and I told her that I would be home from work at 6pm and could she just let me know what time she would be able to pick them up. She didn't turn up that evening but arrived the following afternoon when I was in work and got in a huff when my father opened the door and wouldn't give her the shoes because he didn't know which pair I had offered.

I don't mind people asking for big things (wishful thinking?) as I've seen them offered before.

serious_saver

I also tend to respond to wanted posts these days more than I offer - just because you get inundated with emails that are either rude or completely over the top sob stories

notjustlaura

scottishflower2000 wrote: »

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. ...

Or am I on my own? :eek:

No, you're not alone, ScottishFlower - I do the same thing and make sure any replies I'm sending are polite! It amazes me still that other people don't have the same approach!