Disillusioned with Freecycle.

Rachel021967

Can somebody regain my confidence in freecycle. We have a cluttered house and my husband is going to be made redundant so I thought I'd join freecycle. However, I have become very disalusioned. One of the items I offered was taken up by somebody who doesn't drive and expects me to take it to her despite she lives miles away, I don't drive and it would be a four hour round trip with a six year old in tow.
Most offers tend to go in 10 minutes. So unless your fixed to the computer all day your chances are very slim.
And I'm getting nowhere in acquiring a bike for my daughter (although I accept this could be timing).

Rachel

kimmy112

as you dont drive, and your giving it away for free, im pretty sure the other person who wants it should come and pick it up. or pay for posting if she wants it that bad.

Mojisola

Our group has a policy of encouraging people to give it at least a day before choosing, unless you need to get rid of something urgently.

I always eliminate anyone whose reply isn't polite and would withdraw the offer if the person couldn't collect.

Have you tried putting a WANTED ad about the bike or are you just replying to OFFERS?

Rachel021967

I have put two wanted ads up, although I do accept it is down to timing. How often should I ask or should I see what I can find in the local ads?

Sorry I just wanted to have a good moan - get it off my chest.

Rachel.

Pink.

Hi Rachel,

Thankfully I have only had good experiences with freecycle/freegle, but I know that others unfortunately haven't been so lucky. These threads may interest you:

freecycle etiquette

Freecycle and related sites comments

Should i give my item away on freecycle

I'll merge your thread with the first link once you've had more replies.

Pink

xangeleyes

Are you with Yahoo freecycle?? With their groups you can get emails sent directly to your email address as they are being posted (or near enough) - I find this great.

As a Freecyler, I would NEVER ask someone to deliver it to me, unless they mentioned they could, I would PAY them for it.

Just withdraw it and give it to someone else.

I only give things away to people who are polite and I try to figure out the liars too....there are many on there who will take and sell!

You can put in a post to ASK (WANTED) a bike and usually people will get back to you quickily enough

Good Luck x

Lou76

I know how you feel, I became so disheartened by the '!!!!!!!!!!s' that I forgot about the genuine freecyclers.

To give a few examples; My Mum & Dad gave me a nearly new washing machine, my machine was old(ish), however, was still fully functioning, so it would be a shame to bin it. If I hadn't been given this upgrade, I'd have hoped to get many more years out of it myself, so offered it on Freecycle.

I was inundated by people wanting to know things like the exact model number of the machine - what does it matter, I said it was a hotpoint?

Wanting to know if it had a guarantee still running and, if so, was it transferable?

Wanting to know what colour it was - ehh, if you're that desperate for a machine, and can't afford to buy one, does it matter what colour it is?

I saw a "wanted ad" from a lassie claiming she was so hard up (had been homeless, first house, nothing in it etc) and replied offering her a load of kitchen appliances (kettle, toaster, iron etc) and she replied to me saying she wasn't interested because they weren't blue and wouldn't match her decor. !? :eek:

Then there was the folk I waited in for, but didn't bother to notify me that they were turning up, and still waiting to this day...

I gave up at that point, but I'm sure I'll go back and offer more stuff again soon.

Trust me, there's plenty of folk on there who do appreciate what you offer.

ETA: why is free loader (minus the space) a banned term, it makes my comment look as though I was swearing?

mttylad

If you have bad experiences on Freecycle or Freegle, like someone not turning up, people complaining, asking about guarantees etc then let your group moderators know.
Keep the emails, letting the moderators know will enable them to put out admin emails advising everyone of how Freecycle/Freegle is supposed to work and how there are no guarantees etc.

Some people do ask for the earth & want it delivering - they soon get put in peoples black books and ignored.

I keep every single email I get sent (apart from spam) so can search and see if anyone replying to my offers has ever posted an offer before or if they are just posting constant wanteds and free loading, I also leave it at least 24 hrs before responding and do not post a taken until it actually leaves the house. As said - I keep the emails - so if someone does not turn up and does not get in touch with me within a reasonable time I can pass it onto someone else.

Biggles

mttylad wrote: »

I also leave it at least 24 hrs before responding and do not post a taken until it actually leaves the house.

So do I, I wish everyone did the same. The number of times you see 'Taken, subject to collection'. And you sigh, waiting for it to be readvertised, 'Due to non-collection.......'

As regards the moans above, they are problems with certain people, a small minority in my experience, not 'Problems with Freegle'.

rosie383

I always do a search on the site of the person's name to see if they are a serial 'wanter'. Unbelievable that so many ask for a flat screen tv, ipad etc!!!!!!
But don't lose heart Rachel. There are many people out there who are very grateful for anything they get. I think you will always get someone slipping through the net and getting something they shouldn't, but I, too, only give to people who are polite in their replies. Freecycle is a wonderful thing.
Put another 'wanted' ad for a bike, maybe weekly until you get one. Even say in the ad that you have asked before and have had no success. It makes it easier to see that you are a genuine freecycler IYKWIM.

GreyQueen

I joined my city's group several months ago. I don't have many "wants" myself as my little household is well set up but I have the occasional thing to shed which I like to offer. Offered 5 items last week and rehomed 2 of them (others will go to dump or c.s)

I have been messed around on occasion. There was one person who wanted something, I said she could have it, no response, emailed her again, no response. I have her name filed in my brain under Timewaster and if she ever wants something of mine again, she won't get a chance at it. Another dozy so-an-so misread an email and to cut a long story short it took me 10 days to get them to collect something which was inconvenient to store and had several other people after it.

My strategy now is to offer things which can be left in a hidey hole outside my home and ask the recipients to collect them at their convenience and send me an email when they have done so.

My group has a fair rules policy (it's not compulsory) about offering things for 24 hours before choosing the recipient as we don't all have the time to sit on top of our email accounts and I abide by this myself.

I'd say persevere, report p*sstakers to the moderator, and remember that there are many genuine and lovely people out there; I have met some very nice ones.