Freecycle to Ebay

topcat0000

So I am considering taking stuff off of freecycle and selling it on ebay.

I have two questions.... firstly is this morally wrong? secondly is their money to be made?

Thanks!

Kaminari_2

I personally think it is morally wrong but it is not for me to push what i believe on others, i have only said this because it is my opinion. If you choose to do it that is up to you. I'm sure there are people out there already doing it.

Is there money it it? Probably, you would have to take into consideration your time and petrol to pick up the items.

frivolous_fay

My freecycle group insists that those accepting free items who intend to sell them on must declare it.

It's not really in the spirit of the thing. Those who are caught doing this without telling people are removed from the group I'm in.

ShockingPink

It's morally wrong. No two ways about it!

alanalea

I'd be pretty miffed if I thought I was helping someone in need of something but they were going to sell it on eBay. The things I put on Freecycle I could sell myself- I just think it's nice to help others as they've helped me when I needed it most.

amazon_spice

Doesn't sit at all well with me either.

glendam

I run a free cycle group and I would be annoyed if I was told someone is selling. If that is what you want to do you must declare it in a wanted or if you are replying to an offer.
Obviously some people would not offer to you but some people just want to get things out of the house and cant be bothered to sell themselves.

Glenda

ads_2

I don't think it is morally wrong to sell on goods found on freecycle but it's not really in the right spirit.

Saying that, isn't the idea of the freecycle concept to avoid more landfill and if someone is getting use out of an item that would otherwise have been thrown on the skip then it's not that bad.

In the end I'm not in favour of people selling things that they have got from freecycle.

Loafer

I am with everyone else on this one. I personally woud be really peed off if I saw something I gave on eBay; and not from a monetary point of view. I give things to help people out really; perhaps stuff that people wouldnt normally be able to afford.

I have not yet had anything back from Freecycle though. If I did, I would never list them as I am taking something for profit that someone else might need who might not be able to afford it. Esp this time of year.

I'd just feel that what I had given was taken for granted and be very very reluctant to give anything again.

tonyivb

I think that most Freecycle participants (including myself) would consider it morally wrong, but I think there are some exceptions depending on the items(s) in question and the demand for them.

Example 1: If you offer anything of 'value' then you will be inundated with requests, therefore you have to make a decision on who you is going to get it.

Example 2: Non-valuable items get less (or no) responses so you may not have to make that decision.

I would always prefer that my item would go to someone who will actually use it themselves, but if I only get one response then I wouldn't care as my initial motive was to get shot of the item.

Rightly or wrongly I do not make any judgements on the merits people say why they should have the item as I imagine an unscrupulous user would say anything to try and get it. Thats why if I am offering something on Freecycle I will draw the lucky winner at random after a set time period or if I want the item shifted quickly I say that its whoever can pick it up first.

Moving onto your second point (is there money to be made?), maybe, but going by the nature of the goods on Freecycle and that you will only 'win' a few of the 'valuble' items (see example 1) then I wouldn't count on much?

Contains_Mild_Peril

I think it's OK if you wait maybe a day or so to give those who might need the item for themselves a chance, and you make it clear to the donor that you plan to sell it. I'm not sure there'd be much money it under those circumstances, though: items which attract little interest on Freecycle might not do that well on eBay either. The exception might be stuff offered on Freecycle as lots, which might be saleable individually.
I think if you're honest about your motives and only taking stuff that would otherwise be dumped, it would be worse not to take it if it's useful to you (for profit or otherwise), and the fact that there may be money involved does not alter the basic principle that reuse is better than landfill.