Freecycle and related sites comments

whatatwit

Yes, a lot of it is down to trust.
On my local group, the adverts and the wanted requests are checked by the mods, so they do sometimes take a while to appear.

If you were to click on the reply button to an ad, you would e-mail directly to the giver. If you are sucessful, they usually respond and then you sort out a convenient time.
I have used a mobile number when talking to people and usually the item is in my hall or porch.
On my group, they do ask that you should give something before requesting anything.

squeaky

If you read the etiquette file which was sent to you when you joined you should find a note on safety in there.

Essentially it's up to you to arrange pickups. You can:-

• leave the item outside.
• meet in a public place.
• have a friend relative or neighbour at your house or meeting place.

dolly_day_dream

I am so glad that other freecylers don't like 'sob' stories. I have had a problem over the past few weeks in that someone I know has been posting on our local freecycle. She is asking for some very expensive items and has been stating that she is both impoverished and disabled. Neither is true. I was unsure what to do about it. The mods did remind people that you could only repeat a wanted message once a fortnight which slowed her down a bit. She was asking every day and saying how urgent it was. She is back again today . I know that the principle idea is to stop items going to landfill but I know that I have given to people in the past things that I had no intention of throwing out but no longer used just because they were asked for. I would hate for people to think they were helping when she can easily afford to buy new.

DawnW

We have a nice group locally, but you do get the odd post asking for expensive things like laptops. I certainly wouldn't feel I had to give away something that I wanted to keep to a stranger just because they were asking for one though! Mind you, I have had a great time this weekend, decluttering and spring cleaning - Today I have rehomed an old side table, a printer cartridge that doesn't fit any printer I remember having, which I found down the back of the filing cabinet, a giant rubber plant that my daughter abandoned here years ago, and still to go are a box of books and a cutlery set! Now what else can I get rid of??

Ishtar

My local group is becoming a bit of a wish list also - people wanting cars, new-ish white goods etc, etc.

I've also noticed that of the things I've listed, the more 'valuable' items - eg. dishwasher with a non-functioning pump and PC base without hard drive - have been snapped up almost immediately. Other items, such as crockery and holiday brochures (for 2007) have not been responded to

I know it's pot-luck whether anyone responds, but I have to say, hand on heart, anything that appears to be of little value is generally ignored, while there's a real scramble to get anything that's worth anything.

Things are still going to landfill when they are perfectly servicable, which is a shame as for electrical goods its not always possible to give them to charity.

D.

kabie

I'm miffed at the moment and trying not to let it spoil my freecycling. Had something promised only to find it had been given to another. Two people haven't bothered to turn up for things I'm offering and everytime I put an offer on the same person is always first to ask. Am I being overly suspicious: she has asked for everything; toys, furniture, lawn mower, bike and other stuff. Thinking now that perhaps I'm being nasty but I checked her out and all her posts are "wanted". I've found that my local Oxfam takes electrical stuff so the dvd and a few other bits I have are going there. (yes I have a mountain of "junk" as I'm fed up with the "that'll come in handy" attitude of husband: well and me too if I'm honest).

likabu_2

We have got great people on our (Wrexham) freecycle and not so great as other freecycles.

There is one chappy who regularly asks for peoples old computer bits and pieces. He then builds them into new computer systems and offers them on freecycle with advice on where to get the other bits needed (ie licences and sound cards) and how much they should cost - terrific.

Today someone has asked for a horse:

hi does anyone have a quiet horse(plod) for me ,that is layed back and
good in traffic, must be 16 hh or over .I have 2 screws in my hip and
only want to hack around the countryside and i have lost my confidence.
I can offer a loving home with my other 6 rescued horses on a friends
nice farm .My present horse is good in all ways ,just a bit to forward
going for me.



Also, the Wrexham groups messages are only posted (emailed) out once or twice a day all the time so I guess we are fully moderated too. I can go away from the computer to get a cuppa and come back and I've got 18 emails all at once!

Lisa

Ishtar

There was someone asking for a iPod today......

D.

angelavdavis

Someone asked for a caravan the other day - and got a respondent apparently!

I have had little luck getting rid of working PC peripherals such as monitors, etc. They are still littering the house at the moment.

TKP_3

We had a great one the other day - someone offered a boat (dingy) with trailer. Both in good working order...
I was stunned :shocked:
Apparently there was a flurry of responses to it :rotfl: