Freecycle and related sites comments

sandieb

Have had good experiences with Freecycle but had to smile at the message only the other day requesting a computer for a 6 year-old (must be Windows XP). :rotfl:

squeaky

We recently had a member who posted something on the order of:-

Wanted, wicker basket.

The mod concerned posted back:-

Could you please put a location in your post and then send it.

The reply...

...

...

Wanted, wicker basket, for the bathroom.

sandieb

Wonderful - Love it!

squeaky

It's nice to get a smile out of posts now and then. Things like this, or a thanks for your help, go a long long way to wipe out the less fun posts that (bossy jobsworth hitlerite unfair <-- perm any three from four ) moderators can sometimes have to deal with.

Shamish

alyth wrote:

I have to be honest and say that I am totally sick of freeycle! i recently moved out of a 35 roomed house and had absolutely tons of stuff that I put on freecycle - no rubbish, microwaves, beds, wardrobes, bedding, you name it and I had it! (the house was a former hospital and we inherited all this stuff!) it took me hours and hours to deal with it - people not showing up, people turning up and declining the goods (absolutely their perogative of course, didn't mind that) and my local freecycle is turning into sheer greed - people posting for white goods, one message tonight was someone wanted an electric heater for their mother's newly built conservatory - their words! I feel it's turning into people just wanting free stuff and not willing to pay for it. I have an old PC that I'd like to give to someone, not for money but someone who's in need of one, and I'm loath to freecycle it as I suspect that it will be sold on, which isn't the ethos of freecycle. I also had to bring loads of furniture from the old place to the new one and it's all sitting in a garage and I don't know what on earth to do with it! So freecycle for me is out I'm afraid!

Alyth i know you met you about last summer when you were painting your house to do it up and got your microwave from you Still working well in our kitchen.

Goto agree about some of the people on our freecycle now though we've offered lots of different stuff from Kids clothes to a toasie maker. And one person who i wont name has asked for somthing everytime we have offered it well strange though i think he's selling the stuff on which i agree is'nt the way of freecycle

Also my other local freecycle in Arbroath moderate all post's so it can somtimes take 1-2 days before a post appears and by the time it's up it's gone because everyone on Dundee has asked for it. Some people like to run freecycle as if it's a shop they own and youre the staff never replying to your e-mails etc. the Dundee freecycle was like that for a while but thankfully he moved on.

Sorry you've been messed around so much i hope you did'nt feel we messed you about with the microwave but from what i can remember it all went to planned

Take Care
Shamish

Shamish

LOL I agree with you. We recently offered a video player and got hundreds of responses one person e-mailed us 3 times first time stating there interest 2nd time saying phone me then the 3rd time saying she'd missed our call and to phone back.

We never replied to any of the mails as we'd been far too busy yet alone phoned her. I find it quite rude when people replying to somthing you've offered say Phone me leave there number and nothing else. Needless to say they never get a phone call lol

lil_me wrote:

Alyth I can totally understand where you are coming from. I know people who have put wanted ads for cars stating were to take children/disabled/elderly relatives out just to sell on, taken items just to sell on, I would rather items went to someone who needed it. I also have had some very rude messages like



Needless to say I didn't but I did reply to the email to tell them how rude I thought they were.

Shamish

Agree there's lots of nice people we've met lots of people and reguarly speak to some of them who have become friends which is good

Going to pick up some kid's clothes and a stroller tonight So nice wee trip out

vivw wrote:

I have only had positive experiences with freecycle.
I have manged to declutter and make sure the items don't fill the local landfill site by putting them on freecycle. I have found that most people collect that day or at least the next day and are most grateful for the items. Sometimes if I have had to go out I have left the item/s in the porch in a carrier...when I come home I usually find a thank you note in my e-mails. One woman locally uses freecycle to get items for the local women's refuge and I'm more than happy if items can go in that direction.
As to item I have managed to get from others - crutches for my mother when she fractured her ankle - printer - easel for my grandchildren - jam jars when I wanted to make chutney and found I had no jars - some wonderful dressing up clothes for my grandchildren.....and today I have just missed a kenwood chef [although the giver has put me second on the list]
I have on occasion found that no-one wanted my item/s and in that situation I either advertise them later or hand to charity shop

spiddy100

There is one lady who has just joined one of our local groups and has asked for:

a bed
children's curtains, Thomas the Tank Engine
a cream leather sofa
a silver microwave
designer clothing and accessories
a detached two bedroom property in the xxx area

I suppose if you don't ask you don't get :laugh:

Penelope_Penguin

I love Freecycle, but am getting frustrated with the mods. I'm not bothered where stuff goes. I'd prefer it went to someone who can use it, but would rather it be sold on rather than go to landfill. Our mods have taken the view that things shouldn't be sold, so when you post a TAKEN, you must say who's got it. Seems rather beauracratic to me.

Also, I live in a rural area, between several groups, but not really close to any. I've been told by one group that I'm not to post on more than one group, but must wait at least a week. I never get many responses, as I'm rather remote, so this would be a reason just to dump something.

They've not been able to give me a good reason as to why this should be, so I've resigned from there and post on a different group.

Penny. x

squeaky

That's a tough one.

Usually mods only start asking people to post the user name of the taker when they are pretty sure that there is one (or more) serial taker about who is selling on.

Selling on isn't a problem, BUT those members who make some form of living from taking goods and then selling on are asked (required) to be up front about it to give those people who would prefer to give to the genuinely needy the choice as to who they gift to.

Some people don't care what happens to their items - others do.

Asking for user names is the only way to show up such people since it's extremely difficult and highly contentious to actually accuse someone of taking advantage of the good heart of the membership in this way. At the very least it slows them down, and the canny members will spot the regular takers and may decide that they'd prefer to give to someone else.

It's not about "control" - it's about trying to safeguard members within the very limited means that moderators have at their disposal.

HTH