Tips to help when using Freecycle

vivw_2

I have started this thread as some of us who have been using Freecycle for a while, possibly have several pieces of advice and tips that can be passed on to newbies.

When offering

1. Don't agree to giving the item to the first person who replies - some people seem to spend all day on line ready to respond. If you wait a while you can then decide who you wish to give the item to
2. Give a good description of the item with perhaps a link to a web site that has a pic of the item

When responding to offers

1. Be polite
2. try to pick up the item as soon as possible
3. explain why you would like the item
4. don't be greedy

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dannahaz

When giving an item:

• Don't give your address until you have received a reply back from the recipient to confirm that they still want the item and giving you an idea of when they can come and collect it. (Giving an approximate location is fine).
• Make sure you have their phone number and/or they have yours, in case they get lost.

When collecting an item

• If you change your mind, or if you are running late, PLEASE let the donor know. It's very frustrating waiting in for someone who doesn't turn up!

lil_me

When offering

State if item is to be collected, or you will have those who expect you to deliver replying.

Look through WANTED posts to see if an item has been requested for a genuine reason before offering an item.

Offer contact number so they can ring you if they are going to be late or can't make it to collect an item and get a contact number for the collector aswell. Then you will not sit around all day for nothing-hopefully.

Explore other sites like https://www.dontdumpthat.com etc

Nicki

For those who don't know about freecycle, it isn't for selling but for giving away unwanted items. Don't try to sell, or make the mistake of saying you are selling when you mean offering, otherwise you will be flamed (depending on how goodnatured your group is).

My top tips are:

1. ignore people who come across as being very fussy about the colour, etc of what you are offering, as they are more likely to turn up and decide that your second hand pushchair, etc is not for them because it doesn't look as pristine as a brand new one in a shop (Funny that, when you've been using it for 2 years!)

2. try and get a phone number from those who are collecting and those who are offering if you are collecting. If you need to go out urgently for any reason or get held up at work and will be late home, you can then cancel without having someone turn up while you are out, and if you get lost going to collect, you can ask for directions.

3. if offering a batch of items - eg clothes - don't let people cherry pick what they want, otherwise you will end up with a big pile of discarded clothes on your floor when they are gone, and will end up having to have even more people round to collect. The person should take the whole lot, and if when they get home there are things they don't like, they can sell them, take them to a charity shop or freecycle them.

4. Never post unless you get the postage in advance, and if you don't live near a post office, make it clear in your offer that it is collection only.

5. If your item is heavy, make this clear in your post, and make sure the person will be coming by car before you decide who to offer it to. If they turn up by bus for something that weighes 10kg, they'll take one look and leave it, even if it should have been obvious to them that the item would weigh that much!

6. Always state the quality of your item in the post. If its broken say so. You would be surprised how many people will still take it off your hands for spare parts or to use as a prop in a play, etc

7. If someone doesn't turn up as arranged block them from sending you emails so you don't make the mistake of offering to them again. As OP says some people respond to every post, but they quite often don't actually turn up and pick up

8. Try to arrange collection times for a time when you would be at home anyway so you don't resent waiting in for someone to collect if they don't show.

I've had good experiences by and large of offering items on freecycle, and it is a great way to de-clutter, but there are sadly some people who abuse the system and don't show up when they say they will, or bombard you with emails begging you to post something even when you have made it clear that you are not able or willing to do so, which can make it a bit off-putting sometimes

Bogof_Babe

Ooh, I just started Freecycling this week, due to clearing my parents' house and some stuff not being acceptable to the charity "house clearance" (hah! ) lot that we contacted.

I've been really pleasantly surprised at the response. People have been very forthcoming in offering contact phone numbers and fitting in with our viewing times. They all seem to be genuinely nice folk.

I'm really pleased I took the initiative and joined up. It will save us a major headache if everyone turns up as planned and takes what they have applied for.

vivw_2

Thanks for all the tips so far.
One way of checking on someone who has replied to your offer post is to search for their user name on the message board [ of your local freecycle group]. If you type their user name or email address in and press search, you fill get a list of all the items they have offered / requested and also taken [ if your group has the policy where possible of people announcing who has taken an item]. I did this recently when I offered a high cost item and found several people who only requested high cost items and offered rubbish, if anything. Eventually the item went to the local women's refuge [ though a worker at the refuge who keeps an eye on the freecycle messages]

gravitytolls

I love Freecycle.

I made the mistake of offering things to the first email I had. I soon learned that I preferred to pick and choose. Soem people were obviously dealers, and I don't want anyone to profit from my unwanted things, I want them to go to people who coudl actually use them.

As a large family, I tend to veer toward to offering to those who have children, as I know that budgets are often much tighter here.

I've been, on the whole, very pleased with the people who've collected from me. I don't mind waiting either; after all stuff happens.

One of the first things I put on was a wooden train track. I received masses of emails about this, and offered it to a chap who had 4 children.

He asked could he collect the following weekend, as his car wa in the garage. He emailed at the W/E saying the car was back in the garage as teh exhaust had fallen off, woudl I mind waiting?
The following W/E he emailed to say further work needed doing, and did I want to offer it to someone else.

I waited a full 4 weeks, but they were a lovely family, and I'm glad they got it.

Yet, I've had snotty email from people who've responded to my 'yes pleases', within 2 hours of receviing my email, because I haven't called to arrange collection yet! Soem seem to think once they've offered it to you, you'll be on the doorstep before the day is out.

And some very odd things go on too. My boys play golf, and I recently responded to 'bag of golf balls'. What the ad didn't say was it was a sweetie bag. 3 golf balls, very scratched and elderly. I think thy were new to freecycle, and just wanted to put stuff on, cos they were having so much fun. They were very nice. We had a little chuckle.

dlb

I have to agree when i do put items on, i try to offer it to the person who seems most needy of the item, also when responding for a item i try not to sound to desperate (although i really want it).
I am lucky enough to be picking up a dishwasher today from freecycle, and my email was just, if you still have this available i would be most grateful if you would consider me for the item, i am local and would be able to collect at a time suitable for yourselfs. If the item has already gone, thank you for taking time to read my email and happy freecycling`
I just wondered from a previous post how would you know if the person had children before offering the item? I have 4 kids and think freecycle is a great thing but would never use the fact that i have 4 kids and havent got alot of money to try and get a person to offer me the items. Do you email the people and ask them why they want it?

rainbowrisin

Interesting thread - I'm intrigued by people saying they don't give to the first person who replies. The moderator on my freecycle has made it quite clear that we're not to give reasons why we want / offer items, as people didn't want to hear a pile of sob stories, and the whole aim of freecycle is to reduce landfill, not to prevent people selling on.

Becles

I like it when people drop a line to say thank you afterwards.

I put an old CRT monitor on, and a man asked if he could have it as the monitor for his sons games computer was broken, so I gave to him. That evening I got an email from the boy saying thank very and he was pleased he could play his games in colour again instead of just blue like on his old monitor. I thought that was lovely

squeaky

rainbowrisin wrote:

Interesting thread - I'm intrigued by people saying they don't give to the first person who replies. The moderator on my freecycle has made it quite clear that we're not to give reasons why we want / offer items, as people didn't want to hear a pile of sob stories, and the whole aim of freecycle is to reduce landfill, not to prevent people selling on.

Yes, it's the "sob story" rule.

Some moderators take the guidleine very literally and only accept something on the order of:-

Wanted please, childrens clothes for a boy 18mnths - 2yrs

Most will allow a brief description such as:-

Wanted, a gas cooker. Any colour or condition accepted because mine has broken down completely this weekend.

Well, maybe not that, but you get the idea

It leaves a grey line between explanation and sob story, I know, but it works for our group.

But a whole chapter and verse thing full of "need" and "desperate" are likely at the very least to be returned to the poster asking that they remove all the "story" and just state their wanted in simple terms.


There are few hard and fast rules for Freecycle moderators, but plenty of guidelines... which is why you'll see a fair amount of variation from group to group. Some mods are very keen on some things, others are a bit more lenient.

They're all volunteers too, so be gentle with them if you disagree


As for selling on:-

Most groups ask somewhere in the etiqutte file that is sent to all members (and then repeated monthly) that people trading should say so up front when responding to offers.

Some members won't care, they just want rid. Others will choose to give to someone in need.

But at the end of the day - once you have given an item away - it isn't yours any more, it's theirs.