Freegle/freecycle ingrates

Contains_Mild_Peril

MamaMoo wrote: »

Totally agree. I recently offered a 3 piece suite for collection. All I got was a load of emails saying "can you deliver?" Despite the ad saying I couldn't, and one guy asked if he could come for a viewing (I'd provided about 10 photos, and !!!!!!, it was free!)

Fortunately all my experiences of Freecycle/Freegle have been good, both as a giver and a taker, but I don't think asking politely if one may view a 3 piece suite before committing to take it is in any way unreasonable. The item may be free but it may cost the recipient a significant amount of money for transport, and if (for example) they live in a top floor flat with a spiral staircase and a narrow front door I can understand why they'd want to make sure it's not something they're going to feel the need to replace any time soon. Well done for providing plenty of photos (not everyone does) but I would never agree to take a difficult-to-transport suite or bed etc without first having the opportunity to check that it's reasonably comfortable for me to use.
I'd much rather deal with someone who's honest (without being unrealistic) about their standards than with the local furniture project which agreed to uplift a 3 piece suite but rejected the whole suite purportedly because one chair had a small untidily-repaired tear, though I suspect the van crew were looking for an excuse to refuse it rather than have to carry it down 3 flights of stairs.

saterkey

I came out and rejoined my local freecycles recently due to change of email, one wouldn't let me rejoin very strange, no reason given, both came up with quite a lot of questions to join, is this your closest, will you be selling stuff, name age, lot of rules and regs, to be honest after that palaver im surprised if anyone joins up nowadays.

I have really good experiences in the past, have given away, delivered and received lots of things.

There have been a number of timewasters, one really really rude and horrible woman who sent me horrible emails when she didn't turn up to collect and then had a go at me.

but overally I think its good to have a platform to give stuff away especially bigger stuff that would go to landfill otherwise.

MamaMoo_2

Contains_Mild_Peril wrote: »

Fortunately all my experiences of Freecycle/Freegle have been good, both as a giver and a taker, but I don't think asking politely if one may view a 3 piece suite before committing to take it is in any way unreasonable. The item may be free but it may cost the recipient a significant amount of money for transport, and if (for example) they live in a top floor flat with a spiral staircase and a narrow front door I can understand why they'd want to make sure it's not something they're going to feel the need to replace any time soon. Well done for providing plenty of photos (not everyone does) but I would never agree to take a difficult-to-transport suite or bed etc without first having the opportunity to check that it's reasonably comfortable for me to use.
I'd much rather deal with someone who's honest (without being unrealistic) about their standards than with the local furniture project which agreed to uplift a 3 piece suite but rejected the whole suite purportedly because one chair had a small untidily-repaired tear, though I suspect the van crew were looking for an excuse to refuse it rather than have to carry it down 3 flights of stairs.

My main issue was I'd taken photos and then taken the covers and cushions off to wash them before bagging them all, and getting my hubby to haul everything up into the bedroom so it wasn't in the way of the children. I'd stated clearly in the post "no time wasters please as all items are in storage and will have to be moved out prior to collection." So it wasn't like I was being unreasonable, I'd also stated that all cushions and covers had been cleaned and bagged up prior to storage, so it's not like I was going to drag the suite downstairs, assemble the whole thing just to be told "no", or "I'll come and collect in x number of days".
I'd listed all the dimensions etc, had photos of everything from all angles so that I could store them safe in the knowledge that I had all bases covered.
If I'm honest, if I'm giving something away for free, I'm not particularly going to bend over backwards on top of that.

elsien

MamaMoo wrote: »

Here's a hint to Freecyclers, an email saying "I want dis item" isn't going to get you far.

Closely followed by "has it gone yet" with no please, thank you or basic grammar. (Blame my inner pedant.)

mumonashoestring

elsien wrote: »

Closely followed by "has it gone yet" with no please, thank you or basic grammar. (Blame my inner pedant.)

Or the guy who has responded to every single thing I have offered (clearly selling stuff on) with 'I will have this - send me your address and I will let you know when I'll be collecting'.

Cretin.

Taadaa

mumonashoestring wrote: »

Or the guy who has responded to every single thing I have offered (clearly selling stuff on) with 'I will have this - send me your address and I will let you know when I'll be collecting'.

Cretin.

That really irritates me. How about NO?

MamaMoo_2

Whenever I offer something, I always google an email address or phone number before I make an offer. If they have a suspiciously high number of ads on Gumtree for similar items, I just delete their email.
One guy's email address was actually something to do with second hand sales. Needless to say, upon looking into it some more he'd sold several of the type of item I was offering in the previous month so I decided against it. Where possible, I like my stuff to go to someone who genuinely needs it.

axomoxia

There is (or was) a someone on my freeagle list who was repairing old electrical items and then re-selling them. He got my broken tumble dryer, after all the point of freecycle (and freeagle) is to keep stuff out of landfill, not to play lord or lady bountiful ...

Valli

axomoxia wrote: »

There is (or was) a someone on my freeagle list who was repairing old electrical items and then re-selling them. He got my broken tumble dryer, after all the point of freecycle (and freeagle) is to keep stuff out of landfill, not to play lord or lady bountiful ...

Fair enough IF they tell you that's what they're doing.

MamaMoo_2

axomoxia wrote: »

There is (or was) a someone on my freeagle list who was repairing old electrical items and then re-selling them. He got my broken tumble dryer, after all the point of freecycle (and freeagle) is to keep stuff out of landfill, not to play lord or lady bountiful ...

However when I get 15+ emails about an item, and I'm flexible about collection, I'd rather give it to someone in need rather than someone who's out to make a profit. I find most of the people who are resellers are usually the ones with an atrocious sob story. If they're open about it, fair play, but the number of bullsh*tters on there is ridiculous.
Someone posted a while back asking for broken electricals to repair and sell on. He got my dead washer/dryer and a broken DVD player.