Freecycle is it corrupt??

deano777_2

not read through the whole thread but freecycle started out as a good idea and has been coruppted, have since found:-

http://www.recycle.co.uk/

Which isn't as popular but members get rated on there so at least it gives you an idea.

zekepes

I ebay items that are specialist/worth the postage. If I can get it to a charity shop then this is always my next choice.

If it is too bulky and I just want rid of it then I freecycle.

I have had a bitter taste in my mouth a couple of times after things are taken but I have to remember that I wanted to get rid of it. I never check messages or recieve the email updiates. I only use it to get rid of things (like a load of space block pavers, a childs swing, bulky shelves etc). I have also learnt it is best to wait 24 hours before choosing your taker if you are bothered at all about who may have it.

I do think that a LOT of things on freecyle should have gone to a charity shop. As for a lot of the wanted posts....

Diminutive

What Freecycle really needs is what recycle.co.uk seems to have!! (Don't know if recycle has all of this...)

A centralised system, just all listed in different locations. (mods of course can be global.... stops mods nabbing the top things before they go public since it wouldnt be local to the mods)

A feedback system on the members, showing past things given and taken. That way you could track someone who just wants everything for trade etc.

A neater system as far as saying when an item is taken. System could allow members to mark their items as "pending" (in which case it gets hidden from public view), and then "taken" when its actually taken (or back to "available" if the person doesn't show up).

A separate wanted section.

A form for submission so all the required info is put in every time. Title/description/location etc.

Better system of the "daily digest".

missyg_3

Good ideas there Diminutive!

All but one of my Freecycle 'transactions' has gone brilliantly so far!

One person was a no-show, they emailed later apologising and asking for a second chance. I gave them a second chance (like to think I'm a reasonable person) and they were a no show again! I would like a way to warn others about that person!

jaydog_2

I am very strict about my OFFERS on FC I have been watching and you soon suss the booters after cheap stock, I often share things out and give them to people who write a good email and reason.

"Ill have the lot mate" and "Yes please when can come and get it" instant put offs for me so these type of askers get deleted as they are to assuming.

I must admit the mods in the Somerset / Bath area all seem good to me.

top_drawer_2

hi,

I freecycle stuff often and was getting peeved with people who relied with the "I'll take the lot ..." and others who would turn up and peer over my shoulder asking what else I had unallocated ...

Another negative experience I had was one person who just decided to turn up on a Sunday morning (!!) to collect an item without consulting me whether it was ok ...

I very rarely ask for anything, since joining a year ago I have asked for a desk and a pasting table (neither of which I have got). I got a message from someone who put a pasting table on to say that I could contact one of the moderators as she had just taken 9 pasting tables that she had offered ...

Jen

susank

I joined ages ago - first thing on this weekend so I agree to give it to the first applicant and after 3 - 4 e-mails and me giving out my phone number they decided not to have it after all - not a good start at all - makes you not want to do this.

Ken68

I stopped giving my phone number, after one collector rang from every road junction saying "which way now", then when he finally arrived accused me of not giving clear directions.

olly300

geordie_joe wrote: »

Years ago the gas board took away your old cooker when you bought a new one from them, they may still do it but haven't bought one from them for a long time. This was not because they were trying to be gren or even recycling the old cooker. The main reason was to stop you selling it to someone else. The less second hand cookers on the market, the more you had to buy new.

Many companies are doing this now, for the same reason. I'm sure Curry's advertise on TV that they will take away your old appliance when they deliver your new one.

They may not be campaigning against recycling appliances, but the are fighting it.

It's to stop people dumping them. The majority of people I know only buy a new applicance when the old one stops working so they couldn't be recycled anyway.

In lots of areas where I've lived in cities you use to find old fridges and cookers left on the street or dumped in an alleyway. This leaves the council to remove them.

Dumped old fridges and freezers are dangerous if kids who play with them are small enough to climb inside.

Second hand gas applicances can also be dangerous. I moved into a flat with a gas fire. The gas fire has been disconnected because it is dangerous according to the corgi inspection man the old owners don't agree. In theory I could recycle it fully aware the applicance is dangerous in practise I will be taking it to the dump when I go and get rid of my garden waste.

Ianna

Perhaps I shouldn't be so anal about who I want my stuff to go to - after all, it's keeping it out of the landfill isn't it? It's just the idea of someone taking my stuff and selling it irritates me. I could do that, but I don't because I believe there are some people with genuine problems that need the odd favour every now and then.

That's exactly my thinking. I've had some great experiences with freecycle such as getting rid of a bulky corner cupboard to an old man who was absolutely thrilled to get it and had a genuine need or getting rid of a mattress that I would have had to spend money taking to the tip. Then I've had real lows with some real creeps and some really aggressive idiots which puts me off.

I've put in wanteds myself: I've proven to the mods that I'm doing some stuff for a charity so have put charity requests for raffle items and so on. I've also asked for boxes for moving and that kind of thing, throwaway items really. Some of the stuff that gets put on though.....WOW. Just.....WOW. Do people actually respond to those ads?!

I think overall for freecycle to survive it HAS to become better moderated and better structured. I completely understand that the mods have a thankless task and don't get paid so I think it's fair to make modding easier for them as well. Dim's ideas are brilliant and I'd really love to see something like that up and running. I think freecycle is a fantastic idea and I want to see it continue but it's just going to implode if it carries on the way it is now and I think that'll be a terrible shame.