Freecycle is it corrupt??

missyg_3

vikingaero, the guide on my local Freecycle says they expect people to collect the item as soon as possible, and usually within three days.

To the one who has been messing me about, I've offered them a final slot tomorrow morning and told them that unfortunately if they are still unable to collect I will have to offer it to the next person. This is their fourth chance so I think I have been more than fair. Perhaps you could politely offer a final deadline for your item?

I don't mind people asking if I have any more things. Usually it's the stuff that has had no takers, so I'm pleased to get rid of it!

PoochyChoo

ours has a guy on it, posting wanted every day, flat screen monitors, insulation for his 'workshop' boarding for his workshop, must be in good condition as i have a lot of valuable stuff in there, computers must be such and such a spec, as he needs to run CAD programs to which this is specialist, cd player, but must be such and such a MAKE !!! i feel like replying to his emails with ''if you have a workshop full of stuff and are making all that money stop asking people for stuff and buy it yourself and give some stuff away instead'' he begs. he begs every day. garden tools, preferable to be new. yeah they sell them in B&Q mate. go down there if you want new ones.

he really winds me up - can you tell LOL

but saying that i have only took 2 ornimants so far not put anything on yet, i have a new spiderman car £15 in woolies, thinking of putting it on there so someone can have it as a xmas pressie for a kid, but i tell you now, i wont be giving it to the man that i moan about above !!!! LOL

missyg_3

PoochyChoo - where are your mods?! On ours it says 1 or 2 wanted ads per person per MONTH is pushing it! That would wind me up too.

Badger_Lady

geordie_joe wrote: »

The sad thing is some people use freecycle to get free stuff to sell.

So what?

If you would rather sell it yourself, you have that option.

If Freecycle only gave to the "needy", there wouldn't be enough audience to collect all the items and it would just end up going to landfill.

The site will only work if there are enough people in the community willing to take "other peoples' rubbish" (note: you don't have to give away quality stuff). Their reason for taking it is irrelevant.

I've only ever taken things I've needed, but I still feel guilty reading this thread: what if someone else needed it more? Is it inappropriate for me to turn up to collections in my sports car? Should I feel guilty for taking part in the Freecycle system?

geordie_joe

Badger_Lady wrote: »

So what?

If you would rather sell it yourself, you have that option.

If you'd read and quotes the whole paragraph instead of just the first sentence.

The sad thing is some people use freecycle to get free stuff to sell. This may not bother some people if they just want rid of it, but others would prefer it to go to someone who needs it, not someone who is going to sell it.

Badger_Lady wrote: »

If Freecycle only gave to the "needy", there wouldn't be enough audience to collect all the items and it would just end up going to landfill.

The site will only work if there are enough people in the community willing to take "other peoples' rubbish" (note: you don't have to give away quality stuff). Their reason for taking it is irrelevant.

Maybe, but there are needy people out there who miss out on things they reeally need because they are at work trying to earn a living and the dealers are sitting at home grabbing anything as soon as it comes up.

As I said earlier, this is fine if you just want to get rid of something and don't care where it goes, but many people want, and think they are giving to someone who really needs the item only to find the person who turns up to collect it is a dealer who intends to sell it.

Badger_Lady wrote: »

I've only ever taken things I've needed, but I still feel guilty reading this thread: what if someone else needed it more? Is it inappropriate for me to turn up to collections in my sports car? Should I feel guilty for taking part in the Freecycle system?

No, but how would you feel if you were unemployed, or on a very low wage and you missed out on things you need but can't aford to buy your self because a dealer got in first while you were at work.

Badger_Lady

It's OK Geordie - I don't disagree with you, and it certainly wasn't meant to be a personal attack (from re-reading my post, it does sound a bit arsey!).

I just don't want people to feel guilted out of taking part... it doesn't have to be first come / first serve - as an Offerer, you can wait say 24 hours to see who replies, then make your choice.

But don't make dealers feel that they shouldn't respond - if you were asking 50p per item on eBay, would you feel the same?

Freecycle could realistically collapse if people dropped out, and I'd hate to see that happen... so I'm happy to embrace anyone that signs up, regardless of their motives for doing so.

wilf55

the main purpose is getting rid of something to stop it going to landfill if it can be reused by someone else much as i dont think and do personally disagree with reselling unless it says good for carbooter in the add etc it does happen you shouldnt feel guilty turning up in your sports car due to you saving it from landfull you are needy for that particular item regardless of whether you could afford to go and buy 50 of them new

as with first come first served i now wait and give it to the most interesting reply within 24 hours as a rule to make it fairer for the people sat at the pc all day

i am sick of rude and blunt replies without a please or a thank you

i got rid of a tv few weeks back got 38 responses and gave it to the only one who said please!!!!

Cardew

Badger_Lady wrote: »

But don't make dealers feel that they shouldn't respond

Why not!

My group specifically forbids taking items for resale - as, I understand, do many other groups.

Frankly I do NOT want any items I offer going to the EBAY/Boot Sale 'vultures'. I suspect that more people share my views than those who are happy to have people make a profit from items they offer; one wonders if some(not all) posters on here, who take that line, have a vested interest!!

If your contention that people don't mind the 'vultures' having their items for resale was correct, why don't these people openly declare that they intend selling on items? Could it be that they would be at the bottom of everyone's list when selecting whom to give their items?

Freecycle could realistically collapse if people dropped out, and I'd hate to see that happen... so I'm happy to embrace anyone that signs up, regardless of their motives for doing so.

IMO Freecycle is being put in far more danger of collapse by the 'vultures' who instantly respond to everything offered and inundate those offering items; or fill the site with begging requests.

geordie_joe

Badger_Lady wrote: »

It's OK Geordie - I don't disagree with you, and it certainly wasn't meant to be a personal attack (from re-reading my post, it does sound a bit arsey!).

I didn't take it personally, and didn't think you were being arsey.

Badger_Lady wrote: »

I just don't want people to feel guilted out of taking part... it doesn't have to be first come / first serve - as an Offerer, you can wait say 24 hours to see who replies, then make your choice.

But don't make dealers feel that they shouldn't respond - if you were asking 50p per item on eBay, would you feel the same?

I'm not against dealers, but I don't like it when they pretend to be people who need the item and are going to use it. I think it should be more clear that they are dealers. Perhaps if there was a box to tick to say you are willing to give to dealers, or dealers had to indicate they were dealers in some way. Then people could decide for them selves and not feel conned when they realise the person they have just given so thing to is going to sell it.

Badger_Lady wrote: »

Freecycle could realistically collapse if people dropped out, and I'd hate to see that happen... so I'm happy to embrace anyone that signs up, regardless of their motives for doing so.

I realise that, but people could drop out because they never get anything because the dealers get there first. Then the only "takers" would be dealers and some "givers" would drop out as they don't want to give to them.

Freecycle may survive that and keep going, but it would turn into a site where dealers get free stuff rather than a true recycling site.

Zebedee69

missyg wrote: »

Good post, meanymoo! I've continued my freecycling and on the whole my experiences have been good.

I have been given the runaround a bit by a few people. I gave one person the benefit of the doubt and delivered the item myself. Last night one person kept me waiting an hour without even a call. Another keeps changing the time they want to collect (I am getting quite annoyed with this one, it's been going on since Saturday, how long before I can tell them I'm offering it to the next person?!)

Surely people should be making every effort to accommodate the person who is giving the item away - not the other way around!!!

Its abit like Ebay, lots of good ebayers but lots of messers. Thats life unfortumately!:rolleyes: