Freecycle is it corrupt??

greenbee

LimeLight wrote: »

I've found that someone will offer something that not many people will usually offer, then there'll be an influx of wanteds for the same item.

This week it was a trampoline.

By the look of both the groups I use, it's trampoline season :rolleyes:

brightonman123

i 'wanted' sex for a long time, never got any offers, though person did try and sell double glazing.. how sad are we!

gravitytolls

A lot of folk like to get rid of stuff quickly. But the freecycle rules state that 24 hours must pass before it is offered to a respondant to give all users the opportunity to see the ads. That's not an unreasonable request, and one I try to comply with, as it's really galling to respond to an ad an hour after it's been posted to find it'a not only been offered, but collected too. I think this really puts folk off.

lightisfading

But the freecycle rules state that 24 hours must pass before it is offered to a respondant

That's not a freecycle rule per se, though it might be suggested by the mods of your group.

dizziblonde

I've stopped offering stuff on ours - I'm sick of the bullying messages and the emotional blackmail ones in response to it. Seriously - I offered a PS1 before I moved (we were having a clearout of the man's toys) and got someone requesting it "because I do something for premature babies down the hospital" - now I know they start young these days but ... nah.

I never gave anything to anyone who didn't reply with capital letters and punctuation either, or a please.

We've had the ridiculous wanteds too - week before Xmas it was people requesting PS3s and Wiis... with mandatory sob story about how little Johnny's has blown up and all he'll have on Xmas Day is an empty box etc etc.

brightonman123

a bit O/T, just had someone email me about something I had (for sale!) on gumtree, asking for it to be donated to their charity?!

geez, times must be really hard if they are 'cold calling' / emailing..!

witchwoopiggy

brightonman123 wrote: »

a bit O/T, just had someone email me about something I had (for sale!) on gumtree, asking for it to be donated to their charity?!

geez, times must be really hard if they are 'cold calling' / emailing..!

Im glad I am not the only one, on our freecycle every time I post an offered item I get a charity asking for it for there shop!! Has now got to the point I have emailed them and explained that if I wished to give it to charity I would not be offering it on freecycle :mad:

notisis

On my local group it is ALWAYS a certain moderator who responds first (and marks the item as taken). I thought it was just me until others commented as well. I've stopped using freecycle and instead offer items for free in our local fridayad.

twentypenceoff

linni wrote: »

What I don't understand is how I can get 'taken' before I have even received the 'offered' post. I have also noticed that when something is 'offered' there is often a 'wanted' for the same item either before or just after. Despite all of that, I have received some lovely things and met some really great people.

i was told it is so that people can ask for wanteds by offering really nice things which dont exist then saying they were taken immediately

notisis

That doesn't explain why the same moderator always asks me (or whoever else has offered items) for the item first! Methinks something else at play! Which is why a lot of us now just offer stuff via local fridayad.