Freecycle is it corrupt??

DCFC79

i wouldnt say its corrupt, i just think people ask for stuff thats a bit daft and not likely to find someone just giving 1 away,

Jojo_the_Tightfisted

It depends on who is in the area. My exe's sister is the sort of person you would move house to get away from, only to find that she had decided to move in next door to you. She is constantly posting pathetic sob stories about how she is a poverty stricken single mum of nine children, taking in stray animals, her children just eat beans because they are so poor and the children will cut their wrists if they don't get a car/wendyhouse/bicycle/computer/etc. The truth is that she lives in a big house with her husband earning £87,000 pa, four children looked after by her mother because she doesn't like children, her father looks after the dogs for the same reason and the neighbours took the sick cats to the vet to find they all had FIV as she didn't believe in vaccination. She takes the stuff just so nobody else has it, then dumps it in the garden to get destroyed.

Where my OH used to live, he got a TV to replace his within 2 hours of it going bang and a lift home so he didn't have to walk. No problems.

Luck of the draw, really.

longhotbath

On the whole ours is fine - pleanty of pleasant, polite, genuine people who help create a great community. But, yesterday I got the replier from h**l. Not a high value item, but in good condition. I needed it to go by tonight and gave a full description of it. I had to phone her, then text her, then had 6 questions about it.Her nicities dropped after the first reply and she got ruder. My OH has just taken it to landfill and she is blocked from sending further emails to me.
My items generally have to be collected quickly as my son uses a large walking frame and wheelchair and if the items lie around the house, he gets stuck on them - and no storage at all outside.

This week we had someone ask - and not politely, for enough beige/cream carpet to cover a 2 bedroom flat, and tiling and grouting materials for the bathroom and kitchen. It was passed by the moderator (he is still on probation).

A trend that is starting in our freecycle is those members who NEVER post offereds or wanted, but will reply to offereds. I think its a sneaky way of getting lots of stuff without the moderators getting suspicious.

Rant over - happy freecycling!!

skellysgirl

I have watched a girl on our local proceed to ask for fence, gate, padlocks, sand, paving, cement,gravel, garden toys, plastic sheeting, lawnmower, sledgehammer, strimmer, pots, bbq and loads more each in a different post. I think i counted about 25 wanteds in about 2 weeks. She is not the only one, it seems like there are several people putting up5-10 wanteds a week. Buy stuff if you need it badly
Its puts me off and i have stopped offering i would actually rather throw things away than give to the greedy.

angle

Well having read this entire thread (yes I do have too much time on my hands) I thought I might as well add my opinion.

I have been using Freecycle for years as I love the idea of being able to keep items out of a landfil and perhaps being able to help others. In the start I successfully received a few lovely items from lovely people, but recently I've stopped looking at the offers.
Now I just use it to pass on my unwanted items, mostly to lovely, genuine (or so they seem), polite people. This is because I believe that manners are important and cost nothing, so my items don't go to rude, begging people. I personally would prefer if the person I gave the item to was the person benefiting from it instead of immediately selling it on, but as long as it isn't binned then I am happy. Afterall they are doing me a favour by collecting it from me. (BTW I feel that the person receiving the item ought to be the one to collect it, or to at least offer)

I do still donate quite a lot of stuff to charity shops too, but I recently read a thread on here about charity shops being picky and actually dumping a lot of donations.

I think nearly everything is open to abuse these days, which makes me sad, but then I just remember all the lovely, considerate people that I have met who don't abuse things and I think that far outways the bad.

Slim4Summer

I have recently offered a few "luxury" items on my group and was struck by the replies - "I'll have it" for example - !! I thought "the hell you will" - not even a please or thanks. I gave them in the end to the only people who were polite and said why they wanted them eg just started own business, moved into new flat having split up from spouse...
I have also noticed some people who are ALWAYS on there - eg I gave a swimming pool to someone who then followed with "wants" for a caravan, tent, trailer, camping equipment, greenhouse, shed, lawnmower, gardening tools, garden toys ...!! And I never saw any "offereds" from him .. !!!!es me off. Just greed.

Rainbowchild

I have offered a few things on my local Freecycle and always ask the person who wants it to collect. Each time the collector has then contact me to ask if I could "drop" it off for them. Last week I offered a TV and stand and the person who I gave it too never turned up to collect it, didn't let me know or anything and I think it's just rude. I think the idea is great but it does seem to be corrupt. I too like Sarahsaver have noticed the same wanted and offered items in one email - very strange.

longhotbath

todays digest - 11/20 are wanteds - shopping list at that from a couple of posters.

Is there an alternative ?

twentypenceoff

while i'm on this thread, i wanna piano, anyone want to deliver one to me?

:rotfl:

longhotbath

absolutely - but only if you play ' theres a piano on my foot'!! - I can deliver any time any place, and Ill leave a box of chocs and dive from a helicopter whilst wearing black!!

and I wont accept any thanks as I know your just too important and busy!!;)