Once more unto the breach...

Campden

Don't forget Freegle
https://www.ilovefreegle.org//

Don't throw it away, give it away.

TripleH

I am usually patient but some of you make me seem quite grumpy.

I had a fridge I listed on Gumtree and got the usual time wasters message about coming to collect but never showing up. I then had two people contact me to come on successive nights.

The first person came when they said and took the fridge away with them which was great. I contacted the other person as soon as the first had gone to inform them that the fridge was no longer available.

I got a string of rude messages back having a go at me for not keeping the fridge for them (bear in mind as well they had previously been a no-show on an earlier date) and even expecting I produce a fridge for them as 'I' had dare let them down.

My response was something about getting a bigger pram or fewer toys or something like that.

choose_wisely

We have a local free Facebook group intended to help people in need. Recently someone was so needy that they collected a free sofa, photographed it still on the van and posted it immediately on a selling group for £100.

A pity for them it was so distinctive and was recognised, they might have got away with it if it had been a plain black or brown.

soolin

I actually managed to get myself banned from one 'local help' type group . I had a small table, spent 9 days waiting for people who promised definitely to collect, or who expected me to deliver and gave up. Re listed item for one last attempt and put 'relisted due to no shows- looking for someone who can collect today'. I got an immediate response from 'XYZ' who said he was in area and could be with me in 30 minutes so I said yes.

Shortly before he was due to arrive I got a message, on the group saying that I should not give this to XYZ as he is a known dealer- all the stuff he collects is sold at a car boot and the site was meant for people in need. before I could respond XYZ arrived exactly on time, took the table, thanked me profusely and also took some books and other oddments I had piled up in the porch for disposal.

Went back on site, explained to admin that the item had gone and expected that to be the end of it. However I got a real telling off, I was apparently depriving people who needed a table from getting one - even though I had been let down several times and had no other takers. I refused to publicly apologise as requested and was removed from the group.

Good news is XYZ is coming back tomorrow for some other odds and ends - if he sells it good luck- at least someone can make something of it.

NaughtiusMaximus

Campden wrote: »

Don't forget Freegle
https://www.ilovefreegle.org//

Don't throw it away, give it away.

I found freegle was worse than ebay for timewasters, I only offered 7 or 8 items so admittedly a small sample size but I had no shows for all but one of the items before I eventually got rid of them. For the last one (a computer desk) I had 3 no shows followed by a 4th time waster who turned up, looked at the desk and then decided they didn't want it due to minor cosmetic damage I'd clearly mentioned in the description of this FREE desk.

I haven't bothered since, any low value items which charities won't accept and family or friends don't want now go to the tip.

Campden

I am sorry you had that bad experience.

We facilitate the rehoming of a vast amount of stuff. WRAP stats value it as approaching £4M per year.

It is nice to be able to sell things, but invaluable to give them away: helping the environment, and local communities; people who need things, and others like Soolin who have things they don't need.

forgotmyname

I would signup to the group under another name and say I had to give a dealer xx boxes of stuff for free because you were not allowed to offer it to the group.

Did you ask them why they had not banned the dealer?

soolin

forgotmyname wrote: »

I would signup to the group under another name and say I had to give a dealer xx boxes of stuff for free because you were not allowed to offer it to the group.

Did you ask them why they had not banned the dealer?

I suspect the dealer was banned before I was, I didn't really check as I was just pleased that he collected as arranged . He has my details now and is coming tomorrow morning for some other bits, including some old books that I wasn't sure what to do with.

theoretica

NaughtiusMaximus wrote: »

I found freegle was worse than ebay for timewasters

I didn't get on well with Freegle - which I attribute mainly to the one round here having a lot of members over a fairly wide area. However, there are also a couple of other very local neighbourhood groups which are much smaller - people tend to walk round to collect in 10 minutes and things like cardboard boxes for packing find new homes.

pinkshoes

I rarely list anything for free now. Too many annoying people and time wasters.

I listed a tumble dryer for free which worked perfectly but the door catch was broken so you could open the door whilst it was still running. I listed it on FB as working perfectly BUT SAFETY ISSUE PLEASE READ.

I then described the issue and said it was not suitable for anyone with toddlers or young children.


It took until the 8th person to actually say yes they had read it and no they didn't have kids!

It was just rather tedious having to ask each time "have you read the safety disclaimer?"

I then sold a kids slide for just £5 as I wanted it gone quickly, and this one guy (not first in line - about 5th!!) kept bombarding me with messages saying how he could collect NOW, and he had already shown his daughter and she would be upset etc...

The first person then messed me around with collection, then were supposed to show up before 3pm school run and didn't. I got back at 3.30pm to find them waiting on my drive. I proceeded to quickly bundle my 3 kids into the car to go to a swimming lesson, and told them I'd be back much later! They didn't return!

(The second in line person was lovely!]