Freecycle. They said please so they got the item.

missyg_3

origami500 wrote: »

There's only one way to deal with Freecycle when you have an offer; and that's to manage them, not let them manage you.

Very good post Origami - I'm going to use some of your suggestions. I've been too flexible in the past and ended up getting walked over by a few people. Thanks.

HugoSP

Well today I have been offered a laptop!

I replied to the offer and was the lucky person who's name has bee drawn out of a hat or such like.

So the offered post is bound to drag out a few people wanting laptops now eh?

My point is that it is easy to condemn people for asking for things like laptops but a lot of people seem to think that laptops are a recent and expensive phenominum. They needn't be. Some washing machines that are offered could cost more though the paper than these things are worth.

So it is easy for people to be condemned for asking for things that are actually quite reasonable.

In my case I asked for a computer for my tenant to enable him to connect to the internet. I know he wants to get on line and this site IMO is a must have for him. He lives on disability benefit.

However, another poster on another group I have signed up to offered this laptop, and I responded, saying please.

Now, I am not one to look a gift horse in the mouth but this machine is running Windows 98SE, not XP or Vista. It needs a new battery, but can be used from the mains, and one hinge needs attention. Anyone who appreciates the way that technology moves on will know that realising any money from such a machine is going to be a fruitless exercise, but whilst it is still functioning it is of use to someone.

Had he not have posted it he may be pleased to respond to a politely worded wanted ad.

So to those who condemn seemingly cheeky wanted posts - think before you condemn. There are those obvious cheeky ones who ask for Wiis etc when most people know they've only been out for 10 minuits. The one about SLR cameras did make me laugh. SLR is old technology, and even digital cameras have been around for a bit now.

Having said that anyone who doesn't like wanted ads could always put the word "wanted" in their spam filter, so they don't get those e mails

HugoSP

Kerilinann wrote: »

I am under 30, and am more mannerly and polite than anyone I know of ANY age. I actually find nowadays it's the older people that are the most rude and arrogant!

...and I suppose you're also non judgemental - I would like to meet you - you seem nice:rotfl:

rainbow_carnage

HugoSP wrote: »

So to those who condemn seemingly cheeky wanted posts - think before you condemn. There are those obvious cheeky ones who ask for Wiis etc when most people know they've only been out for 10 minuits. The one about SLR cameras did make me laugh. SLR is old technology, and even digital cameras have been around for a bit now.

SLR cameras have been around for over 100 years. They also cost a lot more than most brand new non-DSLR digital cameras. My comment had nothing to do with the age of the technology. It had to do with relatively expensive items that are hardly necessities. If someone wants to offer such an item, that's fine. But by asking for one, you're saying, "I don't really need this, but I want it. I don't want to pay for it myself. Will you give me one?"

There are obvious exceptions, like a school needing a camera or a charity needing a laptop. But when I see people posting things like, "I want to learn photography. Does anyone have a spare SLR?" I want to say, "I'd like to learn how to ride a motorbike. Anyone have a spare one?"

Have you seen people asking for mobile phones and specifying what model they want? I'm sorry, but that's just wrong.

HugoSP

rainbow_carnage wrote: »

SLR cameras have been around for over 100 years. They also cost a lot more than most brand new non-DSLR digital cameras. My comment had nothing to do with the age of the technology. It had to do with relatively expensive items that are hardly necessities. If someone wants to offer such an item, that's fine. But by asking for one, you're saying, "I don't really need this, but I want it. I don't want to pay for it myself. Will you give me one?"

There are obvious exceptions, like a school needing a camera or a charity needing a laptop. But when I see people posting things like, "I want to learn photography. Does anyone have a spare SLR?" I want to say, "I'd like to learn how to ride a motorbike. Anyone have a spare one?"

Have you seen people asking for mobile phones and specifying what model they want? I'm sorry, but that's just wrong.

You are right that SLR cameras have been out there a long time which is why several people will have them kicking around their house being unused and unloved. I sold a nice 25 year old plus Minolta on e bay a few years ago for around £40, but many people can't be bothered, and finding out that someone can at least make use of it may be what spurs them on. Also there are other much cheaper preused SLRs out there that are probably worth more as scrap. So what if someone wants one and is prepared to ask? They could be an art student who needs one for their course, or they could be someone who is on a low budget and doesn't even have a computer.

This is what I mean in assuming all laptops are worth £300 or more, or all SLR cameras are worth £300 or more, then hanging people out to dry when all they are asking for is something that will do the very basic job of wordprocessing or taking a picture - something that could probably be done with a laptop or camera that is worth peanuts, if anything at all - such as the laptop I am going to collect tomorrow.

All your post has done is reinforced the point I made that people really need to wake up and realise that these "expensive" items that people ofted ask for are not actually expensive, or even worth anything at all in some circumstances.

When people ask for baby stuff etc we all know that these are not expensive - and the resale value is whatever it can fetch in the paper, so we have the good grace to allow these to pass without being judgemental. However when someone has the front to ask for any SLR camera, any laptop that they may be able to use for typing college work and then take somewhere to print it out, or take home for the hols, bearing in mind you can get basic brand new laptops for £200 odd, there is a huge backlash from people who are completely unaware that what they are asking for does not represent any real monetary value.

The reason you don't see £10 laptops in second hand shops is because it is not worth their trouble selling them. If a s/h computer shop wanted to sell such items they would have to overprice them (and always do) to make any money. The punter who sold the machine to the shop, or surrendered it in part ex would have got next to nothing for it, or it may have been cleared out of an office, or bought as a job lot in an auction.

What they get might represent monetary value - that is a different matter.

If people see a £500 laptop, copy the spec down in the wanted ad and post that on freecycle then, yes they are being greedy.

If people ask for a laptop that can run the Pentagon then they are being unrealistic.

If they want to run a spreadsheet then our communities are actually awash with redundant machines that can perform this very basic function. Businesses have long since written them down to £1.

But if it suits other people to condemn anyone who asks for a laptop as being a greedy workshy chav - then that's fine with me.

But I will say, if you're going to be judgemental, at least do these people the courtesy of making yourself aware of exactly what they are asking for, and the minimum value of what they are likely to get.

If they are asking for mobile phones by model number then there are a number of conclusions to be reached:

1) A wanted ad for a Motorola V50 would probably say to me 'I had one of these and it packed up/got sat on/lost etc, and I really like them and have the accessories etc, so another one would solve the problem of getting used to another model

2) A wanted ad for a Nokia 3300 would probably say the same again.

3) A wanted ad for a Nokia N95 would probably read "I'm a bit of a chancer and here's hoping someone has one of these that they've just stopped using and my asking for it may prompt them into passing it on.

...wereas to people who know little about mobile phones all 3 ads above would be read as "I'm a fussy git and I want this phone, because it's expensive".

For info

1) Motorola V50 is a very early flip phone with a mono screen. They stopped making them around 4 to 5 years ago. They go for peanuts on e bay and you can probably get more in tescos clubcard points for them.
2) Nokia 3330 - about 6 years old if not more - worth slightly more on ebay but only if you go to the trouble and risk to unlock it via a free website.
3) Nokia N95 - different animal altogether - they are still making them, they have a colour screen, camera, mp3 player etc etc etc.

When people don't know mobile phones, may not be forarmed with this knowledge. That's fine but when they simply assume that people who ask for a particular make/model of mobile are asking for an expensive toy then that is pure ignorance in motion, as I have explained above.

If you want to judge others, get all your facts right first

Cardew

HugoSP,

Surely the point being made is that Freecycle has become the haven for the greedy, indeed beggars is not too strong a term for some, and/or traders and IMO that is intensely annoying to the majority of Freecycle members and damages the scheme.

I agree that an old laptop is probably not worth a great deal, but that isn’t the point. Surely if a member of a group has an unwanted laptop then he will offer it. To put forward the notion that as they are only worth £20 or so, it is thus OK to ‘beg’ for one(often with some contrived excuse) doesn’t seem a sound argument to me.

Personally I think wanted requests should be confined to items of no monetary value; a request for an old out of date instruction manual and another for an old Brownie badge were requested in my group.

HugoSP

Cardew wrote: »

Surely the point being made is that Freecycle has become the haven for the greedy, indeed beggars is not too strong a term for some, and/or traders and IMO that is intensely annoying to the majority of Freecycle members and damages the scheme.

Yes I agree but some people are only too keen to tar all people who have the forsight to post wanted ads with the same brush.

I agree that an old laptop is probably not worth a great deal, but that isn’t the point. Surely if a member of a group has an unwanted laptop then he will offer it. To put forward the notion that as they are only worth £20 or so, it is thus OK to ‘beg’ for one(often with some contrived excuse) doesn’t seem a sound argument to me.

No, very often people who have these things spare may not post them for several reasons. They may think that no one could possibly want it. Indeed I recently chucked out an old monitor and a scanner that were found in a house we just bought. I know about freecycle but didn't think these items would be of any use to anyone. Only after I chucked them did I see wanted ads for both items appear! I have a PC that is not suitable for broadband and I was actually going to take it to the tip, as of course everyone has broadband these days and no one is going to want an old pentium with a crt monitor plus another pc for the internet. Well it just turns out that my friend is a lab technician and his lab can use it to run laboritory equipment. It saves his employer money and above all makes his job easier. I don't want anything for it, I'm just glad to see it put to good use.

Personally I think wanted requests should be confined to items of no monetary value; a request for an old out of date instruction manual and another for an old Brownie badge were requested in my group.

That's fine - few could argue that these items are of no monitory value, but we have had the discussion that some people have different perceptions of value - as in my mobile phone example above.

There is a book written by a seasoned big issue seller. It is quite a short book but makes for a very good read. It is about his own life and trials of someone who has been homeless, known other homeless people and some of the things he has done. This chap is a bit of a local celeb in the south west.

One amusing anecdote that he includes is that he bought a cheap payg mobile phone for £30 (before he could scrounge one off Freecycle). He was actually quite a good seller so he made enough money to treat himself once in a while. The purpose of having the phone was so that he could keep in touch with his daughter, who he had just started talking to again after several years of mutual isolation.

He writes that when he was selling the Big Issue one day, a middle aged woman was approaching him with her £1 when his phone rang. It was his daughter wanting to chat, he had forgotten to switch it off. He apologised to the woman who was about to buy the magazine and proceeded to answer. She replied "If you can afford a phone you can afford a flat" put her £1 in her pocket and stomped off.

So tell me where you can get a flat for less than £30.

This IMO demonstrates that the general public are basically very bad at putting a monetary value on anything, so who are you, I or anyone to be the judge on what should or shouldn't be posted as a wanted on Freecycle?

I'm sorry Cardew but you have a long reply as well.

We get wanted ads on our local groups. Tonight I have probably spotted more wanteds in my in tray than offered. So what? I can hover over the title so I can read the whole title then block delete. If I got really cheesed off with it I would create a rule based on the word "wanted" to dump them in the spam box, then just get on with my life.

When I was clearing out this house that we had moved into we had a load of furniture and other effects that we needed to get shot of. The wanted ads were scanned regularly to see if we could shift it quickly.

This is where I desparately wished that people would ask for pine beds, single wardrobe, television, dining table, washing machine etc etc. All items that are potentially worth something. As it was we had to hit the offered ads hard in 3 groups to get rid of it, except the tv, which was given to a friend's son.

A painter and decorator I know asked me to do some work on behalf of his client. There was a huge bungalow full of furniture and two decent TVs that needed shifting. I made a mental note of the items and looked for wanteds on my local groups to see if I could forward my mate's details when I finished the job. He had a mobile number but wasn't registerd on freecycle.

I couldn't find any because some of the local moderators (in fairness due to pressure from a small minority of members) had embarked on a purge on wanted ads - what a shame they chose to shoot themselves in the foot, as freecycle is about keeping stuff out of landfill, not about a core of its members being judge, jury and executioner.

Sorry to be so blunt but that's the way I see it. If people didn't get so hung up on their own opinions and realised what freecycle is all about, and that sometimes it's OK to ask, freecycle could be much more successful than it is.

The greedy will be their own undoing without our help.

Cardew

HugoSP,
To me most wanted ads are irritating and distasteful; but I can understand others may have a different viewpoint, so I think we can only agree to disagree on this matter.

I suspect my view is shared by the majority; but could well be wrong.

I am pretty confident that my view on ‘undeclared’ traders, using deception to obtain goods from Freecyle, as being beneath contempt, is a more widely held view.

shellsuit

How hard is it to say please??

Hi there,

Could you please consider me for this item if it is still available?

I can collect anytime which is convinient to you.

Kind Regards.....

seven-day-weekend

I've only read a few points on this thread, but was talking about Freecycle only today with my husband.

A friend of ours has just gone through a very messy marriage break-up, he has had to furnish a three -bedroom house from nothing so that his children can come and stay with him. He does not have much money as he is paying off debts.

We remarked last time we saw him what nice furniture he'd got. He said most of it was from freecycle. He pointed us to his sofa, his son's room furniture and also a five-speaker theatre system that he had recently acquired. Each piece of furniture had become his because he'd written a nice e-mail saying thankyou to the person for offering it, explained it was for him to try to make a home for his children, and hoping he would be considered. Each donor told him that was why he had got the stuff instead of the dozens of others who'd applied - he was pleasant, polite and in genuine need of the stuff.

So a little politeness goes a long way!