What’s happening with Olio?

elsien

I understand it’s making a loss and needs to do something to fund itself, and I’ve just found out that I have to watch 15 to 30 seconds worth of adverts before I can request an item, unless I pay a fiver a month to become a subscriber.
Which probably means by the time I request something it will have gone and I tend not to have stuff that’s worth that much in a month anyway.
Can’t see me using it much anymore now.

shykins

unfortunately everyone now has to watch adverts before a request, this is to fund Olio as they arent raising enough money.     you can pay £30 a year to subscribe rather than £4.99 a month

Food Waste volunteers shouldnt be allocating on a first come, first serve basis so you should still be able to get items when you request.    i usually wait 15minutes before allocating and also make sure everyone has at least a couple of items before doing the rest of the allocations but not everyone does it that way

BestnamesRgone

By the co-founders own admission this is “make or break’ year for Olio. Unless they can come up with a new way to raise funds there will be no more Olio.  I am a food waste volunteer and some of my collectors have said they won’t request anymore due to the ads 

shykins

i am a food waste volunteer too Bestnames.    i encourage people to keep requesting and tell them i do delay allocating and its not first come first served.   I also put up the exact time i will be listing so that people are ready 

my personal opinion is that Olio would be best charging everyone a nominal £2-3 a month.    from what they say the adverts arent bringing in much and 30 seconds every time you make a request is far too long IMHO

shykins

i am a food waste volunteer too Bestnames.    i encourage people to keep requesting and tell them i do delay allocating and its not first come first served.   I also put up the exact time i will be listing so that people are ready 

my personal opinion is that Olio would be best charging everyone a nominal £2-3 a month.    from what they say the adverts arent bringing in much and 30 seconds every time you make a request is far too long IMHO

elsien

Yes, I’d be happy with a couple of quid a month. But I’m only requesting every couple of weeks at the moment, in part because I’m still not getting any alerts, although I used to and my notifications are set correctly so £5 a month it’s just too much. 

BestnamesRgone

The ads are bringing in very little revenue, they were introduced in the hope that people would take out a subscription to avoid seeing them. Olio also trialled in some parts of the country restricting people to only allow them to collect 20 items over 28 days. If you wanted to request more than 20 items you paid to subscribe.  This was a very short lived trial which they pulled after the feedback from food waste volunteers said requests to collect dropped away and they ended up having to throw food away! Not the best thought out plan….

BestnamesRgone

I did a collection from Tesco this evening, I don’t normally do Saturdays, lots of use by items such as tubs of humous,  bags of carrot batons, stir fry veg etc not requested and going to waste, what a shame 😕

shykins

why they thought the quota was a good idea???!  the fwv could see from the start it would never work just like the ads arent converting mant to supporters just like Elsien they just wont bother

i do think putting up a prelist makes a big difference.   i put up pretty much the exact time i will be listing so people know when to look out for it and mostly all mine goes thankfully   as i said i wait a while before allocating to allow for people watching ads

i do hope they have a re think and bring in a standard monthly charge which will surely bring in more revenue

BestnamesRgone

Exactly my thoughts on the quota Shykins, it was obvious that people were not going to use part of their quota to request the dreaded salad bags or baguettes etc…..not sure why Olio couldn’t see it…

I’m undecided on the idea of a mandatory fee to use the app. Of course some collectors will absolutely benefit with the cost of requested food more than the monthly subscription, others will decide to walk away from the app, I keep very little (nowhere near the 10%) and am giving up my time and petrol costs to collect, list and allocate items. My choice to be a FWV of course but I feel they are already getting their money’s worth out of me.

shykins

i quite agree, i dont think people realise how much time etc we put into collecting, listing and distributing.     I do think they could waive the fee for FWV who collect regularly and have done for some time but if thats too complicated (not sure why it would be!!)  then i would be happy to pay £2 a month along with everyone else. 

 maybe the powers that be at Olio need to come down to the ground and speak to some FWV or go out with them a few times to see what they are doing.   Bit like that show undercover boss lol

 I rarely ever request,  think my figures are 1 or 2 a month but i have adverts everytime since they were introduced, whereas many people who collect off me have only started seeing them this month.    doesnt help they are all 30 seconds!!!