Freecycle Gripe

[Wombat]

I must admit I have never tried Freecycle, all of our good stuff goes down to the Salvation Army, with the odd bit being offered to neighbours.

Nev

[Thomzo]

We must be quite lucky with our local group. The wanted ads are generally quite reasonable. I tend to give away stuff as I am trying to declutter but I have had a couple of bits for friends from our local group.

I do get a bit fed up with the lack of common courtesy. It's surprising the number of people who reply to an "offered" ad with something along the lines of "I'll have that where do you live?" I did post a recent "taken" add with the comment "given to the first person who said please". I got quite a few comments agreeing with my sentiments.

Zoe

[pskipper]

I always make sure I say please and thank you, it's just common courtesy! I've even been known to give home made chutney as a thanks!

[the.fee.fairy]

try:

www.dontdumpthat.com

I'm a moderator for out local area (well, i was, it seems my forum's disappeared...).

Its newer than freecycle, and there are less member at the moment. Pass the word around though, and it could be better.
I prefer it because of the forum format - it makes it easier to track what's happening with stuff, and it makes it easier to spot the regular wanters...

[Thurston Garden]

easier to spot the regular wanters...

Hehe - I had to read that twice......

[ina]

Tsk, tsk! Comes to about the same, though.

[Thurston Garden]

Today's offering:

"i have been offered a house at the new build in XXXXXX
i need a 3 piece suite, 2x bunk beds, 1 double bed, 1 electric cooker,
wardrobes, chest of drawers and carpets."

This is almost the straw that breaks the camels back.....

[ina]

Amazing it doesn't state the colours and material it all "has to be"! And good condition, of course. Grrr. If anything is in good condition I won't be giving it away...

[Muddypause]

If it'll help balance things up a bit, I feel I should point out that our local Freecycle group had a wanted ad for a toilet brush recently.

The though of a secondhand toilet brush just doesn't seem right to me. Someone posting a wanted ad for one is just plain wrong.

Hmm... That hasn't balanced things up at all, has it?

[ina]

Was that you who posted that ad, taking the p**s out of them?

[Muddypause]

As if I'd do such a thing...

No, actually it was posted by one of the local Green Party candidates.

Strange way to garner votes, if you ask me.

[Thomzo]

One of our local freecycle moderators posted a message recently reminding people that they shouldn't post too many wanted ads (there's a monthly limit here apparently) and not to post long stories of hardship. It seems to work as we don't get lots of unreasonable wanted ads.

Zoe

[Pilsbury]

Most of my posts to freecyxle tend to be wanted ads but thats mainly cos im to lazy at the moment to sort out what has to go and list it, I have got rid of more than i have recieved but its mainly through answering wanted ads, I even gave away 2 motorbikes that i couldnt fix and 6 months later saw them for sale for £350 each on Gumtree......... oh well each to their own.

[SueSteve]

The worst I saw was a woman asking for excess organic fruit and vegetatbles. You had to be able to certify thati t was organic etc, not grow with any chemicals, or organic from a supermarket etc.
It sounded like a very strange request!
I did a search, and it turns out that she was doing an organic veg box scheme!!! She had previously requested organic eggs. But a post that gave it away, was posted a few months before asking for empty cardbord veg boxes to use for her organic veg box business!!

[SueSteve]

Thanks for the dondumpthat link, I have joined my local group!