FREECYCLE - people who really take the ****...
Discussion
My experience of Freecycle has always been pretty good actually, though this may be partly to do with the area we live in.
Generally the people always seem to be very middle class and polite. I have a suspicion, which I appreciate is probably quite out of order, that the poorer part of society would rather buy new stuff on tick than re-use other people's furniture.
Generally the people always seem to be very middle class and polite. I have a suspicion, which I appreciate is probably quite out of order, that the poorer part of society would rather buy new stuff on tick than re-use other people's furniture.
fido said:
Just to balance it up .. i've had many good experiences as an Offerer.
Even the 'chavvy' clients were really grateful and polite - one kept texting me to say how much my CRT TV had improved their life! But mostly the sorts out of The Good Life - some high-end estate car turns up and a shy couple whisk away some old furniture. Britain at its best.
I've just sold a Desktop Computer on EBay for less than a tenner (AMD Athlon XP if you must know). Winner still hasn't replied to say when he is coming round. So i'll stick that on Freecycle if he doesn't turn up by the middle of this week.
On a side issue make sure yiou don't leave yourself open to negative feedback by the "buyer"Even the 'chavvy' clients were really grateful and polite - one kept texting me to say how much my CRT TV had improved their life! But mostly the sorts out of The Good Life - some high-end estate car turns up and a shy couple whisk away some old furniture. Britain at its best.
I've just sold a Desktop Computer on EBay for less than a tenner (AMD Athlon XP if you must know). Winner still hasn't replied to say when he is coming round. So i'll stick that on Freecycle if he doesn't turn up by the middle of this week.
Edited by fido on Monday 13th August 17:14
truck71 said:
Why do folk get so up tight if people sell the stuff they collect for free? Good luck to them, if I can't be ar$ed to bung stuff on e-bay it's my own problem not theirs. Expecting a recipient to feel indebted to the giver says more about the latter than the former.
Its the spirit of it, if I am giving it away to be used then that is what I expect.Oh, and nothing about feeling indebted. All it has done for me is reinforce that there are people out there that are happy to take others for a ride.
truck71 said:
jmorgan said:
Its the spirit of it, if I am giving it away to be used then that is what I expect.
Oh, and nothing about feeling indebted. All it has done for me is reinforce that there are people out there that are happy to take others for a ride.
Different approaches to life I guess.Oh, and nothing about feeling indebted. All it has done for me is reinforce that there are people out there that are happy to take others for a ride.
I think when people fib that they need it for blag blah but in reality they are just sellers its a bit low/.
Personally ive found it a hoot dealing with this woman I mentioned. Her last e mail went something like "her driver could pick it up tonight at 11.30" I thought "Lady Penelope " - Thunderbirds. My wife said "hooker"
I suppose I could reply and give her one of the faulty ones without telling her - it would save me disposing of it.
My parents are good honest people who will go out of their way to help people, use free cycle to give stuff away. Often when they offer something they'll ask the people where they live and offer to drop it round is it works out well
Sometimes the people say can they leave it in the porch if they are not in, mum didnt hear anything so follows it up with an email, nothing -just rude
I forget the exact numbers but my offered say 24 flower pots, someone was coming round to collect them so mum thought she'd clean the old mud off and dropped one. She told the woman this and she was really rude suggesting that my mum was wasting her time
However they have had people in tears overjoyed with generosity etc
Swings and roundabouts I guess
Sometimes the people say can they leave it in the porch if they are not in, mum didnt hear anything so follows it up with an email, nothing -just rude
I forget the exact numbers but my offered say 24 flower pots, someone was coming round to collect them so mum thought she'd clean the old mud off and dropped one. She told the woman this and she was really rude suggesting that my mum was wasting her time
However they have had people in tears overjoyed with generosity etc
Swings and roundabouts I guess
I joined as it seemed a good idea - I soon stopped as i couldn't believe the "wanted" ads.
I also tried to give things away and people wanted pics, Celotex offcuts, pallets, chairs etc
IMO the point of a local group was that people could pop around rather than asking loads of questions.
In the end I just put items at the end of my drive and they were soon gone to passing locals
I also tried to give things away and people wanted pics, Celotex offcuts, pallets, chairs etc
IMO the point of a local group was that people could pop around rather than asking loads of questions.
In the end I just put items at the end of my drive and they were soon gone to passing locals
truck71 said:
jmorgan said:
Its the spirit of it, if I am giving it away to be used then that is what I expect.
Oh, and nothing about feeling indebted. All it has done for me is reinforce that there are people out there that are happy to take others for a ride.
Different approaches to life I guess.Oh, and nothing about feeling indebted. All it has done for me is reinforce that there are people out there that are happy to take others for a ride.
Smanks said:
KrazyIvan said:
One and only time I used put me off for life.
I was getting rid of an old dish washer that worked fine so seemed a waste to bin it.
other then the normal,
can you deliver it?
can I collect it at 2am?
can I confirm that you can fit a motorbike engine in it (the mind boggles)?
However the final straw was the person who asked if I had any of the tablets left over. When I explained that I was using them in my new one, she demanded that I give her those as well and buy some more for myself, then when I had the audacity to tell her to buy her own, she sent me a s
tty message about how its was out of order for me to advertise something that was completely useless to any one else unless they spent money on it.
I gave up and skipped it.
Were you not tempted to agreee with her, then when she came round to pick it up (assuming she didn't demand it was delivered) say you've changed your mind and smash it up with a sledgehammer in front of her? I think I would have been!I was getting rid of an old dish washer that worked fine so seemed a waste to bin it.
other then the normal,
can you deliver it?
can I collect it at 2am?
can I confirm that you can fit a motorbike engine in it (the mind boggles)?
However the final straw was the person who asked if I had any of the tablets left over. When I explained that I was using them in my new one, she demanded that I give her those as well and buy some more for myself, then when I had the audacity to tell her to buy her own, she sent me a s
tty message about how its was out of order for me to advertise something that was completely useless to any one else unless they spent money on it.I gave up and skipped it.
king thing all the way home it never actually ever worked again.I have had the same experiences on Free-cycle. Tried to get rid of a TV that was perfectly okay but heavy, the amount of sob stories wanting delivery etc was unreal.
Now the kids are a bit older we found we had 7 car seats of various sizes in the garage. Put them all on Freecycle with a line about them being available individually "unless you bring your twins with you when you pick them up".
About the first dozen replies were along the lines of IMA CHILDMINDA CAN I AVE THE LOT. I replied to the first couple before realising that you can't reason with idiots.
In the end I selected the ones with the best spelling and grammar and allocated them (singly) in that way. Even got a sweet thank-you note from one of the yummy mummies that collected.
Freecycle - good for sharing stuff with the middle classes. Less pleasant as an experience now pikies have access to the internet.
About the first dozen replies were along the lines of IMA CHILDMINDA CAN I AVE THE LOT. I replied to the first couple before realising that you can't reason with idiots.
In the end I selected the ones with the best spelling and grammar and allocated them (singly) in that way. Even got a sweet thank-you note from one of the yummy mummies that collected.
Freecycle - good for sharing stuff with the middle classes. Less pleasant as an experience now pikies have access to the internet.
We got rid of a load of glass furniture a few months back, like many of you we had sob stories begging for delivery 
The person who eventually collected was a right parasite, having loaded her car with about 4 tables she came back in and said "I'll have those sofas and the tv too" and became a bit annoyed when we said we are only getting rid of stuff we do not want
Another chap was irked that his free wardrobe had a scratch on it and demanded compensation for his travel time (despite mention of the scratch on the advert).
But despite these sub-humans causing minor annoyance, the majority have been lovely people who really appreciate what they've received such as the couple who collected a high chair bringing chocolates and flowers as a thank you
The person who eventually collected was a right parasite, having loaded her car with about 4 tables she came back in and said "I'll have those sofas and the tv too" and became a bit annoyed when we said we are only getting rid of stuff we do not want
Another chap was irked that his free wardrobe had a scratch on it and demanded compensation for his travel time (despite mention of the scratch on the advert).
But despite these sub-humans causing minor annoyance, the majority have been lovely people who really appreciate what they've received such as the couple who collected a high chair bringing chocolates and flowers as a thank you
Galsia said:
I once got rid of a massive Ikea coffee table on Freecycle. It was so heavy I had to help them get it into their car and they didn't even say thanks for it. I wasn't too bothered because I desperately wanted rid of it and couldn't be bothered to take it to the tip but some people are so ungrateful.
I did the exact same thing. After having to call them twice because they forgot to turn up to pick up the coffee table that I was giving them for free.
Open the door to "I'm here for the coffee table". Only thing said, other than monosyllabic grunts for the remainder of the conversation.
Several more experiences like this so we just don't use it any more.
Shame, as the first time we freecycled it was a great experience - young couple walked round to pick it up and couldn't have been nicer or more grateful. Even sent us an email to thank us afterwards.
I find it quite amusing to use freecycle, i have to be fair taken a lot more than i have given but i have got some right results! I got a trailer needing a rebuild, ill get round to that one day! An ikea spinning chair for the kids, a load of garden toys.
When i do offer things on there i look forward to the idiots asking studpid questions and i try to answer in a similar vein, for example while giving away a branded bottle warmer i was asked if it could be used to warm other things so i sent them a picture of it with a bottle of beer inside, when getting rid of a set of sofas i was asked if someone could have them separately, as they were a set i didnt really want to do this so i offered them a garden chair instead
When i do offer things on there i look forward to the idiots asking studpid questions and i try to answer in a similar vein, for example while giving away a branded bottle warmer i was asked if it could be used to warm other things so i sent them a picture of it with a bottle of beer inside, when getting rid of a set of sofas i was asked if someone could have them separately, as they were a set i didnt really want to do this so i offered them a garden chair instead
illmonkey said:
We've only had good experiences, only used it twice though. An old bed and some little bits before, both were fine to deal with a collected no problem.
Looking at my local one, the thought of a used mattress sets my skin crawling!
I gave away a mattress on Freecycle, I didn't think for a minute anyone would want it but having furnished my first house with second hand stuff I thought I'd see if anyone would.Looking at my local one, the thought of a used mattress sets my skin crawling!
A middle aged couple took it and were really pleased, they sent me a lovely e-mail after thinking me for it and telling me they had the best sleep they'd had in a decade.
If you get the genuine people it works really well
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