If you want a barrage of emails wanting something, offer a tumble drier!
I see some people say they will only reply to polite messages, asking why they should order to them, etc.
Some of the sob stories are unbelievable though.
I think it varies a lot between groups. Our local oneis generally very polite but even so, we do get the occasional "I'll have it" email. I just hit the delete key. I'd rather take something to the tip than give it to someone with no manners.
I stopped using freecycle as I think our local group is now mostly made up of dealers and ebayers and the like. It was a good idea that got too big and attracted too many grasping, greedy people. If we have furniture to give away we contact one of the local large item charity shops. Small stuff we drop off at the charity shop for our local hospice.
The problem about giving away big furniture collect, is that those that really need a sofa don't own big vans and pick-ups and that those who own a big vehicle are unlikely to need free furniture. If you don't have a big vehicle and have to pay £20 to "Man With A Van" then you would only want furniture in perfect condition.
The result is that the only people able to collect sofas in a slightly worn condition are dealers who already have vans to collect and deliver.
The dealers consider they are doing you a favour by collecting stuff you can't transport are aren't likely to be over polite about it.
I just gave away a big leather recliner chair free on Facebook because all attempts to sell it failed. So on further investigation the person who took it away deals in used furniture. I would have preferred it to go to a family who would be in need...but there you go...it's gone now.
This is the chance you take with Freecycle/Freegle.
You always hope it goes to the needy, but once you give it away, it often goes to the greedy.
It never ceases to amaze me how cheeky some folks are on our local Freegle site nor the way some folks muck me about arranging to pick up goods and then either not turning up or turning up and then trying to get me to make arrangements to deliver the goods as if they had paid for the darned things.
Recently I have given all the very good stuff to a Charity Shop and rest to the Cowp.
A lot less hassle all round.
To be frank, I'm not really bothered what the collector does with my freecycled goods after they've taken them away. If they're enterprising enough to put them on ebay and make a few quid, good luck to them. When I choose to freecycle items it's because I can't be bothered to ebay them myself, and if someone else is prepared to come and collect them at my convenience, and go through the rigmarole of photographing them and writing a description, that's fine by me.
gave up freecycle/freagle a while ago, on the offering stuff side, got sick of stupid begging notes, non collections, can you deliver etc, etc.
On the getting side, very little on offer as theres so many folk getting to sell on, again folk not being in when arranged.
Think it got too big/sucessful IMO, for instance, my area last time i used it was the whole of leeds or bradford, a huge area!!!
I use an even more local buy/sell/free group of facebook, much better.
Amazing family weekend with old steam engines, classic car displays, market stalls, and full catering and bar. And camping on site - Save £25 by booking in advance.
Topic: Freecycle...demanding people
