WitchHazel Posted June 17, 2012 Share Posted June 17, 2012 I use Freecycle - or rather, Freegle - quite a lot, especially for electrical items which my local charity shop won't accept. People's responses never cease to surprise/amuse/annoy. Today I posted an offer for a Steam Mop & pads. I explained in my posting that I would wait until the daily digest had been sent, to give those people a chance to offer. There was a lot of interest. Many of the messages were polite so it was difficult to chooose. This time, there were also a lot of sob stories. There was someone who thanked me for "considering those of us on the Daily Digest", despite the fact that the Daily Digest with my item in had not been sent at that point. I think the prize for the most impolite message has to go to the lovely chap who sent me a message twice, from two different email addresses, saying simply: Send me ur address and ph no Yes, that's all he said. One line. In both messages. I didn't choose him. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Olly Posted June 17, 2012 Share Posted June 17, 2012 Anyone who does not say 'please' in their response not only does not receive the item, they don't even get an acknowledgement from me! I never cease to be amazed at how rude some people can be. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
snowberry Posted June 18, 2012 Share Posted June 18, 2012 I know it's not the same, but I'd never ever do a car boot again. It was like watching the back of my car get burgled Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cinnamon Posted June 18, 2012 Share Posted June 18, 2012 There is one chap in my area who just sends a message saying 'Yes',if he wants something. He has never had anything from me! I have had sob stories too, & even if they are true I am afraid that anyone who uses a child with cancer in an email message to a stranger,asking to be given something,will find no sympathy from me. There are limits & right things to do & IMHO this is not one of them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lavenders_Blue Posted June 18, 2012 Share Posted June 18, 2012 Lots of rude freecyclers round here too! (Thankfully lots of nice ones as well). I frequently get messages along the lines of 'Tell me when I can pick up item' (Er, I've not even offered it to you yet) and 'Can you deliver the item to xxxxxx' - those ones usually receive a one word e-mail reply 'NO' I'm a very polite person by nature, but if you can't send me a polite e-mail to ask for the item I am giving away for free, then you shouldn't expect a polite response! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Willow Posted June 18, 2012 Share Posted June 18, 2012 I love the idea of freecycle/freegle and have meet some lovely people but some people are so rude and 'grabby' it does put you off. I have found one of the moderators at the bigger of the local groups (I live on the overlap between a few groups) has been very bolshy in the past when I accidentally broke their rule on how frequently I posted an offered (not a wanted, an offer ) a rule which is not consistent with the other local groups. His attitude has meant I've had to start throwing away items if I've just offered something else. I've got a large patch of bamboo that is in the wrong place so before I pull it out I advertised saying people could dig up what they want. One lady tried with just a fork no spade to cut through the roots and was really cross when her fork broke - I felt like she was blaming me but I hadn't even stayed out whilst she was digging Another person seemed put out that he had to dig what he wanted up. Waiting to let people take what they want first has meant I've not been able to get on and clear that area so they are not doing me a favour Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted June 18, 2012 Share Posted June 18, 2012 I've had 'I'll have that' as a reply to one posting, after that I went through a phased of ending my listings with 'polite responses only considered'; have rather got out of that habit now but way well do it again. I agree, manners cost nothing and really make a difference. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WitchHazel Posted June 18, 2012 Author Share Posted June 18, 2012 Thanks for your replies everyone. I really don't like the sad / sob stories. Even if they are true (which, of course, I suspect they are not in most cases), I end up feelng emotionally manipulated just reading them. I had quite a few this time, probably because the mop and the pads could easily be sold on ebay. I'm shocked to hear about the "cancer" one. I don't think I've had anything quite that manipulative before. H Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted June 18, 2012 Share Posted June 18, 2012 There's a couple on our Freegle who hoover up loads of the offers and recently won something I'd sold on Ebay too; they are very odd folks, both in their 60s and largely unwashed, wear oversized football shirts and joggers, lots of 'useful' things around their necks... keys, glasses, bottle openers, phones.... they also hang out at the local boot sales and I imagine them to be compulsive hoarders. I see that they don't sell on ebay, well not under the profile which he used to buy my item. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
keyhole kate Posted June 18, 2012 Share Posted June 18, 2012 I know it's not the same, but I'd never ever do a car boot again. It was like watching the back of my car get burgled Snap you and me both never never again charity shops all the way Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted June 18, 2012 Share Posted June 18, 2012 What I hated at the boot sales were the human vultures the ones who'd haggle about a price and then ask what the item was Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mercedes55 Posted June 19, 2012 Share Posted June 19, 2012 I put an almost brand new car seat on Freecycle as our local Hospice shop couldn't take it due to rules against them selling items like that. I had some woman email me to say she would love it for her little one and really thought it had gone to a good home. Not long after she picked it up she put it on eBay for some extortionate price and I'd never put anything of value on there again Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WitchHazel Posted June 19, 2012 Author Share Posted June 19, 2012 I had some woman email me to say she would love it for her little one and really thought it had gone to a good home. Not long after she picked it up she put it on eBay for some extortionate price That's dreadful. Not the putting-it-on-Ebay per se, but the fact that she got it from you on the pretext of using it for her own little one. I normally don't mind people Ebaying things as usually I've made the decision not to Ebay that particular item because I can't be bothered with the hassle. However, I can see that in your case you were trying to do someone a good turn by letting them have something relatively valuable for free that they perhaps couldn't afford to buy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Leeloo Posted June 19, 2012 Share Posted June 19, 2012 Something like that happened to me when I was selling a car on Craigslist. A woman showed up saying she needed a more fuel efficient vehicle than their pickup truck, but I had a feeling she might have been planning to resell it as she seemed way too savvy about car buying. After it sold, I took the tag off and reported the sale to the tag office. She tried to argue with me to leave it on because she might get stopped and I assured her that all she had to do was show the cop the sale contract I printed up. About a month later, I got a call from the tag office in the neighboring county that she was trying to claim that I had sold it to someone else and they wanted to confirm that I had not. Turns out that she regularly buys and sells cars and tries to get out of putting the tag in her name first to avoid the fee. Oh well, I was ready to get rid of the car and didn't want to show it to a dozen other people. It needed some maintenance and I thought that I got a reasonable price for it so I couldn't get too upset! My in-laws sort of tried to talk us into giving it to my niece and I'm quite sure that they would have done the same thing since the car was 13 years old and they are the "champagne taste on a beer budget" types so it probably wouldn't have been good enough for her. At least I made some money from it! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Saronne Posted July 26, 2012 Share Posted July 26, 2012 Just saw this in my local freecycle; 'Wanted, summerhouse and large trampoline in good condition." honestly! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cinnamon Posted July 26, 2012 Share Posted July 26, 2012 A 12 foot Trampoline came up as offered in my local group just yesterday Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ubereglu Posted July 26, 2012 Share Posted July 26, 2012 I've given up with it. I was a member for a while, but people immediately pounce on items-I'm sure some people just stay online all day in case anything interesting comes up and then pick it up and sell it straight on, which isn't really what it supposed to be for at all. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sam Palmer Posted July 26, 2012 Share Posted July 26, 2012 A 12 foot Trampoline came up as offered in my local group just yesterday I put our 10ft trampoline on a few weeks ago and couldn't even give it away! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
craftyhunnypie Posted July 27, 2012 Share Posted July 27, 2012 I wonder what it's like round Ceredigion? Mind you all the emails you get puts me off. Plus all the grabbers out there wanting the world, gets on your nerves. Emma.x Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Old Speckled Hen Posted July 28, 2012 Share Posted July 28, 2012 Ha! At least you're a member. I'm moving next Friday and my application to join Ceredigion freecycle was rejected! Should I have sent it in Welsh I wonder? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
merlina Posted July 28, 2012 Share Posted July 28, 2012 wow! i didn't know you could be turned down as a member (unless you have a banned IP or something) I know some make you offer a thing or x many things before you can ask for/claim stuff - but never heard of this. I used to belong back in the day but gave up on it for all the reasons people have suggested - left with a feeling of a few nice people trying to help out overwhelmed by unpleasant grasping types with big ebay accounts Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted July 28, 2012 Share Posted July 28, 2012 A friend was turned down and I think it was because she wasn't quite in the area, but she appealed and pointed out that she lives in one of the villages close to town and that this was here nearest scheme. They can be quite strict about people not being grabby (well ours is) and you do need to balance your 'asks' and 'offers'. I just ignore any takers who are less than polite, or who I have noticed blagging a lot of stuff. Having said that I have met some nice people through our local Freegle and made one good friend, so it can't be that bad. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
whoopsie Posted August 9, 2012 Share Posted August 9, 2012 I put a request up for a playpen/room divider and got an email suggesting I got a travel cot instead! Bloody rude! I did get a lovely offer from someone else but sadly had to turn it down (black bars next to white french doors not the best look! - I did thank them profusely though!) Still need a room divider - OH says he's going to build one! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WitchHazel Posted August 9, 2012 Author Share Posted August 9, 2012 We had someone asking for a ride on lawnmower this week. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gertie Posted August 9, 2012 Share Posted August 9, 2012 I just received 6 Victorian panelled doors from freecycle to refurb our cottage. The lovely guy even delivered them & put them in my garage!! I feel so lucky! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
