Ethics when freecycling...?? - Page 2

[sparkprincess]

It is tough!! I usually go with whoever can pick up first, just because I'm pregnant and can't be lugging stuff inside and out due to no-shows.

Here's my best Freecycle story:

I offered several household items and one lady responded saying she would LOVE to come pick it up. She was mom to 4 kids, including infant twins. She and her fiancee had been homeless for a while, but then a friend helped them get a house and they were really trying to get their lives together. I told her the stuff was hers and even went through the house and packed up a bunch of other stuff I thought she could use - sheet sets, curtains, etc, etc. She started chatting with me over ICQ and was giving me updates: her friend had to take a shower, now her friend was out of the shower and they were packing the kids up. Now they were leaving...and then she told me that she had passed my ICQ info over to her fiancee who was at home...wait, huh??

He started ICQing me and tried to tell me that we had talked in the past. THen he wanted my picture. I told him I don't give my picture to strangers. And I stopped talking to him.

So I waited all day and they never showed up. Emailed her, ICQed her...nothing. I waited all day the following day, too because it seemed like they really needed everything. Nothing. Finally reluctantly offered everything back up on Freecycle and someone picked it up on day 3. On day 4 the fiancee shows up out of the blue and said he was there to pick up the stuff and then seemed hurt that it was gone. Luckily my husband was home and answered the door and dealt with the guy. The gal emailed me sort of huffily and asked why I gave it away. : Then told me how her friend had decided not to drive her out after all and then took the computer away. Whatever.

The guy kept emailing my yahoo account for a while. I never answered and now I think he's got the hint.

Whew. Sorry for the novel!

[ErinBird]

:

I originally signed up for freecycle back when I was pregnant, bored, and had heard that some posts can be pretty funny in a pathetic sort of way.

I've been offering things on freecycle all weekend. The only amusing thing I could see was that the cheap knife block I offered up has recieved 30+ responses. I posted it about 12 hours ago.

[phatchristy]

I once read an article about the person who started freecycle, and it was meant only to be used for things that charities would not accept. They never meant it to take away from goods that a charity would use. As this is probably a very good quality item, why not consider donating it to a charity? They often even have drop off spots, and if you have quite a few items they will schedule a pick-up. Or, you could pick an organization that you feel strongly about...a woman's shelter or something...and give it to them and they could see that some deserving woman who was getting a new start in life had it to use as a resource.

My sister too tried freecycle for a number of items...she too had a problem (similar to the person a couple messages up). She wound up with an irate person pounding on her door late at night. She was freaked out as it was, then she had to deal with the knowledge that the person had her email address AND worse, knew where she lived. After that, she decided it was no longer a good idea to invite complete strangers off the internet to her home. So, she now just drops off at the Salvation army drop spot whenever she goes to Chick-fil-a (they've got a drop spot there).

[~Megan~]

I'm sure that some of the sob stories are lies. I don't like being manipulated so I'd go with one that seems more feasible.

[Steady101]

The sob stories don't really work for me. I don't like when people go into every detail of why they need said item.

[Steady101]

Originally Posted by ~Megan~

I'm sure that some of the sob stories are lies. I don't like being manipulated so I'd go with one that seems more feasible.

Exactly.

[miss_sonja]

Originally Posted by ~Megan~

I'm sure that some of the sob stories are lies. I don't like being manipulated so I'd go with one that seems more feasible.

Yeah, I don't like the sob stories. Tell me why you need the item, or what you want to do with it, sure, but the fact that you have fibromyalgia has zero zip nada to do with why you want a bucket of old licorice I'm giving away!

On our local freecycle, I noticed that the same person was responding to ALL of my offereds, with a boilerplate email ("I am interested in the item" without specifying what the item was).

I wait at least a day, and offer to the person who both seems like they'll really use it AND, more important, will come and get it when they say they will.

[huggingmama]

Originally Posted by miss_sonja

Yeah, I don't like the sob stories. Tell me why you need the item, or what you want to do with it, sure, but the fact that you have fibromyalgia has zero zip nada to do with why you want a bucket of old licorice I'm giving away!

Too funny.

I would love to read that article about freecyle... I didn't know it was for things charities wouldn't accept... I had assumed it was more of a "so this stuff doesn't end up in landfills" motivation.

[FreeRangeMama]

I had assumed it was more of a "so this stuff doesn't end up in landfills" motivation.

I think that is the common thought now. Each list has to adhere to certain guidelines that the mods monitor for. And we are monitored to make sure we do so. Typically the guidelines state that it has to be completely free (no strings attached), legal, and an item that would otherwise be in the landfill (so no services, etc.). We actually recommend that our members keep a "do not deal with" list of sorts to keep track of the people who never show up, are rude, offer things that are not as described, etc. That way you know instantly who NOT to give your stuff to. And it is nice to wait a day before deciding so that people who don't actually sit in front of the computer 24/7 have a chance too.

I always decide by who actually has manners (please and thank you go a long way) and who has a nice, normal (read: no sob stories) reason for wanting it. If it is someone I have had good dealings with or I know to be reliable, then all the better.

So it is up to you. Give it to whoever you want to

[Zamber]

Well, I normally go first come, first serve, and that has worked great (they were at the right place at the right time, like they were meant to have the item). However, recently I fell for a sob-story for some items I was giving away, and I will NEVER do it again. I find out that the woman lived about an hour away, and gave me the run around. I really didn't think it was fair that she was not local. Then, when it came time to FINALLY pick up the items (I made up a story to get her butt here, because even though I listed the items as pending, my e-mail box was getting flooded by other people begging for the items), she ask someone else to pick it up, who then sent someone else to pick it up, and it created a lot of confusion (she didn't tell me either). Ugh - too much of a headache!

I also will also probably not respond to "Wanted" posts anymore - that act like they really want it, act all greatful, but in the end .

So, sadly the sob stories just don't work for me anymore.

[Momily]

Originally Posted by godusjourney

Retarded I know.

Can you phrase this a different way? For people with developmental disabilities, or those of us who love someone who has developmental disabilities seeing the words "retard" or "retarded" used as an insult is incredibly painful.

[L&IsMama]

Originally Posted by Momily

Can you phrase this a different way? For people with developmental disabilities, or those of us who love someone who has developmental disabilities seeing the words "retard" or "retarded" used as an insult is incredibly painful.

Yeah,that.

[rsps]

It your choice. We just got a e-mail for the local freecycle administrator with tips, and they recommend not giveing to the first person, but to wait 24 hours and then to choose someone who is polite and corospondes over a few e-mails politley -- this is supposed to help cut down on no shows since apparently some people just ask for everyhting as fast as they can and then later decide they don't really want it.

rebecca

[rsps]

I tend to use freecycle for things that would be wierd for charity's (a bag of old fabric scraps) or hard to drop off (a screen door we wanted to get rid of) I still take most good books/toys etc. to a local charity.

I tried to give away some vaucmn cleaner bags on freecylce for a vacumn we no longer had (2 unopened packages + one open) no takers. I actually took the unopened ones back to the store and got credit (no recipet -- I'd bought them at least a year before) and sold the opened package on ebay.

[godusjourney]

Originally Posted by Momily

Can you phrase this a different way? For people with developmental disabilities, or those of us who love someone who has developmental disabilities seeing the words "retard" or "retarded" used as an insult is incredibly painful.

Mucho apologies. Carryover from teenagehood. A slang word that needs to be deleted (it seems there's plenty of those from time to time). I meant ridiculous. Sorry to whom ever that offended!! Wasn't intentional.

Sarah

[L&IsMama]

Originally Posted by godusjourney

Mucho apologies. Carryover from teenagehood. A slang word that needs to be deleted (it seems there's plenty of those from time to time). I meant ridiculous. Sorry to whom ever that offended!! Wasn't intentional.

Sarah

No problem.