[Closed] Freecycle and lot of interest in your item

Get them to do a dragon den style pitch.
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Does it really matter?

maybe you're right, i should not think too much.

I usually ask them all to send me a joke. Best joke wins 🙂

Simple

The one that seems least shifty.

Gave up on freecycle when I was getting very dodgy looking people turning up at home to collect the stuff I was chucking out.

Freecycle recommend that You give it to the first reply and don't try to get people, also that those replying to your ad don't give a sob story.

First reply wins. That said I'd go for the first one that sounds genuinely keen. None of this I might be able to come round a week next Tuesday nonsense.

The first one that doesn't sound like they just want to flog it on ebay. Ignore the sob stories, no one gives a crap and it could well be embellished/made up.

We've had some good finds on freecyle of the the years, cast iron fire grate, G-plan mid-centrury furniture, garden shredder, cheap SPD shoes for spin classes, firewood, bottles.

Equally we've given away sofas and had the family turn up in a van, then stand around smoking whilst we carried it out and loaded it for them!

First reply if collected within a reasonable timescale.

I stuck a sofabed on there in December, was in perfect condition and I could have sold it but I decided to do a good deed. Advert listed the item with a good description, the size of it, a link to the item online so people could see all the pics, reviews etc. Last line said free to a good home, must be collected.

8 people contacted me in the first 24 hours to ask if I would deliver it to them. One woman was nearly 30 miles away and the message read something like - i wnt bed, will u dlvr sat pm and her postcode 🙄

Does it make sense to ask the person what he or she is intended to do with?

Only if you haven't run a secure-delete on it....!

I decided to do a good deed. Advert listed the item with a good description, the size of it, a link to the item online so people could see all the pics, reviews etc. Last line said free to a good home, must be collected.

8 people contacted me in the first 24 hours to ask if I would deliver it to them. One woman was nearly 30 miles away and the message read something like - i wnt bed, will u dlvr sat pm and her postcode

So a good deed, as long as the recipient is well spoken and drives a big car.

I'm kidding, although at least with literacy like that she's not going to be making money on ebay.

i wnt bed, will u dlvr sat pm and her postcode

n

Whoever comes first by bike gets it..

There's one bloke that has replied asking for pretty much every item I've offered, and he puts up loads of wanted posts too.
The group here suggest you [i]don't[/i] just give it to the first responder as part of their fairness policy but it just turns into a begging match if you offer anything good so you have to decide somehow.
I offered a (non working) hovercraft a few years back and I could have got rid of about a hundred of them.

Generally first, but make it clear it's first person to collect else you'll get muppets. Our house had a basement full of late night tv advert fitness machines. About 10, probably quite expensive but no use to me so went on free cycle. Everyone wanted delivery, or would show up in a Peugeot 106 to collect a van load of stuff, and demand i "hold" the rest for them.

Loads of people not showing up for stuff, I guess if it's free hey don't value it?

I stopped using it as it was just too much hassle, mind you, I did get a 2nd hand toilet macerater for
Free (barely used!) which saved me £350!

Whoever comes first by bike gets it..

I can never decide, so usually just set fire to the item in question.

Just seems the fairest way.

also gave up on free cycle - would have folk asking for delivery, folk getting first dibs and then just not turn up, when pressed they'd "changed their mind / couldn't get van / didn't reply"..

OTOH sofa bed did go to a really nice guy (third on list) who was simply after a second hand sofa.. snow chains went to a gamekeeper..

Mrs P uses freecycle occasionally and got annoyed by people being quite rude when they turned up - seemed v transactional for them, no thank you's etc. She decided they were professional car-booters and now waits for a reply that seems to be from someone who at least has manners.

it depends what you're offering.I Freecycled a computer and ONLY asked for groups who were in need of a PC. Went to a scout group in the end.

Likewise my now unused Hifi - our local college now have it for their music students to use 🙂

Mind you, currently got some baby stuff on Freecycle that I can't wait to ditch to a good home..

TM

Wisdom of Solomon, eh, Jamie?

Do you invite them all over to watch you do it?

I agree with the above – I generally give to people who seem genuine and send a polite request for it, rather than the 'I'll have it' type responses.

Last thing I gave away was a marble fire surround and hearth - the guy actually travelled 20+ miles to collect (he was from Bradford, I am in Harrogate) and I honestly believed that I was going to get some second-hand dealer turn up but it turned out to be a really nice bloke and his doddery old dad (who I think was there to help but I wouldn't let him, given that the surround weighed something like 150kg). It turned out the guy was doing up a new flat for his dad and he wanted it to make the front room look nice.

🙂

Fight to the death is surely the fairest option.

Cash is king.