Question:
Isn't freecycle supposed to be FREE?
?
2008-10-23 12:10:42 UTC
I posted saying I would like a VCR for my sisters kids and some woman wrote me and asked me what I had to trade....since she had one to spare.
I wrote the moderator of the group to let them know...but haven't heard anything yet. Am I wrong. I wrote the woman back saying I thought freecycyle was free...and that I wasn't going to beg her for the VCR.
Four answers:
Bite Me
2008-10-23 15:13:27 UTC
Yes, thats annoying. Another thing is people who demand items. Not like you said, asking for a VCR. But people who DEMAND something outrageous for free, like they're entitled. One lady posted that she wanted a fur coat. Another said "Washer and Dryer! NO JUNK! Excellent condition ONLY. NEWER MODELS!!!". Others request exact items... one wanted a jumpsuit for her baby, PINK ONLY!!! A couple demanded school clothes for their kids but ONLY specific brands... she said "He likes South Pole and Marc Joacobs ONLY! Must be almost new!" or something like that.



One time, this lady was asking for a mattress & box spring set, and said that she needed it bad because she was sleeping on a hard floor. Well, I didn't have one, but just that day I had seen a HUGE stack of BRAND NEW matress & box springs at this place for $5 a SET!!! Still in plastic and tags on! So I sent her an email and told her about it and where they were. Well she emailed back that she "WANTED IT FREE!!!!!" YEESH!



Just the other day, Someone offered a free Xbox with all accessories. I thought it would make a good gift so I said I was interested. Well they sent back with a spam site saying "OK, go here and complete the offers and they send you one FREE!!!!" ACK!!!!



Then one sent a message that said "Saddle and bridle. Adult size" Thats it. Subject & message. Well my brother rides for his work so I sent that I was interested. The next day they sent another snippy message to the group saying "WE WANT A SADDLE AND BRIDLE!!! WE DON'T HAVE ONE TO GIVE!!!!!" Well HELLOOOOO, it's freecycle not BEGcycle so you should have made it clear you were demanding one, NOT giving one!



Another one sent a HUGE list of stuff she wanted, among the items "TV, AT LEAST 25"!!! Anything smaller is UNACCEPTABLE!!!" there was at least 50 things on the list, all high ticket items and with specific demands.



It's great for people in a bind who NEED something, but people giving demands for new, exact, brand name items and acting all snippy about it need to get over it! I've seen 3 this month asking for a FREE car! And one lady wanted a brand new set of living room furniture because her husbands girlfriend sat on hers! Another one wanted a LEATHER living room set only.



Oh and the people that use it to promote themselves... like one lady keeps offering "Free photography" then sends a message a couple minutes later like "Wow, i had so many responses! I picked the free ones thats to ALL the people who were interested! WOW! so MANY! Well ALL of you guys can go to my website and book...." blah blah blah.... okay well first they were sent back to back so you KNOW she didn't get any responses that fast, and second, I went to her site and she is SOOOO bad at it!! She has misspellings and horrid layout, plus her "professional photos" are hosted on a free image sharing site (like for family to share photos with each other), she has bio saying she has NO training, but is "self taught and naturally talented", she's using a cheap camera and the photos are worse than a kid! Like, pictures of peoples toes, people off-centred, photos of a kid mid-scream, people standing on a playground with tons of stuff going on behind them... just REALLY bad.... and charging $75 an hour plus expenses!!!!!! And one lady has a daycare and keeps giving away little junk, like "canned food" but when you get there she hands you ONE can of off brand peas. And "hair accessories" then gives you a 25c pack of rubber bands... I finally figured out she's trying to get people to see her daycare!!! What a waste of time!



xxx
mykatesmom
2008-10-24 00:28:14 UTC
yes, Freecycle is supposed to be 100% free. I too would have written to the groups moderator just like you did. You might not hear anything more about it, but the moderator probably would contact the lady you wrote about.



Different Freecycle groups might have different 'policies' about this. I know that the group I participate with requires that you offer something before you are allowed to request something (you can offer to take something someone posts, but you are not allowed to post "I am looking for X" until you first offer something).
Mom to Foster Children
2008-10-23 19:18:52 UTC
Freecycle is free. I have used it hundreds of times and her membership should be taken away for her violating freecycles rules and regulations. I wouldn't "trade" her anything and if she insist and you really want the VCR trade her last Sunday's want ads or some expired coupons - HA
teresathegreat
2008-10-23 19:18:01 UTC
Yes, it is supposed to be free - that's why she was offering barter, not cash.

Freecycle can function as a direct barter site (I'll trade you my stuff for your stuff, a free straight exchange), or as a communal barter site (I'll give away my stuff for free, and eventually help myself to someone else's free stuff).



So she wasn't out of line to ask, but she is missing out on the full potential of the site. Politely remind her of the communal opportunities of the site, and that you would love to take her spare VCR off her hands if it is still available, and that you hope she has similar luck finding treasures on this site.


This content was originally posted on Y! Answers, a Q&A website that shut down in 2021.
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