Question about Freecycle
I decided to join a few of my local freecycle message boards since we are renovating our house, and have been finding ourselves with piles of random items that others might find useful.
Anyhow, I've noticed that more often that not, there is WANTED: instead of OFFERED: on my freecycles.
I thought Freecycle was for people offering stuff..not people wanting stuff?? What also gets me is that these people want SPECIFIC almost NEW in PERFECT WORKING ORDER stuff...like one woman was looking for a laptop, preferably with blah blah amount of memory and a working wireless card? or the one looking for 4 must be matching pairs of curtains.. It seems like there's 10 WANTS to every 1 OFFER.
Do other freecyclers find this is a problem?
I just read the Admin's rules and it says to use "want" sparingly.
Hi Majick,
I'm also on Freecycle and LOVE that the concept is about creating a community that collectively pools their resources to have a positive effect on their neighborhoods. That being said, I'm in a couple of groups, and have noticed that some are better at OFFERS than others. To be honest, I think it depends on the moderators. In the extensive guidelines for one of my groups, they post a lot of advice about not being greedy from FAbby (Freecycle Abby) who is the Seattle moderator. She says that she denies people's posts if they're a long stream of ridiculous WANTS. You could try talking to the moderator and volunteering to help out to clean up some of the WANTs that drift in as more and more people drift in.
Good Luck!
My local Freecycle, which I get as individual emails per post, has many many many more offered than wants. It is a great resource. Unfortunately for me, it usually has baby items more than anything else. Not exactly what I am looking for. Though I did see a Juicer offered yesterday, I contemplated it then realized I have no room! haahah
Keep watching, waiting and offering!
One freecycle I'm on is rarely used, so I haven't seen a trend. The other freecycle is about even. Before you ask for something you have to offer something. There's a community board where I chat and someone came on and asked for enough things to fill a house and wanted them all in excellent or new condition. That self-regulated, because the poster quit asking after being properly mocked.
There was one woman who just posted..she's apparently getting divorced and "moving out on her own" and she's asking for a "houseful" of stuff practically....and she's being specific down to the COLOR SCHEME!?!?!
How freakin' pretentous. I think I'm going to email her and offer her a stinky lime-green and wood chair (it was in my attic when we moved here) and see if she wants it. ;D
The one I'm in requires new members to offer something before they can post a wanted. After that you can't post more than one wanted per week and you can only ask for one specific item per wanted. As a result, there are way more offered than wanted. I get in my email about 30-60 offered and maybe 1 or 2 wanted per day. The only draw back to the whole thing is no shows when your offering or posters who have had bad experiences, so they are really grouchy when arranging pick up.
I just kinda find it unbelievable..I've noticed that Fridays are the worst for the "wanters" around here..and it really seems to be the same "wanters" over and over again.. I live in a fairly rural area, so our freecycle groups aren't that large...but apparently the rural folk are quite pretentous...
I'm going to complain to the Admin because I find it very frustrating..here I am posting up goodies for other people to come take, items ranging from gently used clothing to doors and windows.. while others are taking complete advantage and posting for WANTS..it's not even NEEDS..I could understand if you were in NEED of something..but these people are posting thier wish lists...the latest want was a vanity set, preferably with drawers and a mirror for this woman to put her make up and hair accessories in, oh and if it came with a stool, that would be fab :o
I think i'm uber cranky today..but it irritates me that people take advantage of something I think can be so wonderful..
Well, freecycle is about both - wanting and offering. I didn't know it was about "need" at all. I thought it was more about keeping things out of landfills than fulfilling needs. In my freecycle, you have to offer something first before you're allowed to post a wanted ad.
I don't mind the wanted ads. I actually got rid of several things by looking at what people wanted. I happened to have what they wanted, and so it was perfect. I love that people come to pick it up, so no work for me! Of course, sometimes you get the no shows. But, there's always a bad apple somewhere.
Myself, I have posted a wanted for old, expired license plates as well as a typewriter (any condition). I got both. I didn't NEED them. But, it was nice to get them. I doubt I was taking away anything from someone who would actually need expired license plates!
I love freecycle. I think it's a great concept. The whole "one man's trash is another man's treasure" idea made real. Sometimes I go through the wanted ads just to see if I have it, and if I can give it away. I had this tent I bought, never used it, was just sitting in my room for 2 years. I never thought to give it away, but then I saw someone posting for a tent. And that's when I thought "hey, I don't need mine."