Ugh Freecycle!!!!

[jkelstaten]

Let me say that normally I love our freecycle group. It's been a great way for us to get things that we needed and unload things that haven't been getting used.

We are moving on Friday (down sizing into an RV and putting only essentials in storage for the year), so we have a bunch of things that I wanted to pass on through freecycle. I had seen (and taken part) when other members posted that they were moving and had a pile on their curb for first-come-first-serve. So I went ahead and posted that and put the stuff on the curb.

I posted that at 9:30am today and then went to an appointment. I came home and a lot of stuff was gone, checked my e-mail and then went to edit my post because someone had asked for details of what was available. Much to my surprise my post was gone.

I know that our owner/moderator is really picky, so I went to check the rules to see what I had done wrong. All the way down at the end of the very long rules it says that curbside first-come-first-serve is not allowed in our group. Normally, I would understand, but I know that others have posted about it and I receive it in the digest version about 12 hours later. My post was gone before 2 hours had passed. So the only people who saw it were the ones signed up for individual e-mail.

I don't have time to list everything, check the e-mails and then wait for a bunch of no-shows like I seem to get all the time. The stuff is already on my curb on a road that doesn't get much "traffic", so few people will just pass by & see it. I'm just irritated that others have been able to do it, but I wasn't allowed. Plus, we are leaving town Friday morning, Thursday is a holiday, and Wednesday the stores will be closing early. Today is booked. So I have no time to get this to a thrift store and our trash is picked up in the morning.

Anyway, I'm just frustrated because I have a bunch of really nice stuff that we just didn't have room for sitting on my curb & unless I can post on freecycle it's all going to go to the dump.:shrug7:

[jkelstaten]

Oh, and I didn't get any e-mail from the owner that my post had been deleted, I found out by chance. I normally don't go back & check my posts & I haven't been looking at the digest lately because I don't need to acquire anything else right now.

[raesana]

You can always post curbsides at Craigslist.
I hope that helps you.

[druidessemily]

Sometimes thrift stores have large trucks and are willing to do curbside pickups.

I'm so sorry that your Freecycle is so restrictive. :( You're trying to HELP people. You shouldn't have to jump through hoops to be able to give stuff away for free.

[meggers]

I know that one of my freecycle groups stopped allowing curbside posts when gas prices soared. I can see both sides to it, especially if the owner doesn't say that they'll post when it's taken.

I understand your frustration though. I hate to see great stuff just tossed in the trash. What you could do is post that one person must take all. I know that could cause a backlog of no-shows though. Also, if you move it away from the curb & into your yard, it would no longer break the rule, IMO. They ban the curb posts due to passer-bys, but if it's in the yard, people won't just stop & grab something. KWIM? I don't wanna get you in trouble, but seems like a free-for-all in one's yard may be how the other posters got by with it...

[sbp]

One of my freecycles is that restrictive too. Their reasoning is that it's a waste of resources for people to go out driving to you on the off-chance that you'll have something that they can use.

I hope you can come up with an alternate plan to get your stuff to people that can use it!

[jkelstaten]

Ok, well, problem solved. I sent an e-mail to the owner asking what I could do to make the post ok and all the sudden I've gotten the digest with my post in it. Odd, but whatever it takes I guess.


Thanks for the tip about Craigslist. I'll have to go there and post as well.

[sati769leigh]

Let me say that normally I love our freecycle group. It's been a great way for us to get things that we needed and unload things that haven't been getting used.

We are moving on Friday (down sizing into an RV and putting only essentials in storage for the year), so we have a bunch of things that I wanted to pass on through freecycle. I had seen (and taken part) when other members posted that they were moving and had a pile on their curb for first-come-first-serve. So I went ahead and posted that and put the stuff on the curb.

I posted that at 9:30am today and then went to an appointment. I came home and a lot of stuff was gone, checked my e-mail and then went to edit my post because someone had asked for details of what was available. Much to my surprise my post was gone.

I know that our owner/moderator is really picky, so I went to check the rules to see what I had done wrong. All the way down at the end of the very long rules it says that curbside first-come-first-serve is not allowed in our group. Normally, I would understand, but I know that others have posted about it and I receive it in the digest version about 12 hours later. My post was gone before 2 hours had passed. So the only people who saw it were the ones signed up for individual e-mail.

I don't have time to list everything, check the e-mails and then wait for a bunch of no-shows like I seem to get all the time. The stuff is already on my curb on a road that doesn't get much "traffic", so few people will just pass by & see it. I'm just irritated that others have been able to do it, but I wasn't allowed. Plus, we are leaving town Friday morning, Thursday is a holiday, and Wednesday the stores will be closing early. Today is booked. So I have no time to get this to a thrift store and our trash is picked up in the morning.

Anyway, I'm just frustrated because I have a bunch of really nice stuff that we just didn't have room for sitting on my curb & unless I can post on freecycle it's all going to go to the dump.:shrug7:

as a moderator for my local freecycle. i have to say we are purely volunteers and there are usually only one or two of us. which means some things slip through from time to time. things we would normally not allow. we do NOT check every single post madeby an already approved member. but sometimes we catch someone who is not on moderation who has made a post against freecycle rules and then we delete. honestly. yahoo has also been wonky lately. she might have send you an email explaining the issue but you never got it. it happens with yaho a lot. you can post a someone take ALL and freecycle what they dont want and arrange for one personto pick it up. that would be my suggestion if you dont have time to make multiple arrangements. i hope this helps you out in understanding that it is NOTHING personal. just posts in the past have been missed is all for removal.

[elemonj]

Do you ahve craigslist? I see those type curbside postings all the time on there.

[derketchup]

as a moderator for my local freecycle. i have to say we are purely volunteers and there are usually only one or two of us. which means some things slip through from time to time. things we would normally not allow. we do NOT check every single post madeby an already approved member. but sometimes we catch someone who is not on moderation who has made a post against freecycle rules and then we delete. honestly. yahoo has also been wonky lately. she might have send you an email explaining the issue but you never got it. it happens with yaho a lot. you can post a someone take ALL and freecycle what they dont want and arrange for one personto pick it up. that would be my suggestion if you dont have time to make multiple arrangements. i hope this helps you out in understanding that it is NOTHING personal. just posts in the past have been missed is all for removal.

Yahoo IS wonky lately. I have a friend I email and we both have yahoo accounts. Sometimes it takes his email 30 seconds to reach me.... sometimes 6 hours... it all depends.