Free Cycle - interesting experience

Phonesis

Phonesis

Phonesis

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Anyone here used free cycle before to get rid of stuff?

An interesting experience. I posted that I was getting rid of a wooden coffee table and briefly described it (no picture). It was a big old thing, lovely but just too big for my front room.

Didn't expect much in the way of responses....

Boy was I wrong. 20-30 emails within an hour. WTF? Some were truly bizarre. Someone telling me, in length, how I was a "truly great" person for wanting to give away my coffee table for free.

I just went along with the very first reply and answered them. Someone who came across very friendly and rather elderly in the email they sent. Instantly got a phone number back from them asking me to ring them. So I did and was told "they" would be over within 30 mins. Again, WTF?

Anyway, 2 pretty dodgy looking wide boy types turned up in an absolutely battered up old peugeot 206 - literally spat its way up my street. I was kinda unsure I even wanted to speak to them let alone let them into my flat to give the table away.

They came in and instantly grumbled about its size, apparently not what they expected. It was rather large and heavy, I warned them, and they seemed unsure what to do.

After an awkward minute, they decided to take it. Somehow got it in the 206 and were gone into the night...

I gave it away for free but somehow felt dirty about the whole experience!
 
I haven't used it before, but I have a friend who has given away and picked up pieces on there. From what he told me, he's had fairly similar experience as you. An assortment of people; some overly thankful (some even offering cash), some very fussy (some coming to see the item and telling him it's not worth their time), and some genuine nut jobs :p
 
We used it a couple of times and it was just as odd.

So many sob story messages received for some old tat we were getting rid of. It seems regular users have found such an approach wins them more items.

Mrs Cheesyboy was quite enthusiastic about using it when first discovered, but after failing to 'win' anything for ages, realised you really did have to lay it on thick to be chosen. We got a VCR which we needed, temporarily, for something or other but haven't bothered at all since.
 
Used it a few years ago to get rid of some furniture before I moved up to Scotland, the people I dealt with were really nice and very grateful.
 
I've used it a number of times, picking up and offering up stuff. I never had anything less than a decent experience.

I got a very underpowered drill from one guy, but it appeared to be brand new. Numerous TVs, speakers, a record player, maybe some other junk.

I've given away a composter and a few other bits and they were all cool.

Quite an enjoyable experience tbh!
 
NoobCannon said:
****** probably trawl it all day picking up free stuff and then sell it on thier "entirely legal" shops

Profiting out of other people
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Good luck to em I say - nothing wrong with a bit of enterprise.

Every business profits "out of other people" in one way or another.
 
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My mrs uses it loads to get rid of stuff... she waits for a few request emails to come in and picks the most genuine sounding one. never had a problem, only loads of gratitude!
 
amigafan2003 said:
Good luck to em I say - nothing wrong with a bit of enterprise.

Every business profits "out of other people" in one way or another.
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Not really, it goes against the entire spirit of the reason why it exists.

Nothing wrong with a bit of house robbery then Selling the contents at cash convertors :D

We had this topic Before and again ill say, My sister used it to get a few odds and ends when they moved into their new house and were skint.

She got some IKEA furniture, not even assembled and some hideous futon bed sofa thing, if i recall.

None of them were weirdows, just normal 30s somethings with a bit of an eco vibe.

I Think its brilliant tbh. Shame such a simple concept is exploited by pikieys and stigmatised by weirdows
 
I've had a ps3 with loads of games before, woman caught her fella cheating and decided to give his stuff away, I did offer money but she said no just take it.
 
I do think it's pretty great but will probably vet who I reply to a bit more next time! They were fine though really I guess. Ultimately did me a favour as it was a heavy beast and selling these items often takes far longer and people sometimes expect you to deliver them.
 
Clov!s said:
I've had a ps3 with loads of games before, woman caught her fella cheating and decided to give his stuff away, I did offer money but she said no just take it.
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See this is just ****ed up. How is that not theft in the eyes of the law, at least?
 
I've tried using it a couple of times, to get rid of an old fish tank and a couple of leather office chairs... Had no interest for several weeks, stuck on gumtree for "free on collection", both went within a few hours!
 
I have had had some hilarious things happen.

Put up a buggy once, decent three hundred quid job which was a little knackered so wanted to give it to someone who had a child and was prepared to do a little work on it, nothing serious.

I must have had over 100 messages. I replied to the first one and she asked me to take it to the other side of Reading, which I politely declined. She then got all lairy by email and told me I was a bad person for not delivering it her her front door. Ended up giving it to a very nice Polish guy who drove all the way from Maidenhead to get it. 40 mile round trip!

Best one is when I gave away some partly used hair products. About 6 pots in all and all used a little (I have a hair product addiction trying to find the perfect one - this still continues). All good stuff. Anyway, again over 100 messages and again I replied to the first one and said they could come over when i got home from work. I messaged the guy back when I got it and they told me they were waiting at the top of my road. :eek:

He turned up, and he had no hair!

I looked at him, at his head then back at him again. He realised, mumbled something about it being for his son, took it and scuttled off!

Some people. :D
 
Better off just leaving it on the street with a sign saying "£20 - enquire within" on top. Whatever it is will be gone within the hour.
 
Part used hair products, those are some grim people and you are weird for advertising it lol
 
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