giveaways on freecycle

**forestdale** · 08-22-2005, 09:01 PM

I've just joined our local freecycle and my first action is to give away my old sewing machine.  It's 20 years old but it still works perfectly and has just been serviced.  Being new to this group I'm not sure how to decide on who gets it.  Do you give to the first person who answers or do you pick who you want to have it?

I want to give to a person who needs a sewing machine and will use it. I'd hate to give it to someone who will have it sitting in a cupboard, or, worst still, sells it.  I have no idea how to choose who receives it.  If you're in freecycle, how do you choose?

**nodmicks** · 08-22-2005, 09:06 PM

I generally give it to the first reply I get unless I know it is someone who is always the 1st to reply.
I also keep 1 or 2 extra names incase the person doesn't show up.

**many houseapes** · 08-22-2005, 09:09 PM

no, you do not have to give to the first reply. If you have more than one reply, choose the lucky taker carefully. I hate to sound mean, b/c there are truly needy people out there(us included), but I have seen alot of pathetic sob stories when I have offered items. I spoke to one of the moderators of our site & she told me that those are the replies that you should not answer to.

**Kimberlina** · 08-22-2005, 09:30 PM

If you haven't already put your message on the board, you can say something to the effect that charitable organizations (like a children's group home- "orphanage," although that is not what they are called around here anymore) or someone who will actually use it will get first priority. Or you don't need to say anything at all. Just give it a day or two for the requests to come in, then decide who you want it to go to. Generally things are first-come-first-served on our board, but that isn't the way it has to be done. There are some people who are always asking for things, and those aren't always the people I would choose to get my items.

**forestdale** · 08-22-2005, 09:54 PM

Thanks ladies, I'm pleased to have your input. I listed it this morning but the moderator is still checking and it hasn't actually appeared on the listings yet. I think I'll wait a couple of days before I repond to anyone.

**Hollyhandi** · 08-22-2005, 10:09 PM

I was lucky and just got a storm door from freecycle.
Been looking for one for awhile and I was the first one to answer
her ad. We are closing in our front porch.
We have been very lucky but many people in our group are being pretty mean and fighting lately.
Good Luck Forestdale

**sunshine** · 08-22-2005, 11:18 PM

I always wait at least 1 day before deciding who gets my items. I'd hate to think that some one who really needed my item was at work, or away from their ciomputer at the time I posted my offer.

our moderators encourage people to do this as well. . . that way you don't have the same people consistently getting all the stuff. We also post who we gave the items to-- so that people can decide if they want to give their items to someone trusted and proven, or to someone who hasn't had an opportunity to get any thing.

**forestdale** · 08-22-2005, 11:49 PM

good point, denise. I'm going to check back through the old posts.

**YankeeMom** · 08-23-2005, 08:20 AM

We were just warned on our freecycle group of people who have set their emails to automatically reply to offers on freecycle and are snatching them up & reselling the stuff for profit.

It was advised that we take precautions when offering to the first reply. There are no rules about first come first serve, it is whoever the offerer decides to give it to.

**slowtypinwoman** · 08-23-2005, 08:56 AM

I generally don't give to the first person either. Some people do nothing but reply to these. It should be a little more fair. We try to go to the second or third.

**Telephus44** · 08-25-2005, 08:44 PM

I also wait a full day, and then pick from the responses I get. For example, I had a whole set of votive candles left over from my wedding, and the third person who responded was getting married in 2 months and needed favors - so I gave them to her over other offers. Anyone that sounds too needy or desparate I usually don't pick.

**forestdale** · 08-26-2005, 04:29 AM

I chose a woman just on intuition. She was about the fourth person to respond. When I gave her the sewing machine she came with two small children. She then told me she was a single mum and she wanted the machine to make clothes for her kids. I was really pleased with my choice.

Thanks for all the advice, ladies.