Caitlin McDermott
GBA suggestion..... I’ve used this site a lot and it’s been really helpful, BUT I think the process could be made a lot easier for both sides if people had to formally commit to collection. Sometimes people say they want an item then don’t turn up, and you might have stayed in or turned down someone who really wanted it/ would have collected it. Could an option be added to the website where an offer is made/ accepted with a specific time window (and maybe one chance to re-schedule) and if they were a no-show it would be recorded on their profile? It would be an incentive not to be flakey, and if you had 2 offers and could see that one person had collected 100% of their items and another 50%, you could make an informed choice about who to offer it to. Also it would help those collecting things because you could see it had already been promised to someone (you could offer people the option to go on a waiting list in case it became available again).
Sophie
GBMixed review I use Freeview mostly to give items that are too good for the tip away for free to people who need/want them in the local area, but honestly, it's just such a faff and you often end up sitting in the house for hours waiting for people who never show up. I've had good experiences with people being really responsive and collecting quickly, but more experiences with people not responding / being no-shows / not having space in the car for it. For balance, the one time I used it as a 'customer' - I got a lovely piece of furniture in great condition that I still use to this day. The issue with Freecycle isn't the concept, it's some of the time wasters who use it...
hedera Helix
GBAntique furniture not wanted on here! For some reason people don't even want antique furniture, ive had real probs, till I felt it being not a nice experience. 3 times I've had items that I didn't even want to get rid of but have to and no one replies despite the fact that they're nice items it seems they only want and ask for Ikea this and Ikea that and even boats cars and tablets etc etc. So I'm having to maybe try somewhere else. Gumtree seems a bit naff as people just ask if you still have item then no reply back etc etc I've an antique mirrored overmantle Dresser Top no one's replying to on freecycle, so maybe il just smash it up.
Johnny Beat
GBIt's hard to recommend the site It's hard to recommend the site. I tried to post an item in good faith and it is just left hanging in moderation limbo, while other items are being posted by other members. It has been nearly 24 hours now and I understand that moderators are volunteers, but this makes no sense, with zero feedback given. I have a lot of decent items I'd love to share, but what's the point wasting time with such an inefficient service. Hopefully there will be AI moderation at some point and cut out the human.
Taylor S
GBGood until recently I have had good experiences in the past. But recently I was ignored when I tried several times to contact my local moderators after a scary experience. I was giving away some paving materials. Many people replied, but I offered it to the first person, as I felt I should. He texted and showed up promptly. But he also tried to completely control the pickup, and made me extremely uncomfortable. He was verbally abusive and very creepy. He told me that he was friends with the moderators, and basically knew more than I did. And I got no reply to any of my complaints to the moderators. No response at all. I am much more wary now, and hesitate to use freecycle. I recommend that you do not have someone pick up from your home if at all possible. Vet the person if you can, and have someone with you at any pickup. My experience was traumatic.