Family Forum / Parenting / Mothers / June 2005

This issue came up on our local freecycle list recently.  A poll was
taken and it was decided that people can sell items they receive, but
only with the understanding that they must inform the giver.  This
gives the giver the opportunity to give them to someone else.

That said, I think when you put something out with a free sign, you're
giving permission for the taker to do what they wish with the items.

Nan

Well, it's not exactly right, but since you'd given away the items, once
they're out of your possession you have no say over what happens to them. He
could have made a bonfire with them if he wanted.

I know people that trashpick stuff and sell it on ebay. As you said, if
they had wanted to sell it themselves, they would have.

Once those items go to the curb, unless your municipality is involved*,
you turn complete control of those items over to that person that is
willing to haul those item(s) away. You've divested yourself mentally of
the item and are cutting any ties (emotional and physical) by moving it
to that designated area. <shrug> You didn't give it to someone in
particular as an heirloom so you can't hold any sway over where it will
go or what the new owner is willing to do with it.

* Perceived Freecycling of cans and bottles came under fire a few years
back in my little burg. It seems the scavengers really appreciated the
city's neighborhoods separating out the glass and aluminum so they could
come by the night before pick-up and collect a nice profit. The city
fathers (and mothers) explained to them through hefty fines the error of
that thinking.

The Ranger

whilst it may technically be ok and all that, i feel people are wrong to
sell what they have received in that sort of spirit.  Perhaps things that
you have to give away you should give directly to a charity that distributes
to needy families, or sells at low costs to such folk.  In our area, such
charities will pick up stuff if it is worthwhile

just MHO!

c

If you are so concerned about what ends up happening to your give-aways then
you should go the extra
mile yourself.  Take it to goodwill or salvation army or a day care center
or a women's shelter or a church or a school or the library.

I freecycle daily - i give things away on there weekly if not daily. If
someone wants to sell what i give - fine. It's out of my house - if  it has
value and i don't mind making the effort I ebay it. If i really am concerned
about where it ends up I go the extra mile myself.

I have picked up items on freecycle and sold them on ebay. I have also
picked up stuff off the street and sold on ebay.

I think it stinks. /memory:  I was at a dead show once, looking for a ticket
and some guy who was,( at the time ;-)), a little non-verbal held up one
finger and disappeared. So - i continued along my merry way until i found
and bought a ticket. When I returned to my friends, they held up a ticket
that my 'friend' brought over and said, 'where's your friend? here's a
miracle ticket', he refused to take their money. Well - now I had a ticket I
bought and a ticket i was gifted - what to do? the obvious  - pass on the
free ticket to someone else who needed a miracle in their life.  Didn't even
occur to me to sell the free ticket - kinda pay it forward........
Teri

Entrepreneurship, Lee.  For the record, I'd be pissed about it.  And I
also think that a gift is a gift and the recipient is free to do with it
whatever, including selling it for profit.    You COULD try to convince
yourself that the picker-upper brought them home, decided they "didn't
work" in the decorating scheme, and chose to get rid of them by selling
them.   I'd have been highly tempted to stop and make inquiries about
them -- history, where they came from, how old they are -- to see what
was said.  And then say, sadly, that you'd hoped they would be used by
someone for footstools rather than income.  JMT.

No, I think it's unethical to do that, but there is no way
to enforce that.

--
Dorothy

There is no sound, no cry in all the world
that can be heard unless someone listens ..

The Outer Limits

I think if you let someone borrow something and they sell it .. that would
be a problem.  But to give it away and then dictate what is done w/ the item
after it belongs to someone else is over reaching IMO.  (weather freecycle
or anything else)
I do understand what you mean though ... It took me a while to get to that
place myself.  I have never sold anything from Freecycle, I don't have the
energy or time.  I have gotten a few things that have been helpful and given
away a ton of stuff.
The other issue that I have w/ freecycle is when ppl send me their sob
stories when they want what I have put up.  I really don't care to go there.
It's not that I don't care about ppl, but really, I can't fix what ever they
have going on.
I could write a damn good sob story myself .. but I'm not interested in
having people feel sorry for me to give me stuff.

I had that happen to me once.  I put my old vacume cleaner out by the road
for trash.  Someone took it.  Fine.  No prob.  A few months later DH and I
are in the local pawn shop getting DD a TV for Christmas.  Guess what was on
display right by the door.  lol

Angela

I think it is the choice of the person taking the items what they do with it
personally.  I don't think it should be an issue.  Is it right?  Is it
honest?  I won't go there.  I think once you put it out and it is taken it
is up to the taker to do with it what they choose.  JMO.

Now if you ask them not to sell it and they do then it's dishonest.  Does
the list say no selling after you take an item?  Have you made your request
known to those taking your items?

Anni

LOL...

I just had to read all the posts in this thread.   When I first read this
post, my thought of "freecycle" was something to do with biking.  :)  Shows
where my brain is.

As for what you do and how you feel - well, I guess I'd be a bit hurt too in
that situation, but, its not like you tried to give it to a good home.   DH
and I both feel the same way.   If it gets to the point of being left at the
roadside - then it shouldn't matter what the recipient does with it.
Afterall - there are some people (garage or even flea market) who make their
living off of used stuff and the bigger profit they can get off it, the
better.   They'd have a better chance selling your footstools for $5 each
than to have to have paid $5 each from you and only sell for $7.

I give stuff away all the time.   If it isn't broken or used beyond repair -
then it gets given away.   First its offered to friends/family.  Most the
time that takes care of it - we end up getting a friend of a friend type
gifting.    Sometimes I'll post it at work and find someone there who wants
it.

Finally, if it hasn't gone then - I'll take it to the woman's shelter or
good will.    We usually make quite a few trips to good will every year.

I've had friends give me a hard time because I don't put my clothes on
consignment to sell them and instead, I just give them to the woman's
shelter or GW.   Thing is - I don't have the time to go deal with the
consignment shops that generally only take in clothes during my usual work
hours. It will cost me money to sell them, if I have to take time off work
to do it.    So, it gets given away.   Not to mention, I feel better giving
it to a group that will put it to good use.

If it comes to the point of giving to good will or putting by the roadside -
I've basically put it out of mind and don't care what happens to it.    The
only reason I'd be hurt by seeing it for sale somewhere - is the kick in the
a.s I give myself because I didn't take the time to sell it.   But really -
that's what it boils down to - taking the time.   I don't have much fee time
and I don't want to spend it trying to get rid of my used junk that I don't
have a need for any longer.