Freecycle Etiquette - How to Respond to an Ad on a Freecycle Forum

Freecycle is an online community driven service that allows people who have items they no longer need to offer them to others living in the community. The main requirements are that the items be legal and be offered at no charge. Once an item is posted to a Freecycle message board, anyone interested in it can contact the owner and make arrangements to pick up the item.

For the most part, people who participate on these sites are very courteous and responsible in how they conduct themselves. Unfortunately, there are times when individuals take actions that are not respectful or polite. If you like to use these boards to find things you need, keep the following tips in mind.

Before claiming the item, read the entire ad. Make note of any limitations the owner may have placed on giving away the item. For example, if the owner says he or she must dispose of the item today, and you cannot possibly get to them before tomorrow, don't respond. All you do is waste the owner's time, and also convey the message that what they want doesn't matter - what you want is more important. That mindset rarely makes friends.

When you do respond to an ad, be specific about when you can pick it up in that first email. "I can swing by around six today, after I get off work" is much more helpful than opening with the vague " I can come whenever it's convenient for you". What usually happens is that "can come anytime" turns into "I can't come then, but I could come later" when the owner responds with a time. That sort of thing can quickly become annoying.

Once the two of you agree to a time and place for the pickup, stick to it. Emailing back a few hours before the scheduled pickup time saying you can't make it and would tomorrow be okay is not acceptable. This is especially true when the owner is gracious enough to allow one reschedule, then you ask for a second and then a third. If an emergency comes up and you cannot make the pickup, let the owner know and tell them it's fine if they move on to someone else who responded to the ad. That leaves a much better impression that asking someone to continually reorganize his or her schedule to fit yours.

Respect the owner's privacy. If they only want to communicate by email, don't provide your telephone number and ask him or her to call you. When they want to meet in a public place instead of have you come to their home, don't insist otherwise. Remember, you are getting something you want for free; you are not entitled to any more information than the owner wishes to provide.

Don't gouge for more. If the owner has a box of books to give away and you are chosen to receive them, pick them up on time and remember to say thanks. That's all you need to do. It is not good form to ask the owner when he or she will have more books to give away, or encourage the owner to bypass using the local Freecycle group and pass them on to you.

Freecycling is a great way to obtain some of the things you want or need, even when the budget is tight. It's also a key component of a green lifestyle. Passing on items that are no longer wanted to someone who will get use from them just makes good environmental sense. By exhibiting a little consideration, you stand a better chance of being selected as the lucky recipient and possibly getting first crack the next time that owner has something to give away.