Use to do freecycle all the time. I got sick of it because of:
how strict the yahoo groups are - You have to use their exact wording of offer, want, ect or risk getting your post deleted. No friendliness seems to exists. That's why there are tons of freecycle knockoff groups.
And seeing as how I live in the country I'd only offer large items for pickup and most were no shows. If I had something small, I'd bring it to my work (larger town) where it could be picked up and still majority were no shows. Needless to say I don't offer anymore and take my stuff to Goodwill.
Once someone asked for a set of mattresses we had to give away and after I told them they could have them and also announced on the group they were spoken for, the people wanting them tell me they have no way to pick them up!
So being the sucker, eh, I mean nice people we are, we offered to bring them 30 miles away to where they lived seeing as how we had to come in to town that day anyway. You know we got there and they didn't lift a finger to help carry them into the house? Why we didn't just throw them on the ground and leave is beyond me seeing as how they didn't offer to pay for gas or even say thanks. Did I mention the word sucker?
I guess etiquette wise, #1 to me would be don't ask in the first place for something if you have no way to haul it.
I've had that situation with stuff I've tried to sell on Craig's list. When I was moving last year we had several items we were either selling or giving away.
We first tried to give them to Salvation Army, but when the truck showed up the guy said they were not allowed to take the items out of the house, I had to put them on the sidewalk myself. They would then take the items and load them in the truck. I really wish the person I spoke to on the telephone had told me that. We were told that the crew with the truck would carry the items out.
So anyway, we were trying to sell some large items on Craigs List. I got countless responses from people who wanted the stuff, but had no truck and wanted me to deliver to downtown Washington, DC (about 30 miles away). Many no-shows, many times they would show up in a compact car, and then wonder how they are going to get it home. Geez! Its a sofa you idiot! You are not getting it in the back seat of a Honda Accord! Other times they would show up in a pickup truck, but had no means of taking it out and loading the truck. One time a handicapped person showed up in a pickup truck to get a refrigerator. I was home by myself. I would have helped get it out, but I am unable to take a fridge out by myself. We also had a huge wall mirror in the dining room we were selling. It was like 6 feet by 4 feet. A lady wanted me to deliver it to DC sight unseen. Not wanting to drive this huge mirror all the way to DC I told the lady I would charge an additional $300 for curbside delivery in downtown DC. She then said that was agreeable. I told her I'd rather she came and looked at it first. I'd hate to drive it there and then she decided she didn't like it, and I didn't get paid. She then asked what Metro (subway) stop I was near. Helllooooo, the ad is placed for Sterling, Virginia! We're at least 20 miles away from a subway station! I didn't hear from her again.
I remember my mom was selling a bedroom set on Craig's list. Two pregnant women in a truck showed up to pick it up! They were lucky I had stopped by mom's, otherwise they might still be trying to get that bedroom set in the truck!
To me its just common sense. If you're buying a sofa, or other large item - bring a properly sized vehicle and some manpower to load this stuff.
-Jay
