A bit of a tangent, but I was recently shocked to learn that there are places in the US where this is discouraged. I suggested leaving a couch out on the curb when the owner had the same reservations as you about FB/CL and I was told that the cops will come by and spraypaint "BEDBUGS" on any furniture in an attempt to curb the neighborhood/city/regional bedbug problem.
I was told that second hand stores are similarly cagey about taking any used furniture, so the options are FB/CL or a dumpster.
I'm not in the US (UK) but I wouldn't do it myself just because I think it looks 'trashy'.
It's also probably not technically allowed (unless you have a front garden/drive and it's on your property) - but local councils will collect large appliances/furniture by prior arrangement too, I imagine the details vary but one I checked a while ago for example would do one such collection a year for free, some small fee if you needed an additional one that year.
I just tell them all, I am putting it out by the curb. First person to come gets it.
These centers are a wonderful source of super-affordable second-hand stuff. The environmental benefits are yuuuge.
At all the Goodwill's I've donated at, I'm always the only one there at that time. Just drive up and unload immediately
Wait, how do they check these over? Do they solve them to make sure that a quarter of the pieces aren't missing. Do they count the pieces in a 5000pc puzzle?
[1] The local “Dump” or “Tip” - [2] “Goodwill”.
I admit I don't know the situation in other places, but where I live it's trivial to give things away for free, or to donate them. There are multiple non-profit second hand stores where you can quite literally just drop stuff off outside their door at any hour of the day. They'll access it and if it's fit for resale they'll put a small price on it and handle the rest.
I've seen examples of towns that have specific "free stuff" weeks where people put out things that aren't garbage and anyone can take them. I quite like the idea, because it means people know they won't have to root though actual garbage.
Living in an impoverished area in a so-called third world country with absurd levels of inequality, most people cannot afford things that are considered for some as "basic" - nice bed sheets, a phone, a TV, pots and pans.
Wherever I or someone offers something to give away in a Facebook Marketplace local group, within seconds dozens of people will ask you to give it for them, offer to go immediately to claim it and everything - as look as what you offer is in a decent condition.
I had a few annoying experiences trying to get rid of perfectly good items for free (as well as a good number of non-problematic perfectly smooth experiences). But those few annoying experiences seriously make me feel hesitant to deal with it again. Casually browsing r/ChoosingBeggars from time to time isn't helping the situation either.
Three people replied saying they could pick up 'tomorrow' (i.e. yesterday).
1st person: no reply to my DMs after 12 hours (even though I DM'd them a minute after they commented).
2nd person: wanted more info about the condition (which is clear in the pics) and needs to check with someone else before they commit.
I'm still hoping it will be taken by someone before the end of the weekend.
stupid dolts, not realizing who the real hero of the story is!
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There really are dolts out there. It's not normal scheduling, it's bizarro requests and just scummy stuff like you arrange to sell something for $40, go meet them somewhere with the item, then they insist they've only got $20 take-it-or-leave-it because they know you already went to the trouble to bring it and meet them and at this point you'd rather just cut your losses. "Dolts" is being generous, really.
Or you're giving something away for free and they want you to travel an hour to them to deliver it... not to mention the constant requests for info about the item that is already answered if they just read the listing in full.
But if that's a common problem for you, tell them up front before meeting them it will be payment in full or you'll walk away. They're wasting their time too.
So yes my complaint is what they're talking about.
And no, I don't need to tell them it will be payment in full. That's already understood by any adult. And why wouldn't they still pull the same trick? (For the record, I don't sell it to them, so they do waste their time but it wastes mine too.)
But really, you should take your condescension elsewhere. HN isn't the appropriate place for it.
I've used all of those multiple times (mainly to give things away, but also getting things for free), and it's not a hassle at all.
Never had anyone ask for more pictures at all
I’m in France so not on Craigslist or Facebook but on LeBonCoin.
When I moved out I sold most of my furniture (table, chairs, desk…) and gave away a few things (pans, toaster…). Giving things is even easier than throwing away, people come the same day to take it away no matter the size.
I’ve never had a single issue with selling stuff online. People are nice and happy to get stuff at a discount, or free stuff.
I’m an avid reader of /r/ChoosingBeggars on Reddit because I find it funny but it doesn’t relate at all to my experience.
> You get all kinds of dolts with all kinds of problems and complicated ideas about when and where to meet, assuming they don't just completely flake.
Again, not my experience. The seller gets to pick the spot, that’s common sense and I’ve never seen anyone pick on that.
- The seller doesn't want the buyer to know where they live in case the buyer comes back to stalk them.
- The buyer doesn't want to meet the seller is some random alley carrying cash, lest the seller rob them.
For this reason, most Craigslist transactions I've had where the thing being sold was over $100 in value, we'd meet in a mall or bank parking lot, where no one would be stupid enough to try to rob the other party in broad daylight.
<https://www.wrps.on.ca/en/staying-safe/buy-and-sell-exchange...>
I give things away on Craigslist and sell things on there too. It is pretty simple.. put up good pictures, good descriptions, and treat the people who are picking your unwantables as people who are doing you the favor of taking those items off your hands.
It’s quick.
All that is to say, it wasn’t pain in the ass when I was in the Netherlands.
Buy my current neighborhood does a good job. People leave furniture and other items on the sidewalk regularly and other people take them (oftentimes seemingly instantly!). Half of my furniture is from the street, some of it very nice. And there are Facebook groups where people post stuff that's on the street, or things in their home they want to give away (though then you are back to making plans with weirdos).
The main group I use is Buy Nothing... https://www.facebook.com/BuyNothingProject/
I find a lot of their policies/moderation to be excessive, but it works.