Free Stuff - a thought

[ConcertinaChap]

Over the years I've acquired quite a bit of stuff I don't want but is too good to throw. Conversely I can't be bothered to sell it so it's not really appropriate to Readers' Ads. I was wondering if there could be a subforum within the Backstage Pass area (thus restricting it to forum members) to offer free stuff to other forum members. You could call it Free Stuff.

Would there be interest in a Free Stuff forum? Or is it just me projecting my altruistic fantasies on an uncaring world?

CC

[OneWorld]

I'm inclined to say 'yep, in fact gimme 2 (things)'

yes there's a 'but' riding into town. Why not simply add a free stuff to the Readers Ads anyway, and thus avoid making work for someone who is busy enough anyway, so yes I agree in principle, exaltations to you, but you write you can't be bothered listing stuff in Readers Ads, however engaging with a Free Stuff thingy would involve just as much effort on your part?

[Dave.P]

I would go for this too - having a clearcut at the moment and a few things here that might be of interest or use elsewhere.
I would rather it went to someone on the forum rather than in readers ads as the whole point is not to have to deal with too many enquiries.

[BillB]

Nice idea, CC.

[Drew Stephenson]

Hmmm. I like the idea but like OneWorld don't want to add to the team's workload.
Could we just agree that these things can be offered (free only) via the lounge?

[The Elf]

I abhor the idea of stuff going into landfill. That's why I take in unwanted hardware, get it working, in most cases, and then find a home for it, if at all possible. Failing that I take it to charity shops.

So yes, I support a freebies list.

[adrian_k]

Yep likewise. I have given away a fair bit of stuff to community projects, students etc. Sometimes though the stuff is too niche to be of use to anyone but someone like me, I’m assuming* that’s you lot

* I know, never assume.

[Johnsy]

Hmmm. I like the idea but like OneWorld don't want to add to the team's workload.
Could we just agree that these things can be offered (free only) via the lounge?

+1

[ConcertinaChap]

but you write you can't be bothered listing stuff in Readers Ads, however engaging with a Free Stuff thingy would involve just as much effort on your part?

Of course it could, but it's not a question of not being bothered to post it there (It's the selling act itself when it's free whereof I talk). The vibe in Readers Ads is about selling stuff and I don't really want to waste the sellers' space with ads for free stuff and it doesn't keep what I'm offering for my fellow forumites.

Hmmm. I like the idea but like OneWorld don't want to add to the team's workload.
Could we just agree that these things can be offered (free only) via the lounge?

I'm not sure that putting freeby ads in the lounge would save work as compared with a Free Stuff forum, but mostly the lounge is busy enough as it is with adding a whole new category of posts ...

I'm also hoping that the simple existence of such a forum would actively encourage forumites to consider giving stuff away and generally help to build the sense of community that's so important to many of us here.

Perhaps a 3 or 6 month trial period might be an option to see how it goes?

CC

[ajay_m]

It would be a good idea because implicitly some things that otherwise have to be sorted out in readers ads are clear e.g you have to come and pick it up or pay for postage (if it doesn't weigh a ton) and no I don't ship to Uzbekistan, I *think* it's working fine but, hey, I'm giving it away, right? and so forth. Also as an offshoot, being able to offer something on a 'will swap for' basis would be handy.
Either way it's clear you're gifting (or exchanging) in this forum. And also you want this to be something only logged on members can see so that opportunists don't just take advantage of our generosity and then resell stuff on eBay or whatever.

[Folderol]

<snip>
And also you want this to be something only logged on members can see so that opportunists don't just take advantage of our generosity and then resell stuff on eBay or whatever.

Very much agree with this, and if/when it's set up,I would suggest it was only mentioned in the lounge. This would also protect it from scrapers seeing it and then joining simply to make a killing.

[Sam Spoons]

I suggested something similar a while ago but the team decided not to implement it for the reasons given above. I too am having a clear out and have a fair few bits of kit I would gladly give away so if the mods reconsidered I would use the 'free stuff' forum.

[OneWorld]

I tould be great if there was some sort of setup whereby anyone given free kit paid a contribution to charity, say £1.00? £5.00? £10.00?

But I guess that brings in all sorts of complications that make for a transaction becoming too costly time+money to manage?

[Martin Walker]

I tould be great if there was some sort of setup whereby anyone given free kit paid a contribution to charity, say £1.00? £5.00? £10.00?

But I guess that brings in all sorts of complications that make for a transaction becoming too costly time+money to manage?

I think given the general 'giving to mates' approach suggested in this thread, most people accepting unwanted gear free of charge would happily make a donation to a chosen charity without it being stipulated - let's keep things as simple as possible.

[ConcertinaChap]

I agree. I think it's a good idea to give some appropriate amount to a charity but I'd certainly not want to make it formal in any way, we'd really be complicating things for the poor mods.

CC

[The Elf]

Always happy to support charitable donations.

[BJG145]

Sounds like a good idea to me.

[RichardT]

Does it need an extra forum? Could people who have some things to offer just start a thread for each collection of gear in the lounge?

[BJG145]

Does it need an extra forum? Could people who have some things to offer just start a thread for each collection of gear in the lounge?

...not really. They just wouldn't. I don't usually encourage proliferation (sorry, no drum forum, ever )... but I like the community vibe behind it, and a dedicated section would make it super easy.

[ConcertinaChap]

[clicks like button, if there was a like button to click]

CC

[shufflebeat]

There is also the PM route I suppose, i.e., “list of precious (keys/mics/pedals/cables) crap available, 20 items - PM me”, happy campers reply, list is dispatched, conversation ensues.

[BJG145]

I still prefer the subforum idea. I wouldn't want to have to deal with half a dozen enquiries, and there's no visibility. The nice thing about the subforum is that it's like a jumble sale; you can see that Arpy's dumping his Farfisa collection because he's downsizing, Elf has collected them for a local nursery school, etc.

(I wonder if it would be possible to allow users to remain able to edit the title to show completed listings.)

[Wonks]

(I wonder if it would be possible to allow users to remain able to edit the title to show completed listings.)

No. It's primarily what scuppered the attempt to have readers ads in the Forum. The forum software isn't that nuanced.

[ConcertinaChap]

For this a post at the end of the thread saying taken should suffice. The idea is to, as the cliché says, Keep It Simple Stupid.

CC

[BJG145]

For this a post at the end of the thread saying taken should suffice. The idea is to, as the cliché says, Keep It Simple Stupid.

Sounds good.