Hello Freecycle(TM) Members!
The heat seems to be making us all a little cranky this week. Here are some reminders to help keep us on track until the heat subsides.
IF...
...someone gives you something that is in much poorer condition than you expected, or whose condition has been misrepresented, you don't have to take it. Say "no thanks" and leave it. Chances are, no matter what condition it's in, someone else can use it.
IF...
...someone says "no thanks" and leaves the item you've offered, don't be offended. Perhaps you haven't described it well enough or it's not quite what they expected. Someone else may need it so offer it again with a more complete description.
IF...
...you respond to an offer and you don't hear back right away, don't bombard the offerer with follow-up emails. Members have the right to give their items to anyone they choose in their own good time and sometimes can't respond to each email personally. Keep an eye out for the TAKEN message and if it doesn't appear in a day or so, you can follow up with a single email expressing interest again. After that, let it go.
IF...
...you post a wanted and you have been blessed with it, post a RECEIVED message so that people know your need has been filled.
IF...
...you post an offer and have gifted someone with your item, post a TAKEN message so that people know the item is no longer available.
IF...
...you find you've worn out your welcome with people you've dealt with in the past, or you are no longer getting responses from other members, you may want to review the way you present yourself in emails and in person. Are you a little abrupt? Too persistent? Did you forget to say thanks, by email or in person? Did you miss appointments? Word gets around.
IF...
...you've had great experiences with a particular member, make sure that word gets around too.
IF...
...you're going to crosspost to other lists, please post to your own area first and to local lists a day or two later.
IF...
...you say you're going to pick up an item at a given date and time, do it. Sometimes things happen and there are legitimate reasons to be late or miss appointments. Even so, it's possible a member might really need to move an item out of their house and may opt to give it to someone else rather than wait for you or reschedule. That is their privilege and you should regard it as a missed opportunity, not a personal insult or a poor reflection on their character.
IF...
...you pick up an item and the offerer is not home, follow up with an email confirming you received it and saying thanks.
IF...
...you've got comments or complaints about messages you see posted, or about the conduct of other members, please contact the moderators. We can send out a general ADMIN notice (like this one) to remind members of the rules and etiquette or, if necessary, contact an offending member privately. We can't know where improvement is needed without feedback.
IF...
...you receive an email from a moderator, it means concern has been expressed about your activities. Please take it in the spirit in which in it is intended: with a view to improving the Freecycle experience for everyone.
IF...
...someone sends you an email and you're not sure how to take it, assume it was meant the best possible way. This will help you feel better about other members and prevent you from firing off angry emails.
IF...
...you're still tempted to write something you might regret later, remember this adage: read twice, post once. Better yet, wait a few hours before pressing send. Do you still want to phrase things quite that way?
IF...
...you've got something nice to say about Freecycle or about another member, we'd like to hear about that too. It's great to hear when things are working well!
IF...
...you've never made an offer, try it. It feels wonderful to lighten your load and bless someone else with a gift!
Stay cool, and stay calm!
Your Friendly Tacoma Area Freecycle(TM) Moderators
Questions? Comments? TacomaAreaFreecycle-owner@yahoogroups.com
QUICK GUIDE TO CORRECT SUBJECT LINE FORMAT:
(Use ONLY one of these four keywords)
OFFER: couch - (Your Home Location)
TAKEN: couch - (Your Home Location)
WANTED: garden hose - (Your Home Location)
RECEIVED: garden hose - (Your Home Location)
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Compose messages easily with Internet Explorer and *Firefox* Freecycle Plugins from http://wiki.memberplugin.org. Click to install it today!
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Please join our new forum, the Tacoma Area Freecycle Café. It is a place where you can share links, services, resources, community agencies, volunteer opportunities, trade, or barter.
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/TacomaAreaFreecycle_Cafe
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(c) 2003 The Freecycle Network http://www.Freecycle.org). All rights reserved. Freecycle and the Freecycle logo are trademarks of The Freecycle Network in the United States and/or other countries.
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COMMENTS AND QUESTIONS? Email: TacomaAreaFreecycle-owner@yahoogroups.com
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