Buy nothing group etiquette

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My Buy Nothing group admins take such a long time to approve posts that by the time they get posted, I usually offer it to the first poster. It had already “simmered” enough in the pending post phase and I just want it gone! 💨

It doesn't have to simmer. That doesn't do anything anyway. I don't want to dork around with some random wheel etc or wait 7days - I want to put it on my curb actually and have it disappear at night NOW

[Anonymous]

What does RNG mean when people post, especially after their original post and there is clearly a lot of interest?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:What does RNG mean when people post, especially after their original post and there is clearly a lot of interest?

It means they will use a Random Number Generator to select a person. Let’s say 18 people say they are interested; you assign them a number in order of their post. Then, the Random Number Generator picks #6 or whatever, so you say “OK, Sally, you’re #6 and you were selected, I will DM you with pick-up details.”

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My Buy Nothing group admins take such a long time to approve posts that by the time they get posted, I usually offer it to the first poster. It had already “simmered” enough in the pending post phase and I just want it gone! 💨

It doesn't have to simmer. That doesn't do anything anyway. I don't want to dork around with some random wheel etc or wait 7days - I want to put it on my curb actually and have it disappear at night NOW

But that’s not In ThE SpIrIt of the esteemed national organization that is Buy NothingTM

(I’m with you, I just want the s*** gone but that’s not PC to say)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My Buy Nothing group admins take such a long time to approve posts that by the time they get posted, I usually offer it to the first poster. It had already “simmered” enough in the pending post phase and I just want it gone! 💨

It doesn't have to simmer. That doesn't do anything anyway. I don't want to dork around with some random wheel etc or wait 7days - I want to put it on my curb actually and have it disappear at night NOW

But that’s not In ThE SpIrIt of the esteemed national organization that is Buy NothingTM

(I’m with you, I just want the s*** gone but that’s not PC to say)

+100. I have, once or twice, posted something really great that I knew would be of help to a parent in true need. So I said, “If you truly need this item and want to directly DM me, please feel free.” A bunch of people put “Interested” but respected what I was doing, and only one person got in touch to explain how helpful the item would be in a difficult time. Other than that, it was first to respond gets it. And I roll my eyes at our “Administrator” who lovesssss to post the “rules” and the “spirit of community.” Yes, I have *organically* made some connections with people through the process, but especially during COVID, it was come on down and take this off my porch. Get a grip, people.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Typically the giver will respond to a comment and say that they've been chosen and then will DM them with the address. In our group you're also supposed to update the original post to note who you gave it to. (I'm guilty of not always doing this last step.)

Oh and we're not supposed to delete once gifted.

Interesting. Why is this?

[Anonymous]

Our local BNG has encouraged people to not pick the first person bc there are some people who literally park themselves all day on FB so they can be the first person to claim items. Our moderators also discourage people from DM’ing to ask for items although people DM me all the time. Simmering is encouraged to give more people a chance to see the post but the moderators understand that some people need the items out of their house quickly.

Tbh, every time I have posted items, it has been a huge pain coordinating pickups with people who supposedly really want the stuff. They take days/weeks to come and the items are sitting outside which dh finds super annoying for some reason. It has gotten to the point where it is easier to donate items than do buy nothing bc of how difficult some people are.

[Anonymous]

The infamous “I can pick up tomorrow, oops I forgot, oops my baby daddy has the car for the next 2 days on his overnight shift, oops I lost your address” etc. people and before you know it the item has been sitting on your front stoop for 2 weeks and has gotten rained on 3 times.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Typically the giver will respond to a comment and say that they've been chosen and then will DM them with the address. In our group you're also supposed to update the original post to note who you gave it to. (I'm guilty of not always doing this last step.)

Oh and we're not supposed to delete once gifted.

Interesting. Why is this?

Laughably, our admin said “We need to keep a record of who we are as a community, to show the good we’ve done over time.” Barf. I delete because people just get confused and think the item is still available. Plus, it’s a couple of 2T nightgowns, not a box of diamonds.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:After someone posts an offer and there are replies with people asking for it, isn't the poster supposed to pick a person on the comments section and DM them an address? Lots of things posted but don't look like they go anywhere is this normal?

When they don't say who it went to it doesn't look like the item was even gifted. The poster should publicly say who it went to then DM them the address. It's very suspicious to me when this doesn't occur, especially when the offer is like an "almost new iphone 9" then looks like it went to no one.

That’s because it’s a scam

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The infamous “I can pick up tomorrow, oops I forgot, oops my baby daddy has the car for the next 2 days on his overnight shift, oops I lost your address” etc. people and before you know it the item has been sitting on your front stoop for 2 weeks and has gotten rained on 3 times.

It’s always the person who asked for it less than a minute after posting too 😂

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:After someone posts an offer and there are replies with people asking for it, isn't the poster supposed to pick a person on the comments section and DM them an address? Lots of things posted but don't look like they go anywhere is this normal?

When they don't say who it went to it doesn't look like the item was even gifted. The poster should publicly say who it went to then DM them the address. It's very suspicious to me when this doesn't occur, especially when the offer is like an "almost new iphone 9" then looks like it went to no one.

That’s because it’s a scam

All of it's a scam very few things I've actually seen GO to someone on my group. It's very strange really.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:After someone posts an offer and there are replies with people asking for it, isn't the poster supposed to pick a person on the comments section and DM them an address? Lots of things posted but don't look like they go anywhere is this normal?

When they don't say who it went to it doesn't look like the item was even gifted. The poster should publicly say who it went to then DM them the address. It's very suspicious to me when this doesn't occur, especially when the offer is like an "almost new iphone 9" then looks like it went to no one.

That’s because it’s a scam

All of it's a scam very few things I've actually seen GO to someone on my group. It's very strange really.

I’ve never experienced what you’re talking about in my group. What would the nature of this scam be? You sound confused.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The infamous “I can pick up tomorrow, oops I forgot, oops my baby daddy has the car for the next 2 days on his overnight shift, oops I lost your address” etc. people and before you know it the item has been sitting on your front stoop for 2 weeks and has gotten rained on 3 times.

I now have a big “BN bin” outside my door and it makes pickups a lot easier. Or sometimes I’ll ask if I can drop it at the person’s house if I’m going to be out running errands.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:After someone posts an offer and there are replies with people asking for it, isn't the poster supposed to pick a person on the comments section and DM them an address? Lots of things posted but don't look like they go anywhere is this normal?

When they don't say who it went to it doesn't look like the item was even gifted. The poster should publicly say who it went to then DM them the address. It's very suspicious to me when this doesn't occur, especially when the offer is like an "almost new iphone 9" then looks like it went to no one.

That’s because it’s a scam

All of it's a scam very few things I've actually seen GO to someone on my group. It's very strange really.

I’ve never experienced what you’re talking about in my group. What would the nature of this scam be? You sound confused.

I’m fascinated by this scam angle. How would people run a scam in a BN group?
Isn’t that one of the reasons that they are hyper-local, so that it’s truly neighbor to neighbor? I know I’ve gotten several things and given away several things in my BN group, and I’d say about 25% of the time it’s to or from someone I know in real life, and it’s always people in my neighborhood.

I guess I just lack some creative evilness or something, but I can’t figure out the scam. Even if someone flakes and doesn’t ever actually pick a name… so what?