FC Moderators Manual - ADMIN - Too Many Wanted Posts.

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ADMIN - Too Many Wanted Posts

ADMIN Notices - Limiting Wanted Posts/Too Many Wanted Posts

Some groups have guidelines for how many Wanted requests you can post and the frequency of repeat requests.

Here are a few examples you can use for your files regarding Wanted Posts. Simply copy and paste... and feel free to edit as necessary!

***Replace all XXX references with your local group name***

Example #1 - For Wanted Posts in Less than 7 Days

Hello,

Your message was not approved because we limit WANTED posts to 1 per 7-day period. We checked the archives and saw another WANTED was posted on _____. Please hold on to this post and resubmit it on or after _____. Thank you.

At XXX Freecycle(TM), we limit your WANTED posts to 1 per 7-day period. Each WANTED can be posted ONCE per month with a maximum of 3 items per one WANTED post. Thank you for your understanding on this very important matter!

Your XXX Freecycle Moderators
XXX-owner@yahoogroups.com

Example #2 - For Repeat Wanted Posts in Less than A Month

Hello,

Your post was not approved because each WANTED can be posted only once per month. We checked the archives and saw another WANTED for this same item posted on _____. Please hold onto this post and resubmit it one month after the previous posting.

At XXX Freecycle(TM) we limit your WANTED posts to one request per 7-day period. Each WANTED can be posted ONCE per month with a maximum of 3 items per post. Thank you for your understanding!

Your XXX Freecycle Moderators
XXX-owner@yahoogroups.com

Example #3 - For Too Many WANTED Posts in a Single Post

Whoa, Nelly! :)

We're sorry, but we cannot approve this message because you're asking for a little too much. That really isn't what Freecycle(TM) is all about.

We limit posts to 3 items per request not to exceed 1 post a week for WANTED. Please pick the items that are most important to you and post your WANTED. Resubmit your another request if you like in another week to balance things out.

We thank you for your participation in the XXX Freecycle Network. Please let us know if you have any questions or suggestions for improvement. Thank you.

Your XXX Freecycle Moderators
XXX-owner@yahoogroups.com

Example #4 - Regarding Wanted Posts

Hello, Freecycle(TM) Members,

We are taking a few minutes of time here to discuss WANTED posts. We promise to make this as short as possible.

We've recently been getting a number of Wanted posts from people that seem to think of Freecycle as their personal shopping service.

The mission of Freecycle is to keep still-useful things out of landfills. It is not a shopping service, a make-a-wish organization, or (as lots of news stories say) a place to get cool free stuff. Yes, sometimes people do get luxury items they ask for, but that is not the main goal.

If you post a Wanted for something most people consider extravagant, you probably won't get it. What you will get is a label... the person who asks for crazy stuff... and people will remember who you are.

So, why does Freecycle allow Wanted posts at all?

They remind us of what we may have to give away, but had forgotten about. If someone asks for an espresso maker, someone else may remember the one they have buried in the basement that they haven't used in the last 5 years.

Wanted posts are also good for those who need throwaways for their job or hobby. The person who repairs old PC's and donates them to schools is doing something useful, and the person who makes paper and asks for cotton rags is lowering our landfill use. Please be prudent when requesting these ongoing Wanted requests by posting once a month, otherwise they clog the list.

Remember, though, since we are not a wish list, we also don't allow stories about how desperately you need an item. A simple statement is OK, but not a whole story. Someone will either have what you are looking for or not.

As a final note, please be mindful of the format required by this group. If it is improperly formatted, the moderators will reject the post and ask you to reformat and resubmit.

Thanks for reading this and we hope you find what you are looking for!

Your XXX Freecycle Moderators
XXX-owner@yahoogroups.com

Example #5 - Regarding Wanted Posts - Too Many

Hello

I/We have received numerous complaints about your frequent posts of wanted items to the XXX Freecycle(TM) list. I felt I needed to address the situation.

Please understand the mission of Freecycle is to keep usable items out of the landfill. While it is a wonderful side benefit that people get things for free and are able to save money by participating in Freecycle, this is not our primary goal.

We are not a "wish list fulfillment center" or a one-stop shopping place... we are simply a list that facilitates the posting of OFFERs, posts offering of items that others no longer need, use or want in order to keep them from ending up in a landfill somewhere.

We also accept WANTED posts for specific items as a courtesy to our members, as these kind of posts may help jog the memories of people who have things no longer used, needed or wanted that are stored away in closets, attics or garages that people might be willing to give away for free. A lot of the items that you have listed are regularly posted as Offers here, so please stay on the lookout for those and respond to those posts offering things you need.

If you haven't found what you're seeking from a specific WANTED post within 30 days, you may repost the same message again, but we do not allow the same WANTED post to be submitted more often that every 30 days. Thanks for understanding-

Your XXX Freecycle Moderators
XXX-owner@yahoogroups.com

(Courtesy of Jill, Bakersfield - California Freecycle Moderator - adapted/edited accordingly for use)