Kijiji

How does one offload all the household items which we have accumulated over the year? There are many different options.

1. cart them to a charity store. The most convenient one for me is Goodwill, but there is also St. Vincent de Paul (with another branch on Elias St.),  Value Village, Talize and  My Neighbour's Closet. Just drop off at the back door - sorted. There are other possibilities as well, but I have not explored all those thrift stores.
2. offer and distribute to your friends.
3. carry them to the bins, or if you live in a house, the side of the road on trash collection days. Chances are, the best items will be taken away by strangers before the garbage van arrives.
4. organise a garage / yard sale on your front lawn. There are plenty of those in late summer. Quite a few on Huron Street, East of Adelaide (EOA) - they do look a bit dubious though.
5. advertise on ebay, but be aware of the steep Canadian postage rates, if you intend to ship.
6. advertise on Kijiji. 

Although I found it impossible to buy things on Kijiji (usually due to vendors not replying to my inquiries), I found it easy to list items there and to hope for potential buyers. The uploading process is very quick and uncomplicated. No need to be a member, nor to sign up and leave all your private details, and best of all no commission for a sale to Kijiji.

On the flip side, there is a whole new type of person I had to deal with through Kijiji. Here are some samples of the contacts I had:

• "I would like buy it, I don't have to look at it again, thanks. But I can't go to get it today because I don't have time today, can I get it another day? I can give you the money through internet banking." I replied several times to this person and we agreed on a pick up day/time convenient for her. She never showed up.

• "Hello I would love to pick it up for 20 could i come by tonight thanks?" I agreed, although it was late already. These people never came and we stayed up half the night for them.

• "very interested, where r u located? would u drop off?" I gave the information requested and even offered to drop off on this occasion. Never heard from this person again.

Why do they bother? Is it a game for bored people? They write to you and ask whether you still have the item. You do - which is why the item is still listed. You answer with any additional information they requested. They never get back to you. Frustrating it is. Oh well - more stuff for the charity shop!