Do I Need to Mark My Post as Gifted? Can I Delete It Instead?

Overview

While it may seem easier to delete a post after an item has been given away or an Ask has been met, marking posts as Gifted or Fulfilled plays an important role in supporting the Buy Nothing community and the broader circular economy.

Why Marking Posts Matters

Measuring Environmental Impact

Every post marked Gifted represents an item diverted from the landfill. This data allows the Buy Nothing Project to measure collective environmental impact and quantify how many items and materials are being kept in use rather than becoming waste. These metrics help demonstrate the real-world impact of local gift economies and support broader sustainability efforts.

Modeling Community Culture

A visible history of completed Gives and fulfilled Asks helps newcomers understand how Buy Nothing works. Seeing successful exchanges encourages participation and reinforces the norm of sharing freely within the community.

Improving the Browsing Experience

The platform allows participants to filter out posts that have already been Gifted or Fulfilled. Accurate post status keeps active listings easy to find and makes browsing more efficient for everyone.

Deleting vs. Marking as Gifted

Deleting a post removes valuable information that supports impact tracking, community learning, and platform usability. Marking a post as Gifted or Fulfilled preserves these benefits while clearly indicating that the exchange is complete.

Summary

Marking posts as Gifted or Fulfilled—rather than deleting them—supports environmental impact tracking, models positive community behavior, and improves the experience for all participants. Accurate post status helps strengthen Buy Nothing’s role in building a transparent and effective circular economy.