OLIO Reviews

I shouldn’t have to delete and re-install an app just to get the basic function of notifications to work, and then ultimately fail at the next update. Especially for an app in which notifications are important.

I downloaded OLIO . It shows locations near me in The UK! I’m in The US!

How?

Also the interface was written by someone without the concept of orthogonality

Signed up with my email. App asked me to log in using a link via email. I tried several times and every time it shows “page not found”. So called “magic link” is so stupid and buggy.

I tried the magic link sign up on both my phone and laptop— neither works. Why put the sign up screen before I even have a chance to scroll through OLIO ?? unnecessary friction

Magic link didn’t work on computer or phone

To piggyback another review, well intentioned but OLIO experience really holds it back. I first learned / started using this app about 5 years ago and OLIO seems to have gotten worse over the years.

A lot of this would probably be solved with a tighter, native app replacing the existing one. Notification badges don’t clear, navigation is very clunky, heavy handed game mechanics, and so on.

I appreciate what the founders were going for, but OLIO experience falls short. It's really hard to schedule pick-ups, and managing listings is a pain. I want to choose default values for all new listings I create rather than having to set them every single time (e.g., number of days to stay listed, availability). Even if I need to work around this problem by manually setting it on each of my listings, the values I choose don't always persist (e.g., number of days listed keeps saving as 5 days rather than the value I selected).

This is a great idea and generally works well to fight consumerism and waste. However, OLIO could use some UX improvements to make this a 5 star tool. OLIO has an automated functionality called this app’s Little Helper that guesses whether a pick up took place and allows users to never showed to rate the user offering an item. An opt in for both parties to confirm the pick up was scheduled would make more sense. The messaging can lag at times as well. Every item you list opens a new thread even if you have a single person picking it all up. You end up with 3 different conversations with them instead of a single thread with history of your interactions. Hope to see more adoption and better UX in the future.

I downloaded OLIO & made the in app purchase based on recommendations from a friend. However, this was not the correct app. I’ve tried to delete my account. I have not used this at all. Only had less than a few days & have been trying to figure out how to return & get refund as I purchased by mistake. Please assist. Thank you so much!

OLIO is great for finding a home for things that would otherwise be wasted, and to help create a more sustainable world for all of us. The community is kind and responsive, and OLIO is easy to use with a clear and helpful interface. It’s a great way build community and get to know your neighbors in a friendly way. Everyone should be on here!

Very quick to reply back but I was unable to wait

C was great n the exchange was easy. I’m grateful!!

Manuel was prompt in replying and very accommodating. I ordered two breads, one wholemeal/white mix and another rye with fruits and nuts of my choice!
Picked up nice and fresh, stays fresh for several days and freezes well too!
Will definitely order again !

My partner loves his new chair and Dan is a very nice person.

Dahab is always friendly and one of my favourite people on this app to collect from. She is also very responsive in messaging which is great!

Jeanette was, kind, generous friendly and punctual. Thank you!

Quick and friendly transaction. I brought a bag just in case but she came with a box already prepped and ready. Thank you! 📦✨

Delightful :)

Showed up exactly when he said he would and texted with expected timing.

“As kids we are taught not to take food from strangers, as adults we should already know better.”

Interesting concept in theory, but is it really wise to take leftover food from strangers on the internet? I think a trusted and established grocer or bakery would be fine, but not from random people off the street.

September 8, 2019

I have mixed feelings about OLIO. There are good and bad intentions.

I hate how its required to make an account to see what OLIO is like. Especially forcing a verified number in the begin before starting.

Also, please please make the person giving the item a limited posting time. I dislike the idea of someone being ghosted, not messaging back to the reply. I can see that you read it but you don’t even give updates.... If you don’t have it then say so, or update that its gone!! Don’t go wasting peoples time.

Great idea, but don’t advertise in the US when you don’t have any products listed. Maybe advertise for people to post and do some marking in specific states and then launch. Really disappointed that I wasted all this time and was forced to create an account, but you had nothing to offer me. Some force of change. Get it together.

I used to love OLIO but I haven’t been able to use it lately because of login difficulties. I took FB off my phone (where I had logged in previously) and it won’t let me use FB or my email to login anymore. It’s a problem that needs to be addressed!

Awesome concept, I love it because just last night I wasn’t allowed to sell an unopened Haakaa (breast pump) for $5 on FB. So I just wanted to give it away. That being said, I also have organic lactation tea that’s factory sealed as well that I couldn’t sell on FB. When I agreed to share my location (to locate others around me) it said “we’ll never share your location”, great! Because I wouldn’t have signed up if it did because obviously I have kids. After I posted my first ad, it dropped a pin right somewhat near the location of my house! Great looking out for the privacy of your users and customers! Deleted ad, and uninstalling! Never again will I be using this ap nor will I recommend it to anyone!!

Almost everything I saw listed was over 8000 km away. Saw one thing 800 km away. This is a great idea but I don’t have time to sift thru listings in other countries. Why can’t they just show me what’s local? Deleted. Maybe I’ll check it out again at a later date.

If you picked up the leftover, packaged decently and from someone’s home, I’d like to think this is a safe situation.
Have you ever gone hungry, so your kids could eat. It is an awful feeling!
Chances are these people just ate this food! You are right about one thing, I suppose people can do bad things, but signing up for OLIO, to give or receive, OLIO has your info. I’d like to think it is safe and people are trying to help others. Go with your gut though!
We do live in a complicated world!

OLIO must be from a British developer, because every offer is only available in England. Would be a great app if people in the States also used it, but since no one within 1000’s of miles of my location use it, OLIO is pretty useless to me. I gave 3 stars for the concept alone.

I have sent both food items and non food items to new homes and really feel good about that. I also benefited from a big batch of coconut milk which was nice. There could be a bit more activity. Also I did make a request and was never answered for an offering. Other than that I think it’s helpful

This is a great idea and generally works well to fight consumerism and waste. However, OLIO could use some UX improvements to make this a 5 star tool. OLIO has an automated functionality called this app’s Little Helper that guesses whether a pick up took place and allows users to never showed to rate the user offering an item. An opt in for both parties to confirm the pick up was scheduled would make more sense. The messaging can lag at times as well. Every item you list opens a new thread even if you have a single person picking it all up. You end up with 3 different conversations with them instead of a single thread with history of your interactions. Hope to see more adoption and better UX in the future.

OLIO mostly works well besides for the lack of users near me and slow loading times. If there aren’t a lot of users now, and OLIO takes up to 10 seconds to refresh at times, then I’m not sure how it will handle growth. Overall great idea though!

What an amazing App! I have had several wonderful experiences sharing food on this app! People are so friendly and it is a fun and easy way to do you part and reduce food waste! I highly recommend downloading OLIO !

OLIO is such a wonderful idea: donate your unused food to somebody that needs it, also a handy easy tool to get some help before your payday, with some meal you would actually eat. There’s more to it, obviously. Only problem is that app and website are frozen sometimes. I think it’s because they are in growth process. For the most part, I’m VERY happy with this app! Get OLIO: Minimal participation is totally allowed!

this app has been such a blessing. Looking at ways to contribute more. Would love to be able to hide items from my feed

Great app! Must have improved a lot recently looking at older reviews. Lots of free food and lovely people.

Marie from slough who is a squad captain is known as the local bully and abuses her position and bullies, intimidates and threaten other fwh. She constantly goes around all the groups and disrupt the peace the leaves. She constantly makes up random lies with no proof and reports anyone she doesn’t see eye to eye. Olio protects her and won’t do anything about her abusive behaviour because she is a rainbow squad captain and is making money off her collections which she steals and gives to her “daughter in law” Dan. New fwh have been known to leave and are bullied out of their collections.

App is totally useless. They want you to list multiples of same item under same listing then use their allocation field to tell olio how many you have given away. Would be so easy to include a counter so the quantity is reduced each time by the allocated quantity. ( Simple modification ) also should be easy to group message threads together to make it easy to allocate and converse. Personally I think the ethos of the company as it's listed as a mobile app is to make as much money as possible while hiding behind a green label. Sort it out so your volunteers can work efficiently in making YOU money.