Home › Forums › Open Discussion › Nextdoor.com- Anybody using this?
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October 16, 2013 at 6:17 pm #609411
dobroParticipantI got a card in the mail, ostensibly from a neighbor a few blocks away whom I don’t know,inviting me to participate in this neighborhood social media site. Is anyone using this or know more about it?
October 16, 2013 at 6:27 pm #798741
wakefloodParticipantNo idea, Dobro. Not seen one down here near the ferry area of Fauntleroy…
Sounds like a startup doing some guerilla mktg?
October 16, 2013 at 6:34 pm #798742
JanSParticipantIt’s been around for a couple of years. I formed the neighborhood called Admiral District Central on there. We have about 53 members signed up. Not a great amount. I think that’s because we have the WS Blog here. I know it’s very active in other neighborhoods. It allows you to communicate with others in your specific area, for things like advice, crime notices, referrals, selling stuff, etc. Check out if there is one already formed in your specific area. The postcard? Periodically they are sent out to all in your neighborhood to get more neighbors to join, usually initiated in a group already formed.
October 16, 2013 at 6:41 pm #798743
WSBKeymasterNextdoor was discussed here recently in another thread.
It is a national, VC-funded company ($40 million as of this summer: http://streetfightmag.com/2013/06/27/nextdoor-where-privacy-is-a-double-edged-sword ) that asks you to give them very personal information (name, address, etc.) to sign up on a neighborhood list.
We think neighborhood lists/sites are great – mailing lists, free “blog format” sites as are used by more than a few in WS – but they shouldn’t be walled off from the rest of the world. A lost pet in Fauntleroy might turn up in Westwood. Etc. Also, once these people finally run out of VC and have to start selling your personal info, well, they have it.
They have the money to send you postcards and also to offer bribes for signups (a couple years ago they were offering $50 Starbucks cards if you recruited somebody).
I could go on, but won’t. We believe in the open Web (which is why WSB mobile is via the web, not via a walled app) and I would respect these people if they had chosen to make them open sites, not insisting on your personal info which invariably will be sold to the highest bidder. (WSB gathers no personal info – our ads are all served as images hosted on our site and do not give advertisers any data about you. We don’t run Google Ads, either text or display, unlike other local sites.)
We signed up for ours, by the way, just to see how people would use it. So far, less than one post a month. But Nextdoor can still claim to its investors that our neighborhood has “adopted” it.
I’ll shut up now … TR
October 16, 2013 at 8:42 pm #798744
trickycooljParticipantI really like how it’s being used in High Point. It has helped bring together the different groups of residents online where previously random clusters of homes made exclusive Facebook groups and rumors were spreading in a negative way. We have great information sharing now between all resident groups, neighborhood house, HOAs, SHA, etc. You can also see posts from surrounding neighborhoods too. While I believe in an open web too, next door has been a good tool so far for us. It wouldn’t make sense to post here about High Point specific concerns, like do I need to submit a design change for my front yard project? Can I report maintenance or parking concerns? Kids ringing doorbells and running? Kids writing fake eviction notices signed by President Obama? (That one was hilarious!) These aren’t really applicable to West Seattle or greater Seattle as a whole, but certainly on my corner of Morgan St.
October 16, 2013 at 9:13 pm #798745
sam-cParticipantI had never heard about it until this. I was going to just check it out to see what it was and to see if there was participation from my neighborhood before deciding to ‘join’. but, you cannot browse without giving up personal information so I just skipped it.
October 16, 2013 at 10:04 pm #798746
dbcooperMemberI use it! Great tool with an app. for missing dogs, free treadmills etc.
Yes the blog is great for all of those things too, but nextdoor targets just that. Nextdoor.
October 17, 2013 at 2:45 am #798747
PangolinPieParticipantI like it, though I wish more people would use it. It’s not as great as this site, of course! But it does seem like a useful way of staying in touch with your geographically close neighbors.
October 18, 2013 at 1:48 am #798748
DianeParticipantI had heard of Nextdoor couple years ago, but suspicious, and could not see the need
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then I saw my friend Jan (above) had started an Admiral group; I live in Admiral, but she created a border that left me out by 1 block; so I checked and discovered an Alaska Junction group (I pretty much live ½ way between the 2, in Belvidere); I joined and was pleased to see that almost the entire block of Belvidere right next to me had joined; then I went to the Aug night out on Belvidere, asked some of them about it; doesn’t seem most are using it for anything; I get emails that show me comments from group members; and new members each week; may need more people to join to really be useful
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I also heard that the Highpoint group is very active; and I saw a news program recently showing a neighborhood in So Cal that is super active on Nextdoor and has really helped them to get to know each other
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so I’m still giving it a chance; see what happens
October 18, 2013 at 3:49 am #798749
Michael WaldoParticipantI have been apart of the Arbor Heights Neighborhood site. I find it good to keep abreast of crime reports near me, lost pets, early invitation to garage sales and generally keeping up with the neighbors.
October 18, 2013 at 3:50 am #798750
shed22ParticipantI recently received a postcard invite. Does the neighbor whose name on the card know that this is going out on their behalf? I’m just curious if neighbors are proactive in these mailings or if they are chosen by the company.
I enjoy WSB for community connection. I don’t know if I need anything else.
October 18, 2013 at 4:03 am #798751
PangolinPieParticipantThere’s an option on the site to send out postcards, for free, to tell neighbors about the site. I tried it once for my Highland Park ‘hood but don’t know if anyone responded. I agree that the WSB is unparalleled in community coverage, but I sort of like the idea of a smaller, more “hyperlocal” set of connections.
October 21, 2013 at 8:33 pm #798752
PangolinPieParticipantFor any who are still following this, Nextdoor sent out a link today that lets you indicate on a map whether you’ll be giving out halloween candy. I thought that was pretty cool. I Like handing out candy but last year got very few kids (and someone has to eat all that leftover candy, hahah). Maybe this will help more of them find my house this year.
October 22, 2013 at 2:40 am #798753
DianeParticipantoh, I got that email also, but deleted; I live in top floor apt now with “secure”/code-required lobby door, so no T/T here
October 22, 2013 at 2:43 am #798754
JanSParticipantI am in a secure bldg., too. Door bell doesn’t ring on Hallowe’en. More candy for me? hehehe
October 22, 2013 at 3:40 am #798755
miwsParticipantI joined ND just just over a month ago, when I received an invite from a friend about an event in their neighborhood.
It was sent through ND, and I had to be a member to respond to the invite.
I started through the process of registering, and at the point of where they wanted my credit card number for address/neighborhood confirmation, I ended the process.
I have no issues with shopping/bill paying online, (am cautious with unfamiliar online retailers), and have absolutely no reason to distrust ND, but just didn’t think it was appropriate for them to ask for my CC number, when (very presumably) I will never be purchasing products or paying for any services through them.
The other option was to have them snail mail the post card, and then I log on and input the number, so I went that route.
As expected, they defaulted me to my neighborhood of Highland Park rather than Highpoint, where my friend that sent the invite lives. So, I couldn’t RSVP for the event anyway.
All I’ve done with ND so far, is fill out a profile, and “Welcome” new folks as they sign up.
Got the trick or treat message, and responded “No”, as my property has “No Trespassing” signs, and I don’t know if our building owner would appreciate tenants encouraging people to come onto the property.
I figure I’ll just leave the front porch light off (walk-up apartment) and close the front blinds early, and hope that works.
Or, maybe I’ll get a bag of candy I like, turn the light on at, and leave the blinds open until, their normal times, and if I get trick or treaters, fine. Otherwise, I get all the candy! ;-)
Mike
October 22, 2013 at 4:23 am #798756
PangolinPieParticipantFor what it’s worth, I signed up without any credit card info (I certainly would NOT give that out!).
My favorite is Reeses peanut butter cups. Should we start a neighborhood leftover candy exchange? :)
October 24, 2013 at 9:42 pm #798757
gmabettyParticipantI signed on HP Nextdoor, never received a card and was never asked for a credit card #. My close neighbor said she received a card.
I welcome and read more than contributing. Although I did put out a request for some Green Tomatoes because only ended up with about a dozen ping pong-sized on my bush. Received 3 replies and the friends who ate the Green Tomato Pie and a Green Tomato Cake were very appreciative and amazed.
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