Why does 'nextdoor' think I should join?

[Kev Williams]

Got this email--
468348

I don't know who 'nextdoor' is, never been there, never asked to be a part of it,
so why do companies like this just automatically put me on their social-media platform?
I don't mind a simple ad, but telling me "I'm already ON nextdoor!"-- upsets me to be honest...

I don't advertise, I don't do social media- because I don't need the extra work, and don't need any more distance between relatives...

I've opted out of further emails (we'll see)...

I suppose many people would welcome such things. I'd rather be asked if I want to be part of some group, not TOLD I already am...

[Jim Koepke]

Some social groups may offer rewards for those who sign up the most suckers, er subscribers.

jtk

[Mel Fulks]

It doesn’t cost anything and it covers neighborhood news and deals. We have gotten some good finds on a lot of things. It also covers news . A great
lady was raped and killed not far from us a couple of years back , guy was caught , and her friends have found some comfort in writing about her.
Guy was posing as a power washer. I bet he got the job with a “down on my luck” story.

[Rick Potter]

'Next Door' magically appeared on my computer, probably because I was dumb enough to read an article on it.

As mentioned above, it does occasionally have actual news that concerns your neighborhood. Usually though, it is full of people complaining about speed limits or speeding cars, lost cats, how terrible it is that someone lost a cat/dog, or something recorded on a ring doorbell camera, which may or may not be in your area (or an ad), since you can choose how wide a distribution you wish to tell about how bad your pizza was.

Take breath.

It has it's place, but is full of ads, and monitored by people who like to delete what they don't like, even when it is not offensive.

I usually delete it, but some times it has value. It really seems to be loaded with 84 animal lovers who go nuts if someone reports their dog killed a possum. I had a Jack Russel who was killed by a possum, now deceased, so I just stay out of it.


Summary: It's like a soap opera, with a certain amount of redeeming value. YOMV

[Perry Hilbert Jr]

Our local nest door is sort of a neighborhood bulletin board and gossip bench. There have been unfortunate incidents where a series of crimes are being committed and the police have not put out any warnings. In one case in particular, a person went to the local convenience store and tried to make a $90 purchase on a nest door members credit card. The police did nothing. notta. But the video of the person trying to use the card was posted and it turned out to be a local who was recognized by others immediately. The dumb twit went to the police complaining about their video being posted with out permission and wanted the person who posted it arrested. I'd say about 95% of the posts are just worthless crap, but the other 5% makes being a member worthwhile. I just scroll past the BS.

[Rich Engelhardt]

I'm pretty sure what happened is that someone on Nextdoor recommended your company & Nextdoor somehow managed to get your email address from someplace and send you the invitation to verify your business details.

[Scott Clausen]

It's all about eyeballs and ad revenue. Next door can be handy for lost dogs, crime alerts etc. but I would limit the area of interest to your neighborhood or maybe an adjacent one. They always make any other areas posts show your neighborhood's title to entice you to click on it.

[Stan Calow]

I'm pretty sure what happened is that someone on Nextdoor recommended your company & Nextdoor somehow managed to get your email address from someplace and send you the invitation to verify your business details.
That's most likely. Yeah, there's a bunch of complaining and BS on the site, but its also where people go to get recommendations for services, contractors, and retailers. Also where they complain about bad service. So its free advertising for you. If some one mentions your business, NextDoor will search for your name on the internet. Since nobody uses the Yellow Pages anymore, its about the only place people can go to ask each other for suggestions.

[Derek Meyer]

Most of the Nextdoor posts in our area are either lost pets, warnings of crime/wild animals, or people looking for recommendations for service firms, like lawn care, home repairs, etc. Not a lot of spam on ours except for new people saying hi and asking what kinds of activities are available. I guess part of that isn't really spam, but I usually scroll past it anyway.

It's nice to hear about the crime/wild animals in the area. I had a roommate who got his car window smashed in and his stereo stolen one night. They ignored my car because I had a factory unit that was fully integrated into the dash, so it would take too long to get out. We also have small dogs, so it's good to hear when there are coyotes in the area.

[Mel Fulks]

There are a number of things that are much harder to get out of than Next Door. Like JURY “DUTY” and if you want to get out of
that just ask the judge “ how did you get my name?” Some win a few weeks vacation.

[Myk Rian]

Got this email--
..
One of your neighbors sold you out.
They ask members to suggest up to 100 neighbors for membership. Some might (stupidly) suggest everyone in their contact list. I'm a member, but have never suggested anyone.

Now for the story. Are you comfy.?

Nextdoor turned out to be very helpful, when a couple winters ago I found a cell phone on our HOA beach. I posted it on Nextdoor, and a couple people helped connect the dots to link it to a gang that was breaking into Target stores for Apple stuff.

After getting caught at the Target store up in Fenton, MI, cops gave chase down US-23 through Hartland, and to our little neighborhood, where the cops set up stop sticks. The 3 dudes crashed their car all the way up at the fence line, and took off running.

2 of them ran across the freeway and were finally caught 2 miles south several hours later. Police drones and dogs all over the place hunting them down.

The 3rd dude jumped the fence onto our road and beach area, where he was tackled. That's where I found the phone during my morning walk.

Now, understand that it was a cold winter in Jan 2020, and we also had rain. The lake was flooding the shore the most I've seen in 44 years. There was 1/2" or so ice on top of it. I can just imagine the cops burying his head real good in the ice water. I found the phone on the edge of the ice.

When I gave it to the detective, he looked at the home screen on it and laughed. It was a picture of the whole gang leaning all over a car.

[Wade Lippman]

I first heard about it when I was building a raised bed garden for my son and found all of his tools were just toys. He asked on Nextdoor if any one could lend him a miter saw. Someone down the street did. It was the only benefit I ever got from it, but it was great that once.

[Rick Potter]

I just caught part of it, but my wife was watching Shark Tank, and the 'Next Door' guy was a shark. The intro said something about it being a multi-billion dollar company.

I think I heard him talking about gathering info on people who respond on the site, and selling information, as I walked by.

[Kev Williams]

Guess I'll just leave it alone.

Ironically, 'next door' is all the farther we need to go to find out ANYTHING that's going on in our neighborhood ;)

[Mel Fulks]

I have a friend who has for many years worked selling ads for local newspaper. Years ago he told me that the distribution and printing of the papers was
so difficult and expensive that they would love to “be able to just put them in a big pile and let people pick them up at no charge.”
Next Door has no printing presses ,but the news gets out pretty fast. And they don’t spend much on news print.

[Joe Hendershott]

Like others said, it has it's place. If you live in a tight knit community it is useful as people here post heads ups about anything out of the ordinary, when they have some garden items to trade, found pets, etc. The moderators are heavy handed on some things. Negative comments, even those helpful and not offense are deleted but religious posts flourish. We've gotten rid of many excess items and it's not crazy like craigslist.

Minutes from monthly police meetings are posted as well. For me it's the least obtrusive of social sites. As posted above you can invite neighbors to join and most certainly that's what happened in your case.

[Jack Frederick]

I’m not on it, but my neighbors are. A lot of Lion and Bear activity, sighting and happening news from what I can see and you can’t forget the local garage sale listing. The other evening just after dark a VW bus had a head on with an AT&T bucket truck. The VW guy unbelievably to me escaped with minor injury while they had to cut the truck driver out. The bus drivers dog was ejected and ran off. It took no time at all and there were folks up and down the hills along the road. Took a day and a half, but they found the dog and got him to the vets and to the owner

[Rick Potter]

Just a few minutes ago, I took a look at it, and there was an ad for an attic insulation installer.......in New Jersey.

Neighborhood indeed.

[Myk Rian]

It has become full of ads over the past year. Almost useless now.