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Not on Nextdoor? You can still grab your neighbors’ stuff on Free Finds – TechCrunch

2 Mins read

Nextdoor, the app that helps neighbors connect, launched a new feature called Free Finds today, which will help people browse the free items available in their neighborhoods. Since 2020, monthly listings to buy, sell and give away things on Nextdoor have increased by 80%, but 25% of these listings advertised free stuff. So, the company decided to create a more streamlined way to get the word out about cool, free stuff on the curbs of your neighborhood. You don’t have to be a member of Nextdoor to scroll through the free listings. Typically, becoming a member can be a complicated process that requires you to verify your home address via snail mail. But now, whether you’re looking for a free blender or seeking your next trash-to-treasure upcycle project, you can browse what’s up for grabs in your neighborhood.

To contact the seller, you must set up a free account and go through the standard Nextdoor sign-up process. If your cell service billing address is at the same address where you live, the sign-up process is quick — you can verify your address via text. But, if the talks don’t match (read: if you’re still on your parents’ family plan), it can take up to 10 days to receive an invitation letter to become a verified Nextdoor member. By then, that lightly worn pair of boots might be long gone.

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If you live in a densely populated area, you can probably find a neighborhood “free and for sale” -a themed group pretty quickly on Facebook. But, at the outset, Nextdoor adds a level of functionality by filtering items into categories, like “for young ones,” “for plant parents,” “spoil your pets,” and “hidden treasures.” It could also appeal to those who don’t want to deal with browsing through multiple Facebook groups, including those that stretch beyond their neighborhood to nearby areas that would require a commute.

Nextdoor emphasizes the environmental benefits of a feature like Free Finds, which can help neighbors reduce waste when they discard perfectly usable items. Instead, they can share resources with their neighbors. But more broadly, Free Finds is about leveraging people’s interest in free stuff to grow Nextdoor’s user base. It also comes at a time when Facebook is threatening Nextdoor more directly. Last month, the tech giant launched its Neighborhoods feature in Canada, an apparent Nextdoor clone (Facebook copying other social media apps? Stop me if you’ve heard this one before). The feature should roll out soon for U.S. users.

Over the last year, Nextdoor has launched multiple initiatives to support communities, like Sell for Good, which allows users to sell items on the social network and donate proceeds to nonprofit causes. In response to the coronavirus outbreak, it added features like Help Maps, Groups, a fundraising option for local businesses, and a neighborly assistance program created with Walmart. Still, some consumers have become understandably skeptical of neighborhood-based social media apps. The “Black Mirror”-adjacent crime-reporting app Citizen recently came under fire when its CEO, Andrew Frame, bribed users $30,000 to catch an arsonist using the app’s new livestreaming service but had targeted the wrong person.

Nextdoor had developed such a reputation for racial profiling that the company eventually had to roll out special tools to address this. It still faces accusations of allowing unneighborly behavior, including political discussions and other posts that can make minority groups feel unwelcome or unsafe. Ultimately, investing in new products that encourage the opposite behavior — neighbors helping neighbors, as Free Finds offers — can only go so far as to combat the app’s reputation. The new Free Finds feature is life today in all the countries where Nextdoor operates at either nextdoor.com/freefinds or by visiting the Nextdoor Finds section in the Nextdoor app.

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As a blogger, I’ve had the opportunity to share my experiences and insights with other people. The most important thing I’ve learned about blogging is that it’s not about me. It’s about connecting with others. I love the idea of using writing to build relationships. I’m always thinking about what I can do to make my blog more useful, interesting, and accessible to others. I enjoy talking about technology, health, finance, food, and travel.
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