On combining online and offline: a story

Posted on August 3rd, 2010 by Eric Dodds and currently 10 commenting.

Megan Byrd, our ever-efficient Whip Cracker, heard a great story on NPR the other day and thought it would make a great blog post. (Check out the full article here.) It did, Megan. Boy do we love a good story about offline relationships.

The story:

A Web developer in Los Angeles found a 20-year-old Apple computer at a yard sale, but he couldn’t test it without an older Macintosh mouse. Not wanting to pay “weird computer collector prices” on eBay, he turned to a website called NeighborGoods. What is it?

From their website:

NeighborGoods is a safe community where you can save money and resources by sharing stuff with your friends. Need a ladder? Borrow it from your neighbor. Have a bike collecting dust in your closet? Rent it out for some extra cash!

Ok, posting things you’re not using online so that others can borrow them isn’t the craziest idea in the world. But Neighborgoods’s mission statement shows that they’re thinking deeper than just providing an efficient way for unused goods to be put to use:

NeighborGoods helps members live less wasteful and more connected lives.

Part of NeighborGoods’ vision is developing stronger communities through interaction. Offline. Their hope is to connect “neighbors in meaningful ways making for happier, healthier neighborhoods.”

And it’s working.

Let’s travel back to Los Angeles. When the developer searched NeighborGoods’ site for an ancient clicker, he actually found someone willing to lend a mouse to him to test the machine. And after using the site several more times, he realized that it’s helped to develop a sense of community among users, something the article says is “almost unheard of in the car culture of Los Angeles.”

The mouse-hunter’s own words say it best:

“We all have this notion that neighbors should be able to knock on your next-door neighbor’s door and ask for a cup of sugar, right? But I’ve never done that…” (from the article)

For him, the most valuable part of the experience isn’t saving money or being able to help people save money, it’s the fact that he has a really neat way to meet and interact with the people in his community.

I have a hunch that NeighborGoods has a bright future ahead. They have the opportunity to exist in users’ hearts in a deeper way simply because they’re facilitating meaningful, offline relationships. And since 90% of word of mouth happens offline, there’s a huge likelihood for word to spread about experiences people have through the service. And last, but not least, someone close by is lending out a margarita machine, and it’s hot today.