I have a problem: I am addicted to the Internet. My computer is constantly on, my Gmail notifier is consistently checking for new e-mails, and I honestly believe that if I could tear myself away from Facebook I'd be an A+ student. This sudden revelation came to me this morning, and I vowed that today, I would change. "No more fooling around!" I told myself optimistically. "I'm going to go home today and study."
Unfortunately, when I got back from class today, I turned on my computer. "But I'm not giving in," I managed to convince myself. "I'm just going to check my e-mail." And then I checked at least seven more sites of interest (Facebook included, obviously) before I finally settled on one.
I figured I would finish reading it quickly and be able to take a nap, rejuvenated and ready to work. Oh, how wrong I was! The thread I'd happened to stumble upon turned out to be more fixating than anything I had read (in the last two days, at least).
A California man had posted on a car forum that he'd found a brand-new BMW on eBay offered by a Nebraska dealership for about $6,000 under the manufacturer's suggested retail price. This was the kind of deal he couldn't pass up, especially considering that he in the search for just that car. Plus, the car usually ended up fetching 20 to 30 thousand over the MSRP when fully-loaded just as this one came. So he put in the first bid, and ended up winning.
A dream situation, right? Not so much. Fifteen minutes after the auction closed, a representative from the dealership called. They'd made a "mistake" and wouldn't sell it to him anymore. It was obvious to most that there was no mistake, and that they simply wanted more for the car..
Within three days, the thread had expanded to 40 pages, over 800 posts, over three hundred thousand views - and counting. It ended up on numerous automotive Web sites and even a pro-consumer blog with nearly 500,000 hits a day.
On top of all the negative press the dealership was generating, more dirt was being dug up: One poster dug up evidence of possible "shill bidding," or bidding in order to mark up the price on an item, by the dealership on other auctions. Another looked up the complaints made to the Better Business Bureau about the dealership and found a lot of unsatisfied customers. Most readers agreed that the original poster was indeed in the right, and wanted him to get his car for the price that had been originally agreed upon.
The thing that amazed me the most about the whole situation was not the frenzy that ensued, but instead the amazing compassion of strangers.
People in the area offered to go check on the car, while people all over the globe offered their sympathies and advice. Some called or e-mailed the dealership, giving them a glimpse of how outraged people were about their "mistake." And many took the time to forward it to their friends, e-mail other Web sites or call local news stations - all in the interest of one man and the "stealership" that tried to back their way out of the deal.
Finally, the dealership caved. They agreed to honor the price listed, and pending some agreements, the consumer came out on top. Congratulations were given from all corners of the world. And unfortunately for that particular dealership, their reputation has suffered immensely.
Fortunately for us, this is definitely not the first case of the Internet community winning versus an Internet villain that I've seen. The kindness of strangers is rare, but no myth - and even in virtual settings, it still exists. And it's apparent in so many more ways than through a mere post about getting ripped off, though it may take such an epic thread to make you remember it.
At first glance, the Internet seems to be all about bashing on Britney and posting the latest party pictures. But I bet if you look, you can find people who really care, and things that really touch your heart. You can find things that brighten up your day (seasons one through 12 of South Park for free online, anyone?) and things that make you want to be a better person (the PostSecret revolution). And you can learn things you've never even thought could be possible (the inner workings of eBay, perhaps).
Above all, the most important lesson to learn from this story is that the amount of negative publicity that can be generated via the Internet should never be underestimated. After all, the Internet is a powerful tool literally at the tip of our fingertips.
