College student trading website

**ajk8914** · 01-18-2010 12:02 PM

Hey guys,

I'm amist creating an online web forum, similiar to craigslists but niche for College Students. It will be a free online forum where students can sign up and buy, sell, trade things with each other (most commonly textbooks, but can also be other things such as electronics, furniture, etc etc.) Since College kids are always looking for a way to save money I figured this would help them out given it got large enough with enough people in the area. I would aim it at local college universities first and then expand around. I see there are a few sites that already do this idea, but are aiming at every college all over the country. Aiming too large too soon I think won't work.

Eventually, income will be generated through advertising.

Let me know what you guys think and how I could spread the word.

Feedback / helpful criticism is appreciated.

**jake_russell** · 01-18-2010 08:42 PM

I think this is a good idea. As a college student it would be nice to have classifieds or something like that for the campus. Be careful though because most campuses already have something similiar. (see BUbooks for baylor university) How would you be able to seperate yourself. I can already sell a text book on BUbooks. Good idea just keep brainstorming on ways to make it unique.

**Bohlman** · 01-18-2010 10:59 PM

Originally Posted by ajk8914

Hey guys,

I'm amist creating an online web forum, similiar to craigslists but niche for College Students. It will be a free online forum where students can sign up and buy, sell, trade things with each other (most commonly textbooks, but can also be other things such as electronics, furniture, etc etc.) Since College kids are always looking for a way to save money I figured this would help them out given it got large enough with enough people in the area. I would aim it at local college universities first and then expand around. I see there are a few sites that already do this idea, but are aiming at every college all over the country. Aiming too large too soon I think won't work.

Eventually, income will be generated through advertising.

Let me know what you guys think and how I could spread the word.

Feedback / helpful criticism is appreciated.

That is a great idea, at least in my eyes. I have always thought about doing this as well.

As a college student I hear students complaining all the time about how the sell their books back to the college for $5 dollars here or $10 dollars there. The funny thing is, they didn't even open them. If you had the right marketing team in place you could really drive that into students that you will be able to come on this forum/site, and get what you are looking for (price wise) for your books.

Another big thing I hear, Where am I going to live next year? Why not have section for rentals for house, rooms, etc for students to see. I know that every college is looking for the cheap, but livable place for their next year of schooling.

In the same lines as that, furniture. So the student finds a place, they will want a couch, a coffee table, a beer pon... I mean a Soda Pong Table! This is another niche in your site that you could drill home. Trading, or selling furniture. I know a lot of my friends sell their furniture so they dont have to drag it back home with them. Why not get money for it, I guess.

I hope those ideas help. I like the basics of the website so far. With the right marketing, you can get on your way.

If you need any more ideas, or just want to talk about the site. You can send me a private message, or just reply.

Good luck in school if you are in school,

Lee

**broyaz** · 01-18-2010 11:08 PM

It's such a cut-throat competition and you're absolutely right-- starting national is not the way to go. Start at a college close to you and saturate it.

**Bohlman** · 01-18-2010 11:27 PM

Originally Posted by broyaz

It's such a cut-throat competition and you're absolutely right-- starting national is not the way to go. Start at a college close to you and saturate it.

Like Broyaz mentioned, start small and then expand. Plus, most college students have friends in other colleges in the same area. Sometimes, not always, but it happens. When those friends talk, people from another college you really aren't focusing on yet come to your main site and start buying items. Then you will start to see that need to expand...

College students talk. College students are cheap. College students want to save money.

So focus on those items. Marketing; Hit up Facebook - Every college student turns a fifteen minute homework assignment into an hour and fifteen minutes because of it. Tell your friends, and they tell their friend... etc... Sell your items for cheap, that will increase business, and that goes along with letting them save money.

**Southern_Lenders** · 01-19-2010 02:03 AM

The question is WHY should someone use your site, and not something world-wide like facebook?

**ajk8914** · 01-19-2010 03:15 PM

Thanks for all the replies I am taking everything into consideration. As for the housing and stuff I thought of that idea as well as I often hear people trying to sublease, find another room mate etc.

And yes, I will start with my college which roughly has 20,000 students and I have friends at near by colleges of the same population and move around that way. Starting too big with this idea will just make the website seem completely dead.

As far as I know mine does not have something of this sort, or any of the colleges nearby.

As for people using facebook for the sort of trades that will be conducted I have never seen anyone doing this whatsoever so I think a niche college marketplace for it given the right marketing will do well.

I appreciate all your comments / feedback!

**ajk8914** · 01-20-2010 12:07 PM

bumppppppp

**mtnjkwe** · 01-20-2010 12:37 PM

Just wondering what your unique competitive advantage is?
Because on Facebook, they have something called market place where stuffs are relatively cheap, and easy to bargain on.

**ajk8914** · 01-20-2010 12:55 PM

Yeah, thats what someone else was hinting at. I am a facebook user and have seen the marketplace used probably one time in the last 2 years for things that may be bought/sold on my site. I want to keep in niche to my college and its students and first.

It'll be a free, clean, easy looking website where students can buy sell and trade their stuff with each other as every dollar counts.

I'm still trying to discover ways to get it active and the name out there.

Thanks for your comments.

**mtnjkwe** · 01-20-2010 01:03 PM

So if I get it, your target audience will be your local college.
By "clean and simple" you mean ad free?
And how will you make money with an ad free classifieds site? Will you take member subscriptions?
Since you have already targeted your audience it should be pretty simple to get to them.
I am working on an idea for an audience which I have already identified and I plan to use facebook for a start since its free .

**ajk8914** · 01-20-2010 05:10 PM

Yeah, I was just saying pretty much no one I know uses facebook for listings.

**asset818** · 01-20-2010 08:00 PM

I'm a college student, and think you hit the nail on the head when you said "trading textbooks." Even though editions are updated way too often, I think it'd be a great idea to start off with something laser targeted - like JUST trading textbooks.

You could monetize the site with CPA offers.

Just a thought.

**ajk8914** · 01-20-2010 08:41 PM

Asset,

Thanks for your reply. Yeah, I thought about just trading textbooks, but I figured leaving the other spots in there would help since people only really trade books at the beginning / end of semesters normally.

I appreciate everyone's feedback!