As someone who thinks student literature is hideously overpriced, and who has a limited budget for living, I naturally love second-hand student literature. (Who wouldn’t want to save several hundred kronors each semester to be spent on something else useful?). But for me, finding the right second-hand student literature has always been a quite gruesome process – some people never reply the emails that I send them regarding the book and the majority of those that reply have already sold the book.
The payment process is also quite awkward, especailly remembering to get the cash from the ATM and having the right change. The last time I bought a second-hand book, the book costed 350 kr but I had only 3×100-bills and lots of 20-bills.
My idea of a better second-hand literature website for KTH students is based on an improved web-infrastructure for the ones that already exist. Online service payments, payment safety regulations and synching services between your courseplan and your account on this book-platform. There will also be a in-programmed function that removes book as soon as the online service payment or that is done, so people don’t get those irritating emails of “Sorry but it is already sold”.
I collected some feedback from people who are still in university and who do need a lot of expensive school books each semester, like one acquintance who is studying medicine as well as two more at KTH. KTH-students felt relevant as I am first and foremost targeting KTH students.
For the medicine acquitance in Poland, she thought it was quite a good idea and that she would definitely use it, but it also depends very much on the execution. Just as the second “feedbacker” pointed out, there are several such apps started by students that haven’t gained as much momentumn as they had hoped for as such a platform does take a lot of time to gain the wide user-base it needs. Such platforms did not become the main or sole base for second-hand literature, but become “only” a complement to many students. So, execution might be key. Not too mention the fierce competition in this industry…
The third feedbacker pointed out that face-to-face cash payments are not as awkward or probelmatic as it may seem to be. It is actually a good chance to meet up and see if the book is in good condition or not. Therefore, some problems may lay in my proposed process of online payments and sending the book via post or meeting up just for exchanging the book… She did like the idea of synching her course plan with the website, as she finds it quite problematic to search for the relevant books on the often messy sites that currently exist.
I also received a thorough feedback form Danny (thank you! 🙂 ). There was a good point he made, and it was that people will meet face to face anyways and pay in cash instead of online to avoid the transaction fee that I will charge them, leading to reduced revenue streams for me and the website loosing stronghold on one of its main propsitions.
I have also myself come to realize that the (product) supply of this idea depends a lot on the already purchased books that are new. Moreover, there are also many new editions of current books, which would further reduce the supply of relevant second-hand books, thus reducing the demand. This is surely a downside.
All in all, I am not sure if this is an idea I would like to pursue further. Not sure if it is because I am graduating in less than a year or if…hmm, for any other reason. Although it is feasible, it needs a lot of work and time which I don’t have with graduation approaching. But hey, maybe someone else would like to attempt this 🙂