Nittany Retails

Given the massive student population at Penn State University (PSU), there’s definitely a need for more tools and resources to ease and support students as they juggle school, work, sports, activities, and more. This is especially true for first-year students who are currently navigating the initial transition to campus and coping with the stress. The administration has already developed many helpful mobile applications like Penn State Go, the Engagement App, and CATA+ to name a few. While such tools come in useful for students on a regular basis, however, I feel there’s substantial room for improvement in this respect.

Take the weekly football games from last fall as an example. Oftentimes, I used to see someone sending out a message to sell their tickets on social media platforms like GroupMe, Facebook, and Snapchat to name a few. But most times, such communication is ineffective because not every student uses or knows an “online marketplace” exists on these applications, especially incoming freshman students who aren’t familiarised with these norms. Similarly, I have seen many students post similar messages regarding group events and conventions held frequently around campus, saying things like “I have a ticket to the concert tomorrow, but I’m not going. If anyone wants it or knows someone who would want it, you are welcome to have it. Just let me know.” And what’s more is that most students follow similar techniques to sell their unwanted textbooks and course materials at the end of the semester, sometimes being unsuccessful because they were unable to reach the “right” audience.

And so, I was hoping to launch this initiative of developing mobile apps to better specific aspects of student life here, starting with a specialised retail marketplace app. An all-in-one convenience, the app will enable one to submit requests and trade unwanted clothes, textbooks, and any other goods with other students here at PSU — all while earning some money too! It’s a win-win for everyone: you get rid of your old stuff and make someone else happy, while getting some cha-ching in return!