To coincide with the opening of a new year and school semester, SSMU has launched the SSMU Marketplace—an online resource designed to provide students with a new venue for the transaction of goods and services, including textbooks, furniture, tutoring services, and housing.
SSMU VP Finance and Operations Shyam Patel was the driving force behind the site’s launch.
“Our hope is that this forum will become a place where students can buy and sell items, in addition to having the ability to provide the SSMU with feedback so we can continue to revamp according to the needs of our students,” Patel said.
As a resource for student transactions, the Marketplace follows previous SSMU services that sold books on consignment, such as Haven Books—closed in 2010 because of its large financial losses —and the short-lived SSMU Book Bazaar.
“Haven Books was not financially viable and the Book Bazaar was a daunting service to maintain from a managerial standpoint,” Patel said. “The Marketplace, however, is an online space rather than a physical location. This forum, I believe, is robust both in terms of financial stability and management.”
By moving online, SSMU Marketplace faces competition for users from established international classifieds resources like Craigslist, as well as those already directed towards McGill users like McGill Classifieds, a free service offered by the administration. Despite this, Patel thinks there is room for SSMU Marketplace.
“Craigslist is not tailored to the McGill community and the McGill Classifieds is not as user-friendly,” Patel explained. “With a fresh, professional look, the Marketplace is easier to use and navigate through.”
Many students agree with the value of bringing SSMU services to the Internet, but some are confused about the need for an additional classifieds website.
“You have to make it different [from McGill Classifieds] in some way,” Christy Frost, U1 English, said. “Otherwise it’s just making the whole process less efficient because people have to check two sites now.”
Student users of SSMU Marketplace have had mixed reactions to the service.
“I think this is a good opportunity for the McGill community to have a more modern interface and interactive community in which to post classified ads,” Justin Fletcher, U2 East Asian studies, said. “[But] I believe that the sign-up process and the need for approval will make it a more cumbersome option vis-à-vis McGill Classifieds.”
In the end, however, Fletcher says his decision to use the service was based on his need to find a buyer for his textbook.
“I am not using SSMU Marketplace in lieu of McGill Classifieds; rather, I am using it in tandem to ensure that my book is sold as quickly as possible,” he said.
SSMU is not yet able to track the number of page views the Marketplace receives, but other statistics indicate its use among the student population. According to Patel, 147 books were posted from Jan. 5 to Jan. 12, and the website included 214 advertisements in total. More than 100 students have signed up for the Marketplace.
In comparison, nearly 3,400 advertisements for textbooks alone were posted on McGill Classifieds over the same period of time. However, many students are still unaware of the Marketplace’s existence.
“I would definitely check it out,” Samantha Baribeault, a U1 engineering student, said. “But to be useful it definitely has to be better advertised so people will post books and know it is a reliable source.”
Patel remains hopeful for the future of the Marketplace.
“We are positive that with more promotion, this number will increase over the months and will substantially grow over the years, especially if we market the service in a manner that is consistent and effective,” he said.
