Local startup launches online marketplace Studentbid.com for Boston area college students

Boston, MA– Craig Karger and Michael Buchbinder, current college students and founders of Studentbid, Inc., recently introduced Studentbid.com, a free, innovative marketplace for Boston area college students. Studentbid connects buyers and sellers on their own college campus, and presently serves seven major Boston universities with a total of over 80,000 students.

The world of internet auction sites is a crowded one which presents distinct obstacles to newcomers. However, large auction sites have yet to conquer the twin problems of: 1) ease of payment and 2) ease of obtaining items. By providing students with the ability to find items sold by their peers on neighboring campuses, their own campus, or even their own dorm, Studentbid.com surmounts both difficulties.

Studentbid’s function is that of an enabler. On the one hand, college students are always looking for ways to save money. On the other, often not possessing transportation or a means to find deals on such items as textbooks, students are forced to overpay at their college bookstore. By allowing students to discover previously unknown merchandise within their geographic reach, Studentbid taps into the buying and selling power of a concentrated community of peers. Rather than paying shipping fees, grappling with unfamiliar methods of online payment, or traveling with difficulty for far-away goods, a student may simply walk down the hall and complete a transaction with ease.
Studentbid is more than just an anonymous online marketplace; it provides a more personal atmosphere to connect students through buying and selling. Co-founder Craig Karger explains, “It is the goal of Studentbid to create a trusting online community. We combine the successful aspects of social networking with our easy-to-use auction format.” In an effort to offer a more personal atmosphere, Studentbid allows members to create a profile and post a picture as well as information about themselves.

Studentbid also provides student organizations, Greek societies, or even bands the ability to sell any items to a large group of individuals with greater efficiency through its group capabilities. This can be done to raise money for the organization or charity by providing an easier way to promote items for sale in an environment accessible to all college students.

With ever increasing concerns about website privacy and security, Studentbid only allows individuals with a valid college email address from a network supported school to register with the site.

About Us:
Studentbid was founded in July 2006 by Craig Karger and Michael Buchbinder, students at Tulane University and Emory University respectively. The site currently serves Boston College, Boston University, Emerson, Harvard, MIT, Northeastern, and Tufts. Studentbid can be contacted for articles, interviews, or other reasons at pr@studentbid.com.