Boston University students looking to buy used textbooks, recruit movers or have someone clean their bathroom now have access to Zaarly – a Craigslist type online marketplace geared toward college students.
Zaarly began in May when it was launched at Startup Weekend in Los Angeles and has begun targeting college campuses.
At BU, one of the first 20 colleges to gain access to Zaarly, the initiative is led by the BU Public Relations Students Society of America in collaboration with the BU Marketing Club.
“We decided to introduce Zaarly to BU in order to finally give the school a central and easy to use marketplace,” said College of Communication sophomore Andrew Wasserstein, who is co-leading the effort.
“We hope it will replace the unorganized mess that has resulted from multiple marketplaces that are not heavily visited or user friendly,” he said.
Zaarly’s premise is simple— the focus lies primarily on the buyers instead of the sellers.
Consumers, with a BU email address, can log on and post requests saying how much money they are willing to offer for a certain service. Sellers browse these listings and make offers to complete the transaction.
Wasserstein said one of Zaarly’s main benefits is that it facilitates time-sensitive posts. If a buyer needs an item, within about two hours, sellers are able to respond to requests. The service also boasts a mobile application, which further speeds up the transaction process.
“Zaarly’s great for BU students because it’s a fast, easy way for them to buy and sell what they need, as well as earn some quick cash,” said Kevin Wang, vice president of the BU Marketing Club.
Wang, a School of Management junior, said Zaarly contributes to localization in a positive manner.
“Buying and selling in the local marketplace improves the local community, something that’s hard to achieve at BU with so many people,” he said.
On a national level, Zaarly has formed a catalyst for a number of creative initiatives.
Lunches with celebrities, high-fives and learning how to “Dougie” are just a few examples of Zaarly’s diverse marketplace.
Wang said he hopes that a similar local community of services will emerge at BU.
“We’ve just had our soft launch at BU, so as of right now we’re still young. Right now it’s just about getting Zaarly’s name out on campus and getting people to try the service,” he said. “We’ll be ramping up our efforts in the coming weeks, partnering with student organizations, giving out some free stuff and other initiatives we’ve got up our sleeve.”
Students can expect Zaarly promotions around campus.
“We’re planning to host some cool Zaarly events at BU in the near future full of Zaarly swag and free food,” Wasserstein said.
As for their own use of the site, Wang and Wasserstein’s experiences vary.
“I’ve used Zaarly quite a bit and gotten myself everything from a pair of used iPhone headphones, and even an informational interview at a company I like,” Wang said.
Wasserstein was less successful in the virtual marketplace.
“I did ask for someone to clean my bathroom in 1019 [Commonwealth Ave.], but unfortunately ten bucks wasn’t enough to gain anyone’s attention,” Wasserstein said. “Cleaning a bathroom that’s used by six guys probably isn’t on the top of everyone’s list.”
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