2008 Woodie Awards
SJSU graduate starts Web site for textbook swapping
Briana Hernandez
Issue date: 10/30/07 Section: News
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An SJSU alumnus has created a new option specificly for SJSU students for buying and selling used textbooks.
SJSNetworking.com is a textbook- and school-supply-trading Web site created by SJSU engineering graduate Lucas Campbell-Rossen and his friend, MIT graduate in computer science, Robert Kwok.
The site, which went live in August of this year, is now active with SJSU student members who can post advertisements on what they are selling or what they are looking to buy.
Some SJSU students said they already use Web sites for buying textbooks. Dominic Reyes, a senior business major said he often uses Amazon.com and Half.com, both of which are worldwide trading sites, for purchasing his books because he feels it is less costly.
Nick Marshall, a sophomore graphic design major, said he would consider using a site like SJSNetworking.
"If it were local, I would use it," he said.
Co-founder Campbell-Rossen, who graduated in 2005, said the idea for SJSNetworking came from his experiences in the engineering department at SJSU. He said he would often trade books with students within the department and always thought someone should make a Web site exclusively for SJSU.
Another factor, he said, was the low buy-back costs students had to tolerate.
"I just noticed that every time I bought books," he said, "I would sell them back and they would give me, like, five dollars. It was really annoying."
The site itself is not an entirely new concept. Another site, Textswap.com, does have exclusive services for specific campuses including SJSU and operates in much the same way. The only difference is that SJSNetworking has not yet expanded to other campuses.
Robyn Lee, manager of Roberts Bookstore on 10th Street in San Jose, said she does not feel that sites like SJSNetworking have much impact on her store's business.
"Competition simply allows a business to get better," she said. Additionally she said, "I don't see a lot of people who have successful transactions online."
SJSNetworking.com is a textbook- and school-supply-trading Web site created by SJSU engineering graduate Lucas Campbell-Rossen and his friend, MIT graduate in computer science, Robert Kwok.
The site, which went live in August of this year, is now active with SJSU student members who can post advertisements on what they are selling or what they are looking to buy.
Some SJSU students said they already use Web sites for buying textbooks. Dominic Reyes, a senior business major said he often uses Amazon.com and Half.com, both of which are worldwide trading sites, for purchasing his books because he feels it is less costly.
Nick Marshall, a sophomore graphic design major, said he would consider using a site like SJSNetworking.
"If it were local, I would use it," he said.
Co-founder Campbell-Rossen, who graduated in 2005, said the idea for SJSNetworking came from his experiences in the engineering department at SJSU. He said he would often trade books with students within the department and always thought someone should make a Web site exclusively for SJSU.
Another factor, he said, was the low buy-back costs students had to tolerate.
"I just noticed that every time I bought books," he said, "I would sell them back and they would give me, like, five dollars. It was really annoying."
The site itself is not an entirely new concept. Another site, Textswap.com, does have exclusive services for specific campuses including SJSU and operates in much the same way. The only difference is that SJSNetworking has not yet expanded to other campuses.
Robyn Lee, manager of Roberts Bookstore on 10th Street in San Jose, said she does not feel that sites like SJSNetworking have much impact on her store's business.
"Competition simply allows a business to get better," she said. Additionally she said, "I don't see a lot of people who have successful transactions online."
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