Websites like eBay, Amazon, Etsy and many others have taken over the world of online shopping, impacting stores that don’t have online shopping websites as well as online classifieds.
A problem college students face is the lack of an online space that is both safe and specific for their online classifieds needs. However, the search for a college-based online classified platform is over.
Notis is a digital noticeboard app created with college students in mind. The app is like KSL or Craigslist; the difference is it allows college campuses to have their own classified ads without the hassle of looking through newspapers or other mediums.
Notis provides a place for college students to not only buy and sell things, like other online marketplaces, but also localizes and creates a safer space to exchange these goods. Being local means no high shipping costs or long drives to make a purchase.
The app also includes a direct message feature to talk to the seller or buyer and determine where to meet and negotiate prices.
When the app is opened, the “General” tab provides notices about everything from textbooks to housing. These “notises” can be filtered to narrow down the categories. Students can even see what others have rated their college courses.
The process for selling an item is simple and easy. Click the “post notis” button at the top of the page and follow the prompts. Select the category, fill in the information like the title and price, upload an image and click post. There is also an option to post the ad to a single college campus or to all college campuses.
Notis was created by Simon Anderson and Grant Derepas. The idea started as a group project for a class at Curtin University in Perth, Australia. They pitched in their money, developed the app, then received funding from American investors, bringing Notis to the United States.
Notis is available at the Apple App Store and Google Play. Search “Notis” in the app store of any Android or iPhone to download.