Tigers Market

Inspiration

Currently, student trade at RIT is limited to social media platforms like WhatsApp and Discord, which have limited reach (500-1000 people per group).
This makes the platform inaccessible to a significant portion of the 20,000 students coming to RIT every year who aren't part of these groups.
We aim to create a centralized platform where all students can buy and sell used items easily. Sustainability: By promoting the reuse of resources, this initiative reduces waste and encourages eco-friendly practices.
Every semester, RIT hosts the Goodbye, Goodbuy sale, an offline event on campus. A digital marketplace could transform this initiative, making it accessible to everyone, year-round, rather than just during the limited offline event.

What it does

Tigers Market is a full-stack application that allows RIT students to buy and sell used items seamlessly. By providing an open marketplace, we eliminate the reliance on scattered social media groups, making trade accessible to all students.

Additionally, it serves as a digital extension of the Goodbye, Goodbuy sale, ensuring that more students can participate in sustainable shopping beyond the limited in-person event.

How we built it

We developed the platform using a full-stack approach, integrating a robust backend with a user-friendly frontend.

Backend: Spring Boot and MongoDB Atlas
Frontend: React with MaterialUI components for a smooth and modern UI

Challenges we ran into

1.First Hackathon Experience 2.Navigating the pressure of creating a full-stack app within a limited timeframe. 3.Learning and adapting to React for building the frontend was a challenge but a valuable experience.

Designing an intuitive interface for a smooth buying and selling experience

Accomplishments that we're proud of

Successfully creating a centralized digital marketplace accessible to all RIT students
Enhancing sustainability by promoting the reuse of resources
Building a scalable platform that can integrate additional student services in the future
Digitizing the Goodbye, Goodbuy sale to make it available year-round

What we learned

Full-stack development with Spring Boot and React
Effective database management with MongoDB Atlas
Importance of user accessibility and sustainability in campus applications
How digital solutions can enhance existing university initiatives

What's next for Tigers Market

Adding apartment roommate selection to help students find compatible roommates
Implementing student carpooling to improve transportation accessibility
Integrating Tigers Market with RIT SIS, making it an official student service platform
Partnering with Goodbye, Goodbuy to establish an ongoing digital marketplace for sustainable shopping

This makes Tigers Market a one-stop platform for RIT students, not just for trading but also for community-driven services.