A totally free app called “Campus Scroll” that originates from the Facebook group “Sell/Buy stuff in Lund” will be available in the next few months.
Farooq Azee is an entrepreneur in Lund and his partner Kristina Kveselyte is doing a master program in Development. They are a young couple who created Event Master (2011) and Sell/Buy Stuff in Lund (2014).
A viral group
The latter was created by Kristina Kveselyte in the interest of creating a social “network” where everyone could post adverts for selling and/or buying stuff. But this group was also a way to avoid the surplus of posts on the Event Master Facebook page. Just over a year later, Sell/Buy stuff has over 7,400 members and continues to grow “including spam I receive around 20 demands to join the group every day,” stresses Kristina Kveselyte.
“Sometimes people criticise us because we did not answer their demands straight away. We were on holiday for two days and were not connected as often as at home,” explains Farooq Azee ironically.
The Facebook group is not only a second hand group but also a social group where people can talk and meet. This proximity is unique especially in a small town, such as Lund where there are a lot of students.
Looking for investments
This is the brainchild of Farooq Azee, who is looking for investments. He is a devoted volunteer and wants to improve the concept of Sell/Buy stuff in Lund into an app.
“This group is very unique and through the app, I want to keep the same concept : Free to subscribe; still cheap second hand stuff and very convenient for everybody”.
The app would be directly connected with the Facebook group. In this app, Farooq Azee wants to improve the organization of offers and demands via categories. His first idea is to categorise each post. To do this, however, he needs external investments.
“If every student gives 5 SEK, the app will be ready,” says Farooq Azee.
No support
Farooq Azee presented the “Campus Scroll” project to Leapfrogs, that is backed by the Lund University Innovation System, to get some money for the app’s launch. He was very confident about this project, as it is a very useful and pratical tool for international students who do not have a furnished apartment, for example.
However, “I received a negative answer without any reason. I was very disappointed because the centre is looking for projects that make money and not small business projects such as the one I proposed”.
A group in English. Why not in Swedish?
“Swedes put such high prices on second hand items,” laughs Farooq Azee.
“International students know what second hand entails but, Swedes have some difficulties understanding what ‘cheap’ second hand prices means. They try to make a profit from their stuff. On the other hand, Swedish people are generally capable of speaking English in contrast to international students and their Swedish skills.”
The people that are directly influenced are definitely the international students looking to sell or buy stuff cheaply and efficiently. To everyone’s delight, “Campus Scroll” will remain in English.
The article has been updated after it was published.
