Our Story
The original idea for this app came from the challenges that students face when they buy and resell their college textbooks. The majority of us have lived through the hassles of buying extremely expensive books and getting a feeling of being ripped-off by the bookstore when they offer to buy back those books for pennies on the dollar and then reselling the same textbooks at exorbitant prices even as used books!
As we started to talk to college students about a potentially better way for them to buy and sell textbooks, we got the feedback that they had more to sell than just textbooks. As students graduate and others join, there are items such as laptops, apparel, and sometimes even vehicles that they need to buy or sell!
We looked at other options out there and saw that there were several classified sites but none that provided a timed and definitive closure to listings. Also, most people listed items high and then were negotiated down making the process frustrating and even annoying leaving both the buyer and seller feeling unsatisfied.
This was a lightbulb moment for us; we realized that this was not just a student problem but a buyer-seller problem that needed a better solution. An auction based platform for local buying and selling locally is what was needed. An auction, at the right market size, brings about the perfect intersection of the Supply and Demand curve providing a true “Win-Win” solution for both the seller and the buyer. Ending at an unambiguous time, the auction ensures that everyone knows when the ‘buying and selling’ ends and clearly identifies the buyer providing closure.
This is how the idea behind cBidz came about. Campus, City, or Community puts the ‘c’ in our name and since the platform is auction based it relies on bids from potential buyers to complete the transaction – it gave us our name!
Welcome to cBidz where we connect buyers and sellers… locally; we hope you have an amazing experience using our services and find true value in our efforts. As the app gains momentum the more real-world will the value be, so help us spread the word.