VSELL
Student-exclusive marketplace platform
🗓️ Timeline
3 Months
✒️ Role
Product Designer
🧠 Skills
User Research
Prototyping
Scalability
🤝 Team
1 Product Manager
1 Product Designer
2 Developers
📜 Overview
VSell was designed as a student-exclusive marketplace for Vanderbilt University, requiring a Vanderbilt email for authentication. The platform allows guests to browse the marketplace anonymously while ensuring only verified students can list and purchase items.
❌ Problem
The previous GroupMe-based marketplace was outdated, had a 5,000-member limit, lacked search functionality, and was prone to bot abuse. VSell addresses these issues by providing a structured, scalable solution with proper authentication and item discovery.
🔬 Research and Interview
User Interviews (30 university students): Focused on current methods of buying/selling, frustrations with existing the existing group chat platform.
Surveys: Gathered quantitative data on frequency of transactions, types of items exchanged, preferred payment methods, and perceived risks.
Competitive Analysis: Reviewed existing general marketplaces to identify best practices, common pitfalls, and unmet needs.
🔍 Discovery and Pain Points
High Demand, Low Trust: Students frequently needed to buy and sell, but significant distrust existed due to unverified identities and no rating systems.
On-Campus Only: Students overwhelmingly preferred dealing with other verified students on campus for convenience and perceived safety.
Inefficient Communication & Negotiation: Current methods relied heavily on generic messaging apps, leading to slow responses, difficulty tracking conversations, and a lack of built-in negotiation tools.
🗝️ Features
Item Search
Users can quickly search for listings by keywords, making it easier to find specific items instead of scrolling through endless messages in a group chat.
Marketplace Showcase
The interface displays up to 24 items per page, offering better visibility and discovery than the three-item-per-screen limit of a group chat.
Unlimited Users
Unlike GroupMe’s 5,000-member limit, VSell allows all 7,500+ Vanderbilt students to participate, ensuring no one is excluded due to user caps.
Bot Protection
The authentication system prevents bot registrations. Additionally, users can report suspicious accounts to maintain a safe and trusted marketplace.
