Exclusive Matador Marketplace Is Here
Looking to sell an old calculator or buy a bookcase? Matador Exchange is the place to go. This California State University, Northridge exclusive marketplace has just been re-launched by CSUN’s Associated Students and is open for business.
Matador Exchange is a safe place for CSUN students, faculty and staff to buy and sell goods online. Anyone with a CSUN ID is already registered for the website, so joining is as simple as logging in with a portal ID. The exclusivity of the site adds an element of safety and convenience that is not available on comparable classified sales websites.
“We wanted to keep it safe for the CSUN community,” said Kevin Mojaradi, marketing and public relations coordinator for Associated Students. “We didn’t want anyone from the outside being able to access it.”
The process of buying and selling on Matador Exchange is simple. After logging in, users can easily post items for sale, make an offer or purchase items without the hassle of multiple steps. Users can also search for items in a variety of different categories based on preferences, including condition, price and location.
The original site was developed in 2013, after members of AS came up with the idea for an online place where CSUN students could trade goods, but the project never gained much traction. Now the site is being re-launched on the new platform Ulyngo, which AS and CSUN IT optimized for CSUN users.
The new platform features a mobile optimized site for ease of use on all devices, internal messaging between buyers and sellers, 24-hour technical support and bank-level encryption to keep personal data safe. More features will be rolled out continuously and AS is welcoming feedback from students to create the optimal CSUN marketplace.
To further ensure safe transactions, buyers and sellers are encouraged to meet in one of two designated meeting locations on campus behind the B3 parking lot when they exchange goods. These locations are camera monitored and marked by “Internet Purchase Exchange Location” signs.
Mojaradi says that Matador Exchange also encourages students to meet fellow Matadors on campus rather than just having a simple transaction.
“Meet your fellow Matadors, exchange your items and have a cup of coffee,” Mojaradi said.
AS will also promote the Matador Exchange platform for trading and selling furniture during campus housing move-out to help students make some extra cash while encouraging sustainability.
“A lot of things are thrown away during move-out,” says Mojaradi. “If you can make a few bucks off selling a desk or chair instead of throwing it in the bin, why not do it? You make some money off it and you’re not creating more waste.”
Every sale on Matador Exchange includes a five percent transaction fee. Ten percent of that fee goes back to CSUN AS, which will use that money for club funding.
To start exchanging with fellow Matadors, visit csunas.org/exchange.