Thabang Masango, a former University of Johannesburg student, said his website, www.vasitybuy.co.za, aims to change the book industry.
How it works, is a person registers their secondhand book on the website, including the title and the year it was published.
A buyer then visits the site and searches for a specific book. When the title appears, the buyer makes a request, which is sent to the seller.
The seller sees the request and private contact is made between the seller and the buyer.
“I think of myself as a middle man between two parties,” said Masango.
“No private information or contact details are shared publicly, so people can be confident that their information is safe.”
The innovative site was launched in June.
Masango said the need for this type of website grew from his days as a student, when he often observed people selling books on campus grounds.
“Now I am offering the opportunity for those buyers to make their work easier,” he explained.
He admits that, at first, he received a lot of backlash from on-campus sellers who saw his posters pasted around the campus.
“They felt threatened and that I was taking business away from them,” he said.
The 23-year-old said that, in the near future, he would like to grow his company, ACE Technology Communications.
“I would like to focus on software development, providing the services to people running companies that rely on web presences,” he added.
Masango’s love for web development and software originated from his years studying towards a diploma in business information technology.
He said that, from the moment he walked into his first class he was hooked.
However, not everything has been perfect and Masango has experienced a number of barriers in his entrepreneurial venture.
“I have approached a number of schools in Benoni offering to set-up a student system, where teachers can share assignments and notes for their pupils to download and use,” said Masango.
But none of the schools have been willing to give him an opportunity.
“I would like individuals and organisations to fund and be willing to take a chance with young entrepreneurs,” he added
If you would like to contact Masango and assist with his business, email him at tmasango@acetechnology.co.za.
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