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This last spotlight is on the 2 most important perks we can give you, the donor. Which is the POWER TO CHOOSE the direction of 2 critically important decisions for our company.
1) Which system Bookstoop's Mobile App will be developed for FIRST: the I-Phone, or the Android. This will result in app being available up to 6 months earlier for winner.
2) Which college Bookstoop will launch at next. The more $ you can donate, the more votes you get (up to 100 extra votes)!
Remember, just 3 simple steps to win! 1) Share this post on your Facebook page 2) Copy a link to your page and paste it as a comment below 3) Get your friends to "like" your post. That's it!
"Created by college students, for college students"
Like most students (or parents with a credit card), we're a group of friends who are sick and tired of feeling ripped off each and every semester by textbooks. Being both too broke and too stubborn to continue accepting this situation as some “necessary evil” of college, we decided to try and do something about it.
The result? BOOKSTOOP.COM
We created Bookstoop with the singular purpose of helping students everywhere navigate an unfair and unregulated textbook marketplace by circumventing the limited retail options currently available and saving us all a ton of cash.
A Few Of Our Features:
Custom layout for each campus, with the school's unique colors, logo and crest
A textbook search engine to help you find which textbooks are required for a specific course. No ISBN numbers required!
A multi-school search feature will allow you to search for your text on other campuses within a specified radius or nationwide.
Not sure what to charge? Our price suggestion tool will provide students with a recommendation to ensure their pricing is fair and competitive.
And the best part? Bookstoop.com is FREE! Our core mission is to help students save money, so in keeping with this objective, our site will be free to use!
We can’t think of a
better, more collaborative way to bring our service to college students
everywhere than through the support, feedback and interest from YOU.
We are here to raise totally $30,000 to fully develop our Bookstoop Mobile App prototype and fully launch our Bookstoop.com exchange platform. With your help, this project will make it possible for us to launch Bookstoop in 50 college campuses by the end of the 2014 spring semester.
To create the Bookstoop smartphone app, we will need approximately $20,000 for the first platform and an additional $10,000 for each additional platform.
The upgrades to our site & platform infrastructures carry a price tag of approximately $10,000 and it must be completed before the spring 2014 50-campus launch.
Plus, your help here today will determine which 50 colleges we’ll be launching in next year!
We want the smartphone app to be a fully functioning extension of
our website to provide students with the 'portability' and convenience of all
our platform’s services. Since more than half of all college students use them daily, successfully
launching our smartphone app will help us reach as many campuses and help as
many people as possible.
The Bookstoop App Will Feature:
A barcode scanner to make it easy to
search for a book, add a book to your wish list or list your book for sale.
This helps you avoid the hassle to entering the precise title or ISBN.
Push notification so students will
receive instant alerts and announcements for a more streamlined user experience.
Multi-platform compatibility is going
to be a hallmark of our mobile app, so you can use it on iPhone or Android.
Website Redesign & Upgrade:
We are
currently in the final stages of complete redesign of the original Bookstoop.com portal, shown in the screenshot below, and even though our dedicated student programmers are all
volunteers, fueled by Red Bull, pizza and Ramen Noodles there are still many
expenses to bring together a fully functioning platform to support the website,
database and mobile application.
Bookstoop 1.0 (2.0 coming soon)
Some
long-term, expected costs will be for the database and server upgrades needed
to provide a responsive and stable infrastructure fully capable of handling the
expected load of our 50 university introduction. We want to mitigate any chance that the
experience of our earliest customers be compromised because we didn’t have
enough processing, bandwidth and storage lined-up during our launch.
Picking the Next Bookstoop College!
Beta testing our service in multiple college markets earlier this year helped us realize that in
order for Bookstoop’s business model to be successful, we must be sure that
enough interest has been generated within each potential new school. This is done by requiring a specific number of requests, or votes(at least 10% of school's population - with a max requirement of 2,000) before we can launch Bookstoop at that particular campus.
With each donation, you'll have the ability to cast an increasing number of votes(increasing multiple, depending on the amount donated) for the school of your choice!
The most important part of this project is you, the supporters, to help choose which schools will get Bookstoop's services next!
The textbook
industry has been placing students in a no-win position for several years now. Each
semester, students pay hundreds --- or even thousands --- of dollars for those
college textbooks; mandatory purchases (for students who want to pass their
courses) pre-chosen by faculty without factoring cost or price.
A Few Facts:
1) Textbook prices have more than triple over the past 20 years --- an increase that's four times the average inflation rate.
2) New editions released once, sometimes twice, a year regardless of need, immediately rendering old editions virtually worthless, leaving students with a book with nearly no buy-back value with their campus bookstore.
3) The average student spends $700 to $1400 per year on textbooks, accounting for an incredible 20-33% of the average college student's annual income.
Here is sample of an infographic explaining the adverse conditions of this industry:
"We launched Bookstoop.com 1.0 in the spring
of 2013 and beta tested at four college markets nationwide. The
response was incredible! "
In just two months, we had thousands of visits,
hundreds of textbook listings and many successful student-to-student
transactions. All of this success came as the result of nothing more than
word-of-mouth; we performed no formal marketing or promotion.
A new and improved 2.0 version of Bookstoop.com, touting
a streamlined design and an improved user interface, is now being finalized and
should launch, along with beta testing, before the end of this crowdfunding
campaign.
We have made great strides on the Bookstoop website revamp
and we are confident that we will have it up, with limited functionality and
beta testing, by the completion of this campaign and fully running by January
1, 2014, just in time for the spring 2014 semester.
Our goal is to get the mobile app completed by early 2014, but our fundraising progress and the upcoming holidays could potentially delay progress. Our likely completion date will be February or March, mid-semester. As our fundraising campaign proceeds and we become more involved in the app development process, we will have a much better idea of the expected completion point.
We've
assembled a rewards list designed to entice all of our potential contributors
and supporters. Here's a peek at some of the perks! For detailed descriptions of our Reward Packages, scroll to the end.
A DIGITAL HIGH FIVE!!! Your name will live on in the
Bookstoop.com sponsors page.
Add 3 requests towards getting Bookstoop.com launched
at the college of your choice.
$5 -
"SOPHOMORE" PACKAGE
Everything from the previous reward levels PLUS:
Add 5 requests towards getting Bookstoop.com launched
at the college of your choice.
One vote towards the smartphone platform of your
choice. (iPhone or Android).
An "I ♥ bookstoop.com" sticker will be
shipped to your door.
$25 -
"JUNIOR" PACKAGE
Everything from the previous reward levels PLUS:
Add 10 requests towards getting Bookstoop.com launched
at the college of your choice.
One vote towards the smartphone platform of your choice
(iPhone or Android).
A one-of-a-kind "VIP Donor" badge for your
Bookstoop.com membership profile.
Your own avatar or picture will be featured on our
Campus Mosaic Banner on the homepage.
Your very own Bookstoop original "JOIN THE REVOLUTION"
retro t-shirt
$50 -
"SENIOR" PACKAGE
Everything from the previous reward levels PLUS:
Add 15 requests towards getting Bookstoop.com launched
at the college of your choice.
A personal hand-written THANK YOU card with the
signatures of our team members.
A Bookstoop.com custom 2-GB key jump drive.
An exclusive opportunity to be a Bookstoop BETA tester
with full access to the platform weeks before anybody to give valuable
feedback to our team.
$100 -
"PROFESSOR" PACKAGE
Everything from the previous reward levels PLUS:
Add 25 requests towards getting Bookstoop.com launched
at the college of your choice.
Two votes towards the smartphone platform of your
choice (iPhone or Android).
An executive Bookstoop, leather padfolio for any
business occasion
$200 -
"DEPARTMENT HEAD" PACKAGE
HIGH FIVE!!! ***Thank you so much for your
support!
Your name will live on in the Bookstoop.com sponsors
page.
Add 40 requests towards getting Bookstoop.com launched
at the college of your choice.
Three votes towards the smartphone platform of your
choice (iPhone or Android).
A "I ♥ bookstoop.com" sticker will be shipped
to your door.
A one-of-a-kind "VIP Donor" badge for your
membership profile.
Your avatar/picture will be on our Super Duper Mosaic
Banner on the homepage.
A Bookstoop's original "JOIN THE REVOLUTION"
retro t-shirt.
A personal hand-written THANK YOU card with the
signatures of our team members.
A Bookstoop's 2-GB key jump drive.
An opportunity to be Bookstoop's BETA tester, access
the system earlier and give valuable feedback to our team.
An executive Padfolio for any business occasion.
An original collegiate t-shirt from a school of your
choice.
An one-of-a-kind SILVER SPONSOR badge with your name
and a college of your choice on our Sponsors page
$500 -
"DEAN" PACKAGE
HIGH FIVE!!! ***Thank you so much for your
support!
Your name will live on in the Bookstoop.com sponsors
page.
Add 60 requests towards getting Bookstoop.com launched
at the college of your choice.
Five votes towards the smartphone platform of your
choice (iPhone or Android).
A "I ♥ bookstoop.com" sticker will be shipped
to your door.
A one-of-a-kind "VIP Donor" badge for your
membership profile.
Your avatar/picture will be on our Super Duper Mosaic
Banner on the homepage.
A Bookstoop's original "JOIN THE REVOLUTION"
retro t-shirt.
A personal hand-written THANK YOU card with the
signatures of our team members.
A Bookstoop's 2-GB key jump drive.
An opportunity to be Bookstoop's BETA tester, access
the system earlier and give valuable feedback to our team.
An executive Padfolio for any business occasion.
An original collegiate t-shirt from a school of your
choice.
An one-of-a-kind GOLD SPONSOR badge with your name and
a college of your choice on our Sponsors page.
Our team will personally send you a fortunate text
message OR email every morning for ONE MONTH
$800 - "VICE
PRESIDENT" PACKAGE
HIGH FIVE!!! ***Thank you so much for your
support!
Your name will live on in the Bookstoop.com sponsors
page.
Add 80 requests towards getting Bookstoop.com launched
at the college of your choice.
Ten votes towards the smartphone platform of your
choice (iPhone or Android).
A "I ♥ bookstoop.com" sticker will be shipped
to your door.
A one-of-a-kind "VIP Donor" badge for your
membership profile.
Your avatar/picture will be on our Super Duper Mosaic
Banner on the homepage.
A Bookstoop's original "JOIN THE REVOLUTION"
retro t-shirt.
A personal hand-written THANK YOU card with the
signatures of our team members.
A Bookstoop's 2-GB key jump drive.
An opportunity to be Bookstoop's BETA tester, access
the system earlier and give valuable feedback to our team.
An executive Padfolio for any business occasion.
An original collegiate t-shirt from a school of your
choice.
An one-of-a-kind PLATINUM SPONSOR badge with your name
and a college of your choice on our Sponsors page.
Our team will personally send you a fortunate text
message OR email every morning for ONE MONTH.
You will have an exciting conference call/chat/online
interview with our team for any purpose
$1,200 -
"PROVOST" PACKAGE
HIGH FIVE!!! ***Thank you so much for your
support!
Your name will live on in the Bookstoop.com sponsors
page.
Add 100 requests towards getting Bookstoop.com launched
at the college of your choice.
Fifteen votes towards the smartphone platform of your
choice (iPhone or Android).
A "I ♥ bookstoop.com" sticker will be shipped
to your door.
A one-of-a-kind "VIP Donor" badge for your
membership profile.
Your avatar/picture will be on our Super Duper Mosaic
Banner on the homepage.
A Bookstoop's original "JOIN THE REVOLUTION"
retro t-shirt.
A personal hand-written THANK YOU card with the
signatures of our team members.
A Bookstoop's 2-GB key jump drive.
An opportunity to be Bookstoop's BETA tester, access
the system earlier and give valuable feedback to our team.
An executive Padfolio for any business occasion.
An original collegiate t-shirt from a school of your
choice.
An one-of-a-kind PLATINUM SPONSOR badge with your name
and a college of your choice on our Sponsors page.
Our team will personally send you a fortunate text
message OR email every morning for ONE MONTH.
You will have an exciting conference call/chat/online
interview with our team for any purpose.
We will advertise your business/project/cause via
banner ad on our main page for TWO WEEKS
(NOTE: Exclude pornography, nude, inappropriate languages and
behavior).
$2,000 -
"PRESIDENT" PACKAGE
HIGH FIVE!!! ***Thank you so much for your
support!
Your name will live on in the Bookstoop.com sponsors
page.
Add 125 requests towards getting Bookstoop.com launched
at the college of your choice.
Twenty votes towards the smartphone platform of your
choice (iPhone or Android).
A "I ♥ bookstoop.com" sticker will be shipped
to your door.
A one-of-a-kind "VIP Donor" badge for your
membership profile.
Your avatar/picture will be on our Super Duper Mosaic
Banner on the homepage.
A Bookstoop's original "JOIN THE REVOLUTION"
retro t-shirt.
A personal hand-written THANK YOU card with the
signatures of our team members.
A Bookstoop's 2-GB key jump drive.
An opportunity to be Bookstoop's BETA tester, access
the system earlier and give valuable feedback to our team.
An executive Padfolio for any business occasion.
An original collegiate t-shirt from a school of your
choice.
An one-of-a-kind PLATINUM SPONSOR badge with your name
and a college of your choice on our Sponsors page.
Our team will personally send you a fortunate text
message OR email every morning for ONE MONTH.
You will have an exciting conference call/chat/online
interview with our team for any purpose.
We will advertise your business/project/cause via
banner ad on our main page for ONE
MONTH (NOTE: Exclude pornography, nude, inappropriate
languages and behavior).
What happens if we receive
more than our $30,000 goal?
Well, that would be simply
wonderful, wouldn't it!
If we achieve our goal of raising $30,000, this would
put us on a secure path to success. But it would only allow for the completion
of one mobile app platform. Therefore, we have established some additional
fundraising goals --- stretch goals.
STRETCH GOAL #1 - $40,000:
A sum of $40,000 would fund the simultaneous development
of the iPhone and Android mobile app platforms. This would dramatically
decrease the amount of time required to develop these mobile apps.
STRETCH GOAL #2 - $50,000 and above:
A sum of $50,000 would allow us to direct every possible
resource as we work toward the simultaneous completion of an iPhone and Android
mobile app. It would also allow us to upgrade our digital infrastructure ahead
of schedule, thereby allowing for more rapid growth since our website would be
capable of handling a much greater traffic and database load.
Once we reach our stretch goal of $50,000, each
additional $1,000 will serve to bring Bookstoop to one additional school!
Therefore, if we were to reach $60,000, we could launch at 60 schools in spring
2014 (instead of 50); if we were to raise $70,000, we could launch Bookstoop at
70 schools.
The possibilities are limitless, but we need your
support to bring Bookstoop to its full potential!
A DIGITAL HIGH FIVE!!! Your name will live on in the Bookstoop.com sponsors page. ***Add 3 requests towards getting Bookstoop.com launched at the college of your choice.
Estimated Shipping
January 2014
2 claimed
"SOPHOMORE" PACKAGE
$5 USD
Everything from the previous reward levels PLUS: ***Add 5 requests towards getting Bookstoop.com launched at the college of your choice. ***One vote towards the smartphone platform of your choice. (iPhone or Android). ***An "I ♥ bookstoop.com" sticker will be shipped to your door.
Estimated Shipping
January 2014
14 claimed
"JUNIOR" PACKAGE
$25 USD
Everything from the previous reward levels PLUS: ***Add 10 requests towards getting Bookstoop.com launched at the college of your choice. ***One vote towards the smartphone platform of your choice (iPhone or Android). ***A one-of-a-kind "VIP Donor" badge for your Bookstoop.com membership profile. ***Your own avatar or picture will be featured on our Campus Mosaic Banner on the homepage. ***Your very own Bookstoop original "JOIN THE REVOLUTION" retro t-shirt
Estimated Shipping
January 2014
5 claimed
"SENIOR" PACKAGE
$50 USD
Everything from the previous reward levels PLUS: ***Add 15 requests towards getting Bookstoop.com launched at the college of your choice. *** A personal hand-written THANK YOU card with the signatures of our team members. ***A Bookstoop.com custom 2-GB key jump drive. ***An exclusive opportunity to be a Bookstoop BETA tester with full access to the platform weeks before anybody to give valuable feedback to our team.
Estimated Shipping
February 2014
2 claimed
"PROFESSOR" PACKAGE
$100 USD
Everything from the previous reward levels PLUS: ***Add 25 requests towards getting Bookstoop.com launched at the college of your choice. ***Two votes towards the smartphone platform of your choice (iPhone or Android). ***An executive Bookstoop, leather padfolio for any business occasion
Estimated Shipping
February 2014
1 claimed
"DEPARTMENT HEAD" PACKAGE
$200 USD
Everything from the previous reward levels PLUS: ***An original collegiate t-shirt from a school of your choice. ***An one-of-a-kind SILVER SPONSOR badge with your name and a college of your choice on our Sponsors page (See more details in the description)
Estimated Shipping
February 2014
2 claimed
"DEAN" PACKAGE
$400 USD
Everything from the previous reward levels PLUS: ***An one-of-a-kind GOLD SPONSOR badge with your name and a college of your choice on our Sponsors page. ***Our team will personally send you a fortunate text message OR email every morning for ONE MONTH (See more details in the description)
Estimated Shipping
February 2014
1 claimed
"VICE PRESIDENT" PACKAGE
$800 USD
Everything from the previous reward levels PLUS: ***An one-of-a-kind PLATINUM SPONSOR badge with your name and a college of your choice on our Sponsors page. ***You will have an exciting conference call/chat/online interview with our team for any purpose (See more details in the description)
Estimated Shipping
February 2014
0 claimed
"PROVOST" PACKAGE
$1,200 USD
Everything from the previous reward levels PLUS: ***An one-of-a-kind PLATINUM SPONSOR badge with your name and a college of your choice on our Sponsors page. ***We will advertise your business/project/cause via banner ad on our main page for TWO WEEKS (See more details in the description)
Estimated Shipping
February 2014
1 claimed
"PRESIDENT" PACKAGE
$2,000 USD
Everything from the previous reward levels PLUS: ***An one-of-a-kind PLATINUM SPONSOR badge with your name and a college of your choice on our Sponsors page. ***We will advertise your business/project/cause via banner ad on our main page for ONE MONTH (See more details in the description)
