If you’re looking for a cheaper place to buy textbooks, Saguu.com has got you covered.
The website is strictly for UCA students, and as such allows them to work together and offer each other better deals than the campus stores. Instead of having to pay through the nose, this website places the books you need well within your grasp. As an added bonus, you aren’t even charged to create an account. In fact, the site is completely free to use.
Saguu creators, senior Joey Walsh and alumni Pyi Thein, first thought of the website two years ago, but finally set their plan in motion this semester and launched the site in early September.
“A lot of people have come up to me and said it was a good idea,” Walsh said. “A few have even told me that they have thought of the idea themselves. Honestly, I think this website has been a long time coming. Many students have wanted this for a long time, but no one has jumped on it, I guess.”
Saguu has been getting positive reviews on Facebook, according to Thein.
“I see some senior students commenting quite a bit saying that they wish they had something like this when they were first starting here at UCA,” Thein said. “I’ve seen a few underclassmen saying nice things as well. So it’s good to know that people are responding positively.”
Since its creation many students have utilized it, and with the end of the semester looming, many more will be seeking its services.
But why call it “Saguu”?
“It’s simple and catchy,” Walsh said. “It doesn’t really mean anything, but it can mean something later. We’re trying to create a brand with our name. When people think of Saguu, we want them to think of what we do, which is save you money on textbooks.”
In addition to saving students money, Saguu offers a safer method to buy.
“I’m not a big fan of Amazon, or Craigslist,” Walsh said. “I don’t think those are the best places to buy books, especially Craigslist, which is kind of sketchy to me. Our site allows transparency between the buyers and sellers, and allows students to meet up in the student center or at dorms on campus.”
To sign up, all you have to do is use your campus e-mail, accompanied with a password you create.
“I think we’re all tired of having to deal with the bookstores,” Walsh said. “For a lot of us, money is hard to come by in college, and paying a lot of money for a book can be burdening. We just want to help our fellow students.”
If you would like more information about the website, Saguu has a Twitter, Facebook and YouTube page, but is the most active on Facebook.
“I’m very optimistic about it,” Thein said. “When I came to the United States, it was a struggle for me, because everything was so different. UCA and the students have made me feel at home, so this is my way of giving back and helping those that have helped me. I’m very happy with what we have created.”
