FAU student creates a new website called Urbanboard where FAU and PBSC students can buy, sell and trade items with one another.

Need to find a job, furnish your new apartment or even buy a car? Craigslist has those bases, among others, covered. Everyone loves a good bargain and Craigslist is a great place to find local deals.

But, with the increase of “Craigslist killings” — like the 2007 case of Michael John Anderson, the 2010 case of Philip Markoff and most recently Miranda Barbour’s case — online public marketplaces can be a dangerous place.

Urbanboard.com is a new website created by Daniel Kandinov, a senior international business major at FAU, as an alternative to Craigslist in hopes to make a safer marketplace experience for students.

“It’s a friendly online marketplace, exclusive to students with [a student] email address for buyers, sellers and providers, connecting you with classmates on your very own campus who can help you with whatever you may be looking for,” said Kandinov.

Currently, the website is exclusive to FAU and PBSC students making it a more intimate place for students to interact with other students.

Last September, a friend of Kandinov’s was looking for a dog sitter while he was away on a trip. He was having a hard time finding someone trustworthy online.

“So we thought, ‘what if he can actually find a college student who is staying on or off campus.’ It’s easier to trust a fellow classmate, as they can’t disappear,” said Kandinov. “They are actually registered in school and they would be easy to locate should something go wrong (go to student services).”

It took Kandinov four months to get the website up and running with the help of some friends and he says his favorite part of Urbanboard is the versatility of its marketplace.

“No matter if you’re trying to make some extra dough as a tutor, hire a personal trainer who can work around your schedule, find a new home for your old television or make a few extra bucks on your used textbooks, Urbanboard can help with all of that,” he said.

Kandinov thinks students will appreciate the simplicity of the website which makes it easy to sign up, post products and buy items.

“Urbanboard makes campus life easier by connecting you to other students to find your solutions quickly and locally,” said Kandinov.

After scrolling through pages of merchandise and service ads, it’s clear that Urbanboard offers a wide variety of things apart from the typical stuff people advertise on sites like these (like roommate requests, textbooks for sale and class tutoring) Urbanboard has some pretty interesting things up for grabs.

Five Interesting Things Advertised On Urbanboard:

1. Nike Air Force 1’s, cowboy boots and loafers $20-$35

Need a new pair of shoes but don’t want to pay store prices? There is a surprising number of FAU/PBSC students willing to give up a good pair of shoes for some extra cash.

2. The Letter S $5

Which apparently “can be sewn or glued onto the back of a jacket,” according to the seller. Who knew?

3. Soda Tabs $4

Because who doesn’t need soda tabs?

4. Empty Altoid Boxes $2

You can buy empty Altoid boxes which are great for storing all those push pins and sewing needles you have lying around…..

5. Handmade Tea Stained Paper $6

This one is actually kind of cool. Perfect for that pirate themed love note you were planning to send off or for sprucing up that essay you’re writing on Treasure Island and its intentionally ambiguous ending.