Marketplace Pro
Team Project by Yier Cao, Jake Gu, Samantha Ho, Yinuo Jing, Nancy Xiang
Marketplace Pro is a project that aimed to provide secure transactions, reliable renting information and experience for newcomers to Toronto by adding new features to Facebook Marketplace.
We have observed that the online renting platforms are not providing comprehensive information and valid verification, which is causing financial losses and mental panic to newcomer renters in Toronto.
How might we improve online renting experience so that our users are more successful based on security and reliability?
Research & Analysis
Secondary Research
Prevalence of Rental Scams
Various reports and news articles indicate a rising trendin rental scams, especially on online platforms like Facebook Marketplace.
Platforms Involved
Rental scams are especially prevalent on online platforms, where the anonymity and lack of regulation are taken advantaged of.
Scam Techniques
Rental scam deploys various techniques, including impersonating landlords, privacy and identity theft, requesting deposits or advance payments.
Financial & Emotional Impact
Rental scams not only affects financial well-being but also overall mental health, which can have long-term consequences.
Impacts on Newcomers
Newcomers to Toronto are particularly vulnerable to rental scams because they are unfamiliar with rental market.
Awareness & Technology
How can technologies and designs help newcomers, or become new threats taken advantage of by scammers?
Primary Research
Survey
61 responses have been received,
of which 57 responses are effective,
from individuals with Toronto rental experience on online platforms.
Interview
10 one-on-one interviews are conducted to gather more qualitative data.
The interview sessions last about 15 minutes.
What aspects of renting concern you the most?
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Shared Issues from The Interviews:
Doubts about the authenticity of the landlord
Inability to confirm the condition of the property in person
Unreliable information about the property
Insecure Transaction
Rebecca's Story
This is Rebecca,
A Newcomer to Toronto,
Looking for A Rental Property.
"Renting that is too expensive is unaffordable,
but too cheap is untrustworthy."
Rebecca
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22 years old
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Single Female
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Full-Time Student
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Toronto, ON
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International Student
Characteristics
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Newcomer to Toronto
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Unable to view rentals in person
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Unfamilar with rental situation in Toronto
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Aware of scams,but unsure what to do
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A budget limit
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Use multiple online rentals platforms
Needs
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To rent an affordable place that is close to school, in a safe and quiet neighbourhood
Obstacles
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Not being able to see the place in person
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Not believing postings online
Desires
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Desire for an online platform that has scam prevention and verification on rental listings
Rebecca Says...
“I think I can spot a lot of scams, like listings below market price.”
“I always receive many spams from the platforms.”
“Suspicious listings are asking for deposit upfront.”
Rebecca Thinks...
"There are a large amounts of scams."
"Is there anything weird or suspicious about the postings and contract?"
"I want a third party to ensure transaction and contract validity."
Rebecca Does...
Use a lot of filters to sort postings
Constantly assess postings
Research and verify through reviews and comments
Rebecca Feels...
Use a lot of filters to sort postings
Constantly assess postings
Research and verify (reviews, comments)
So Rebecca Needs...
Rebecca needs a way to secure her transactions and be able to trace the money back if an accident happens so that she will not lose money.
Rebecca needs a way to establish and maintain a budget limit so that she can prioritize for the best affordable option.
Rebecca needs a way to verify the authenticity of the landlord and listing and so that she will not be scammed by fake landlord.
Rebecca needs a way to verify the condition of the properties without visiting them in person so that she can avoid mismatched information.
Ideation & Prototype
Facebook Marketplace
Instead of designing an application from scratch,
our team decided to design new features for Facebook Marketplace,
one of the most popular online renting platforms.
Help Wanted Board
For information inquiries, recruit and reward the locals to check the condition and authenticity of the properties.
Rebecca posts a question
and receives comments.
Rebecca posts a favor request
and receives help.
Rebecca seeks help from the locals without being in Toronto in-person.
Account Verification
Accounts that wish to engage in financial transactions will have to upload a piece of government id and facial recognition system.
Rebecca checks the verification details
of the account.
Rebecca determines whether the landlord is verified and avoids interacting with potential scammers.
Transaction On-Hold
The transaction happens through the platform, on-hold and not released to the landlord until everything is settled.
Rebecca pays the landlord and realizes that her deposit is safely held by the platform.
Rebecca has her money on hold and can get her money back in case of scams.
My Contribution
Research & Analysis
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Participated in designing survey
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Conducted two in-person interviews
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Visualize the research data as graphs and affinity diagram
Rebecca's Story
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Participated in the analysis of research data and translated it into Persona, Empathy Map and Needs Statements
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Designed and visualized Persona, Empathy Map and Needs Statements
Ideation & Prototype
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Designed the Low-Fi storyboard of Forum Flow
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Designed the Mid-Fi Prototype of Forum Flow
Leadership in Teamwork
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Coordinated team meeting time and hosted the team meeting
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Organized and managed team playback and deliverable documents
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Organize task assignments and create team work schedules