PAWnShop

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  Home Page - students can view items for trade

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  Trade Requested - students are given a secure location for the exchange

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  Ledger Updates - students can see Paw-Point balance and pending transactions

Inspiration & What it Does

As an RIT student, I have many items I no longer need that others may want. PAWnShop is a secure, campus-only marketplace for trading gear, from textbooks to lab equipment, using a "Paw-Points" system backed by financial escrow logic.

How I built it

I built the front-end using React and Tailwind CSS to create a high-fidelity, dark-mode dashboard. I integrated Capital One’s Nessie API to simulate a secure escrow service, ensuring "Paw-Points" are only released once both students confirm a safe meetup.

Challenges we ran into

The biggest challenge was architecting a synchronous "Escrow" state without a full backend. I had to manage complex React state logic to "lock" funds in a user's Tiger Wallet while a trade is pending, preventing the same points from being spent twice.

Accomplishments that we're proud of

FinTech Integration: Successfully simulating a P2P banking ledger using the Nessie API to provide transparency and security. UI/UX Design: Implementing a responsive, RIT-themed interface that includes a "Secure Meetup" map to prioritize student safety.

What we learned

I gained deep experience in State Management and API data mapping. I also learned how to translate complex financial concepts, like escrow and ledgers, into a simplified user experience that solves a specific community pain point.

What's next for PAWnShop

The goal is to integrate Supabase for a persistent database to move beyond mock data. I also plan to add a "verified student" SSO login using RIT credentials to ensure the marketplace remains a closed, safe loop for the campus.

Built With

• api
• github
• react
• tailwind