FROM USED clothes and books to luxury cars and hectares of land, Facebook group Ateneo Trade does not fall short on its variety of listings. With almost thirty thousand members, the online selling group has been many Ateneans’ go-to source for buying and selling goods and services that are otherwise unavailable on other platforms.

While the group has become a free space for Ateneans to market their products and services, Ateneo Trade has faced criticism for its outlandish and extravagant listings—especially at a time when socioeconomic inequality is highlighted. Recently, a “bumping” raffle trend has surfaced within the group wherein a random commenter on a listing to increase its engagement are promised a certain amount of money once the item is sold.

What was once a small group for Ateneans to simply trade their items has evolved into a large platform that begs questions on the group’s regulating and legal practices.

Tracing roots

Before gaining traction, Ateneo Trade began in 2012 as a simple trading community where Ateneans exchanged clothes and textbooks or sold extra tickets for concerts.

“I think the [convenience is] the value [of the group], but things have definitely changed over the years,” said Andrea Atienza, one of Ateneo Trade’s moderators.

Atienza has been a member of the group since 2013. When she was an undergraduate student, listings were much smaller and simpler. However, she believes the dynamics of the group changed when the pandemic began.

“Because there’s no one on campus anymore [and] everything’s online, [Ateneo Trade] kind of evolved. […] The trends change every year. There was a time [where the group sold] all food. In 2015, it was makeup everywhere. Some people sold a lot of t-shirts. I did notice in the last couple of years that a lot are selling properties,” Atienza says.

Atienza also attributes the changing trends in the group to the aging population of Ateneo Trade, which countless Ateneo alumni still join. “[The group does not consist of] all college students. It’s open to all Ateneans [from] ADMU. You get a mix of everyone from every age group and SES (socioeconomic status). It’s a sign of an aging population. For some people it’s their jobs, for others it’s their families,” she says.

Wrapped in controversies

As these changes continue to happen in Ateneo Trade, the once self-effacing online selling group has also turned into a hotspot of controversies among the Ateneo community. With items already extending to real estate and other luxury items, members began criticizing some listings for being insensitive and historically incorrect.

In 2017, a product called “Break In Case of Martial Law,” which was a pair of yellow slippers inside a glass jar, incited criticism from several Ateneo Trade members who said the item capitalized on the Martial Law period and its victims. Despite the outrage it caused, Ateneo Trade’s moderators decided not to delete the reposted item, citing the apolitical nature of the selling platform.

Today, the “bumping” raffle trend has also raised questions among members of the online selling group, stating that it technically violates Ateneo Trade’s current rules and regulations on prohibiting raffles.

When asked whether the “bumping” trend violates this rule, Atienza says the moderators have not made a definitive decision but have let the trend continue. “We kind of made it allowed because it’s not really harming the group, although I understand the sentiments [from] the group. It [looks like] spam, but it does help [the sellers] have exposure about the item,” she explains.

In addition, Atienza clarified that group administrators only reprimand and remove sellers who violate group rules. Given the growing membership of Ateneo Trade and the larger listings posted on the group, Atienza and the other moderators agreed to relegate the responsibilities of transactions between the buyer and seller themselves.

“The legalities fall upon the individual sellers and buyers. It’s up to them to go through the correct process. Ateneo Trade is just a platform. For us, we’re giving everyone the responsibility. […] We trust everyone’s maturity and responsibility in making sure transactions are good,” Atienza emphasizes.

Limiting a free market

While the growth of the Ateneo Trade calls for stronger regulations on the transactions  happening within the group, it remains true to its identity as an informal trading platform and continues to practice loose self-regulation.

For Marketing and Law Professor Atty. Eugene Kaw, the bumping trend is not necessarily illegal nor harmful, but it may not be a sound business practice.

“The closest thing that I can think of is it’s close to unfair competition. Loosely, ha? Hindi strictly. Because how about those sellers who do not have the resources or the capacity to incentivize? Kawawa sila. […] If you have the money, the resources, you could create that advantage, but [I] don’t think it’s illegal,” he says.

Given these changing trends in Ateneo Trade, Kaw emphasized the need for self-regulation. “It should be regulated by the administrators themselves. It is not uncommon actually that in certain industries, there is self-regulation, so that can be a process that they can do,” he says.

Because the efficiency of the online selling group lies on “good faith and trust,” Economics lecturer Jan Fredrick Cruz also believes that Ateneo Trade’s group rules and regulations should be properly enforced. Otherwise, “a little” negligence from the administrators can cause a breakdown in the contractual obligations and trust between the seller and the buyer.

“[Ateneo Trade] should be regulated, so [that] it is still compliant with laws that protect consumers’ rights, confidentiality, and privacy of buyer and seller. It should be able to protect intellectual property rights and the reputation of established businesses. To that extent, there should really be a regulation,” Cruz claims.

Nonetheless, he recognizes the essence of online selling groups like Ateneo Trade in the Philippine economy. He emphasizes that as the country relies on small businesses, these online platforms help keep the country’s economy afloat.

Another factor that makes small groups like Ateneo Trade a popular selling platform is the reduced “information asymmetry” among group members. According to Cruz, information asymmetry pertains to the minimal information a buyer has regarding the seller’s product or service—making the buyer uncertain as to whether they should continue the transaction.

However, because Ateneo Trade is exclusive to the Atenean community, members of the group are more likely to trust the bargain.

“Ateneo Trade [r]educes information asymmetry by way of employees, teachers, and students selling the goods so there is some level of trust. At the end of the day, this person I’m talking to is also my classmate [or] my professor. There is less incentive to engage in fraudulent behavior,” Cruz says.

While Ateneo Trade largely remains loosely regulated, both its moderators and members are subject to its constantly changing trends and rules. The platform’s success lies in its convenience, ease, and informal nature, thus making the group attractive not just for students, but for alumni as well. However, as the community continues to grow, the need to properly manage the group becomes more vital to prevent it from disarray.