• Gohar Aslam
• Web Design
• 19 October, 2023

The pandemic has reinforced the transition towards a more digital world and spawned changes in online shopping behaviors likely to have lasting effects. In addition, it has also backed online shopping, enabling e-commerce businesses to sell goods and services anywhere and allowing consumers to find different products in one place.

According to research, online consumer spending is expected to reach $36 billion in 2023, while the global e-commerce growth rate is forecasted at 10.4%. The e-commerce revenue is expected to surge to $6.5 trillion. These astonishing figures seem promising for entrepreneurs who want to invest in online marketplace development and develop their e-commerce platforms like Amazon, eBay, or Alibaba. This article sheds light on the essentials of building an online marketplace. Read on to know more. 

What is an Online Marketplace Platform?

An online marketplace or e-marketplace is an e-commerce platform that allows customers and sellers to exchange goods and services over the Internet. The platform typically serves as an intermediary, facilitating transactions between buyers and sellers and generating revenues.

Some of the most common types of online marketplaces include:

1. Research your Marketplace Idea

Before building a marketplace, conduct market research to identify which products and services you should display on your website. You can create either a horizontal or a vertical marketplace. A horizontal market sells various goods (like Amazon), while a vertical marketplace caters to specific customers (like Airbnb). A horizontal marketplace allows you to serve customers and sell products from numerous market segments. Conversely, a vertical marketplace lets you focus on a niche segment and offer a personalized service. 

2. Know your Target Audience

Before you embark on online marketplace development, you will define your target audience, acquire information about them, and precisely what they want. It can allow you to showcase apt products and services and devise ingenious sales and marketing strategies to meet their expectations, effectively promoting your goods and services and boosting your sales. 

3. Essential Functional Features

An online marketplace should display some basic functional features that are convenient and improve user experience.

• Sign In: A sign-in feature allows users to register and create an account. Users can register by using their email ID or social media accounts.
• Product page: It gives detailed product information and displays information, photos, and videos.
• Shopping cart: This feature is essential as it allows customers to store the products they want to buy in one place.
• Wishlist: Customers can create and store lists of items they want to buy later.
• Security: You must ensure the security of your marketplace with necessary SSL certificates, firewalls, and two-factor authentication. 
• Payment options: Provide various payment options to your customers by installing payment gateways such as credit/debit cards, PayPal, Square, Stripe, and Apple Pay.
• Search: This feature allows users to search for the items of their choice by typing into the search bar, ensuring the search is visible and easy to use. 
• Admin panel: An admin dashboard allows the marketplace owner to manage and oversee transactions, payments, and shipping. 
• Shipping: This feature allows customers to choose the preferred shipping method for their products.

4. Technology Stack

You will also require an appropriate technology stack for building an online marketplace. Ideally, it will combine programming languages, frameworks, libraries, and tools to build and run a particular software application or system.

• Front-end – JavaScript, TypeScript, React, Redux, Next.js, HTML5, CSS3, and Gatsby.
• Back-end – Ruby on Rails, Django, Node.js, and Express.js. 
• DevOps – Linux, Ansible, Docker, and Terraform. 
• Infrastructure – Digital Ocean and AWS.
• Database – PostgreSQL, MySQL, MongoDB, Redis, and Firebase. 
• Integrations – Google Analytics, PayPal, Stripe, HubSpot, MailChimp, and Skylight.

5. Choose a Business Model

The business model of an e-marketplace will depend on various factors, including the platform’s target market, the type of goods or services being offered, and the platform’s overall strategy. However, building an online marketplace can generate significant revenue and become profitable by leveraging one or more revenue streams.

• Commission-Based Revenue: One of the most common revenue models for online marketplaces is to take a commission on every transaction on the platform. For example, the platform might take a percentage of the sale price when a product is sold or a fee for listing an item for sale.
• Advertising: Another common revenue source for online marketplaces is advertising. Platforms might sell advertising space to businesses looking to promote their products to users on the platform.
• Premium Services: Some online marketplaces offer premium services to users, such as enhanced listing options, increased visibility, and other benefits. These services can be provided on a subscription basis or for a fee.
• Data Monetization: Online marketplaces can also monetize the data they collect on their users. For example, they might sell aggregated data on user behavior or purchase history to businesses interested in this information.
• Physical Goods and Services: Some online marketplaces sell physical goods and services directly to consumers. It might include electronics, clothing, or home cleaning or delivery services.

6. Create a Business Plan 

Before building an online marketplace, entrepreneurs and business owners must create a comprehensive business plan to help them boost their online marketplace development strategies.

A comprehensive business plan should cover the following topics:

• Executive Summary: It briefly overviews the online marketplace, its purpose, target market, and business objectives.
• Market Analysis: The market analysis includes an in-depth analysis of the market demand for the product or service, the target audience, and competitors.
• Product or Service: You can describe the products or services provided on the platform and how they differentiate from similar offerings in the market.
• Revenue Streams: A business model should describe the revenue streams, including commission fees, advertising, and subscriptions.
• Marketing and Sales Strategy: Your business model should outline the marketing and sales efforts needed to reach and acquire customers, including online advertising, search engine optimization (SEO), and public relations (PR).
• Operations and Logistics: It describes the processes and systems needed to manage the online marketplace, including order fulfillment, customer service, and payment processing.
• Financial Forecast: A business model should include an analysis of the financial performance of the online marketplace, including revenue, costs, and profit margins.
• Management Team: A business model should also include an overview of the key personnel responsible for the success of the online marketplace, including their roles, responsibilities, and qualifications.

7. Define your budget

A budget to create an online marketplace is a financial plan that includes the expected expenses and revenue for a specific time. It helps the marketplace plan and allocate its resources effectively. The budget for an online marketplace will rest on a realistic and well-researched projection of expected expenses and revenue. It should be reviewed and updated regularly to reflect market and business environment changes.

A budget for building an online marketplace includes the following elements:

• Marketing and Advertising: These are expenses related to attracting new customers and promoting the marketplace’s brand and offerings.
• Technology and Infrastructure: This cost relates to the development and maintenance of the marketplace platform, including hosting and server fees, payment processing fees, and any additional software or tools required to run the business.
• Operations and Personnel: Salaries and benefits for employees, rent for office space, office supplies, and any other operational costs.
• Inventory and Sourcing: These are the expenses related to sourcing products or services for the marketplace, including fees for suppliers, shipping and handling fees, and the cost of any storage facilities.
• Customer Support: These are the customer service and support expenses, including hiring and training staff and any software or tools needed to manage customer inquiries.

8. Select an Expert Development Team

When selecting an expert development team for building an online marketplace, here are a few key considerations:

• Technical Expertise: The team should understand the technologies and platforms necessary to build an online marketplace, such as e-commerce platforms, payment gateways, and security protocols.
• Industry Experience: Selecting a team with a proven track record of building successful online marketplaces and experience with the specific industry in which your marketplace operates is essential.
• Communication Skills: The team should have excellent communication skills, both verbally and in writing. In addition, they should be able to articulate their ideas and communicate any technical issues effectively to both technical and non-technical stakeholders.
• Project Management: The team should have project management experience and a clear understanding of the development process, including Agile methodologies, testing and QA processes, and project timelines.
• Cost-Effectiveness: You want to select a team that provides high-quality work at a fair price. Finding a team that can deliver the project within budget and on time is essential.
• Availability and Flexibility: You want to select a responsive team that can handle changes or unexpected events that may occur during the development process.
• Reputation: Look for a team with a positive reputation and strong references from previous clients. It can give you a good idea of their work quality, communication skills, and ability to meet project deadlines.

9. Develop an MVP

An MVP, or Minimum Viable Product, is a marketplace version with enough features to attract early adopters, test the concept, and gather feedback for further development. You can follow the following steps to develop an MVP for building an online marketplace.

• Define the Problem: Start by defining the problem that your online marketplace will solve. What need will it fulfill for your target audience?
• Identify the Core Features: Determine the core features necessary for your MVP to solve the problem and attract early adopters. It might include a user-friendly interface, a secure payment system, and a search engine to find products.
• Prioritize Features: Decide which features are most important to include in the MVP based on the problem you’re solving and the needs of your target audience.
• Choose a Platform: Choose a platform to build your MVP on, such as a website builder, a content management system, or a custom platform.
• Design and Develop the MVP : Use your core features list as a guide and build a user-friendly, accessible MVP. Focus on user experience and make sure the MVP is easy to navigate.
• Test and Refine: Once your MVP is built, test it with early adopters and gather feedback. Similarly, use the feedback to refine your MVP and add new features if necessary.
• Launch and Scale:Launch your MVP and start attracting early adopters. As your user base grows, scale the MVP to accommodate more users and add additional features as needed.

10. Marketplace Promotion

You can maximize your online marketplace development techniques by implementing the following strategies to effectively promote and market your marketplace to attract new customers and drive sales. 

• Website Optimization: While building an online marketplace, ensure your website is optimized for search engines by using keywords in your content, title tags, and meta descriptions. It will make it easier for potential customers to find your marketplace when searching for products or services online.
• Use Social Media: Use social media platforms like Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram to promote your marketplace and engage with your target audience. Share updates, new products, and promotions to keep your followers engaged.
• Discounts and Promotions: Offering discounts and promotions is a great way to attract new customers and retain existing ones. Consider offering a discount on a customer’s first purchase or running a contest to increase engagement.
• Collaborate with Influencers: Partner with influencers in your niche to help promote your marketplace. They can help spread the word to their followers and attract more traffic to your site.
• Email Marketing: Email marketing is a cost-effective way to reach your target audience. Consider sending out a newsletter to your subscribers with updates about new products, promotions, and events.
• Utilize Paid Advertising: Paid advertising on platforms like Google AdWords or Facebook Ads can quickly drive traffic to your marketplace. After building an online marketplace, target your ads to your desired audience to maximize results.
• Build a Referral Program: Encourage customers to refer friends and family to your marketplace by offering incentives. It can be a great way to attract new customers and increase brand awareness.
• Focus on Customer Experience: Make sure your customers have a great experience when shopping on your marketplace. It includes excellent customer service, free shipping, and easy-to-use payment options.

Cost of Building an Online Marketplace

The cost of building an online marketplace can vary widely depending on several factors, such as the size and complexity of the platform, the number of features and functionalities required, the technology stack used, and the development team’s hourly rate. However, a basic estimate for developing an online marketplace could range from $40,000 to $300,000. A primary online marketplace can cost you between $40,000 and $80,000, an online medium market can cost between $80,000 and $150,000, and a highly advanced online marketplace could cost between $150,000 and $300,000 or more.

Create your online marketplace today! Talk to an expert now.

FAQs

What are the three types of online marketplaces?

The three types of online marketplaces include Business-to-Consumer (B2C) marketplace, Consumer-to-Consumer (C2C) marketplace, and Business-to-Business (B2B).

How do online marketplaces make money?

Online marketplaces make money by charging fees or commissions on transactions on their platform. Other common ways include generating revenue through transactions, subscriptions, listing, advertising, and commission fees. 

How much time does building an online marketplace take?

The time for building an online marketplace can vary widely depending on numerous factors. Generally, building a fully functional online marketplace can take several months to a year or more. 

What is the most secure way to get paid when selling online?

The safest way to get paid when selling online is through a secure and reputable payment processor. The most common options are PayPal, Stripe, Square, and Escrow.com.