Expertise / Multi Vendor Marketplace
Multi Vendor
Marketplace Experts
Our expert marketplace development team will take you from concept to launch and beyond. Optimise and grow your online marketplace business with our powerful marketplace platform.
We are the UK's leading marketplace agency
Our collective obsession with multi vendor marketplace websites is agency wide. From project managers, UX designers, full stack developers to marketeers, we live and breath marketplaces.Â
SaaS Marketplace
Test your proof of concept quickly with our SaaS based cutting edge in-house marketplace platform.
- Built specifically for modern marketplaces
- Use an existing template or a custom design
- Headless API based architecture
- Secure and scalable
- Highly customisable - modular design
- Spec your must-have features
- Undertake a UX and UI Worktop
Custom Marketplace
Test your proof of concept quickly with our SAAS based cutting edge in-house marketplace platform.
- User Experience (UX) Workshop
- Custom User Interface (UI) development
- Custom backend for both product and service or hybrid platforms
- Marketplace Engine API integration
- Custom features unique to your business requirements
- Full IP ownership
Lights. Camera. Action.
We build and support successful online marketplace businesses
With that full range of ‘product to market’ expertise, we will guide and support your business, whether a new start up or a well established market leader, we help get the big calls right throughout the journey. Think of us a your online marketplace business partner.
What are the different types of marketplace businesses?
Business to Business (B2B)
A B2B marketplace is a website where businesses sell goods or services to one another, helping connect manufactures, retailers, vendors and wholesalers.
This creates new challenges in the form of delayed payments, more transaction options, and, consequently, the need for a highly robust platform.
The basket quantities and transactional values tend to be higher, too, and they demand the most secure, stable set-up – something we specialise in.
What are the must-have features of a multi vendor marketplace?
I have worked with Code23 for over 5 years now. They are helpful, knowledgeable and are more than willing to go the extra mile.
Alex Campbell, Director, Enjoy Dokha
I have worked with Code23 for over 5 years now. They are helpful, knowledgeable and are more than willing to go the extra mile.
Alex Campbell, Director, Enjoy Dokha
I have worked with Code23 for over 5 years now. They are helpful, knowledgeable and are more than willing to go the extra mile.
Alex Campbell, Director, Enjoy Dokha
Our Approach
Our 6 stage process for successful custom marketplace websites
With 18 years of experience, our specialist team will guide and support you – helping you make the right decisions at the start your journey and beyond.
01/
Product Discovery
Understand the business goals & identify the target audience
02/
User Experience (UX)
Create low fidelity diagrams & walk-through user journeys
03/
User Interface (UI)
Design wireframes & create high fidelity responsive screens
04/
MVP Development
Architecture, development & pre launch in-depth QA
05/
Optimisation
Analyse user behaviour & resolve user barriers and retest
06/
Support
Managed cloud hosting & continued development support
Why Us
Why use Code23 for your marketplace development?
A fully supported service
Unlike ‘off the shelf’ marketplaces like CS Cart, Dokan, Sharetribe or any others, we offer you the full support of our expert marketplace and agency team. From project managers, UX designers, digital managers, developers and even advice from our in-house marketing team, a full support system is in place here in Reading for your marketplace business.
Fully custom and scalable
Using our custom marketplace platform, there are no limitations to growth and scalability for your concept or business. Our expertise in custom software and digital product development allows you the freedom to flex your creative muscles and not be limited by dull design themes, pre-programmed tools and clunky admin dashboards giving your business ideas the freedom to flourish.
Over 18 years of experience
We have been building multi vendor marketplaces for over 16 years, long before they were even called ‘marketplaces’! Our team and our experience has grown in that time, and with multi vendor platforms being more popular than ever with the popularity of Amazon, Etsy, AirBnB and more, our knowledge and understanding has grown with them.
Multi-sector experience
We have worked on many types of multi vendor systems in our time, from retailer-led product and e-commerce systems, to platforms in the financial, music, wellness, education and trade sectors, with every sector having a set of bespoke challenges to overcome. Your project can benefit from our multi-sector experience, creating a stress tested and profit generating business from day one.
180
Years In Business
220
Skilled Professionals
12
Industry Awards
620
5 Star Reviews
Let's make something great.
Business Development Director
Alex Johnson
alex@code23.com
+44 (0) 7734 714 572
FAQ
Frequently asked questions on multi vendor marketplaces
Through our Product Discovery, UX and UI Workshops, to consulting with our marketplace developers, our headless and scalable approach to building your multi vendor marketplace is tried and tested for success.
What is a multi vendor marketplace?
A multi vendor marketplace is an ecommerce marketplace that enables consumers and vendors to buy and sell their products and services online and in one place.
The marketplace platform gives the buyer a wider choice from multiple vendors and the seller a ready made base of consumers to sell to.
The difference between an online marketplace and a traditional ecommerce store is that the prior has the capability to house multiple vendors and the latter does not.
What is the difference between custom and off-the-shelf systems like WordPress, Sharetribe, CS Cart etc.?
By using our custom marketplace platform, there are no limitations to growth and scalability.
Our expertise in custom software and digital product development allows you the freedom to flex your creative muscles and not be limited by dull design themes, pre-programmed tools and clunky admin dashboards giving your business ideas the freedom to flourish.
How to build an online marketplace business
Starting with a Minimum Viable Product (MVP) is often the preferred approach when it comes to online marketplaces.Â
But before you start developing, you first need to think about your business model, how you will attract both vendors and users, and research the competitive landscape.
- Confront an untapped market or create a niche
- Discover what features are required
- Explore different pricing models
- Engage your users with high-end UX and UI
- Plan how you will attract both vendors and users
- Start with a Minimum Viable Product (MVP)
- Scale and optimise your platform
How do online marketplaces make money?
There are six typical business models that the majority of online marketplaces use:
- Commission - A popular business model for marketplaces is to charge a commission fee for each transaction made. This can either be charged as a percentage fee or a flat fee.
- Membership/subscription fees - Membership or subscription fees is a recurring revenue model, where buyers and sellers can be charged a recurring fee to use the platform.
- Listing fees - A listing fee is where the seller is charged a fee when they post new product/listings.
- Lead fees - Lead fees are similar to commission based models e.g. the customer posts a request and the providers pay a fee to bid for the customers request.Â
- Freemium - A freemium marketplace can be monetised by offering premium services. For example, the marketplace could offer insurance that guarantees the item will be replaced if it is lost, stolen or damaged.
- Featured listings and ads - Featured listings and ads are a way for sellers to buy advertising space on the website to promote their offerings.This could either be on the homepage or at the top of a specific category.
How to attract sellers to your marketplace
Increasing the amount of vendors and in turn the number of items listed on your marketplace, will help to grow your userbase, which will lead to more sales.
But first you must identify and understand your target audience.
Once you have a clear picture of your audience, you can start to build a database of potential vendors that can be approached directly, via email campaigns, or by utilising the power of social media – joining groups, communities and forums or through paid social media campaigns.
How long does it take to build a custom marketplace platform?
A typical marketplace project will take up to 12 weeks to complete. Our approach starts with the Research and Product Discovery phase, before moving into User Experience (UX) and User Interface (UI), and finally into MVP Development.
But we don't stop there. Unlike other providers, we will guide and support you as your business grows and challenges throughout your journey.
There are various stages of design, from wireframing, low and high fidelity UI prototypes and screens, with this differing slightly on each and every project.
But we don't stop there. Unlike other providers, we will guide and support you as your business grows and challenges throughout your journey.
How much does it cost to build a marketplace website?
One question we are often asked is - how much will it cost to build a marketplace?
The short answer is that a custom marketplace development will depend entirely on the features and functionality required and how mature your current marketplace platform is.
The first step in our approach is always the Product Discovery stage, from which we will better understand your requirements.
Do you support me and my business after the marketplace platform is built?
Yes. Unlike ‘off the shelf’ marketplaces, we offer you the full support of our expert marketplace and agency team. From project managers, UX designers, digital managers, developers and even advice from our in-house marketing team, a full support system is in place for your marketplace business.
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