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Services · Marketplace development

Marketplaces: build the right side first.

Two-sided platforms for buyers and sellers, designed end to end: listings, matching, payments, trust and the operations behind them. We start with the flow that has to work first.

Discuss your projectSee related cases
Two sides, one platform
Sellerslist, price,deliverBuyerssearch,compare, payMarketplaceSearch, matchingPaymentsReviews, trustlistingspayoutsordersmatchesratings and demand signalsMONEYBuyer paysHeldSeller paid, feeSupport · Moderation · Disputes · ReportingWhich side to build first is a validation question.
3marketplaces developed: film casting, real estate, flower shops
8 yrswith RedSwan.io (2015–2023), a tokenized real estate marketplace
Technologies behind this work
Product
React
TypeScript
Next.js
Angular
Node.js
Swift
Kotlin
Flutter
Platform & payments
PostgreSQL
Redis
Elasticsearch
Stripe
Firebase
Docker
Kubernetes
Terraform
What is included

Three areas, from the first flow to the first transactions.

A marketplace fails when one side is missing. We plan for that from the start.

Design

Decide before you build.
  • Which side to build first, tested with real people
  • Two-sided product flows
  • Pricing and fee model

Build

The platform itself.
  • Listings, search and matching
  • Accounts, roles and trust
  • Payments and payouts, added once the first flows are tested
  • Admin and moderation tools

Launch

Get the first transactions.
  • A launch plan for the first customers on each side
  • Reporting on supply, demand and conversion
  • Operations tooling for support
Typical situations

When teams come to us.

Idea

You have a marketplace idea and no proof that both sides will show up

We test the riskiest side first, in a short validation sprint, before any large build.

Cold start

The platform is built and nobody is on it

We look at which side is the bottleneck and design a launch plan around it, instead of adding features.

Rebuild

The first version cannot carry the next stage

We reengineer the platform for the flows that matter now, keeping what users already rely on.

What you get

Deliverables you will keep.

Concrete artifacts, documented and handed over.

A validated plan for the first side
Product flows for buyers and sellers
A working platform with listings, matching and accounts
Payments and payouts, when the flows are proven
Admin and moderation tools
A launch plan and a reporting set-up
How to start

Three ways to begin.

Larger work starts with a short paid discovery.

All offers
Sprint

Validation Sprint

A short proof and decision checkpoint before you commit more time, money or roadmap.

Usually 2–3 weeks
Build

Validation MVP Build

A lightweight MVP built to answer one or two proof questions.

Short discovery, then build
Build

V1 Product Build

A durable first version of a product, with the proof still attached.

Custom scope
Proof

Work you can open and check.

See all 8 case studies
RedSwan.io
collaboration, 2015–2023
RedSwan.io tokenized real estate marketplace
From a privately distributed iOS property app to the investor platform of a tokenized commercial real estate marketplace, designed end to end by one technical product manager. Payments were left out at first so the flows could be tested.
Cannes 2019
presented at the film market
CastingForm film-production marketplace
An international platform connecting producers, casting teams, coaches and actors. Presented at Marché du Film in Cannes in May 2019, after our reengineering engagement ended.
Where this ends

Not quite what you need?

Want to test demand before building?Consulting & product designNeed the product built end to end?Software & product developmentAlready live and need first customers?Offers: Grow
FAQ

Questions about marketplace development.

Do you build the payments too?
Yes, once the first flows are proven. At RedSwan.io we deliberately left payments out at the start, so the flows could be tested before money moved.
Can you rebuild an existing marketplace?
Yes. We start with a short paid discovery that maps what users rely on and what holds the platform back.
Do you help with getting the first sellers and buyers?
Yes, through our growth offers, which are built for first paying customers. That is a separate piece of work from the build.

Tell us about the marketplace.

Describe who is on each side and what has to happen between them. We reply with a clear next step, usually within 24 hours.

Discuss your projectBook a routing call