Launch a Marketplace That Connects Buyers and Sellers

Build a two-sided marketplace with seller onboarding, powerful search, reviews, and automatic payment splitting -- all managed by an AI PM.

Project type: Marketplace

Key Features

  • Seller Onboarding & Profiles: Self-service seller registration with profile pages, verification steps, and payout setup.
  • Listing Management: Sellers create and manage listings with photos, descriptions, pricing, and inventory.
  • Search & Discovery: Full-text search with faceted filters, categories, location-based results, and sorting options.
  • Reviews & Ratings: Buyer reviews and star ratings for sellers and listings, with moderation tools for the platform.
  • Split Payments: Stripe Connect integration for automatic payment splitting between the platform and sellers.
  • Messaging System: In-app messaging between buyers and sellers with notification alerts and conversation history.

Estimate

Hours: 160 - 250 hrs | Cost: $320 - $500 | Timeline: 5 - 8 weeks

Tech Stack

  • Next.js: Frontend
  • Node.js: Backend
  • PostgreSQL: Database
  • Stripe Connect: Payments
  • Elasticsearch: Search
  • AWS S3: Media Storage

Milestones

  1. Discovery & Design (15%): Define marketplace rules, design buyer and seller journeys, and plan the payment flow.
    • Marketplace rules and policies
    • Buyer and seller journey maps
    • Wireframes for key flows
    • Payment flow architecture
  2. Seller Side (30%): Build seller onboarding, listing creation, and Stripe Connect payout setup.
    • Seller registration and verification
    • Listing CRUD with media upload
    • Seller dashboard
    • Stripe Connect onboarding
  3. Buyer Side & Transactions (40%): Implement search and discovery, checkout with split payments, reviews, and messaging.
    • Search with faceted filters
    • Checkout and split payment flow
    • Review and rating system
    • Buyer-seller messaging
  4. Admin, QA & Launch (15%): Build platform admin tools, run comprehensive tests, and deploy to production.
    • Platform admin dashboard
    • Content moderation tools
    • End-to-end test suite
    • Production deployment

Frequently Asked Questions

How does the payment splitting work?
We use Stripe Connect to automatically split each transaction. The platform takes its fee and the remainder is deposited to the seller, with configurable split percentages.
Can sellers manage their own listings?
Yes. Each seller gets a dashboard where they can create, edit, and deactivate listings, track orders, and view earnings.
Is there a review moderation system?
Yes. The platform admin can flag, hide, or remove reviews, and automated filters catch spam or inappropriate content before publishing.