Start with the seller
A store sells a catalogue managed by your organization. A marketplace brings together multiple sellers and buyers. The central difference is responsibility: who lists, sells, invoices, fulfils and refunds?
A marketplace adds operations
Define seller onboarding, permissions, listing quality, commissions, disputes and notifications. The payment journey must fit the chosen business model and provider terms.
Map a complete order lifecycle
Follow a fictional order through availability, payment, preparation, delivery, cancellation and return. With several sellers, specify what happens when one order contains items from different sellers.
Choose the inventory source
Decide where stock is authoritative: the shop, ERP or another system. Define update frequency and how to handle shortages or synchronization failures. Every interface needs an owner and recovery rules.
Compare operating costs
Development is only part of the cost. Include payment fees, hosting, licences, support and commercial operation. A marketplace can also require seller support and reconciliation work. Compare ongoing operation, not just the launch page.
Pilot before expanding
A limited catalogue and clear rules help validate operations. A pilot does not replace contractual and regulatory checks for the business model. Payment and delivery providers must confirm support for the scenario.
