How To Develop A Marketplace Like Mercari?

The online second-hand economy is rising very fast. It has never been easier for people to both buy and sell pre-owned items via the internet, including clothing, electronics, collectibles, and other lifestyle-related products. This transition to a more sustainable shopping model, as well as an increasing number of side income opportunities, has contributed to the rapid rise of C2C platforms. An example of one of the companies that is frequently mentioned in relation to second-hand sales is Mercari. The platform is an ecommerce platform that has been designed to be easy to use and allows consumers to purchase and sell both brand new and pre-owned items.

Looking at the success of the platform, many other new businesses are looking to develop an ecommerce marketplace like Mercari. Mercari has shown how simple listing, secure payments, and a mobile-first approach can attract millions of users worldwide. In this blog, we will tell you everything that you need to know about Mercari’s business model, its features, development process and cost. We will also see why choosing the right development partner matters. This guide will be helpful for both startups or an established large enterprise. So let’s start. 

Understanding the Mercari Business Model

Before going ahead, it is important to know how the Mercari platform works. It is also crucial to know the business model of the platform or how they earn money. Mercari follows a Consumer-to-Consumer (C2C) marketplace model. This means individual users sell directly to other users, without holding inventory themselves.

Mercari is one of the most popular buy and sell apps. One of the best things about Mercari is its focus on simplicity. They do not complicate things, and the seller can list products in minutes. Buyers can purchase the product without any hesitation as the platform ensures security. These things are one of the biggest reasons behind the success of an ecommerce marketplace like Mercari. Now, let’s see how it actually works.

1. User Registration - Users register themselves via Gmail or email, mobile phone, or any other social media platform. 

2. Product Listing - Sellers post photos and write descriptions for their products, designate a price, and choose a shipping method.

3. Product Discovery - Buyers can easily browse, look for filters, and find products that they want. It is one of the important ecommerce app features for any business if they want to scale. 

4. Secure Payments -  Payment made by the buyer is held by the platform until the buyer acknowledges receipt of the product.

5. Shipping & Delivery - Sellers ship products through the pre-integrated Logistics solutions within the platform.

6. Ratings & Reviews - Sellers and Buyers can rate one another to ensure both parties trust one another.

Revenue Streams of Mercari Like Recommerce Marketplace

Let us now see the revenue streams of Mercari. Mercari generates revenue through multiple channels.

1. Commission Fees - The platform charges a small commission fee, and on every successful sale, they get a percentage cut. 

2. Promoted Listings - Sellers who list their products want to be seen as higher than others. That’s why they pay to boost product visibility. 

3. Payment Processing Fees - Whenever there is a successful transaction, the platform charges a small fee as a mediator. 

4. Premium Seller Tools - There are premium seller tools in some parts of the world that help the platform generate revenue. 

Mercari allows easy entry to sellers, and its flexible revenue model makes them profitable. If you’re exploring a marketplace like Mercari or sites like Mercari, understanding these monetization strategies is crucial.

Key Features of a Marketplace Like Mercari

To compete with websites like Mercari, your platform must offer smooth performance, strong security, and an excellent user experience. Here are some of the key features of a marketplace like Mercari. 

1. User Registration 

The platform ensures smooth onboarding for both buyers and sellers. They can manage their profiles, track orders, and view ratings. It creates a trusted environment for the users. 

2. Simple Product Listing

The sellers can upload photos, add details about the product, set prices, and choose shipping options within minutes. It makes the selling quick and non-complicated. 

3. Advanced Search & Filters

Mercari provides consumers with multiple ways of quickly finding their required products, based on keywords, categories, prices, condition, and brand. It improves the experience for buyers when looking for products.

4. Secure Payment System

It supports a variety of payment options, using Escrow-type payment protection, which allows payment to be released only after a successful delivery has been confirmed.

5. In-App Chat System

The platform allows buyers and sellers to communicate directly, asking questions, negotiating deals, or providing updates, without giving out private contact information.

6. Ratings & Reviews

It develops trust through user ratings and reviews after a successful transaction occurs, which helps eliminate fraud and establish a higher level of credibility for the platform.

7. Order Management & Tracking

The ecommerce platform allows users to track order status, shipping updates, and delivery confirmations in real time from a single dashboard. It makes the users feel informed and secure. 

8. Admin Dashboard

The platform gives control to admins over users, listings, commissions, disputes, and analytics for smooth marketplace operations. If the admin feels anything is wrong, they have the authority to fix it on their own rather than depending on other individuals. 

Other Benefits of the Marketplace Like Mercari Are:-

• Shipping & Logistics Integration

• Wishlist & Favorites

• Push Notifications & Alerts

• Dispute Resolution & Refund System

Steps to Build an Ecommerce Marketplace Like Mercari

To successfully build a marketplace like Mercari, the business needs planning, proper execution, and continuous improvement. Many people think development is just about coding. But it is more than coding. Here are the steps to build an ecommerce platform. 

Step 1: Market Research & Idea Validation

First of all, see what your target audience is. The next process depends on whom you are targeting. Enterprises that are in the toy business might target kids and children, and an enterprise that are into those business that targets adults might target the audience of that age. The same thing goes with region. Also, see who your competitors are and what the gaps in the market are. Study other selling apps like Mercari to identify what they do well and where they fall short.

Step 2: Define Features and Business Model

The Ecommerce marketplace development company will analyze your business model and what are the features required for the development process. At the beginning, keep the version simple and non-complicated. It is helpful in scaling and for selling apps similar to Mercari that aim for long-term growth.

Step 3: Choose the Right Technology Stack

Always choose the tech stack that ensures high performance, security, and scalability. Cloud infrastructure, secure APIs, and mobile-first frameworks are essential for mercari like marketplace development.

Step 4: UI/UX Design

Design user-friendly navigation and good-looking user interface layouts. A streamlined experience allows Mercari’s popularity to grow quickly because it is easy to use. From defining features and designs to analyzing top online shopping apps, the development company’s strategic approach ensures long-term success.

Step 5: App & Web Development

Develop end-user mobile applications on both Android and iOS, develop a responsive web interface for users, and develop Admin dashboard functionality for managing the marketplace. Whether you want to create a resale marketplace or develop an entire integrated digital environment, the best practices of quality within the marketplace will positively impact overall performance.

Step 6: Payment & Shipping Integration

When you develop a C2C marketplace app like Mercari, include trustworthy online payment gateways and shipping providers so that users can complete transactions without issues.

Step 7: Testing and Quality Assurance

Before a final version of a marketplace application can be launched for the public, it needs to be tested for many different categories, such as functionality, security, user experience, and device compatibility. For a Mercari like app development. It is important that it must be bug free.

Step 8: Launch & Post-Launch Support

The last step is to launch a product. Not just launching, but also continuously monitoring performance, collecting feedback, and trying to improve. Regular updates are crucial for mercari like app development services.

How Much Does It Cost to Develop a Marketplace Like Mercari

The cost to build a marketplace like Mercari is one of the most common questions that comes from businesses. The key cost factors are:-

• Feature complexity

• Platform choice (Android, iOS, Web)

• UI/UX design quality

• Technology stack

• Third-party integrations

• Development team location

Let us now break down the cost based on the level of the platform. 

1. Basic Ecommerce Platform

The basic ecommerce platform cost ranges from $5,000 to $20,000. It is a suitable choice for businesses looking for an MVP or a platform with basic features. Generally, startups or small businesses prefer a basic platform as it is lower in price with all the basic features. 

2. Mid-Level Ecommerce Platform

A mid-level ecommerce platform is an ideal choice for those businesses that are looking to expand. Ecommerce development companies integrate a few more features, like smart filters, push notifications, and multiple payment gateways in the mid-level platform. The cost ranges from $20,000 to $40,000, depending on the requirements. 

3. Advanced-Level Ecommerce Platform

An advanced or complex platform comes with all the modern features, such as AR or VR try-ons, AI-powered features, predictive tools, Machine Learning tools, and more. It is a good choice for those enterprises that operate with full automation. Its cost ranges from $40,000 to $60,00,0, depending on the project requirements. 

If you’re planning a Mercari clone app development, starting with an MVP can significantly reduce initial investment and help validate your idea faster. Its Ecommerce app development cost is lower than mid-level or advanced-level platforms, which is a good sign for startups or small businesses. 

Why Choose IMG Global Infotech for C2C Marketplace Development?

IMG Global Infotech is the most trusted Ecommerce app development company, having extensive experience in custom marketplace app development. Over the years, they have delivered scalable and secure solutions for global clients at affordable prices. The company has certified and skilled developers with knowledge of the ecommerce industry. Along with high-quality development services and affordable prices, you will get end-to-end solutions. 

What Sets IMG Global Infotech Apart?

1. Experienced Marketplace Developers

The company has experienced developers with hands-on industry experience. They have built quite a few ecommerce platforms over the years for different clients across the globe.

2. End-to-End Solution

At the IMG Global Infotech, you will get all the development services and support under one roof. From ideation and strategy to development execution to long-term support and maintenance, the company will support your business in each and every way possible. 

3. Affordable Pricing

IMG Global Infotech provides all the ecommerce development services at affordable prices without compromising on the quality. A lot of small businesses prefer IMG Global Infotech for its budget-friendlyness and high-performing delivery. 

4. Agile Methodology

The IMG Global Infotech uses agile methodology and development approach. It helps in delivering the product faster, and the business who have assigned a task has assurance that the delivery will be quicker. Because the company has worked with ecommerce industry before, they know what methods, tools, and techniques work best. It reduces the development time and improves scalability. 

5.Scalable and Secure Architecture

IMG Global Infotech has a proven track record of building a high performing, sustainable, and scalable ecommerce platforms. They make sure that your platform can sustain and scale in the market. 

Other Things You Will Get At The IMG Global Infotech Are:-

• Skilled and experienced development team

• Dedicated project manager

• Custom UI/UX design solutions

• Transparent pricing

• Strong data security and NDA compliance

• Post-launch support and maintenance

• Regular progress reporting

• Flexible engagement models

• Quality assurance and testing support

• Latest technology stack expertise

• Long-term technical partnership

CONCLUSION

As the resale market continues to evolve, it is a great opportunity to create an online reselling platform similar to Mercari. With a solid business model, a feature-rich application, and a development strategy, you can create a site that draws in users, develops a positive reputation, and provides a consistent source of income.

This guide provides a roadmap for developing your own site, describing how Mercari's success was achieved, outlining the various steps required to develop the site, and providing a cost projection. Starting small, concentrating on user satisfaction, and scaling up gradually are the keys to developing a successful site. If you have an idea regarding the C2C resale market, going with an experienced development company like IMG Global Infotech will be a good decision. They can help you transform your idea into a powerful and scalable marketplace that will significantly benefit your business. Their experience also spans projects like Build marketplace like Amazon or other apps like Mercari or Mercari similar apps, ensuring robust architecture and enterprise-grade scalability.