Retail & E-commerce 6 months

Niche Marketplace Platform (Australian Case Study)

Multi-vendor marketplace for Australian artisan producers We built a marketplace connecting Australian small-batch food and drink producers with consumers who want to buy direct. Sellers manage their own shops, and the platform handles payments, reviews, and fulfilment coordination. Results: - 200+ sellers onboarded in first 6 months - 78% seller retention rate - $1.2M GMV in year one - 4.8 star average seller rating

Australian Artisan Marketplace

Ecommerce DevelopmentCustom Software DevelopmentWeb DevelopmentWeb Design

200+Sellers onboarded in 6 months

78%Seller retention rate

$1.2MGMV in year one

4.8â˜…Average seller rating

Understanding the Problem

The Challenge

An entrepreneur wanted to build a marketplace specifically for Australian artisan food and drink producers — think small-batch, regional products that are hard to find online. The challenge was creating a platform simple enough for non-technical sellers to use, while handling the complexity of multi-vendor payments, shipping from different locations, and quality control. Existing marketplace platforms were either too generic or too expensive to customise.

Strategic Implementation

The Solution

We built a custom marketplace from scratch. Sellers sign up, get verified, and set up their shop with products, descriptions, and shipping options. Buyers browse by category, region, or producer. Stripe Connect handles split payments automatically — the platform takes a commission and sellers receive the rest directly. Built-in review system, seller analytics, dispute management, and promotional tools keep the marketplace healthy. Search powered by Algolia means customers find products instantly. Automated emails keep sellers and buyers informed at every step.

Technologies Used

ReactNode.jsPostgreSQLStripe ConnectAWSAlgoliaSendGrid

How We Did It

Our Approach

MVP Scoping

2 weeks

Defined core marketplace features needed for launch, deliberately leaving nice-to-haves for later.

Platform Design

4 weeks

Designed buyer and seller experiences, onboarding flows, and admin tools.

Core Build

14 weeks

Built seller onboarding, product listings, checkout, Stripe Connect payments, and buyer accounts.

Launch & Iterate

4 weeks

Soft launched with 30 founding sellers, gathered feedback, and iterated rapidly before public launch.

HELLO PEOPLE built exactly what we needed — a marketplace that small producers can actually use without needing a tech degree. The split payments just work, sellers love the dashboard, and buyers keep coming back. We are already planning the next phase.
FounderAustralian Artisan Marketplace

Measurable Outcomes