Starting a marketplace

Is a marketplace right for you?

• What is an Online Marketplace Website?

  What an online marketplace is and why people shop on them, with 2025 figures from Amazon, eBay and Etsy and three lessons for starting your own.

• How to Decide Whether to Use Ecommerce or an Online Marketplace

  Marketplace or online store: who owns the customer, Amazon, eBay, Etsy and Shopify fees in 2026, INFORM and DSA seller rules, and how to choose.

• Vertical vs. Horizontal Online Marketplaces: Which Model Is Right for You?

  Vertical or horizontal marketplace: pros, cons and challenges of each, and why Amazon, eBay and Etsy show the two models converging in 2026.

• Online Marketplaces vs. Aggregators: A Comparison

  Marketplaces vs aggregators: how each works, what happened to Amazon brand aggregators like Thrasio, gig-work rules and how to choose in 2026.

Find your niche and test it

• How to Create a Niche Online Marketplace

  Build a niche marketplace: Etsy, Depop, Swappa and Turo lessons, 2026 fees at Reverb, Grailed and BaT, seller rules and three tests before you commit.

• How to Do Market Research for Your Online Marketplace

  Market research for a marketplace: focus groups, competitor analysis, social listening, a 30-day validation plan with 2026 ad costs and free audience data.

• How to Communicate Your Online Marketplace Value Proposition

  Write a two-sided marketplace value proposition: know your audience, Airbnb, Etsy, eBay and Vinted fee promises, channels, testing and quarterly reviews.

Plan, build and launch

• How to Build a Thriving Online Marketplace from Scratch

  Build a marketplace step by step: niche, revenue model, INFORM, DAC7 and DSA rules, Yclas vs Sharetribe vs Magento prices, 2026 Stripe and PayPal fees.

• Key Features Every Online Classified Marketplace Should Have

  Marketplace features from search and reviews to report tools, seller checks under the DSA and INFORM Act, plus service and B2B marketplace checklists.

• How to Create a Classified Website Without Coding

  Create a classified website without coding: set up categories, theme, fields and payments, then grow a local site with listings, local SEO and moderation.

• How to Choose a Great Domain Name for Your Online Marketplace

  Choose a marketplace domain: .com vs country codes, 2026 price rises, Google Domains move, trademark checks, plus brand colors that pass contrast tests.

Build a marketplace like Amazon, Airbnb or Fiverr

• How to Build a Marketplace Website like Amazon (That Converts)

  Build a marketplace like Amazon: 2026 traffic for Amazon, Temu, eBay and Etsy, Baymard's cart abandonment reasons, idea testing and big-marketplace fees.

• How to Build an Online Marketplace Like Airbnb

  Build a rental marketplace like Airbnb: 2025 figures, today's 15.5% host fee, NYC and EU registration rules, booking engine features and charter rules.

• How to Build an Online Marketplace Like Fiverr

  Build a freelance marketplace like Fiverr: Fiverr and Upwork 2026 figures, 20% seller fees, EU and US platform-work rules, and a launch checklist.

Build a site for one niche or town

• 6 Steps to Create an Online Car Classified Website (Car Marketplace)

  Set up a car classifieds site in 6 steps, with 2026 figures from Cox, Cars.com and CarGurus, seller fees, the FTC Used Car Rule and VIN and title fields.

• How to Create an Online Job Board Classifieds Website

  Build a job board: Jobs custom fields, moderation, 2026 pay transparency laws in the EU and US states, FTC job scam data and Google for Jobs rules.

• How to Create a Real Estate Website with Yclas

  Launch a real estate site: Real Estate custom fields, NAR 2025 buyer data, the NAR settlement, fair housing ad rules and EU energy certificates.

• How to Start a Classified Website for Selling Tickets and Events

  Sell event tickets from a classifieds site: eventdate field, Buy Now and stock, Eventbrite and Ticket Tailor fees, the FTC all-in price rule.

• How to Create an Auction Website Without Code

  Run an auction website: eBay and Catawiki fees, binding bids, INFORM and DSA seller checks, plus horse auction fees, soft close and Coggins rules.

• How to Create a Marketplace Site for Cameras and Photography

  Build a camera gear marketplace: theme and category setup, CIPA 2025 shipments, MPB used-gear figures, eBay fees and lens mount and shutter count fields.

• How to Create a Digital Goods Marketplace with Yclas

  Build a digital goods marketplace like Gumroad or Sellfy: seller memberships, Stripe Connect commissions, 2026 seller fees and EU VAT on downloads.

• How to Create a Business Directory Like Tripadvisor or Yelp

  Build a restaurant review directory like Yelp: featured ads and memberships, Yelp's 2025 moderation figures, the FTC fake review rule and UK CMA guidance.