You have a fantastic product. You only need a place to sell them. You open up a store and get a wide variety of customers locally. Or you belong to the internet era and straight up go for opening a store online. After all, you will get local as well global customers.
The way business is conducted today is different. Now businesses go hyperlocal and still reap huge profits. They pull in customers rather than pushing out selling pitches now and then.
So, what do you need for your fantastic marketplace website? You know, the ones like Amazon, Etsy, Flipkart. What does it take to turn around your website and be the next big thing? To know this, let’s answer this question first.
What is a marketplace website? A marketplace website or online marketplace is a website that facilitates shopping from different sources. It is a marketplace online where products are showcased to the customers and sold via transaction channels. It is a website which
- Bring in customers of the said product
- Show the various products from different sellers
- Facilitate transaction.
In this process, the website owner profits from the platform. The website owner doesn’t necessarily own the products. They bring in customers and sell the products on the platform. Examples of the best marketplace websites are Amazon, eBay, craigslist, etc. Various vendors put their products on this site to tap into the large audience base of these platforms.
How to Build An Amazon-Like Website, And What Sets It Apart?
What was the first marketplace website? It wasn’t Amazon or eBay, or Craigslist. Amazon came in Nov 2000. Before it, there was Boston Computer Exchange in 1982, Stack in 1992 (later acquired by Barnes and Nobel). Amazon started as a bookseller and now sells A to Z consumer goods.
Today 9 out of 10 consumers compare prices on Amazon. Over 300 million people visit the Amazon website every month. And why is Amazon so successful today? The answer is its user-friendly website, and of course, the service.
When the e-commerce market first sprang out, the user interface of Amazon was a stand-out. The site was for regular people and not for computer experts. It was easy to use. It turned out to be a convenient option.
Many other factors were contributing to the success of Amazon. One of them would be constant innovation and improving the site with more convenient features.
I remember the first time I ordered books from the site. I was skeptical if I would ever get the books delivered or not. I had only clicked on a few buttons, and that would deliver the books to my doorstep. When I had the books at my door, I was ecstatic as I didn’t have to waste my time going around the market to buy some books.
It was in the early 2000s, and now most of us cannot live without online shopping. Amazon turned from a simple page showing various products to a customized page showing products based on your interests. You can see products from multiple angles and even in 3D holographic form. Well, not yet. But you can not tell what all futuristic features you might see in coming years.
What Do You Need To Build Your Website From Scratch?
So, how do you build such a promising website? Or rather, rephrase it as how to be the next Amazon. It ‘surely’ is a big dream but not that difficult to be in (at least) the periphery of the success of Amazon. If not in millions, then maybe in thousands. You only need to do your business the right way.
Your Big Idea
How to make an Amazon-like website? Well, for that, you need an Amazon-like idea. Amazon started with selling books. In the early days of Amazon, people were reluctant to buy everyday goods from Amazon or rather a webpage. You definitely cannot purchase your next party outfit from an untrusted source. A lot can go wrong with that. Books were a relatively safer choice. What can go wrong with the quality of books? You may get a few torn pages or an entirely different book.
Amazon is a website selling everything. And that makes Amazon the toughest rival to every marketplace website. To stay afloat in the red ocean, you will need to think out of the box. To set apart from Amazon and other e-commerce sites, you need a better idea. Going niche or hyperlocal is a way that will make your business survive. You can make an NFT marketplace website or set a market for spooky Halloween products. Your idea can be anything and most importantly a little different from others.
Pain Point To Address
So, you do have a big idea. But is it even required? You might have an innovative product, but if it doesn’t address any pain point of anyone, then your business is headed for the cliff. There wouldn’t be any use of ride-sharing apps or co-working spaces if people never traveled or worked. There was a need for such services. Few recognized it and now are flourishing in the market.
Target Audience To tap Into
When you have a product or a service, you need buyers too. Having a target audience is a better way to go. The more refined your buyer persona is, the better for you to tap into that target audience. A market segment of large demographics may generate more revenue and have more search results. But as a newcomer, you will not be able to get into that field. By targeting the niche segment, you can set yourself apart and place a strong foothold too.
And Comes Geeky Process of Website Building
You have a better business idea, what audience to target, and all the nitty-gritty of businesses. Now you need a fabulous website to put your business. How to build a website from scratch? And above all, how much does it cost to make a website like an amazon? Is it feasible for you or not?
An Amazon-like website will cost you about $60,000 to $80,000. It’s quite a lot. However, a simple website for small businesses will cost you anywhere between $100 and $500. You can even start with tools like WordPress, Magento, and many website-building sites.
For a customized website that would best help you build your brand image, you can hire developers or a team of experts. This team will include business analysts, UI and UX developers, web developers, QA engineers, and project managers. If you are a small business, hiring these many people will be out of your budget. You can outsource these services and get your website built in a bearable price range. You can hire freelancers or even agencies to get your job done. Whether you have a small and medium business or a large business, you can get developers to make a profit-yielding website for affordable prices or a free marketplace website if you are a developer yourself.