The e-commerce landscape has gotten more dynamic as digital change has progressed. New players have developed at the same time that established companies have taken on other roles; some hurdles to e-commerce have been eliminated at the business, person, and country levels, while new barriers have emerged. Brand-new business models have altered buyer-seller interactions and pushed the boundaries of what is possible to buy and sell online. Above all, new opportunities to unleash the potential of e-commerce to support growth and well-being have emerged.

As digital change has proceeded, the e-commerce landscape has become more dynamic. New actors have emerged at the same time that incumbent corporations have taken on new roles; certain barriers to e-commerce have been removed at the business, individual, and national levels, while new ones have emerged. New business models have changed buyer-seller interactions and stretched the limits of what may be bought and sold online.

Above all, new opportunities have developed to unleash the potential of e-commerce to boost growth and well-being.

Many businesses are experimenting with new ways to sell items online. To assist e-commerce, businesses can utilize a variety of digital technologies such as artificial intelligence, blockchain, the Internet of Things, and autonomous delivery systems such as drones or robots. There are several reasons why Ebay has grown so successful. In this essay, we will explain more about the eBay website and how to create a website similar to eBay. As a result, you may get a sense of how much time and money it will take to develop a website like Ebay. View MARKETPLACE2 | Magento Multi Vendor Marketplace Solution to get a clear view about this model. 

1. What is eBay and How it makes money?

EBay is one of the world's leading commerce platforms. According to the 2022 report, eBay's revenue ranks fourth, accounting for a 3.5% market share in the US e-commerce market.

However, unlike most other e-commerce models, eBay is not just a place to buy and sell as usual, eBay is known as an online auction place, sellers can upload their products on eBay (as long as it doesn't break the law), and everyone is allowed to bid to buy things.

How does eBay make money?

eBay is a free platform for buyers, they can sign up for an account and buy anything without paying for the system. However, the seller will have to pay the product listing and transaction costs. Product listing costs will be charged when you upload a specific product to this e-commerce platform. Whether you sell the product or not, you still have to pay this cost. Once the product is sold to the buyer, it will be charged an additional transaction fee. The transaction fee will be calculated according to the value of the order.

However, transaction fees are not the primary source of eBay's revenue. In 2021, eBay made $648 million in advertising revenue.

2. What are the pros and cons of auction websites like eBay?

2.1 Pros

• Target a huge audience

The primary advantage of selling on eBay is its huge traffic. The number of active users has risen substantially during the last ten years. In the second quarter of 2019, there were 182 million active users. Creating a buy and sell sites like ebay will be a huge advantage for you.

Because of this, establishing an online marketplace is a win-win situation for both vendors and platform owners. It works as follows: suppliers may provide a large number of items and target a large number of potential buyers. When customers begin purchasing products, sellers pay various commissions and fees to marketplace owners. As a result, it serves as a useful method for both website sellers and entrepreneurs. View more: Different Types Of Customers And How To Approach A Customer

• Get support as a new seller

A new seller can study the important recommendations for building a successful eBay business before opening a store. eBay provides several community services such as discussion boards and question and answer (Q&A) forums. This manner, they may get valuable expertise from sellers who have already achieved success on the market.

• Get loyal customers

If sellers want to increase their profit on the marketplace, they will undoubtedly strive to provide a great buying experience for customers in order to get loyal customers. This may be accomplished by delivering high-quality items, quick delivery and shipping, and offering special incentives to return consumers. Simply said, once a transaction is made, vendors have a strong chance of gaining recurring customers by offering exceptional service or high product quality.

As a result, it becomes a win-win approach for both parties: vendors want to stand out from the crowd and deliver high-quality items in order to create more profit for the marketplace.

Read more:

Everything You Need To Know About Types Of Customer Loyalty Programs

How To Improve Customer Experience In Sales?

• Sell Anything

One of the most attractive characteristics of auction platforms online auction sites other than ebay is the all-in-one approach: sellers may sell and purchase everything. Sellers can surely locate any unique audience, regardless of the specialization.

It benefits both the marketplace owner and the users: buyers may locate and purchase any goods, allowing the platform to earn more transaction fees. Everyone benefits in this manner.

2.2 Cons

• Pricing policy

When sellers build an online store on an auction platform similar to ebay, the shop generates new sales as well as collects fees. Most commonly, a charge is a percentage of each sale. For example, if a vendor sells a book for $15, they will pay a seller fee ranging from $0.5 to $1.5 to the platform.

The table below shows the basic fees for the majority of ebay websites.

• Limited layout opportunities

The platform allows merchants to design a bespoke online shop layout and adjust the arrangement of various items. However, there are still several limitations in altering the layout structure and the arrangement of pieces. This is explained by the fact that most sites similar to ebay, are concerned with marketing the items rather than the vendors. As a result, most of the functions are predetermined and limited in their management by the website.

• Shipping speed affects store visibility

The platform rewards vendors who are able to send the goods the same day or the next day. Vendors' online shop visibility will be reduced if they encounter delivery issues.

• High competition

Because eBay has millions of users eager to sell their wares, merchants will undoubtedly encounter stiff competition. To address this issue, businesses must offer a unique product, reduce costs, or skip displaying some categories entirely. In any case, vendors should devise a plan for standing out from the throng.

To summarize, websites like eBay and Amazon have both advantages and disadvantages. You must examine all of these and strike the best balance to satisfy all platform parties.

3. How to create a website like eBay

3.1 Find your specific niche to overcome huge competition

The marketplace domain has a lot of competition. Nowadays, establishing an all-in-one platform with a diverse variety of products and services might be difficult. The problem is that e-commerce behemoths like eBay, Amazon, Etsy, AliExpress, and other auction sites like ebay have already dominated numerous market areas and are attempting to push out any competitors.

There is a better method to start your business. Choose a certain specialty first to restrict your focus and differentiate yourself from the competition in the market. Choose an undisturbed sphere, for example, and attempt to make your platform stand out. As a result, you will have more opportunities following the platform's debut. 

3.2 Choose the optimal business model

Creating an auction website is one step of a plan for how you will make money on the site. You may select a monetization strategy based on the type (vertical/horizontal), participants (C2C, B2C, C2B, B2B), and specialty (goods, services, information, investment/fundraising).

Now, let's take a look at the key revenue sources you'll need to consider.

• Commission

When a customer makes a payment to a vendor, the platform earns a percentage or a fixed amount of the entire money.

• The membership cost

When you give great value to your consumers, this income option is pretty beneficial. For example, you may provide consumers with a broader choice of suppliers in order to provide them with more product options.

• Fee for listing

You may charge vendors for each listing using this monetization tool.

• Fee for the lead

It is a seller-oriented revenue model in which buyers submit requests and suppliers pay a charge to bid on these customers.

• Featured classifieds and advertisements

It is one of the most common service provider models. This increases the visibility of their ads, resulting in more earnings. General listing is entirely free, but if sellers want to be featured, you may provide several forms of posting, such as being the top ad in a category or being placed on the marketplace homepage, and so on.

3.3 Come up with an idea of solving the chicken and egg problem

Every new marketplace is confronted with the chicken and egg problem: should vendors or customers come first? There are several justifications for each choice, but it is ultimately up to you to determine how to proceed in your own case.

Whether you opt to attract sellers first, buyers first, or both sides at the same time, the following best practices have helped several markets handle the chicken and egg problem:

• Attract the most difficult-to-attract side. When you do this, the opposite side will join you automatically.

• Act as a merchant yourself until you have enough sellers. You will attract the initial consumers when marketing your items. New vendors will be willing to join your platform if there are active customers on it.

• To entice new users to join your platform, provide first-time benefits. Once people have registered, make every effort to give them an excellent user experience so that they will want to return.

• To increase your client base, implement a recommendation program. Provide bonuses to your brand advocates for each new user they introduce to your marketplace.

Which should come first, customers or providers? Is it better to invite the sides one after the other, or is it better to invite them all at once? There are several options, and each one deserves your consideration. Let's take a quick look at the most effective techniques:

• Get the most difficult side first.

• Concentrate your efforts on a certain market.

• Stimulate the most important platform party.

• Organize spectacular live action

• Make a deal with a star.

• Take up the role of producer.

• Set a time limit or a demand limitation.

View more: How To Design An E-Commerce Website Make Happy Customers

3.4 Start developing your website 

Once you have an idea for your website design, you can start to develop the website by choosing the way to develop an e-commerce website: do it yourself or hire a development agency.  

If you have knowledge about coding and programming skills, You can develop a website yourself by following the guideline How To Build An Ecommerce Website From Scratch. This guide was written by our top programming expert. It is the simplest and most complete guide aimed at helping people who don't have much coding knowledge to build an e-commerce website by themselves.

If you don't have much time to build a website yourself. You can hire a company to help you complete the project. Many website development companies on the market offer different service packages including custom packages so you can choose the right service for your project. However, we really want to introduce you to the CMSmart team's ecommerce website development service.

CMSmart is really a useful choice for you if you do not have too much knowledge in the field of technology. Our team of experts will provide advice so that you can have strategic directions in website building. Of course, the hard work of development is also taken care of by our development team and ensures you get the best solution.

We are confident with 10 years of experience in the field of website development with thousands of satisfied customers. We will respond promptly when we receive your request. Feel free to receive advice from our professional.

4. Functionality required to build an auction website like eBay

• Authorization process

This functionality is critical for categorizing people as vendors or purchasers. Vendors set up online shops, list their products, and give product descriptions and information. To purchase things, consumers search for them, read product pages, visit online retailers, and contact suppliers.

Furthermore, platform users must be authorized to give personal information (name, email address, password) for future transactions.

• Inventory management

It improves the user experience for the vendors. Vendors may use it to manage their listings by publishing, viewing, modifying, and deleting them. It also enables suppliers to follow the status of their goods shipment. Consult to Top 7 Inventory Management Extension For Magento

• Admin panel

Every online website necessitates the services of an administrator who can handle any operation and resolve any difficulty. An online auction marketplace is no exception. The admin panel allows you to monitor the interaction between sellers and buyers, the progress of their transactions, if both parties follow the cooperation guidelines, and so on.

• Product search

On your platform, provide consumers with a variety of product and service categories. Customers may use this tool to conveniently explore and search for specific goods by utilizing various advanced filters. They define the product category, condition, price range, purchasing format, seller, delivery choices, and so on.

• Product page

It enables customers to view item details, payment, shipping, and delivery information, as well as contact the vendor. Buyers decide whether or not to purchase a product at this point.

• Live auctions

Live auctions are one of the key characteristics that distinguishes eBay from its competitors. Ebay bidding tool is a one-of-a-kind feature that allows vendors to set a beginning price for their listed goods, and buyers who are interested can put bids. When the auction concludes, the vendor sells the commodity to the highest bidder. This kind is one of the reasons why the eBay website became popular. That why you need a Bid sites like ebay

• Shopping cart

A shopping cart would be unthinkable on an auction website like eBay. It allows consumers to select several item alternatives from various retailers and purchase them all at once. Customers may also adjust their in-cart goods, such as altering the product quantity or deleting it.

• Chat

The integrated functionality allows website visitors to communicate with one another and discuss transaction specifics.

• Payment method

This function enables customers to purchase an item and the seller to get the specified price. Customers on eBay can pay using a variety of ways, including credit/debit card, Stripe, and PayPal.

• Reviews and ratings

The present option enables buyers to improve their faith in the site and its vendors. As a result, marketplace vendors are motivated to provide exceptional service while maintaining a good shop rating.

• Analytics

The tool allows suppliers to track their business activities, such as the most-visited goods, session length, number of views by date, total sales amount, and so on.

5. How long does it take to build an auction website like eBay?

When building a bespoke auction website, it's preferable to start with a minimum viable product (MVP). The problem is that creating a full-fledged software application can take a lifetime, and this is no exaggeration. Let's have a look at some instances. Facebook, a global social network, was founded in 2004 and is currently routinely updated to improve user experience. Uber was founded in 2009, and new features are added nearly every year.

Build auction is critical to improve a product throughout its life cycle. If you cease improving a product's functionality, your rivals will likely overtake you. However, before you can improve something, you must first create it, and estimating how long it will take to develop the initial edition of your auction website like ebay is more than doable. There are two stages to the development process: prototype development and MVP development.

However, before you can improve something, you must first create it, and estimating how long it will take to develop the initial edition of your online bidding websites like ebay is more than doable. There are two stages to the development process: prototype development and MVP development.

5.1 Prototype development:

The whole discovery phase can take up to 1.5 months, or 250 to 300 hours

A prototype is a working model of your product that expresses its core concept. It can incorporate a variety of features so you can see how your website will function. You may experiment with the concept and design of your product by building a prototype. The major benefit of developing a prototype is that it is relatively simple and inexpensive to build and operate with.

The discovery phase includes the construction of prototypes. You and your team will discuss the major product requirements, estimate the length and cost of your project, and create a product prototype during this phase. The entire discovery process might last up to 1.5 months, or 250 to 300 hours. However, depending on obstacles, the procedure might be delayed and software complexity.

5.2 MVP development:

To develop an MVP, you’ll have to spend around 9 months or 1750 hours on average. Just as with a prototype, the process can take longer.

A minimum viable product, or MVP, is a functional product that you can show to your target audience. An MVP has only the essential features that address your consumers' primary concerns. According to the feature list mentioned in the preceding sections, an MVP for a marketplace site like ebay might include about 15 features.

To create an MVP, you'll need to devote around 9 months or 1750 hours. The procedure, like a prototype, might take some time. When an MVP for an online marketplace, such as 

ebay website is complete, you may launch it, collect consumer feedback, and demonstrate the MVP to investors to obtain money for future development. So, how much money does it need to create an internet marketplace like eBay?

6. How much does it cost to create a website like eBay?

 The cost of developing a platform like eBay is primarily determined by two factors: the model of collaboration with your development team and the location of your team. You may build your marketplace from the ground up by hiring an in-house team, finding freelancers, or collaborating with an outsourced company.

If you want complete control over the development process, an in-house team is a smart option. However, this is the most costly option available. You must give each team member a wage regardless of their workload. You will also require office space. Furthermore, you will be responsible for creating a website like ebay, which will need you to spend not only a lot of money but also a lot of time.

When you are not in a rush to build your product, hiring an outsource is a smart choice. Inconsistencies in your scheduling or cultural misunderstandings may arise while dealing with an outsource company. Nonetheless, because outsource to Viet Nam are cheaper than other country but the quality still good, choosing OutsourchingVN.com may be the most cost-effective choice.

How to make an auction website is the question you need to choose the right outsourcing business to answer. Working with an outsourcing business is a good compromise. Custom development firms can not only offer you with a team of specialists to construct your marketplace, but they can also oversee the entire development process. Furthermore, when you deal with an outsourcing business, you only pay for the job that is completed.Furthermore, outsourcing enables you to locate the top developers anywhere in the world. You may also save money by taking into account regional pricing variations. Reference: Best Ecommerce Web Development Services | Custom Website Design

 Once you've opted to outsource custom auction website creation, you must pick which nation to seek for developers in, as geography impacts development costs. Custom development hourly rates range from $20 to $200, depending on the region and experience of the business you pick. More information is available on the map below.

It is expensive to build a website like eBay. The long-term expenses of maintaining the web are quite significant. As a result, employing an outsourcer to create it is the ideal approach to save money.

Outsourcing development to Vietnam is another successful technique for lowering development expenses. Because a junior developer position in Vietnam pays between $12 and $18 per hour, project development expenditures are relatively low in contrast to the rest of Southeast Asia. Vietnam developers' hourly earnings are, on average, twice as low as those of their counterparts. Front-end web developer salaries in the United States are significantly lower than in other nations.

The cost will depend on the requirements and features of the website. If you are interested in hiring an outsource in VietNam, OutsourcingVN.com will be the best place for you to put your trust when handing over your website to. Especially when you want to build a free auction site like ebay.

Final thought

For some years, OutsourchVN.Com has been developing sophisticated online markets like eBay. We focus on developing one-of-a-kind, fast-loading, secure, engaging, and user-friendly e-commerce websites that attract a lot of traffic, boost conversions, and improve revenues. Furthermore, our experts extensively examine the demands of end-users in order to create a bidding site like ebay that your consumers will undoubtedly like.

How do you create a website like eBay that meets the demands of the majority of users? To acquire clients and keep them as loyal consumers, you must be one step ahead of the competition. To be successful, attempt to create a website similar to eBay with the following features:

• User-friendly

• Fast-loading

• Scalable

• Secure

• SEO-friendly

• PWA by default

• Engaging

• Manageable.

These characteristics will enable you to provide users with a solution they will undoubtedly love. OutsourchingVN.com always creates one-of-a-kind and high-quality bespoke markets by adhering to best practices, industry standards, and integrating the aforementioned features by default.

Many entrepreneurs are drawn to auction platforms like eBay and want to develop a comparable platform. It is quite logical because establishing a good website pays off with a large number of users and a high conversion rate, resulting in a large profit. However, developing an online auction marketplace may be a difficult task. Especially an online auction site like ebay.

It is considerably easier to collaborate with an experienced bespoke software development firm. The Codica team has created several markets and auction websites, and we would happily assist you in creating an auction website. Contact cmsmart.net, and we'll turn your idea into a successful product.

 View more: Complete Guide of How to Create an E-Commerce Website Like Amazon for your business

Rose Helen

Shop Owner

I'm Rose Helen, Senior Marketer at Netbase JSC
Woking as a marketer in the digital age, my mission is not only to master the principles of Marketing but also to make friends with customers, represent them to understand and provide useful information that they are really interested in. Understanding digital tools to create the best experience for customers.

I really love market analysis, customer behavior research. I have participated in many projects in different fields. And now Netbase is the stop for me to go deeper into the field of technology.
All products and services are improved and developed based on research results and customer feedback. Therefore, as a professional marketer, I not only get to know you (our customers) but also research your customers (the second audience directly uses our products).

With 5 years of experience I have equipped myself with skills such as: Market research, user behavior analysis, user experience, competitor analysis, SEO, product marketing planning, Orientation creates success many generations. When writing some sharing or instructional content, I always put myself in the position of my customers to know what they need? What they want I want to share my experience with everyone.

I hope you will get some value for yourself. My stock is all for the purpose of bringing a certain value to the readers. It would be great if you leave some feedback in the comment section about anything. I will absorb and try more. I wish you have a great experience after using our products.
Best regards!

Contact me:
Skype: live:vincent_4281
Phone/ WhatsApp: +84 355 993 306
Email: [email protected]