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ToolSwap

The founder of a U.S. startup reached out to our partners at WeAreBrain. He wanted to build a community of both makers and brands where people could easily sell or buy tools. The goal was to launch a platform that would be more convenient and more trustworthy than existing marketplaces.

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About the project

Development of a two-sided marketplace for the U.S. market — a platform for professionals and DIY enthusiasts to buy, sell, and exchange tools. Project in collaboration with “WeAreBrain” agency.

Project overview

The main goal of this project was to create a specialized marketplace that allows users to sell tools they no longer need and quickly find the ones they’re looking for — easily and at a fair price.

The platform had to offer an intuitive user experience, a simple listing process, transparent search and browsing, and built-in trust mechanisms for both buyers and sellers.
In this way, we aimed to build a strong competitor in the global market — one that focuses on tool trading specifically, unlike other well-known platforms that support product exchange models but aren’t dedicated to a single category.

We worked on this project together with our partners at WeAreBrain under a white-label model. Our team handled the full development cycle, bringing deep expertise in building specialized trading marketplaces at every stage.

Design must-haves for a specialized trading platform

Use of red — the platform should evoke a sense of quality, reliability, and professionalism, similar to other well-known trading marketplaces.
Clean, minimalist design.
Familiar layout — intuitive for users of other trading platforms but without being a copy.
Support for user-uploaded product photos in various proportions, even if they’re not perfectly styled.
No typical e-commerce elements like discount pop-ups or “Buy Now” buttons in product listings.
No advertising banners.
No third-party ads.

Analytical part of the marketplace development

At the start of the project, our partners at WeAreBrain provided all the necessary documentation and detailed descriptions of the desired features, which allowed us to implement a feature-by-feature approach in development. We also want to highlight the outstanding work of the entire WeAreBrain team — any issues that arose during development were resolved quickly and smoothly.

After a thorough analysis of the “Buy or Build” options, we decided in favor of custom platform development to deliver the best user experience in a two-sided marketplace, where users can seamlessly switch roles between buyer and seller.

Technology stack

For this project, we chose the following stack: React NextJS + PHP Laravel + Filament admin panel. It’s important to mention that our team quickly set up configurations for effective future SEO promotion. This is crucial for a new marketplace to ensure long-term visibility in search engines.

Main workflows on the two-sided marketplace

Seller onboarding: a new seller registers on the platform and adds their listings.
Seller verification (KYC): the seller provides banking and personal information required for KYC via Stripe Connect. They wait for approval before publishing their first listing.
Listing publication: once approved, the listing appears in the latest listings on the homepage.
Buyer actions: a buyer visits the marketplace and searches for the desired product. Payment is processed via Stripe Connect. Buyers can view their orders in the Ordered list.
Notifications and order fulfillment: the seller receives an email notification about a new order. The order appears on the My Details page, where the seller can prepare a generated shipping label.
Admin control: the administrator can view all listings and monitor platform activity.

Challenges in developing a custom trading platform

The development of this project faced numerous challenges, ranging from complex fund distribution mechanisms to seemingly simple elements like order statuses.

The initial feature file contained 422 points, detailing all the technical requirements. At the start, the project was planned with the idea of using existing technology solutions. However, as we analyzed the features in depth, it became clear that this approach would not meet the client’s expectations. The team decided to go with a fully custom development, ensuring that every client requirement would be addressed precisely. The project was successfully launched in just four months.

Challenges in developing a custom trading platform

That feature file (technical specifications)

Key milestones highlighted by the project manager include:

Creation of the client dashboard: users can create and manage listings to sell their tools, offering full control over their items.
Implementation of a specific client taxonomy: this makes it easy and fast for users to understand where and how to add their listings, improving usability and reducing errors.
Development of multiple shipping mechanisms: different types of shipments were handled with custom tracking systems.
3.1. An algorithm was developed to process orders differently depending on the combination of product cost, delivery cost, and pre-included shipping fees paid by the client, ensuring accurate pricing and smooth order processing.
Integration with the U.S. delivery service Shippo: users no longer need to manually handle shipping details. By simply clicking a button, the buyer’s information is automatically filled into the shipping label, streamlining the fulfillment process. The system also automatically updates order statuses for both buyers and sellers, keeping everyone informed in real time.
Payment system integration with automatic fund distribution: payments are automatically divided between the seller and platform owner, with clear notifications sent to each party. This removes the need for manual intervention and ensures transparency and reliability in financial operations.

Overall, developing a two-sided marketplace for trading tools was a dynamic and engaging experience. A special mention goes to our end client, Matthias, who was always eager to participate in discussions and help resolve complex challenges.

Our entire team, working closely with the WeAreBrain team, focused on delivering a result that fully met the client’s needs and expectations. The final product not only satisfied the client but also impressed everyone involved in the development process on the client’s side. 😉

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