A marketplace platform brings many sellers and buyers together on one platform. Examples: Amazon, eBay, Alibaba globally; Olcha, Uzum Market, Sello, Trade.uz in Uzbekistan. Fundamentally different from regular e-commerce โ you don't sell yourself; you provide infrastructure and earn a commission per sale.
Business model
Commission per sale โ the main lever. Olcha 3-15%, Amazon 8-15%, Alibaba 5%. Listing fees โ eBay-style. Premium seller subscriptions (Pro Seller) with ad and analytics access. Internal advertising (sponsored products) โ Amazon's biggest revenue.
Technical architecture
Far more complex than regular e-commerce. (1) Buyer interface โ search, compare sellers, purchase; (2) Seller dashboard โ upload products, manage prices, fulfill orders, analytics; (3) Admin panel โ moderation, commission accounting, dispute resolution; (4) Escrow โ holding customer funds as intermediary; (5) Rating and reviews for sellers and products.
Launch strategy
The classic "chicken and egg" problem: sellers don't come without buyers, buyers don't come without products. Solutions: (1) Start with one side โ usually attract sellers first to build the catalog; (2) 0% commission for the first 6-12 months; (3) Start in a niche (one category or one city) โ Amazon began with books.
Marketplaces in Uzbekistan
Local players: Olcha (universal, largest), Uzum Market (electronics and apparel), Sello, Lebazar (newer). The market isn't fully formed โ room for niche marketplaces (only baby products, only agriculture, only handmade crafts). Click/Payme integration is mandatory.
Legal and tax aspects
Complex. Sellers need a legal entity or sole proprietor (IP) status. The seller handles their own tax reporting, but the marketplace must issue receipts and invoices per sale. Automate VAT via 1C or MyBusiness.
Sayt.uz practice
6 active marketplace projects โ small niche marketplaces. Building one usually takes 2-6 months and 30-150M sum in investment. Year one is typically a loss (seller acquisition and marketing); break-even comes in year 2-3. Tip: launching a marketplace is a heavy investment โ start with a regular store and evolve into a marketplace.