Short answer
A multi-vendor marketplace lets many sellers list and sell products on one platform. Infikey builds marketplaces with seller onboarding and KYC, catalogue moderation, commission rules, split payments and payouts, shipping integrations, reviews and dispute handling. A marketplace MVP typically costs USD 30,000–80,000.
Updated · Written by the Infikey Technologies delivery team
Marketplace features
| Customers | Sellers | Marketplace admin |
|---|---|---|
| Search, filters and recommendations | Self-onboarding with KYC, GST/VAT and bank details | Seller approval and tiers |
| Compare offers from several sellers | Product listing, variants, bulk upload | Catalogue moderation and category rules |
| Cart across sellers, one checkout | Inventory and price management | Commission rules by category or seller |
| Order tracking per shipment | Order processing, labels and pickups | Split payments, payouts and holds |
| Reviews, returns and support | Payout statements and invoices | Disputes, returns and refunds |
| Wishlists and alerts | Promotions and ads | Reports, fraud checks, tax reports |
Payments and payouts
Marketplaces should not hold sellers’ money in their own account without the right licence or structure. We use marketplace payment products that collect from buyers and split funds to sellers:
- India: Razorpay Route, Cashfree Easy Split or PayU marketplace solutions, with GST TCS deduction and reporting by the marketplace operator.
- UAE and GCC: Checkout.com or Stripe Connect where available, or payout APIs with clear settlement terms.
- UK, US and Europe: Stripe Connect or Adyen for Platforms, with seller KYC handled by the payment provider.
Commission, shipping fees, refunds and chargebacks are calculated per order line, so payouts are always explainable.
Marketplace rules to know
- India: the Consumer Protection (E-Commerce) Rules require marketplaces to display seller names, addresses and ratings, country of origin, return and grievance policies, and to appoint a grievance officer. Foreign-owned marketplaces cannot hold their own inventory under FDI rules.
- UK: the DMCC Act 2024 bans fake reviews and hidden fees; marketplaces must show whether a seller is a trader.
- US: marketplace facilitator laws in most states require the marketplace to collect and remit sales tax; the FTC prohibits fake reviews.
- UAE: VAT invoicing, consumer protection and clear seller identity.
Cost
| Scope | Budget (USD) | Budget (INR) |
|---|---|---|
| Niche marketplace MVP (web, seller panel, admin) | 30,000–50,000 | 25–40 lakh |
| Full marketplace with apps, logistics and promotions | 50,000–80,000 | 40–65 lakh |
| Large-scale marketplace with search ranking, ads platform, multi-country | 80,000–180,000+ | 65 lakh–1.5 crore+ |
Use the app like cost calculator to compare against marketplaces you know.
Project blueprint
Handicrafts marketplace connecting artisans with buyers
Based on the requirements we hear most often from buyers like this.
A social enterprise wants to let artisan groups sell directly to buyers in India and abroad. Artisans have little technical skill, payouts must be split fairly, and shipping goes to many countries.
What we would build
- Vendor onboarding with simple product listing from a phone
- Buyer storefront with search, reviews and multi-currency checkout
- Split payments with commission and automatic vendor payouts
- Order management with shipping labels and tracking for domestic and international orders
- Admin tools for vendor approval, disputes and returns
How success is measured
- Active vendors and listings
- Gross merchandise value and take rate
- Order defect rate (late, damaged, returned)
- Vendor payout accuracy and time to payout