Multi-Vendor Marketplace
How we built a scalable marketplace enabling independent sellers to operate their own storefronts under one platform — with automated Stripe Connect payouts and commission tracking.
01 — The Problem
A marketplace idea with no infrastructure to support it
The client wanted to build a curated marketplace connecting niche sellers with buyers — but had no tech foundation. Paying out multiple vendors manually, tracking commission, and ensuring each seller had their own product control was impossible at scale without a proper platform.
Generic SaaS marketplace tools didn't give enough control over branding, seller onboarding, or commission logic. They needed a bespoke solution that fit their specific business model.
"We needed each seller to feel like they had their own shop, but we needed to manage the whole thing from one place. Off-the-shelf solutions couldn't do both."
— Platform Founder
- No way to give individual sellers their own product management panel
- Manual bank transfers for vendor payouts — unscalable beyond 10 sellers
- Commission tracking done on spreadsheets — error-prone and slow
- No buyer-facing review or rating system to build trust
- Platform admin had no unified dashboard across all sellers
02 — The Solution
Three portals, one platform
We designed and built three distinct user experiences on a single Laravel platform: a buyer-facing storefront, a seller self-service portal, and a unified admin dashboard — each tightly integrated but independently controlled.
- Stripe Connect Integration
Each seller onboards their own Stripe account. Payouts are automated on order completion, with the platform commission deducted in real time — no manual transfers. - Seller Storefront Portal
Individual product management, inventory tracking, order management, and sales analytics — each seller sees only their own data. - Commission Engine
Configurable commission rates per seller category, tracked automatically and visible in the admin dashboard with exportable monthly summaries. - Buyer Review System
Verified-purchase reviews with seller response capability — building social proof for new sellers from their first sales. - Admin Super-Dashboard
Unified view across all sellers: revenue, payouts, pending approvals, disputes, and platform metrics — with seller approval and suspension controls.
03 — Tech Stack
Laravel + Vue.js + Stripe Connect
Laravel handled the multi-tenant data architecture elegantly. Vue.js gave sellers a responsive, SPA-like product management experience without a full frontend rebuild.
04 — Timeline
10 weeks, three portals built
Week 1–2
Architecture & Seller Onboarding Flow
Multi-tenant DB design, Stripe Connect account linking flow, and seller approval workflow.
Week 3–6
Core Marketplace Build
Buyer storefront, seller portal (product/order/inventory management), and commission engine.
Week 7–9
Admin Dashboard & Reviews
Super-admin analytics, payout management, review system, and dispute handling interface.
Week 10
QA, Seller Onboarding Sprint & Launch
Onboarded first 15 sellers in parallel with QA. Go-live with phased seller rollout.
05 — Results
80+ sellers, 1,200+ products in 90 days
The seller onboarding flow was simple enough that sellers could self-onboard without support tickets. Within 90 days of launch, the marketplace had 80+ active sellers, over 1,200 product listings, and the first full monthly payout cycle ran entirely automatically.