Auction-enabled multi-seller marketplace with membership and seller pages

The challenge

An agency partner was building an online marketplace for its client in which independent sellers could list products for sale and run auctions, all on a premium storefront theme. The partner found us through our auction extension and wanted it working alongside a multi-seller system on the same site.

Running two systems side by side created friction: sellers and customers would otherwise have separate accounts and separate areas for bidding and selling. The client also wanted a paid membership model, a polished design and a proper self-service area for sellers.

What we did

• One account for auctions and selling. We installed our own auction and multi-seller extensions on the client's OpenCart 2.0 site and merged them so that sellers and customers use a single account for listing, bidding and buying.
• Design and membership. We reworked the header, homepage and product page design through several review rounds, and added a membership tab setting out annual fees and commission, plus a seller address map.
• Seller account area. A self-service area where sellers upload images, edit their profile on one page, and view order history and payment information, with manufacturer and category dropdowns for listing products.
• Seller discovery. A sellers listing page and seller pages, with each seller's rating calculated from the ratings of their products.
• Fixes and theme compatibility. We resolved a special-price bug, corrected how auction end times are displayed, and fixed the seller list and theme search templates so they worked together.

Tech stack

PHP, MySQL, OpenCart 2.0, Journal theme, vQmod, GSP Auction extension, GSP Multi-seller extension