This article was originally published on Codica blog.

Over the past ten years, e-commerce has taken a massive share in the global market. People trade and buy products and services online using their mobile devices. Despite many new launches, there are niches that you can take and overcome your competitors.

Today we will tell you about our experience of creating a custom marketplace for selling boats, a recent project the Codica team delivered. We will reveal the challenges that our team faced and improvements that our client saw on their platform as a result of our work.

What is Trade A Boat?

Trade A Boat is a popular, Australia-based online marketplace. Dealers, private sellers, and buyers can sell or buy new or used boats and marine equipment on this portal. Moreover, visitors can find news and exciting information about the world of boating in Trade A Boat Magazine.

The owner needed several changes and improvements for the platform. They included website redesign, optimization for mobile devices, and increasing user engagement. Let’s see how we solved our client’s problems.

Codica’s approach to development for Trade A Boat

At Codica, we prefer a solution development process that proved efficient over many delivered projects. We went through several steps to improve the Trade A Boat platform. We cover them below.

Project Discovery Phase

The product discovery phase is the starting phase of marketplace website development. This step helps to discover the audience’s needs, make competitors’ analysis, and understand the value of the product to be developed.

This is exactly how we worked on the Trade A Boat project. We needed to develop and deploy a new web solution to increase sales on the website.

Website redesign

Design is the first aspect that users notice when visiting a website. Smooth and convenient UX and appealing UI bring a positive user experience. This leads to better conversions and more sales.

Speaking of the Trade A Boat case, the owner needed to solve certain challenges that prompted the website redesign. Codica’s team of designers analyzed the existing solution and created a new website design. This results in better user engagement and an increasing number of leads.

We updated the dashboard, customizations, and calls to action to make it look clear and simple. Thus, we improved user engagement due to the platform's incredible and smooth user experience.

To sum it up, we delivered an easy-to-navigate and user-friendly display to the client's request.

Website optimization

Website optimization was necessary to help it perform better in search results.

Additionally, we needed to make a solution more efficient even at high loads or slow Internet connection. This is why we recommended our client to build a PWA (progressive web app) for their online boat store. PWA combines the functionality of a website with the advantages of a mobile app.

Developing a PWA for Trade A Boat increased loading speed by several times and improved performance.

Also, we optimized the website for Core Web Vitals, making the online boat store more noticeable on the web.

Technologies we used for Trade A Boat development

At Codica, we use the most efficient technologies that help deliver lightweight and efficient solutions. We used the core tech stack of Ruby on Rails, React JS, PostgreSQL, and AWS when working on this online marketplace for boats. Let’s see why we chose these technologies.

Ruby on Rails: At Codica, we love this framework. The speed of developing projects with RoR is 30-40 percent higher in relation to any other framework. Ruby on Rails can be used for developing an MVP (Minimum Viable Product) for a startup. The framework allows you to quickly create a product with core functionality and check how customers accept it.

React JS: We use React JS to create complex company apps. It enables high-quality development and simplifies scaling in the future.

PostgreSQL: We use PostgreSQL because it is a vital tool for making integrations. It helps to perform complex operations with data.

AWS: Amazon Storage Service is the object storage created to keep and get high volumes of data from anywhere on the web. It is a reliable storage service with unlimited scalability at a very low expense.

Also, for building a robust and high-speed web solution, we used such additional integrations:

• Stripe,
• CDS,
• HemaX,
• Gitlab,
• Sentry,
• HubSpot.

QA and support

We conduct thorough testing to make sure that the platform works properly. Also, we support the client’s solution after development. So, the Codica team will help Trade A Boat with adding new features if needed.

Platform functionality developed

Promotional packages

Our client wanted to promote listings from dealers and private sellers. So, we created an option of choosing advertising packages.

This promotion approach helped to involve more buyers and increase sale rates. Now, vendors and shoppers can get limitless listings and updates depending on their package.

Trade A Boat integrations with the CDS platform

We integrated Trade A Boat with the CDS platform. Thus, the online marketplace for boats receives product listings from all over Australia.

As the number of listings increased, the website also expanded its audience.

Coherent and logical dashboard

A clear and intuitive dashboard shows advertisers the data collected on their listings. It shows the number of views, users’ inquiries, and sales numbers. These data help advertisers to analyze and improve their marketing strategies.

We’ve made the search filters’ structure more convenient. It enhances the user experience when searching for items on the boat marketplace. Thus, the update led to better user satisfaction.

Intuitive product card

The product card includes the required information about a product. So, users access any aspects they might need to know about the product. The card contains the details on the location, product category, etc.

We also added an icon for each product category. This improvement leads to a better user experience with enhanced visual appeal and readability.

Simple creation of ads

We have broken the ad creation process on the website into steps.

To make a listing, the seller adds information about the product, such as description, photos, etc.

Results achieved

Our team delivered the value below through effective and results-driven work.

• Thanks to the PWA development, we deployed a lightweight web solution with extensive functionality.

• We redesigned the boat selling website to improve UI and UX.

• We synchronized data between the online boating marketplace and the CDS platform. Thus, we linked dealers’ CMS/CRM inventory management systems throughout Australia.

• Finally, we streamlined the function of selecting various payable packages to promote listings. In such a way, we brought sales up for dealers and private sellers.

Wrapping up

Trade A Boat needed changes and a company that would help them implement such improvements. So, Codica was willing to help. We redesigned the website and integrated features that allowed our client to achieve better business results.