What Is Marketplace Software?
Learn how marketplace platforms built on the consumer-to-consumer (C2C) model work. Explore the ecosystem with examples from Turkey and around the world.
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What is marketplace software?
In this context, “consumer to consumer” (C2C) is an acronym formed from the initials of those words. In plain language it means “from consumer to consumer.”
Key point
Many large e-commerce sites in Turkey and globally run on a marketplace software model. In practice, almost all well-known online retail platforms use marketplace-style software.
Types of marketplace software
Marketplace platforms are usually grouped into three main categories:
Product sales
Marketplaces that sell physical or digital products—e.g. Trendyol, N11, Hepsiburada.
Service sales
Marketplaces for freelance and on-demand services—e.g. Armut.com, Bionluk.com.
Classifieds
Listings where rental or sale is often completed off-site—e.g. Sahibinden.com.
Market snapshot
Competing with classifieds and pure service marketplaces is extremely hard. In Turkey, sahibinden.com dominates classifieds, while armut.com and bionluk.com lead many service categories.
Monthly visitor stats (March 2024)
Source: similar.com
Product marketplaces: the biggest opportunity
Winning even a small share from dominant classifieds or service players usually takes very heavy ad spend, while carving out share in product marketplaces is often more achievable. Many buyers today order items they first saw on Instagram or social channels.
Marketplace sites in Turkey
Marketplace sites worldwide
What these platforms share is that products or offers are uploaded by suppliers, sellers, or consumers; when a sale happens on the site, the party that listed the item earns revenue. The marketplace operator typically earns roughly 15% to 20% commission on those sales.
What a marketplace owner must do
Supplier management
Keep onboarding multiple suppliers so new products are added to the site continuously.
Merchandising & highlights
Structure the site so visitors stay longer and eye-catching products get prominent placement.
Advertising strategy
Define the right ad mix to bring the right audience to the marketplace at sustainable cost.
Product compliance
Monitor listings to block counterfeits, illegal goods, and adult content.
Communication oversight
Oversee interactions between sellers and buyers where your policies require it.
Performance tracking
Track seller performance and step in when shipments are late, wrong, or damaged.
Seller incentives
Reward high-volume, highly rated sellers with badges, “trusted seller” status, or commission breaks.
Team recommendation
Few founders can run all of these responsibilities alone while launching a marketplace on marketplace software.
Supplier relations specialist
Someone who can build supplier relationships, onboard catalog data, and keep it up to date.
Graphic designer
A designer (e.g. Photoshop) who can produce sliders and banners to promote trending products.
Launch your marketplace project
Fill out our demo form to explore Softomi’s marketplace e-commerce software, or speak with our consultants right away.