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Sometimes it can be too difficult to buy or sell things. Prior to the arrival of technology, this task was all the more difficult, but now that the internet has arrived, it is much easier. The internet is now preferred over going to the market to buy and sell items. Today, business owners are highly motivated to list their products and services on free classified websites like Craigslist, because they see this trend.
When we think of classified websites, Craigslist is the one that comes to mind immediately. Global classified software solution that is popular in the US, especially for viewing and posting advertisements. In the last few years, the demand for classified portal development solutions has grown tremendously as more and more people are willing to put their products or services on online classifieds.
According to an article published by CNBC, Craigslist is the most commonly used and the most trafficked classified advertising website. Peter Zollman, the founder of AIM Media, once stated "It is amazing that one website generates $1 billion in revenue, with more than 99% coming from just the United States.".
The purpose of this blog is to discuss a few tips and tricks to get your own classified portal developer and also address some of the most common questions like “How much does it cost to develop a classified app and websites?” or” What features do you need to include in your app like Craigslist?”
Targeted platforms
There is a lot of competition in the online app world. It is necessary to include intuitive features from the start in order to gain popularity and growth. Your website should be simple to navigate for users. This eliminates the need for consumers to visit other websites.
The following features will make your classified app stand out from the crowd.
Registration/ Log in
As you know, your users will interact with this page first. Consequently, you should design it with precision. Avoid making it too cluttered. When registering for the first time, ask only for the important details. People dislike long, unnecessarily detailed forms. You may also want to make the registration process faster by providing social media accounts.
Categories
Your portal is incomplete without categories. Any item a user wants to sell should be available for sale, from a hairband to a motorbike. Each category can have multiple subcategories. When a user searches for something using this bifurcation, they'll save time.
Advanced Filters
Thousands of products can be found in many categories. Generally, consumers have other filters they can incorporate relating to product categories, such as price range, location, and more. Additionally, users' time will be saved when looking for a specific product.
Multiple Language Support
Apps are based on languages. What will a user do if he or she doesn't understand that? Multilingual support is therefore essential. User engagement and retention will increase as a result. Customers can access your website in a language they understand and are familiar with.
Security
A primary function of your portal would be to provide top-notch security. During the course of using your portal, users will share sensitive information. Additional security can be provided by including a two-step verification option or by entering an OTP.
Online Payment Options
In today's world, the most popular method of payment is online. The same can be conducted effectively and securely by integrating secure payment gateways. To offer users payment options through various fintech apps, you will also need to integrate third-party APIs.
Earn through Ad
Your platform can earn most of its revenue through ads. In other words, you should consider adding a feature that manages revenue earned through your ads if you are thinking of earning through classifieds.
Ad Moderation
Certain types of ads are not preferred by many users. This is challenging for these platforms, but your app should let users reject or block ads they do not want to see. Users will appreciate this feature.
There are a number of factors that determine the cost of developing a classified app like Craigslist before revealing the final cost. These factors are outlined below.
Development Type
Are you interested in creating this website yourself using a CMS like WordPress or are you searching for a company to develop a classified portal? Your decision here will have a significant impact on the success of your venture. It is easy to do DIY but it takes a lot of time and effort.
Features
Your development cost will increase if you include features. It will directly affect your final cost if you choose more complex or time-consuming features.
Complexity
You may add a few features to your app, but programming them can be complicated. When they're complex to code, they'll require more time for development and testing. You'll have to spend more money on app development.
Region for Website Development
It is possible for app development costs to vary a lot depending on the region you choose. A typical hourly development rate in the US can be in the range of 250 USD to 300 USD, whereas such a rate can be in the range of 25 USD to 60 USD in India. Calculating the difference is easy.
Tech Stack
Creating a web or mobile app doesn't mean you have to rely on native tech stacks like Java or Objective C. You can use cross-platform technologies such as Flutter or React Native. As opposed to cross-platform apps, native apps use different code bases and are therefore more expensive. Because they use a single code base, development time and resources are reduced when compared to a dual code base.
In light of the preceding factor, the price of building a web application similar to Craigslist can range from 10,000 USD to 30,000 USD. If we include additional features, the budget may increase. The cost of native app development depends on the platform you choose, but it ranges from 15,000 USD to 40,000 USD. On the other hand, cross-platform apps can cost anywhere between 15,000 USD and 45,000 USD.
Main features of Craigslist
Sign up, log in — 15 to 60 hours($1000−1500). Except for a few categories, Craigslist doesn't require an account to buy or sell. A user can only create a personal account via email if he wants to do so. A Craigslist clone that implements similar functionality will require 10 to 20 hours of development. It will require between 10 and 30 extra hours of development in order to add Google, Twitter, or Facebook login.
User profile — 13 to 28 hours($300−600). The profile is necessary for managing ads, keeping track of sales/purchases, communicating with other users, and tracking interesting offers. A bank card may be added to the profile, an address and phone number can be specified, and favorite offers may be saved.
Search system, filters — 15 to 32 hours($300−800). Your platform's search system should be as simple and as fast as possible since it's likely the first thing a user will do on it. Keywords, categories, and other filters can be used to look for products: price, region, popularity, photos, new or used, and so on.
Communication within the site — 12 to 25 hours($400−800). Communication between system users differs depending on the platform. Users of Craigslist are able to communicate via encrypted emails. OLX users can communicate via internal text messages.
Form to post an advertisement — 15 to 20 hours($300−900). That is the main characteristic of online classifieds. Craigslist does not require the creation of an account so you can place ads without having to sign in. Regardless, advertising forms should be easy to use.
Product/service page — 5 to 26 hours($150−500). At first, all product pages on platforms such as Craigslist were simply headlines with short descriptive text. The text in the ad can now include photos, files, videos, contacts, etc.
Product/service listing — 15 to 35 hours($300−850). It's usually as simple as a headline and price. Options with more complexity include adding photos or videos, tags, location, a seller's rating, and a date.
Help center — 5 to 20 hours($200−700). They contain instructions in the form of articles or FAQs, which can assist users in figuring out how the platform works and how to resolve common problems.
Additional features
Notifications — 15 to 35 hours($300−900). In addition to notifications when an ad has expired, products have been sold, new messages have been received, unusual activity in their accounts has been detected, and so on, the system also sends notifications when their products have been sold.
Map, geolocation — 15 to 20 hours($300−700). The location of a user via IP and GPS can be used for optimizing search results, recommending products, auto-detection of the language of the interface, and searching for products by map.
Event calendar — 12 to 35 hours($300−1300). Craigslist started promoting events via emails. The platform then added a calendar, where users could add events or search for existing ones.
Purchase and delivery — 15 to 55 hours($600−1700). With this feature, people can purchase products directly from the website. A payment gateway and postal service must be integrated into the platform in this case. OLX and OfferUp have such features.
Rating and reviews — 15 to 35 hours($300−900). In such a way, buyers and sellers can rate each other so that unreliable contractors can be weeded out. This makes any shop a lot more productive.
Website testing
Bug fixing — 30 to 90 hours($1000−3000). In software development, approximately 25% of the time is spent on quality control and bug fixing.
Manual testing — 15 to 45 hours($450−1400). Users' actions are simulated without using any special software tools. Development of the whole project usually takes 10 percent of the time.
Here are the top apps in 2022.
OLX
OLX is one of the most popular places to buy and sell items. Users of the app can post classified ads for other users to see within a short period of time. Users can buy and sell goods in a hassle-free environment while saving money thanks to the many useful features.
Let Me Know
When you watched that YouTube video, did you buy that skateboard but never use it? You can sell things on Let Me Know if they are taking up space in your closet. Your ad will be shown to other users within your area based on the platform's targeting. However, the most notable aspect of the app is the notifications. Even when you're not logged in or offline, the app will send you notifications via email or text message when someone is interested in your item.
Quickr
It is possible that Quickr is the only platform with a free section. Items are almost free to buy. It is possible to buy almost-new items from Quickr. Quickr lets users rent as well as buy stuff, so they aren't limited to just buying stuff. This allows you to see items before you make the final purchase, which is a neat feature. Platform users are encouraged to buy a product only if they are satisfied after using it. Thus, they will be able to save money while buying quality goods. The situation will be mutually beneficial.
OfferUp
With OfferUp, you can buy and sell items easily. Once you verify your email, you can start selling items for free. The platform is able to conduct business efficiently based on the location of its users. The app will look for similar items in your immediate neighborhood if the item you're looking for isn't available in your area. Users can also post ads outside of their local area. You will be charged a small shipping fee if you purchase an item.
Afterword
You can find a brief explanation of how Craigslist and other classified websites work in our blog post. You might want to consider this next business idea if you're an entrepreneur.
A company called Orion Infosolutions can assist you by creating classified apps for Android or iOS. Using classified app solutions that create productivity and recognition for your business, our developers and designers are experts.
Unless you want to implement innovative features or utilize modern technologies, developing a classified website is not that difficult from a technical point of view. Customer loyalty is much harder to obtain and maintain. As a result, you must understand your audience and develop a solid business model, like the one we have outlined for you in the Business Model Canvas.
DC Kumawat is the CEO of Orion InfoSolutions, a leading provider of IT solutions to businesses of all sizes. He has over 14+ years of experience in the IT industry. He is a passionate advocate for the use of technology to improve business performance.