Turn Your Commerce CoreInto a Multi-Vendor Platform.
Launch a marketplace without rebuilding everything. Shopflow's marketplace module adds vendor management, commission rules, and payout automation on top of your existing commerce engine.
Why Marketplaces Are the Next Revenue Layer
Expand catalog without inventory risk
Add thousands of products from vetted vendors. No upfront buying, no warehousing. You take commission on every sale.
New revenue stream with existing traffic
Your traffic is worth money. Charge vendors 10-20% commission on sales, plus listing fees, featured placement, or SaaS subscriptions.
Own the customer relationship
Unlike Amazon or Etsy, YOU own the brand, the data, and the customer. Vendors fulfill, you control the experience.
What the Marketplace Module Includes
Everything you need to run a successful marketplace.
Vendor Management
Onboard vendors, approve products, set commission rates per vendor or category.
Commission Engine
Flexible rules: flat fee, percentage, tiered, category-specific. Auto-calculated at checkout.
Vendor Portal
Self-service dashboard for vendors: add products, manage inventory, view sales, track payouts.
Order Routing
Orders auto-route to the right vendor. Notifications, fulfillment tracking, customer updates.
Payout Automation
Schedule payouts (weekly, monthly). Stripe Connect or manual. Export reports for accounting.
Marketplace Analytics
GMV by vendor, commission revenue, top sellers, fulfillment speed, vendor performance.
How Marketplace Sits on Your Commerce Core
Shopflow Marketplace isn't a separate platform—it's a module that runs on your existing commerce engine. One admin, one database, unified operations.
Storefront Layer
- Your brand
- Unified catalog (your products + vendor products)
- Single checkout
- Customer accounts
- Unified search
Marketplace Engine (Shopflow)
- Vendor management
- Commission rules
- Order routing
- Payout automation
- Inventory aggregation
- Analytics
Vendor Layer
- Vendor portal
- Product submission
- Inventory sync
- Order notifications
- Payout reports
- Performance dashboard
Customers see one brand. Backend handles multi-vendor complexity.
Who Builds Marketplaces on Shopflow
Retailer → Platform
Challenge
You're a successful retailer. You have traffic, brand trust, and warehouse space. Why not add complementary products from vetted vendors?
Solution
Keep your core products. Add vendor products in adjacent categories. Take 15% commission on vendor sales.
Result
Expand catalog 10x without buying inventory. New revenue stream worth 20-30% of total GMV.
Brand → Marketplace
Challenge
You make premium products. Other makers want to sell alongside you. You want to control the brand experience and take a cut.
Solution
Launch curated marketplace. Invite complementary brands. Unified fulfillment and customer service.
Result
Position as category leader. Commission revenue + data on customer behavior across brands.
Niche Platform
Challenge
You're building a vertical marketplace (e.g. industrial supplies, food wholesale, local artisans). You need commerce + marketplace in one.
Solution
Shopflow handles catalog, checkout, vendor management, payouts—you build the niche community.
Result
Launch in 8-12 weeks. Scale to 100+ vendors. Focus on curation, not infrastructure.
Build vs Buy: The Real Cost of Marketplaces
| Feature | Build In-House | Sharetribe / Arcadier | Shopflow Marketplace |
|---|---|---|---|
| Time to launch | 12-18 months | 2-3 months | 4-8 weeks |
| Development cost | $150K-$500K | $5K-$15K | $0 (just $300/mo) |
| Vendor portal | Custom build | ||
| Commission flexibility | Full control | ||
| Unified B2C + Marketplace | |||
| Payout automation | Manual or Stripe API | Basic | |
| Scales with your growth | Yes (if built right) | Limited ($1K+/mo) |
Most marketplace platforms charge $500-$2,000/mo for 100+ vendors. Shopflow Marketplace is $300/mo flat, no vendor limits.
MARKETPLACE QUESTIONS
Everything You Need to Know
Launch Your Marketplace
In Weeks, Not Years.
See how Shopflow Marketplace handles vendor onboarding, commission rules, and payouts—then decide if building in-house is worth $150K and 18 months.
40+
marketplaces powered by Shopflow
$300/mo
flat (no per-vendor fees)
4-8 weeks
typical go-live
15-20%
avg commission rates