What Is Sharetribe (Review) – Create Your Own Marketplace!

By Jason

Experience the power of CMS and peer-to-peer marketplace platform by using Sharetribe!

I really like this approach to creating an online business, and it’s not one I have considered doing in the past.

Yet many of us visit these types of sites on a weekly (if not daily) basis, and now anyone can create their own online marketplace.

Product Name: Sharetribe

Product Owner: Juho Makkonen

Price: Starting at $39/mo

Website: sharetribe.com

Sharetribe Review

What Is An Online Marketplace?

Think of Amazon, eBay, Etsy, Airbnb, TaskRabbit, Artpal, OfferUp, Fiverr or even Craigslist.

In essence, these are all social businesses that allow business interaction between buyers and sellers, service providers, and consumers.

Or online marketplaces.

The role of the online marketplace is to connect these potential buyers and sellers with one another while the online marketplace (ownership) typically will handle all transactions.

In saying that, ownership gets a percentage of these transactions for playing the intermediary.

Here’s where Sharetribe comes in.

Sharetribe will teach you how to create your own online marketplace. It really “takes a minute” to build your on site and to get started.

What Is Sharetribe?

Sharetribe allows you to build your own custom peer-to-peer marketplace.

Though not a standalone concept and there are other sites where one can create their own online marketplace, such as Near Me, Sharetribe is unique in these ways:

• No technical knowledge needed
• Hosting is provided
• All white-label
• Free 30-day trial
• Affordable compared to (some) competing sites
• Appeals to the individual

Compare this to other marketplace startup platforms costing $1k monthly, Sharetribe’s affordability and ease of use allow small groups or individuals to experiment quite a bit at $39 per month using a starter membership.

Who Is Sharetribe For?

Anyone interested in creating their own marketplace via the internet. The potential to build the next Etsy is there, just realize when starting a business, it’s going to require a lot of work and commitment on your end.

Regardless of the business model, it’s going to require some real work.

Sites like Sharetribe are in place to help you not only with the workload, but the tools and direction you may need along the way.

When it comes to succeeding in creating your own marketplace, I have no doubt anyone can do it, but it’s always good to go in with a game plan.

For starters, you are going to want to focus on which kind of community or marketplace you want to be in charge of.

Two examples, Etsy and Airbnb:

Etsy is a marketplace where people around the world connect, both online and offline, to make, sell and buy unique goods such as handmade or vintage items and supplies. Quick example – handbags or books.

Airbnb is a website that allows its members to list, find, and rent lodging. If you’re out of town headed to a huge convention and your hotel or housing accommodations didn’t go as planned, Airbnb will become your best friend.

This is sort of how their company started out for the pair of roommates who now head this $20 Billion value online marketplace.

First, you will need to focus choosing what kind of marketplace you wish to target – also known as a niche.

I always say it’s best to choose something you a passionate about, a topic of interest that you know you will see thru for the long run. Whether it be fitness, gaming, gadgets, automotive, or fashion or whatever you’re into.

You can transform that into a successful online business.

Feel free to click these two examples of successful sites, both created using Sharetribe:

Were you able to point out the respective niches?

One has a passion for music, the other followed their passion for teaching. In doing so, both of these individuals were able to create successful, profitable online marketplaces.

Anyone can do it and it all starts with choosing a passion or an interest. That and building a trustworthy community.

Trust Is A Must

Another important factor to succeed in creating your own online marketplace, TRUST.

It is the reason websites like Amazon and Airbnb have become so gigantic and why millions of customers/visitors have no problems at all shopping, buying, or even being a member for those services.

Airbnb was started around 2008 by two roommates who were struggling to pay the rent. They eventually started a site which allowed people to rent out their living room for the night for a price.

They offered airbeds n breakfast, hence Airbnb.

This idea spread as did their marketplace to over 191 countries where ‘hosts’ can monetize their extra living space and travelers have the option to browse millions of lodging choices worldwide. It’s a win-win for everyone involved and it was built on trust and reliability.

As for the founders, just 8 years later, they’re worth about 3.3 Billion a piece.

Point is, trust is important. Before people can truly interact (buy or sell) within your marketplace they need to join as members first. Trust will help with that along with offering quality content and convenience within your chosen niche.

Sharetribe’s Training

Once all signed up, Sharetribe offers training and valuable insights to help you with getting started with your new business.

These helpful tips can be found in your back office and will be sent to you in the form of an email series. It covers topics such as:

• Focusing on a business topic; or niche
• Configuring your marketplace
• How to offer quality and convenience to your users
• How to attract users/visitors to your marketplace
• Much More!

All of this can be accessed during your free trial which really gives you a fair chance to try out what Sharetribe offers and to see if it is right for you.

Not to mention the Marketplace Academy which can be found within Sharetribe. It currently offers 3 chapters and is designed to help you getting all set up and growing your business.

To gain an understanding on Sharetribe’s pricing structure and to find a suitable plan for you/good fit for you, you can click below.

The free trial requires no credit card to sign up, check it out.

Pros & Cons of Sharetribe

Pros:

• Takes less than a minute to sign up and create your first marketplace
• The platform makes it truly easy to get set-up
• Provides walkthrough/training
• Provides hosting
• All white-labeled
• 30-day free trial

Cons:

• Though the training provides stats, charts, graphs, examples. I feel having some form of (over the shoulder) video training would give its users a better idea of navigating through their marketplace’s back office, getting set up, etc.
• I may have jumped ahead in the training/instructions but within the Configuration, more specifically the Design area, it was slightly confusing on how to design my marketplace to my liking.

Final Opinion

So what is Sharetribe?

Online marketplace technology that helps individuals and small organizations effectively sell or rent products, services and spaces to each other.

It is a very popular business concept with lots of potential. If one were willing to put in the time and effort in growing and sharing their marketplace, the skies is the limit. Just ask the founders of Airbnb, these guys went from struggling to keep a roof over their heads to owning and operating a $10 Billion company.

Just one great example of many of people who are finding great success within the online business space.

The best part about joining Sharetribe is that you don’t need to own any inventory, you can work on your online marketplace from anywhere (has internet), and now… with the help of Sharetribe, you can get started for free and create your own marketplace.

Feel free to check out other popular online business models in which you can also learn how to make money online starting today. Check it out.