What is an online auction app?
An online auction application is a web or mobile application that enables users to bid on items listed by other users. Online auction apps usually include two sets of users: bidders and sellers. Bidders use the app to view item listings, place bids, check their bids status, and review previously purchased items. Sellers use the app to create new listings for items they want to sell and edit existing listings. The app may also include an admin dashboard that enables administrators to monitor activity across all applications in the network.
Online auction apps are similar to most other shopping apps with search features, such as price comparison apps, product review apps, and retail shopping apps. Some of the more popular online auction applications include eBay and Amazon Auctions.
Examples of online auction apps built with Crowdbotics:
- A car auction app that allows users to search for a random word and it will display present and past auctions. The app also has social functions: commenting on posts and replying to auctions, tagging of users based on username, like button for comments.
What is the typical cost to build an online auction app?
An online auction app usually costs about $35,000 to build. However, the total cost can be as low as $30,000 or as high as $40,000. An online auction app with a low number of features (also known as a minimum viable product, or MVP) will be more affordable than an app that includes all intended functionality.
For example, here are some previous online auction app price quotes from Crowdbotics:
How long does it take to build an online auction app?
An online auction app usually takes 467 hours to build. However, an online auction app can be built in as few as 400 hours, or in as many as 533 hours. The exact timeline mostly depends on how complicated your specific app is. As a general rule, it will take longer if you require highly custom designs, niche features, complex logic, or non-standard release platforms.
For example, some previous online auction apps build with Crowdbotics received the following hourly estimates:
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Crowdbotics has quoted and built hundreds of applications for teams of all sizes. Browse our historical estimates by industry and app type to understand possible costs and considerations.
How to successfully grow your online auction application
An online auction app can grow by drawing users into a community of likeminded individuals. Online auction apps are often used to sell second-hand items, so it’s important for them to demonstrate that they’re the best place for sellers to advertise and for buyers to find bargains. An online auction app should also create features that make the experience more convenient for both parties, such as a built-in messaging system to facilitate communication between sellers and buyers.
Risks and challenges of building an online auction application
An online auction app faces risks related to the legality of goods in the target market and the credibility of sellers. Before launching an online auction app, you will want to ensure that you have a sufficient legal team to address the requirements of all contemplated markets. You should also have appropriate feedback mechanisms in place to report seller fraud and misrepresentation.
