Build Apps Like LetGo and OfferUp: Business Models, Tech Stack, Features

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Learn about the business models, tech stack, and features to make apps like Letgo and OfferUp!

Apps Like LetGo and OfferUp: The Problem Statement: If you’re relocating, or just cleaning up, it often becomes difficult to clear those cabinets and drawers with our long-loved belongings that we can’t bear to throw away or look at them. You often become dicey in selecting useless and important things out of the collected clutter. You may have difficulty using this space to do things due to unwanted clutter. Taking conscious steps to eliminate physical clutter in your home can enhance positivity. But despite your best intention, you might still have those musings tucked behind the closet, in your garage, inside your drawers, within the basement, or behind the curtain.

Why Does It Become So Difficult To Let Go Of The Waste?

It might be the case that you are unable to identify what’s a clutter and what’s not, or you’re unsure how long to keep things, you need more storage to adjust old and new things, you need a home organization routine, you’re unsure what tweaks control clutter, you buy more things than required, and often the ones that you don’t need, and most importantly you’re unsure how to let things go.

How Can You Make The Best Out Of Waste?

Those endless pile of birthday cards, a stack of notebooks from your school days, that bouquet of crusty flowers that have been gathering dust in the corner, defunct credit card statements, and piled papers from study notes written years ago, bills, and lot more not only occupies a lot of space but also weighs you down emotionally. When throwing stuff just does not seem like the right option, it is always advisable to let go of these, and hand them over to someone who might be in need, or who sees value in those antiques.

What is LetGo App? What is OfferUp App?

LetGo is a New York-based marketplace to buy and sells goods and simultaneously chat with local users/dealers. It features three essential subscriptions ranging from $99/month to $599/month (depending upon the inventory size). OfferUp, Carousell, Mercari, eBay, Craigslist, OLX, and Facebook Marketplace are its close counterparts. It works in a closed local area without limiting what you wish to sell e.g. Clothes, Footwear, Cars, Furniture, and Houses. But the LetGo website still features some prohibited items that are not allowed to be traded on the platform. LetGo works on a freemium model, In-App Purchases, Subscription Model, and Investor Funding. Its unique app features, strong marketing strategies and freemium model are its main competitive advantages.

How Does the Letgo App Work? How to Use OfferUp App?

Apps like OfferUp and LetGo are one big marketplace that enables users to sell old goods and buy them on one single platform. It offers great deals and is an easy option to earn some extra money, free of charge.

  1. Sellers list the items on the app
  2. If buyers find it suitable, they contact the seller
  3. The buyers and sellers agree to meet and finalize the payment.
  4. Exchange the items. 

Which Business Models Fuel Apps like LetGo and OfferUp?

  • Freemium Model – These applications are free to download, buy and sell.
  • In-App Purchases – They offer in-app purchases. Sellers can feature their listings for 24 hours, 3/7 days. In-app purchases range from $0.99 to $44.99.
  • Subscription Model – It can be super-boost (daily listings), LetGo PRO (monthly), and One-time purchases within the app. Also, users can generate revenue by offering users the option to upgrade and pay a monthly subscription fee for premium features. They offer their users some additional services on the basis of subscriptions. The users who are subscribed get direct calls from the buyers and get their classifieds featured in the application. Users can opt to subscribe via Google Play or App Store.
  • Investor FundingApps like LetGo and OfferUp also raise capital from investors.
  • Transaction Fees – They charge a fee from the buyers to facilitate the smooth exchange of goods and services via the platform.
  • Seller FeesBuy-Sell apps like OfferUp and LetGo charge a seller fee and a commission for providing sellers with a platform to offer discounts on the application. But this fee might vary and might depend upon fixed cost or a percentage of the item’s price. 

Must-Have Features in Buy and Sell Apps like OfferUp and Letgo

  • Registration/Log-in
  • Advanced Search and Filters
  • In-app Camera
  • In-App Chat
  • Feedback and Rating
  • Order History
  • Auto-detect Location
  • Offering Discounts
  • Virtual Try-on
  • Searching
  • Registering through social networks
  • User Profile
  • Advanced filters to separate goods by categories, groups, price, size, and location
  • Currency Support
  • Push Notifications
  • Comparing prices
  • Adding categories
  • Scanning photo
  • Integration with third-party delivery services
  • Comments/reviews/ratings
  • Inbuilt Payment Solution
  • Listing Items by colour, and smell
  • Built-in camera
  • Built-in chat
  • Multi-language

Tech Stack to Build a Buy-And-Sell Apps Like Letgo and OfferUp

  • Client-Side Development: CSS, HTML, Javascript, Bootstrap
  • Server-side Development: Node.js, Express.js
  • Frameworks: React.js, Backbone.js, Angular.js
  • Languages: Kotlin/Java (for Android), Swift/Objective-C (for iOS)
  • Database: MySQL, MongoDB
  • Payment Integration: Stripe, Braintree
  • Web Server: Nginx
  • Hosting: MailChimp, Swagger, Confluence, AWS S3, PostgreSQL
  • Cloud: AWS

Advantages of Creating Buy-Sell Apps like OfferUp and Letgo

The mobile first interface allows users to upload the pictures taken from their mobile phones and upload it directly on the website. The integrated messaging feature allows users to complete the negotiation process within the app. The in-built strong verification process ensures a safe environment for transactions.

Examples

  • Best App to Buy and Sell: OfferUp
  • Best App for quick sales: Facebook Marketplace
  • Best App for Technology and electronics: Decluttr
  • Best App for Furniture and Big-ticket Items: 5Miles
  • Best App for big-ticket items: eBay
  • Best App for Free Listings: Meta Marketplace
  • Best app for Local Sales: Nextdoor
  • Best app for Selling Designer Goods: Poshmark, Tradesy
  • Best buy-sell marketplace for shipping/delivery: Mercari
  • Best buy-sell app for UK based buyers and sellers: Shpock
  • Best buy sell app for women and kids clothing: ThredUp

Conclusive: How To Make Apps Like LetGo and OfferUp?

Many of us have things at home that we have not used for long – they are gathering dust – and we have no idea whether we will be using them in future. Still, we have not planned to discard them altogether. The most common example is the books, that we once cherished, and dedicated our lives to. Sometimes we still wish that they may be put to better use, and someone else might benefit by using them. App development company India creates apps like OfferUp and LetGo to enable us to do just that. We can put up the things on sale, and fetch potential buyers for our used items. Finally, know why our ideas always work and get in touch with experts!

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About Author
Neeti Kotia

Neeti Kotia

Neeti Kotia is a technology journalist who seeks to analyze the advancements and developments in technology that affect our everyday lives. Her articles primarily focus upon the business, social, cultural, and entertainment side of the technology sector.

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