Building a Marketplace for second-hand auto parts with Bubble

Vehiposte, a branch of the La Poste Group, manages vehicle-related services across an extensive partner network. Aiming to enhance its offerings, Vehiposte sought to establish an online marketplace for second-hand auto parts sourced from its dealership partners. This platform was designed to allow network members to search for and request parts more efficiently, while streamlining inventory oversight.

Vehiposte required a solution that could aggregate and display available parts from its network of partner dealerships. The goal was to provide a user-friendly interface for network members to browse and request parts easily. Automating inventory updates and order requests was key to keeping the catalog accurate and enhancing operational efficiency.

One of Vehiposte’s main challenges was managing a continually evolving inventory of auto parts across multiple dealerships. They needed a platform capable of automatically updating parts listings, enabling professionals to browse and select parts, and simplifying the request process for the administrative team.

Without a centralized and automated marketplace, Vehiposte faced potential inefficiencies in inventory management and request processing. Relying on a manual approach could introduce errors and delays, impacting the company’s ability to fulfill requests promptly and accurately.

In response, I created a fully automated and responsive marketplace platform using Bubble.io, completed within two weeks. The solution incorporated nightly database updates and provided a streamlined interface for professionals to easily search, select, and request parts.

Automated Database Updates: The Bubble database is refreshed nightly to reflect the latest information on parts available from partner dealerships, including photos, descriptions, pricing, and locations. I have achieved by connecting their SFTP to Bubble via Make.

Product Catalog: The platform displays detailed information about each part, such as year, brand, vehicle type, and dealership location, allowing network members to make well-informed decisions.

Professional Access and Cart Functionality: Professionals can request access to the marketplace. Once approved, they can add parts to their cart and validate requests for processing.

Automated Request Processing: After cart validation, an HTML/CSS-formatted summary email is sent to Vehiposte admins, offering a structured overview of requested parts and enabling prompt follow-up.

This marketplace was designed, developed, and tested on Bubble.io over two weeks. The project prioritized automation, ensuring that the database updates and request processing required minimal manual input from Vehiposte’s team.

The platform was built entirely on Bubble.io, utilizing Make for database refreshes and HTML/CSS styling for detailed email summaries, delivering a smooth experience for both users and administrators.

The marketplace streamlined the management of auto parts listings and requests, reducing the need for manual input and allowing the team to oversee inventory and requests more efficiently.

The platform offers network professionals a seamless experience, enabling them to easily browse parts, compile carts, and submit requests. Automated email summaries support the admin team in reviewing and addressing requests quickly, improving response times and overall satisfaction.