The latest articles on DEV Community by Papa dj (@papa_dj). https://dev.to/papa_dj https://media2.dev.to/dynamic/image/width=90,height=90,fit=cover,gravity=auto,format=auto/https:%2F%2Fdev-to-uploads.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com%2Fuploads%2Fuser%2Fprofile_image%2F4068226%2Ff2a6152f-1249-43fb-a015-c51ab5e9019d.png https://dev.to/papa_dj en Papa dj Sat, 08 Aug 2026 02:16:59 +0000 https://dev.to/papa_dj/i-built-a-zero-commission-local-marketplace-from-scratch-then-i-turned-the-codebase-into-a-saas-2phj https://dev.to/papa_dj/i-built-a-zero-commission-local-marketplace-from-scratch-then-i-turned-the-codebase-into-a-saas-2phj <h1> I Built a Zero-Commission Local Marketplace From Scratch. Then I Turned the Codebase Into a SaaS Boilerplate </h1> <h2> The problem I wanted to solve </h2> <p>Most marketplace platforms take a cut from every transaction. 10%, 20%, sometimes more. For small local businesses like shops, restaurants, service providers and people posting classifieds, that commission can be the difference between staying afloat and shutting down.</p> <p>I wanted to build something different. A zero-commission local marketplace that connects residents with nearby shops, restaurants, service providers and classifieds, without taking a cut of every sale.</p> <h2> What I built </h2> <p>A full-stack marketplace platform that covers:</p> <ul> <li>Core marketplace infrastructure: merchant listings, categories, search, location-based discovery using OpenStreetMap and Leaflet</li> <li>A social layer with follow/unfollow, reviews and promotional flash deals</li> <li>Subscription plans (FREE, PRO, BUSINESS, ENTERPRISE) with centralized plan configuration</li> <li>A PWA, offline-first architecture: installable app, service worker, push notifications with VAPID keys and a dedicated push module for order updates</li> <li>Admin tooling including a full email broadcast system with SMTP, validated pipelines and a CORS-safe API</li> <li>A lightweight AI advisor widget to help users navigate the platform</li> </ul> <p>Stack: NestJS and PostgreSQL/Prisma on the backend, Next.js and TypeScript with PWA support on the frontend, Docker and AWS for infra.</p> <h2> From product to boilerplate </h2> <p>Once the platform reached a solid production state, I realized the underlying infrastructure I'd built (auth, subscriptions, push notifications, admin broadcast, PWA scaffolding) was reusable well beyond my specific use case. Anyone building a local marketplace, whether it's services, classifieds, delivery or rentals, ends up solving the same foundational problems.</p> <p>So I packaged the codebase into a standalone SaaS boilerplate. It's not a toy starter kit put together for the occasion. It's the same infrastructure currently running a live marketplace in production, cleaned up and documented so other developers can skip months of groundwork and launch faster.</p> <p>You can check it out here: <a href="https://sennegueye.gumroad.com/l/afrimarket-boilerplate" rel="noopener noreferrer">AfriMarket SaaS Boilerplate</a></p> <h2> Beyond the boilerplate </h2> <p>If you'd rather not build it yourself, I also take on custom development work. That includes extending the boilerplate, building marketplace features specific to your market, or full white-label builds on top of this same stack (NestJS, Next.js, Prisma). If that sounds useful, feel free to reach out.</p> <h2> What's next </h2> <p>I'm continuing to build out the original platform, working on service-request flows and deeper PWA integration, and I'll keep iterating on the boilerplate based on early feedback.</p> <p>Happy to answer questions about the architecture, the offline-first choices or the subscription logic in the comments. Always glad to talk shop.</p> ecommerce sass