Small business owners often struggle to access the same digital tools and auction platforms that larger enterprises use, simply because traditional solutions require too much time, resources, and technical expertise. How can smaller companies compete when the barrier to entry seems so high?
Adalo lets you build database-driven web apps and native iOS and Android apps — published to the App Store and Google Play — from a single no-code editor. Superbid leveraged this capability to create a self-service auction app that empowers small business owners to list and sell items without the lengthy back-and-forth that enterprise clients typically require.
While Superbid's auction process is ideal for larger businesses with a high volume and value of items, the team wanted to explore new opportunities for small to medium-sized businesses. Emerson, who leads user experience and marketing, thought of a neat idea: A startup within a company! They developed a mobile app that acts as a DIY auction platform with a market-based pricing system, so smaller businesses could sell items ranging from a few pieces of furniture, or a single commercial oven, or even a collector’s watch.
Platforms like Adalo, a no-code app builder for database-driven web apps and native iOS and Android apps—one version across all three platforms, published to the Apple App Store and Google Play, make this kind of rapid experimentation possible. By removing the need for traditional development resources, teams can move from concept to functional app in a fraction of the time.
“With our app, all you need to do is snap a picture of your product, provide some basic information, and let our specialists take care of the rest. You can sign a contract generated through the platform, and your product goes live on our website for potential buyers to see.”
– Emerson Niide
A real working app > Endless prototyping
Large businesses involve a higher value and volume of items, which means multiple meetings, emailing back and forth, site visits, taking pictures, signing contracts and only then could items be listed for auction. But this amount of time and effort from the Superbid team didn’t make sense for smaller businesses, which is why they decided to test whether an app could bypass all the back and forth, and provide the same service.
But in order to do that, they needed a real working app and not a prototype.
“When it comes to experimenting with new processes, no-code platforms are the perfect complement to any team looking to move quickly and cost-effectively. They allow you to test the waters, see what works, and then scale without the involvement of engineering teams. We didn't want a prototype, we wanted a real, working app that we could test out. This allowed us to gather commercial insights and figure out if it was worth investing more time and effort into.”
Their team set out to solve the problem of making auctioning easy, transparent, and affordable for small businesses. With the app, all that a seller needed to do is snap a picture of the product, provide some basic information, and let their specialists take care of the rest. Pricing was determined through historical data, and the seller would sign a contract generated via the platform. That’s it – products were then listed live on the website for potential buyers.
Limited resources? Not enough time? Work with an expert!
Although Emerson was an Adalo maker himself, he recognized that the learning curve for a project of this scope would be time-consuming. Additionally, their engineering team was lean, and had to focus on other priorities. Experimentation came fairly low on that list!
Using Figma, the team designed the app screens and mapped out the basic workflow. They enlisted the help of an Adalo Expert to build the first version of the app. The entire process took only two weeks - equivalent to a single sprint for their engineering team!
As a result, Superbid launched a user-friendly, commercially viable app that expanded their business and reached a new set of customers.
“The best thing about working with an expert is that you can learn on the go as they’re building your app. You get to share insights and ideas with someone who's more knowledgable than you are when it comes to building apps. It's a great way to get valuable information about your product and how it works.”
Rolling out the app
The team behind the app at Superbid had a plan when they first started building it: Test it for 3-6 months using no-code, and if it worked, scrap the no-code version and start from scratch with a fully coded app. If it didn't work, they'd abandon the project altogether.
As time went on, however, something interesting happened. They didn't find any reason to ditch the no-code approach. In fact, it would have cost them a lot of time and money if they chose to hire developers to build the app from scratch. So they doubled down on their no-code app and made improvements to it instead.
They integrated with Make and added document generation, allowing users to easily generate PDF contracts and sign them easily.
“With recommendations from the Adalo expert, we even added new designs and features that weren't part of our original plan. Our app became a living, breathing product that kept evolving over time.”
About the future of no-code at Superbid, Emerson says, “We have people within our teams dedicated to making no-code projects because we know there are some things that require developers and code, but there are other things - like experiments or micro-startups within the company - that we want to test quickly and efficiently without involving engineering teams.”
Superbid has had such success with no-code development for these in-house experiments that they are considering expanding access to their team through paired programming and expert-led training. “When it comes to pricing, you need to be objective”, says Emerson. “You have to understand that you can't have exceptional quality, low price, AND development speed all at once. It's about making trade-offs that work for you. We were more than willing to pay for someone who was happy and committed to doing a great job, and delivering quality work.”
Emerson, along with the Superbid team is optimistic about the future of no-code for their business. “Thanks to artificial intelligence, cool freelancer communities from around the world, and no-code tools, innovating and building new ideas has become easier than ever before. Even smaller companies that don’t have deep pockets can set up innovation labs and build out their ideas. With the opportunity to bypass the technical and boring parts, you get to add value to your company, test new ideas, and have fun in the process!”
FAQ
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| Can I easily build a DIY auction platform for my small business? | Yes, with Adalo's No Code App Builder, you can easily build a DIY auction platform for your small business. You can create an app that lets users snap photos of products, input basic information, generate contracts, and list items for sale—all without any coding knowledge required. |
| Why choose Adalo over other App Builder solutions? | Adalo is a no-code app builder for database-driven web apps and native iOS and Android apps—one version across all three platforms. AI-assisted building and streamlined publishing enable launch to the Apple App Store and Google Play in days rather than months. This publishing capability is crucial because getting your app into the app stores is often the hardest part of marketing and distribution when launching a new app or business—Adalo removes that barrier entirely, giving you direct access to millions of potential users. |
| What's the fastest way to build and publish an auction or marketplace app to the Apple App Store and Google Play Store? | Adalo is the fastest way to build and publish an auction or marketplace app to the Apple App Store and Google Play. With No Code App Builder's drag-and-drop interface and AI-assisted building, you can go from idea to published app in days rather than months. Adalo handles the complex App Store submission process, so you can focus on your app's features and user experience instead of wrestling with certificates, provisioning profiles, and store guidelines. |
| How long does it take to build a functional app with no-code tools? | As demonstrated in the Superbid case study, a fully functional app can be built in as little as two weeks—equivalent to a single engineering sprint. By working with an Adalo Expert and using pre-designed Figma screens, teams can move from concept to a commercially viable app incredibly fast. |
| Is a no-code app suitable for long-term business use, or just prototyping? | No-code apps are absolutely suitable for long-term business use. Superbid initially planned to replace their no-code app with a coded version after testing, but found no reason to do so. Instead, they continued improving the no-code version, adding integrations and new features while saving significant time and development costs. |
| Can I integrate third-party tools with my Adalo app? | Yes, Adalo apps can integrate with various third-party tools to extend functionality. Superbid integrated their app with Make to add document generation capabilities, allowing users to generate and sign PDF contracts directly within the platform. These integrations help create a seamless, professional user experience. |
| What if I don't have technical expertise to build an app myself? | You can work with an Adalo Expert to build your app, even if you have limited technical experience. This approach lets you learn as the expert builds, gaining valuable insights about your product. It's an efficient way to launch a quality app while developing your own no-code skills for future improvements. |
