Step-by-Step Guide: Building a Poshmark Clone with Adalo

This comprehensive tutorial will guide you through building a fully functional social commerce marketplace app using Adalo. With social commerce reaching $764 billion globally and projected to grow at 31.7% annually, you'll be tapping into a massive market opportunity. You'll learn how to create a Poshmark-style marketplace with product listings, buyer-seller messaging, secure payments, social features, and a rating system—all without writing a single line of code.

What Is a Poshmark Clone and Why Build One with No-Code?

A Poshmark clone replicates the core functionality of the popular social commerce platform that combines peer-to-peer selling with community features. Unlike traditional e-commerce apps, Poshmark-style marketplaces emphasize social discovery through user feeds, product sharing, seller profiles ("closets"), and community engagement alongside transactional features like buying, selling, and secure payments.

Core Features of a Poshmark-Style Marketplace

The essential components of a successful social marketplace include:

• User-generated product listings with multiple images, descriptions, pricing, and category tags
• Buyer and seller profiles with ratings, reviews, and transaction history
• Search and filter functionality by category, brand, size, price, and condition
• Secure payment processing with buyer protection and automated seller payouts
• In-app messaging for buyer-seller communication and offer negotiation
• Social features including following sellers, sharing listings, and product feeds
• Rating and review system to build trust and seller credibility

Benefits of Using a No-Code App Builder for Marketplace Development

Building marketplace apps traditionally requires 6-12 months and $150,000-$300,000 in development costs. No-code platforms like Adalo slash these barriers:

• Development costs reduced by 70%, bringing investment down to $45,000-$90,000 or less
• Single platform deployment to iOS, Android, and web without separate codebases
• Built-in security and compliance meeting PCI DSS standards through integrated payment processors
• Rapid iteration based on early user feedback before competitors respond

With about 137.8 billion app and game downloads in 2024 and users spending around 3.5 hours per day in mobile apps, the runway for niche marketplace apps is still expanding

Prerequisites and Initial Setup

Step 1: Create Your Adalo Account and Choose a Plan

1. Navigate to Adalo.com and click "Sign Up"
2. Enter your email and create a password
3. Verify your email address
4. Choose your initial plan:
   
   • Free Plan: Perfect for testing with unlimited test apps and 200-500 records
   • Starter Plan ($36/month annual): For publishing with 1 live app and custom domains
   • Professional Plan ($52/month annual): Recommended for marketplaces—includes custom integrations, 25GB storage, and 5 collaborators

Compare plans to select the best option for your needs. You can start free and upgrade when ready to publish.

Step 2: Create Your Marketplace App

1. From your Adalo dashboard, click "Create New App"
2. Choose "Mobile App" (recommended for social commerce)
3. Name your app (e.g., "StyleMarket" or "FashionSwap")
4. Select "Start from Scratch" (no Poshmark templates available)
5. Click "Create App"

Step 3: Configure Your App Theme

1. Select a Primary Color that reflects your brand (e.g., deep purple for fashion/luxury)
2. Choose a Secondary Color for call-to-action buttons (e.g., coral or mint green)
3. Pick a clean, readable Font (Recommended: "Inter" or "Poppins")
4. Set Button Shape (Rounded recommended for modern feel)
5. Click "Continue" to enter the app editor

Building the Database Structure

Your marketplace app requires a robust database to manage users, products, transactions, and interactions. Adalo's relational database provides all the tools you need.

Step 4: Enhance the Users Collection

Adalo automatically creates a "Users" collection. You'll need to enhance it with marketplace-specific properties:

1. Click the Database icon (cylinder) in the left sidebar
2. Click on the "Users" collection
3. Add these properties by clicking "+ Add Property" for each:

Basic Profile:

• Full Name (Text) - Already exists
• Email (Email) - Already exists
• Password (Password) - Already exists
• Profile Photo (Image)
• Bio (Text - Multiline)
• Username (Text - set to Unique)
• Phone Number (Text)
• Join Date (Date & Time - Automatic)

Seller Information:

• Is Seller (True/False - default: False)
• Seller Rating (Number - default: 0)
• Total Sales (Number - default: 0)
• Total Listings (Number - default: 0)
• Seller Status (Text) - Values: "Active", "Inactive", "Suspended"

Location:

• City (Text)
• State (Text)
• Zip Code (Text)

Social Stats:

• Followers Count (Number - default: 0)
• Following Count (Number - default: 0)

Step 5: Create the Products Collection

1. Click "+ Add Collection"
2. Name it "Products"
3. Add these properties:

Product Details:

• Title (Text)
• Description (Text - Multiline)
• Price (Number)
• Original Price (Number) - for showing discounts
• Category (Text) - Values: "Women's Fashion", "Men's Fashion", "Kids", "Home", "Beauty", "Electronics", "Other"
• Brand (Text)
• Size (Text)
• Color (Text)
• Condition (Text) - Values: "New with Tags", "Like New", "Good", "Fair"

Product Images:

• Image 1 (Image)
• Image 2 (Image)
• Image 3 (Image)
• Image 4 (Image)
• Cover Image (Image) - main display image

Status & Dates:

• Status (Text) - Values: "Available", "Sold", "Reserved", "Removed"
• Created Date (Date & Time - Automatic)
• Sold Date (Date & Time)
• Views Count (Number - default: 0)
• Likes Count (Number - default: 0)

Shipping:

• Shipping Price (Number)
• Ships From Zip (Text)

Step 6: Create the Orders Collection

1. Click "+ Add Collection"
2. Name it "Orders"
3. Add these properties:

• Order ID (Text - Auto-Generated)
• Order Status (Text) - Values: "Pending Payment", "Paid", "Shipped", "Delivered", "Cancelled", "Refunded"
• Subtotal (Number)
• Shipping Cost (Number)
• Platform Fee (Number) - Calculate 20% commission
• Total Amount (Number)
• Seller Payout (Number) - Total minus platform fee
• Tracking Number (Text)
• Created Date (Date & Time - Automatic)
• Paid Date (Date & Time)
• Shipped Date (Date & Time)
• Delivered Date (Date & Time)

Step 7: Create the Messages Collection

1. Click "+ Add Collection"
2. Name it "Messages"
3. Add properties:

• Message Text (Text - Multiline)
• Created Date (Date & Time - Automatic)
• Is Read (True/False - default: False)
• Image Attachment (Image) - optional

Step 8: Create the Reviews Collection

1. Click "+ Add Collection"
2. Name it "Reviews"
3. Add properties:

• Rating (Number) - 1-5 stars
• Review Text (Text - Multiline)
• Created Date (Date & Time - Automatic)
• Is Helpful Count (Number - default: 0)

Step 9: Create the Follows Collection

1. Click "+ Add Collection"
2. Name it "Follows"
3. Add properties:

• Created Date (Date & Time - Automatic)

Step 10: Create the Likes Collection

1. Click "+ Add Collection"
2. Name it "Likes"
3. Add properties:

• Created Date (Date & Time - Automatic)

Step 11: Set Up Database Relationships

Relationships connect your collections to enable complex app functionality:

In Products Collection:

1. Add relationship to Users: "Seller" (A User can have many Products as Seller)
2. Click on the new "Seller" property → ensure it's set to "Many Products belong to one User"

In Orders Collection:

1. Add relationship to Users: "Buyer" (A User can have many Orders as Buyer)
2. Add relationship to Users: "Seller" (A User can have many Orders as Seller)
3. Add relationship to Products: Many-to-One (Each order is for one product)

In Messages Collection:

1. Add relationship to Users: "Sender" (User who sent the message)
2. Add relationship to Users: "Receiver" (User who receives the message)
3. Add relationship to Products: Many-to-One (Messages are about a specific product)

In Reviews Collection:

1. Add relationship to Users: "Reviewer" (User giving the review)
2. Add relationship to Users: "Reviewed Seller" (User being reviewed)
3. Add relationship to Orders: Many-to-One (Review linked to specific order)

In Follows Collection:

1. Add relationship to Users: "Follower" (User doing the following)
2. Add relationship to Users: "Following" (User being followed)

In Likes Collection:

1. Add relationship to Users: "User" (User who liked)
2. Add relationship to Products: "Product" (Product that was liked)

Installing Required Components

Adalo's Component Marketplace offers pre-built components that add functionality without coding.

Step 12: Install Payment Component

1. In your app editor, click "+ Add Component" or visit the Adalo Marketplace
2. Search for "Stripe"
3. Click "Install" on the Stripe Payment component
4. Note: You'll need Stripe API keys later (test keys for development, live keys for production)

Step 13: Install Image Upload Components

1. In Marketplace, search for "Image Upload" or "Camera"
2. Install components that allow multiple image uploads (required for product listings with 4+ photos)
3. Consider premium components like "Advanced Image Picker" for better UX

Step 14: Install Chat/Messaging Component

1. Search Marketplace for "Chat" or "Messaging"
2. Install a chat component (Adalo's built-in chat works well for basic messaging)
3. Verify it supports image sharing for product-related conversations

Step 15: Install Rating Component

1. Search for "Star Rating" in Marketplace
2. Install a rating component that allows 1-5 star selection
3. Ensure it can display both interactive (for leaving reviews) and static (for showing ratings) modes

Creating User Authentication

Step 16: Build the Welcome Screen

Your app's first impression matters—users want clean, intuitive interfaces:

1. Rename the default screen to "Welcome"
2. Add your app Logo (Image component)
3. Add headline Text: "Buy and Sell Fashion You Love"
4. Add subheadline Text: "Join thousands of sellers turning their closets into cash"
5. Add two Buttons:
   
   • "Sign Up" → Links to "Sign Up" screen
   • "Log In" → Links to "Login" screen
6. Consider adding background image or gradient for visual appeal

Step 17: Create Sign Up Screen

1. Add new screen named "Sign Up"
2. Add Form component:
   
   • Connect to Users collection
   • Action: "Sign Up"
3. Include form fields:
   
   • Email (Email Input - required)
   • Password (Password Input - required, minimum 8 characters)
   • Full Name (Text Input - required)
   • Username (Text Input - required, unique)
   • Phone Number (Text Input)
4. Add Checkbox: "I agree to Terms and Privacy Policy"
5. Add Submit Button: "Create Account"
6. Configure button action:
   
   • Sign Up User
   • Link to "Profile Setup" screen

Step 18: Create Login Screen

1. Add new screen "Login"
2. Add Form component:
   
   • Connect to Users collection
   • Action: "Login"
3. Include fields:
   
   • Email (Email Input)
   • Password (Password Input)
4. Add Button: "Forgot Password?" → Link to password reset
5. Add Submit Button: "Log In"
6. On successful login → Link to "Home Feed" screen

Step 19: Build Profile Setup Screen

This screen collects additional seller information after signup:

1. Add new screen "Profile Setup"
2. Add Form to update Logged In User:
   
   • Profile Photo (Image Picker)
   • Bio (Multi-line Text Input) - "Tell buyers about yourself"
   • City (Text Input)
   • State (Dropdown with US states)
   • Zip Code (Number Input)
3. Add Toggle: "I want to sell items" → Sets Is Seller to True
4. Add Button: "Complete Setup" → Link to "Home Feed"
5. Add Button: "Skip for Now" → Link to "Home Feed"

Building the Home Feed

Step 20: Create Home Feed Screen

The home feed displays products from sellers you follow and recommended items:

1. Add new screen "Home Feed"
2. Add Top Navigation Bar:
   
   • App logo (left)
   • Search icon (right) → Links to "Search" screen
   • Notifications icon (right) → Links to "Notifications"
3. Add Horizontal List for Categories:
   
   • Display all unique categories
   • Clicking category filters main feed
4. Add Custom List for Products:
   
   • Connect to Products collection
   • Filter: Status = "Available"
   • Sort by: Created Date (Newest First)
   • Layout: Grid (2 columns)
5. For each list item, display:
   
   • Product Cover Image
   • Product Title
   • Product Price
   • Seller Username
   • Like icon with count
6. Click action on list item → Link to "Product Detail" screen, send Current Product

Step 21: Add Bottom Navigation

1. Add Bottom Tab Navigator:
   
   • Home (house icon) → Home Feed screen
   • Search (magnifying glass) → Search screen
   • Sell (plus icon) → Create Listing screen
   • Messages (chat bubble) → Messages screen
   • Profile (person icon) → My Profile screen

Building Product Listing Features

Step 22: Create the List New Item Screen

1. Add new screen "Create Listing"
2. Add Form connected to Products collection:
   
   • Image Pickers (4) for product photos
   • Title (Text Input - required) - "e.g., Nike Air Max Sneakers"
   • Description (Multi-line Text Input) - "Describe condition, measurements, etc."
   • Category (Dropdown - required)
   • Brand (Text Input)
   • Size (Text Input)
   • Color (Text Input or Dropdown)
   • Condition (Dropdown - required)
   • Original Price (Number Input) - optional
   • Your Price (Number Input - required)
   • Shipping Price (Number Input) - default to $7.99
3. Add calculated Text: "You'll earn [Price - (Price × 0.20)]" (showing 20% commission)
4. Set automatic values on submit:
   
   • Seller = Logged In User
   • Status = "Available"
   • Cover Image = Image 1
5. Add Button: "List Item"
6. On submit → Update Logged In User Total Listings (+1)
7. Navigate to "My Closet" screen

Step 23: Build Product Detail Screen

1. Add new screen "Product Detail"
2. Add Image Carousel showing all product images
3. Add product information section:
   
   • Product Title (large, bold text)
   • Product Price (prominent)
   • Original Price (if exists, shown with strikethrough)
   • Seller Profile Image and Username (clickable → Seller Profile)
   • Seller Rating (stars) and review count
   • Product Description
   • Category, Brand, Size, Color, Condition (labeled fields)
   • Shipping Price
4. Add action buttons:
   
   • "Buy Now" → Link to "Checkout" screen
   • "Make Offer" → Opens offer form (Text Input + Submit)
   • "Message Seller" → Link to "Conversation" screen
   • Like icon (heart) → Create/Delete Like record, update Likes Count
5. Add Share Button → Native share sheet
6. Add "More from this seller" section:
   
   • List of Products where Seller = Current Product Seller, limited to 4 items

Step 24: Implement Product Search

1. Add new screen "Search"
2. Add Search Input at top
3. Add Filter Chips below search:
   
   • Category (multi-select)
   • Price Range (slider: $0-$500)
   • Size (multi-select)
   • Condition (multi-select)
   • Brand (autocomplete text input)
4. Add Custom List of Products:
   
   • Filter: Status = "Available"
   • Search: Matches search input in Title, Description, Brand
   • Additional filters applied from selected chips
   • Sort options: "Newest", "Price: Low to High", "Price: High to Low", "Most Liked"
5. Display products in grid format (same as Home Feed)
6. Add "Clear Filters" button

Building Seller Profiles

Step 25: Create Seller Closet Screen

1. Add new screen "Seller Closet"
2. Add seller header section:
   
   • Profile Photo (large, centered)
   • Username and Full Name
   • Seller Rating (stars) and Total Sales
   • Bio
   • Join Date (e.g., "Member since Jan 2025")
   • Location (City, State)
3. Add stats row:
   
   • Total Listings
   • Followers count
   • Following count
4. Add action buttons:
   
   • "Follow"/"Following" button (conditional visibility)
     
     • If Logged In User has Follow record with this seller → Show "Following" (gray)
     • Else → Show "Follow" (primary color)
     • Click action: Create or Delete Follow record, update counts
   • "Share Profile" → Native share
5. Add Tabs for "For Sale" and "Sold Items":
   
   • For Sale Tab: List of Products where Seller = Current User, Status = "Available"
   • Sold Tab: List of Products where Seller = Current User, Status = "Sold"
6. Add "Report User" link in menu

Step 26: Build My Profile Screen

This is the logged-in user's own profile:

1. Add new screen "My Profile"
2. Reuse layout from "Seller Closet" but with edit capabilities:
   
   • "Edit Profile" button → Link to "Edit Profile" screen
   • "My Purchases" button → Link to "Purchase History"
   • "My Sales" button → Link to "Sales Dashboard"
   • "Settings" button → Link to "Settings"
3. Show user's own listings in "My Closet" tab
4. Add "Earnings" section for sellers:
   
   • Total lifetime earnings
   • Available balance
   • "Request Payout" button

Step 27: Create Edit Profile Screen

1. Add new screen "Edit Profile"
2. Add Form to update Logged In User:
   
   • All editable profile fields (Photo, Name, Username, Bio, Location)
3. Add "Save Changes" button
4. Add "Delete Account" button (with confirmation dialog)

Implementing Secure Payments

Payment processing is critical for marketplace apps. Stripe provides PCI DSS compliant payment infrastructure.

Step 28: Set Up Stripe Integration

1. Create a Stripe account at stripe.com
2. In Stripe Dashboard, obtain your API keys:
   
   • Test keys for development (pk_test_... and sk_test_...)
   • Live keys for production (pk_live_... and sk_live_...)
3. In Adalo, go to Settings → Integrations
4. Add your Stripe Publishable Key and Secret Key
5. Test the integration with Stripe's test cards

Step 29: Build Checkout Screen

1. Add new screen "Checkout"
2. Add order summary section:
   
   • Product Image and Title
   • Item Price
   • Shipping Cost
   • Platform Fee (calculate: Item Price × 0.20)
   • Order Total (Item Price + Shipping)
3. Add Stripe Payment component:
   
   • Amount: Order Total
   • Currency: USD
   • Save payment method: True (for future purchases)
4. Add payment form:
   
   • Card number
   • Expiry date
   • CVC
   • Billing ZIP
5. Add Shipping Address Form:
   
   • Street Address
   • City, State, ZIP
   • Phone number
6. On successful payment:
   
   • Create Order record:
     
     • Buyer = Logged In User
     • Seller = Product Seller
     • Product = Current Product
     • Subtotal = Product Price
     • Shipping Cost = Product Shipping Price
     • Platform Fee = Subtotal × 0.20
     • Total Amount = Subtotal + Shipping Cost
     • Seller Payout = Total Amount - Platform Fee
     • Order Status = "Paid"
   • Update Product: Status = "Sold", Sold Date = Now
   • Update Seller: Total Sales + 1
   • Navigate to "Order Confirmation" screen

Step 30: Create Order Confirmation Screen

1. Add new screen "Order Confirmation"
2. Display success message: "Order placed successfully!"
3. Show order details:
   
   • Order ID
   • Estimated delivery date
   • Seller information
   • Product details
4. Add buttons:
   
   • "Track Order" → Link to "Order Details"
   • "Continue Shopping" → Link to "Home Feed"
   • "Message Seller" → Link to conversation

Step 31: Build Order Management

1. Add new screen "Purchase History" (for buyers)
2. Add List of Orders where Buyer = Logged In User:
   
   • Sort by Created Date (newest first)
   • Show: Product image, title, seller, order status, total
3. Click item → Link to "Order Details" screen
4. Add new screen "Sales Dashboard" (for sellers)
5. Add List of Orders where Seller = Logged In User
6. Add earnings summary at top

Step 32: Create Order Details Screen

1. Add new screen "Order Details"
2. Display comprehensive order information:
   
   • Order status (with progress indicator)
   • Product details
   • Buyer/Seller information
   • Shipping address
   • Tracking number (if shipped)
   • Order timeline
3. Add conditional action buttons based on role:
   
   • For Sellers: "Mark as Shipped", "Add Tracking Number", "Cancel Order"
   • For Buyers: "Cancel Order" (if not shipped), "Request Refund", "Track Package"
4. Add "Contact Seller/Buyer" button

Creating In-App Messaging

With 86% of users valuing personalized experiences, direct communication builds trust in marketplaces.

Step 33: Build Messages List Screen

1. Add new screen "Messages"
2. Add Custom List of Messages:
   
   • Filter: Sender = Logged In User OR Receiver = Logged In User
   • Group by conversation (same Product)
   • Sort by: Created Date (newest first)
3. For each conversation, display:
   
   • Other user's Profile Photo and Username
   • Product Image (small thumbnail)
   • Last Message preview (first 50 characters)
   • Timestamp (e.g., "2h ago")
   • Unread indicator (if Is Read = False)
4. Click action → Link to "Conversation" screen, passing Product and other User

Step 34: Create Conversation Screen

1. Add new screen "Conversation"
2. Add header showing:
   
   • Other user's name
   • Product image and title
   • "View Listing" link
3. Add Custom List of Messages:
   
   • Filter: Product = Current Product AND (Sender = Logged In User OR Receiver = Logged In User)
   • Sort by: Created Date (oldest first for chat style)
4. For each message, display:
   
   • Message text
   • Image attachment (if exists)
   • Timestamp
   • Different styling for sent vs. received messages
5. Add message input section at bottom:
   
   • Text Input for message
   • Image attachment button (optional)
   • Send Button → Creates Message record:
     
     • Sender = Logged In User
     • Receiver = Other User
     • Product = Current Product
     • Message Text = Input value
6. Auto-scroll to latest message
7. Mark messages as read when screen loads

Step 35: Add Offer Negotiation

1. In conversation screen, add "Make Offer" button (for buyers)
2. Clicking opens modal with:
   
   • Current price shown
   • Number input for offer amount
   • "Send Offer" button → Sends message with offer
3. Seller receives offer message with:
   
   • "Accept" button → Updates Product Price, navigates to Checkout
   • "Decline" button → Sends decline message
   • "Counter Offer" → Opens counter-offer input

Building the Rating and Review System

Reviews build seller credibility and buyer confidence in peer-to-peer marketplaces.

Step 36: Create Post-Purchase Review Screen

1. Add new screen "Leave Review"
2. This screen appears after order is delivered
3. Add order summary:
   
   • Product image and title
   • Seller name
4. Add Star Rating component (1-5 stars)
5. Add review categories (optional checkboxes):
   
   • "Item as described"
   • "Fast shipping"
   • "Great communication"
   • "Would buy again"
6. Add Text Input for written review (optional)
7. Add Submit Button:
   
   • Creates Review record:
     
     • Reviewer = Logged In User
     • Reviewed Seller = Order Seller
     • Order = Current Order
     • Rating = Selected stars
     • Review Text = Input value
   • Calculate and update seller's average rating
8. Navigate to "Thank You" screen

Step 37: Calculate and Display Seller Ratings

1. Create custom action on review submission:
   
   • Count total reviews for seller: Count(Reviews where Reviewed Seller = Seller)
   • Sum all ratings: Sum(Reviews > Rating where Reviewed Seller = Seller)
   • Calculate average: Sum / Count
   • Update Seller's Seller Rating property
2. Display ratings on seller profile:
   
   • Star average (e.g., 4.8 stars)
   • Total reviews (e.g., "Based on 47 reviews")
3. Add "See All Reviews" link → Reviews screen

Step 38: Build Seller Reviews Screen

1. Add new screen "Seller Reviews"
2. Add summary at top:
   
   • Overall rating (large)
   • Rating distribution (bar chart showing 5-star, 4-star, etc. counts)
3. Add List of Reviews:
   
   • Filter: Reviewed Seller = Current User
   • Sort by: Created Date (newest first)
4. For each review, display:
   
   • Reviewer name and photo
   • Star rating
   • Review text
   • Product that was reviewed
   • Date
   • "Helpful" button with count

Adding Social Features

Social commerce platforms leverage community engagement to drive product discovery.

Step 39: Implement Following System

Following sellers creates personalized feeds:

1. On seller profile, add Follow/Unfollow button logic:
   
   • Check if Follow record exists where Follower = Logged In User AND Following = Profile User
   • If exists → Show "Following" button (gray/outlined)
   • If not → Show "Follow" button (primary color)
2. On "Follow" click:
   
   • Create Follow record
   • Update Profile User's Followers Count (+1)
   • Update Logged In User's Following Count (+1)
3. On "Unfollow" click:
   
   • Delete Follow record
   • Update both counts (-1)

Step 40: Create Following Feed

1. In Home Feed, add Tab for "Following"
2. Add List of Products where:
   
   • Filter: Seller is in (Logged In User > Following > Following)
   • This shows products only from sellers you follow
   • Sort by: Created Date (newest first)
3. Add "You're not following anyone yet" empty state

Step 41: Add Product Sharing

1. On Product Detail screen, add Share button
2. Use Adalo's native share action:
   
   • Share URL: Your app's product deep link
   • Share text: "[Product Title] - [Price] on [App Name]"
   • Include product image
3. Track shares (optional):
   
   • Add "Shares Count" to Products collection
   • Increment on share action

Step 42: Implement Likes/Favorites

1. On Product Detail and in product lists, add Heart icon:
   
   • Filled heart if Like exists (Logged In User + Current Product)
   • Empty heart if no Like
2. On click:
   
   • If liked → Delete Like record, decrease Product Likes Count
   • If not liked → Create Like record, increase Product Likes Count
3. Add "Liked Items" screen:
   
   • List of Products where Likes > User = Logged In User
   • Acts as wishlist/saved items

Designing for Mobile and Web

Adalo enables responsive design for seamless cross-device experiences.

Step 43: Optimize Mobile Layout

1. Use Stack Layout (vertical) for most screens
2. Set proper spacing:
   
   • Padding: 16px on screen edges
   • Spacing between elements: 12-16px
3. Ensure touch targets are minimum 44x44 pixels
4. Use large, readable fonts (minimum 16px for body text)
5. Test on both iOS and Android preview modes
6. Ensure all interactive elements are easily tappable

Step 44: Create Responsive Web Version

1. Switch to Desktop view in editor
2. Adjust layouts for wider screens:
   
   • Product grids: 3-4 columns instead of 2
   • Add sidebar navigation for desktop
   • Increase max-width for content (1200px)
3. Hide mobile bottom navigation on desktop
4. Add hover states to buttons and cards
5. Test at various breakpoints (tablet, laptop, desktop)

Step 45: Add Loading States

1. For all lists, enable Loading state:
   
   • Show skeleton screens or spinners
   • Improves perceived performance
2. For actions (purchases, messaging), add:
   
   • Button loading states
   • Success/error notifications
3. Handle empty states gracefully:
   
   • "No products yet" with call-to-action
   • "No messages" with friendly message

Testing Your Marketplace App

Step 46: Create Test Data

Before testing, populate your app with realistic data:

1. Create 5-10 test user accounts:
   
   • Mix of buyers and sellers
   • Complete profiles with photos and bios
   • Various locations
2. Add 20-30 test products across categories:
   
   • Different price ranges ($5-$500)
   • Various conditions and sizes
   • Multiple quality product photos
   • Mix of "Available" and "Sold" statuses
3. Create sample orders, messages, and reviews
4. Add follower relationships between test users

Step 47: Test Core User Flows

Test these critical paths:

Buyer Flow:

1. Sign up → Browse products → Search for item → View product details → Message seller → Purchase item → Leave review

Seller Flow:

1. Sign up → Complete profile → List new item → Receive message → Respond to buyer → Ship item → Receive review

Social Flow:

1. Follow seller → View following feed → Like products → Share listing

Step 48: Test Payment Integration

1. Use Stripe test cards:
   
   • 4242 4242 4242 4242 - Successful payment
   • 4000 0000 0000 0002 - Declined card
   • 4000 0025 0000 3155 - Requires authentication
2. Verify:
   
   • Orders are created correctly
   • Product status updates to "Sold"
   • Seller payout calculates correctly (80% of total)
   • Payment records are stored

Step 49: Preview on Multiple Devices

1. Use Adalo Previewer (desktop browser)
2. Download Adalo mobile app:
   
   • iOS: App Store
   • Android: Google Play
3. Scan QR code to preview on real devices
4. Test on different screen sizes:
   
   • iPhone SE (small)
   • iPhone 15 Pro (medium)
   • iPad (tablet)
   • Desktop browser
5. Check all interactions, forms, and navigation

Step 50: Debug Common Issues

Address typical marketplace app problems:

• Slow loading: Optimize images (compress before upload)
• Relationship errors: Verify all collection relationships are correct
• Payment failures: Check Stripe API keys and webhook configuration
• Missing data: Ensure form actions properly create/update records
• Navigation loops: Review all "Link to" actions for logical flow

Publishing Your Poshmark Clone

Step 51: Prepare for Launch

Before publishing, complete these steps:

1. Replace test content with production-ready materials:
   
   • Professional app logo and icon
   • Real product photos
   • Finalized branding colors and fonts
2. Create legal pages:
   
   • Terms of Service
   • Privacy Policy (required for GDPR/CCPA)
   • User Agreement
   • Commission and Fee Structure
3. Set up production Stripe:
   
   • Switch to live API keys
   • Configure webhooks for payment events
   • Set up seller payout schedule
4. Configure domain (Starter plan+):
   
   • Purchase custom domain
   • Point DNS to Adalo
5. Set up support:
   
   • Create help documentation
   • Set up customer support email
   • Add in-app support chat (optional)

Step 52: Publish to Web

1. In Adalo editor, click "Publish"
2. Choose "Publish to Web"
3. Options:
   
   • Subdomain: yourapp.adalo.com (Free plan)
   • Custom Domain: yourdomain.com (Starter plan+)
4. Configure settings:
   
   • Enable PWA (Progressive Web App)
   • Set meta description and social preview
   • Add analytics tracking (Google Analytics, etc.)
5. Click "Publish" to go live

Step 53: Publish to iOS App Store

Publishing to iOS requires an Apple Developer account ($99/year):

1. Enroll in Apple Developer Program
2. In Adalo, go to Publishing → iOS
3. Provide:
   
   • App name and bundle ID
   • App icon (1024x1024px)
   • Launch screen images
   • App Store screenshots
4. Generate app in Adalo (Professional plan+)
5. Download IPA file or let Adalo handle submission
6. Complete App Store Connect listing:
   
   • Description highlighting marketplace features
   • Keywords: "fashion marketplace", "buy sell clothes", etc.
   • Privacy policy URL
   • Age rating
7. Submit for review (typically 1-3 days)

Step 54: Publish to Google Play Store

Android publishing requires a $25 one-time fee:

1. Create Google Play Console account
2. In Adalo, go to Publishing → Android
3. Provide:
   
   • App name and package name
   • App icon and feature graphic
   • Screenshots for different devices
4. Generate APK/AAB file
5. Upload to Google Play Console
6. Complete store listing:
   
   • Short and full description
   • Categorization (Shopping)
   • Content rating questionnaire
   • Privacy policy
7. Submit for review (typically 1-7 days)

Why Adalo is the Ideal Platform for Building Your Marketplace

Building a social commerce marketplace traditionally demands significant resources—both financial and technical. Adalo fundamentally changes this equation by providing a comprehensive no-code builder that makes marketplace creation accessible to entrepreneurs without coding experience.

Complete Feature Set Without Coding

Adalo delivers all the essential infrastructure needed for a successful marketplace app. The platform's built-in relational database handles complex relationships between users, products, orders, messages, and reviews—functionality that would typically require months of backend development. The drag-and-drop interface lets you visually create product listing forms, search interfaces, seller profiles, and checkout flows exactly as you envision them.

The Component Marketplace provides pre-built, tested components for critical marketplace features. Stripe payment integration ensures PCI-compliant transaction processing without managing sensitive financial data. Image upload components handle multiple product photos. Chat functionality enables buyer-seller communication. Rating components build trust through social proof.

Significant Cost and Time Savings

The economics are compelling: no-code development reduces costs by 70% compared to traditional coding approaches. A custom marketplace that might cost $150,000-$300,000 to build becomes achievable for $45,000-$90,000 or less with Adalo.

True Cross-Platform Publishing

Adalo's "build once, deploy everywhere" approach eliminates the need for separate iOS, Android, and web codebases. From a single project, you can publish native apps to the Apple App Store and Google Play, plus deploy a web app with a custom domain—all without managing multiple development teams or synchronizing features across platforms.

This unified approach ensures consistent user experience whether customers shop on iPhone, Android, or desktop browsers. Updates deploy simultaneously across all platforms, simplifying maintenance and iteration based on user feedback.

Scalable Infrastructure

Adalo's backend infrastructure handles the technical complexity of running a marketplace at scale. The platform maintains 99%+ average uptime, ensuring your marketplace stays accessible to buyers and sellers. Apps built on Adalo process over 20 million data requests daily, demonstrating proven scalability.

As your marketplace grows, Adalo's pricing tiers provide clear upgrade paths. Start with the free plan to validate your concept with early users. The Starter plan ($36/month) enables public launch with custom branding. The Professional plan ($52/month) adds integrations and storage for growing transaction volume. Team and Business plans support larger operations with multiple team members and priority support.

Rapid Iteration and Learning

Perhaps Adalo's greatest advantage is enabling rapid experimentation. Launch a minimum viable marketplace quickly, gather real user feedback, and iterate based on actual buyer and seller behavior. This lean startup approach minimizes risk and maximizes learning before investing heavily in features users might not value.

The platform supports A/B testing different commission structures, product categorization approaches, or seller onboarding flows. Add Zapier integration to automate email marketing, connect to Xano for advanced backend logic, or link to Airtable for flexible data management—all without custom coding.

Access to Expert Support

When you need additional expertise, Adalo's Experts program connects you with experienced no-code developers who specialize in marketplace builds. These professionals can help with complex customization, performance optimization, or accelerating your launch timeline while you focus on growing your seller community and marketing.

For entrepreneurs targeting the $19.45 trillion opportunity in social commerce, Adalo removes the technical barriers that traditionally limited marketplace creation to well-funded startups. Whether you're building a fashion resale platform, collectibles exchange, or niche vertical marketplace, Adalo provides the tools to compete from day one.