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

This comprehensive tutorial walks you through building a functional resale marketplace app using Adalo's app builder. You'll create a working bid/ask system, authentication workflows, payment processing, and seller dashboards, all without code.

What Is a StockX Clone and Why Build One with a No-Code Development Platform

StockX introduced a stock market-style trading model where buyers place bids and sellers set asking prices, creating transparent real-time pricing for sneakers and collectibles. The platform eliminated price manipulation by making supply and demand visible, reaching $2.6 billion in revenue in 2022.

Core Features of a Resale Marketplace App

A StockX-style marketplace requires these essential components:

• Bid/ask matching system: Buyers submit bids, sellers set asking prices, transactions execute automatically when prices meet
• Product authentication: Third-party verification prevents counterfeit goods from entering the marketplace
• Transparent pricing: Historical price data and current market value displayed for every item
• Secure payments: Delayed payout processing holds funds until authentication completes
• Seller dashboards: Inventory management, bid tracking, and earnings reports
• User profiles: Ratings, transaction history, and verification status

Why No-Code Is Ideal for Marketplace Prototypes

According to Cleveroad’s 2025 marketplace cost guide, a complex online marketplace typically costs $150,000–$280,000+ depending on features and integrations, and development firms like Leanware note that complex apps usually take 6–12 months to build.

No-code platforms reduce these costs to $45,000-$90,000 while accelerating delivery by up to 10x. This lets non-technical founders test marketplace concepts in niche categories—vintage gaming, rare books, regional fashion—before massive investment.

Gartner forecasts that by 2025, 70% of new enterprise applications will use low-code/no-code technologies.

Setting Up Your Adalo Account and Choosing the Right Plan for a Marketplace App

Step 1: Create Your Adalo Account

1. Visit Adalo.com
2. Click "Get Started Free"
3. Enter your email and create a password
4. Verify your email address
5. Choose "Create New App"

Step 2: Choose Your App Type and Plan

1. Select "Mobile App" (recommended for marketplace)
2. Name your app (e.g., "SneakerMarket")
3. Select "Start from Scratch"
4. Choose your plan:
   
   • Free: Unlimited test apps, 200-500 records per app for prototyping
   • Starter ($36/month annual): 1 published app, custom domains, ideal for MVP launches
   • Professional ($52/month annual): 2 published apps, 5 collaborators, 25GB storage, custom integrations

For marketplace apps expecting growth, start with Professional to access Xano integration and increased record limits.

Step 3: Configure App Settings

1. Choose primary color (e.g., black for professional look)
2. Select accent color (e.g., green for buy/sell actions)
3. Pick clean typography
4. Enable push notifications in Settings
5. Click "Continue to Builder"

Designing Your Database Schema: Products, Users, Bids, and Orders

Step 4: Enhance the Users Collection

1. Click Database icon in left sidebar
2. Select pre-built "Users" collection
3. Add these properties (click "+ Add Property"):
   
   • Phone Number (Text)
   • Profile Image (Image)
   • User Type (Text) - Values: "Buyer", "Seller", "Both"
   • Seller Verified (True/False)
   • Average Rating (Number)
   • Total Ratings (Number)
   • Shop Name (Text)
   • Bio (Text - Multiline)

Step 5: Create the Products Collection

1. Click "+ Add Collection"
2. Name it "Products"
3. Add these properties:
   
   • Product Name (Text)
   • Brand (Text)
   • Model (Text)
   • Category (Text) - Values: "Sneakers", "Streetwear", "Electronics", "Collectibles"
   • Size (Text)
   • Condition (Text) - Values: "New", "Like New", "Good", "Fair"
   • Product Images (Image - Multiple)
   • Description (Text - Multiline)
   • SKU (Text)
   • Retail Price (Number)
   • Current Lowest Ask (Number)
   • Current Highest Bid (Number)
   • Last Sale Price (Number)
   • Total Sales (Number)
   • Status (Text) - Values: "Available", "Pending Authentication", "Sold"

Step 6: Create the Bids Collection

1. Click "+ Add Collection"
2. Name it "Bids"
3. Add properties:
   
   • Bid Amount (Number)
   • Bid Type (Text) - Values: "Bid", "Ask"
   • Status (Text) - Values: "Active", "Matched", "Expired", "Cancelled"
   • Expiration Date (Date & Time)
   • Created Date (Date & Time - Automatic)

Step 7: Create the Orders Collection

1. Click "+ Add Collection"
2. Name it "Orders"
3. Add properties:
   
   • Order Number (Text - Auto-Generated)
   • Final Price (Number)
   • Order Status (Text) - Values: "Pending Payment", "Payment Confirmed", "Awaiting Authentication", "Authenticated", "Shipped to Buyer", "Completed", "Failed Authentication"
   • Authentication Notes (Text - Multiline)
   • Tracking Number (Text)
   • Created Date (Date & Time - Automatic)
   • Completed Date (Date & Time)

Step 8: Create the Payments Collection

1. Click "+ Add Collection"
2. Name it "Payments"
3. Add properties:
   
   • Payment ID (Text - Auto-Generated)
   • Amount (Number)
   • Platform Fee (Number)
   • Seller Payout (Number)
   • Stripe Payment ID (Text)
   • Payment Status (Text) - Values: "Pending", "Held", "Released", "Failed"
   • Payout Date (Date & Time)

Step 9: Create the Reviews Collection

1. Click "+ Add Collection"
2. Name it "Reviews"
3. Add properties:
   
   • Rating (Number)
   • Comment (Text - Multiline)
   • Review Type (Text) - Values: "Buyer Review", "Seller Review"
   • Created Date (Date & Time - Automatic)

Step 10: Set Up Database Relationships

1. In Products collection:

• Add relationship to Users: "Seller" (One User has Many Products)

2. In Bids collection:

• Add relationship to Products: Many-to-One
• Add relationship to Users: "Bidder" (One User has Many Bids)

3. In Orders collection:

• Add relationship to Products: Many-to-One
• Add relationship to Users: "Buyer"
• Add relationship to Users: "Seller"
• Add relationship to Payments: One-to-One
• Add relationship to Bids: "Matched Bid" (One-to-One)
• Add relationship to Bids: "Matched Ask" (One-to-One)

4. In Reviews collection:

• Add relationship to Users: "Reviewer"
• Add relationship to Users: "Reviewed"
• Add relationship to Orders: Many-to-One

Learn more about Adalo's built-in relational database.

Building the Product Listing Screen: Search, Filters, and Detail Views

Step 11: Create the Home Screen with Product Browse

1. Add new screen "Browse Products"
2. Add Search Bar component at top:
   
   • Connected to Products collection
   • Search by: Product Name, Brand, Model
3. Add Filter section:
   
   • Category dropdown
   • Size selector
   • Condition checkboxes
   • Price range slider
4. Add Custom List component:
   
   • Connected to Products collection
   • Sort by: Most Recent, Lowest Ask, Highest Bid
   • Display: Product image, name, current lowest ask, current highest bid

Step 12: Design the Product Detail Screen

1. Create new screen "Product Detail"
2. Add Image Carousel for product photos
3. Add product information section:
   
   • Text: Product name and brand
   • Text: SKU and condition
   • Text: Retail price (for reference)
4. Add pricing section:
   
   • Text: "Lowest Ask: $[Current Lowest Ask]"
   • Text: "Highest Bid: $[Current Highest Bid]"
   • Text: "Last Sale: $[Last Sale Price]"
   • Text: "Total Sales: [Total Sales]"
5. Add action buttons:
   
   • Button: "Place Bid" → Link to "Place Bid" screen
   • Button: "List for Sale" → Link to "Create Ask" screen (if user is seller)

Step 13: Add Product Price History

1. On Product Detail screen, add section below pricing
2. Add Text: "Price History (Last 30 Days)"
3. Add List of Orders:
   
   • Filter: Product = Current Product, Status = "Completed"
   • Sort: Created Date (Newest First)
   • Limit: 10 records
   • Display: Date, size, price
4. Calculate average sale price using formula

Creating the Bid and Ask System: User Flows and Real-Time Updates

Step 14: Build the Place Bid Flow

1. Create new screen "Place Bid"
2. Add product summary at top:
   
   • Product image
   • Name and size
   • Current highest bid
3. Add Form connected to Bids:
   
   • Number Input: Bid Amount
   • Date Picker: Expiration Date (default 30 days)
   • Set Bid Type = "Bid"
   • Set Status = "Active"
   • Link bidder to Logged In User
4. Add validation:
   
   • Bid must be higher than current highest bid
   • Show warning if bid significantly above last sale price
5. Submit button action:
   
   • Create Bid record
   • Check for matching asks
   • If match found, navigate to "Bid Matched" screen

Step 15: Create the List Item Flow

1. Create new screen "Create Ask"
2. Add Form connected to Bids:
   
   • Number Input: Ask Amount
   • Date Picker: Expiration Date
   • Set Bid Type = "Ask"
   • Set Status = "Active"
3. Add validation:
   
   • Ask must be lower than current lowest ask
4. Submit action:
   
   • Create Bid record
   • Link to Product and User
   • Check for matching bids
   • Update Product's "Current Lowest Ask"

Step 16: Implement Bid/Ask Matching Logic

1. Create custom action "Check for Match":
   
   • When new Bid created: Find Active Asks where Ask Amount ≤ Bid Amount
   • When new Ask created: Find Active Bids where Bid Amount ≥ Ask Amount
2. If match found:
   
   • Create Order record
   • Set Final Price = Average of Bid and Ask
   • Update Bid status = "Matched"
   • Update Ask status = "Matched"
   • Link Matched Bid and Matched Ask to Order
   • Send notification to buyer and seller
   • Navigate to "Order Confirmed" screen

Step 17: Create Order Confirmation Screen

1. Add new screen "Order Confirmed"
2. Display order details:
   
   • Product information
   • Final price
   • Buyer and seller names
   • Next steps explanation
3. For buyers:
   
   • Button: "Complete Payment" → Navigate to payment screen
4. For sellers:
   
   • Text: "Ship item to authentication center within 2 business days"
   • Display shipping address
   • Button: "Print Shipping Label"

Integrating Payment Processing with Stripe and Handling Transactions

Step 18: Install Stripe Payment Component

1. Go to Adalo Marketplace
2. Search "Stripe"
3. Click "Install" on Stripe Payment component
4. Get Stripe API keys from Stripe Dashboard
5. Configure Stripe Connect for marketplace payments:
   
   • Set up platform account
   • Enable delayed payouts (up to 90 days)
   • Configure split payment rules

Step 19: Create Payment Screen

1. Add new screen "Payment"
2. Add order summary:
   
   • Product details
   • Final price
   • Platform fee (2.9% + $0.30)
   • Total amount
3. Add Stripe Payment component:
   
   • Amount: Current Order → Final Price
   • Save payment method checkbox
4. Add payment form fields:
   
   • Card number
   • Expiration date
   • CVC
   • Billing ZIP
5. Submit button actions:
   
   • Process payment through Stripe
   • Create Payment record
   • Update Order Status = "Payment Confirmed"
   • Hold funds for authentication
   • Send notification to seller to ship

Step 20: Build Seller Payout Logic

1. When Order Status changes to "Authenticated":
   
   • Calculate platform fee (9.5-14.5% based on StockX model)
   • Calculate seller payout (Final Price - Platform Fee)
   • Update Payment record
   • Trigger Stripe payout to seller
   • Update Payment Status = "Released"
   • Send payout confirmation email

Step 21: Handle Failed Authentication

1. Create action for Order Status = "Failed Authentication":
   
   • Refund buyer through Stripe
   • Return item to seller
   • Update Payment Status = "Failed"
   • Send notifications explaining failure reason

Designing User Profiles and Authentication: Sign-Up, Login, and Seller Dashboards

Step 22: Create Sign-Up Screen

1. Add new screen "Sign Up"
2. Add Form connected to Users:
   
   • Email
   • Password
   • Full Name
   • Phone Number
   • Profile Image (optional)
3. Add Checkbox: "I want to sell items"
   
   • If checked, set User Type = "Both"
   • If unchecked, set User Type = "Buyer"
4. Submit actions:
   
   • Create user account
   • If seller checkbox selected → Navigate to "Seller Setup"
   • If buyer only → Navigate to "Browse Products"

Step 23: Build Seller Setup Screen

1. Create new screen "Seller Setup"
2. Add Form to update Logged In User:
   
   • Shop Name
   • Bio
   • Verification document upload
   • Bank account info for payouts
3. Add Text: "Verification required before listing items"
4. Submit → Update user → Set Seller Verified = False → Navigate to "Pending Verification" screen

Step 24: Create Buyer Dashboard

1. Add new screen "My Account"
2. Add tabs navigation:
   
   • Active Bids
   • Purchase History
   • Saved Items
   • Account Settings
3. Active Bids tab:
   
   • List of Bids where Bidder = Logged In User, Status = "Active"
   • Display: Product, bid amount, expiration date
   • Button: "Cancel Bid" on each item
4. Purchase History tab:
   
   • List of Orders where Buyer = Logged In User
   • Display: Product, price, status, tracking
   • Click order → Order Detail screen

Step 25: Build Seller Dashboard

1. Create new screen "Seller Dashboard"
2. Add earnings summary:
   
   • Total earnings (sum of completed orders)
   • This month's earnings
   • Pending payouts
   • Active listings count
3. Add List of Products where Seller = Logged In User:
   
   • Display: Image, name, lowest ask, total sales
   • Button: "Edit Listing"
4. Add List of Active Asks:
   
   • Filter: Bid Type = "Ask", Status = "Active"
   • Display: Product, ask amount, expiration
5. Add pending orders section:
   
   • Orders awaiting shipment to authentication
   • Orders in authentication
   • Button: "View Details" for each

Adding Advanced Features: Notifications, Favorites, and Seller Ratings

Step 26: Implement Favorites System

1. Add relationship in Products collection:
   
   • Many-to-Many with Users: "Favorited By"
2. On Product Detail screen:
   
   • Add Icon Button: Heart icon
   • Action: Add Current Product to Logged In User → Favorited Products
   • Conditional visibility: Filled heart if already favorited
3. Create "Favorites" screen:
   
   • List of Logged In User → Favorited Products
   • Display: Image, name, current lowest ask
   • Button: Remove from favorites

Step 27: Configure Push Notifications

1. Enable push notifications in app settings
2. Add notification triggers:
   
   • Bid matched: "Your bid was matched! Complete payment now."
   • Price drop: "An item you're watching dropped to $[Price]"
   • New highest bid: "Someone outbid you on [Product Name]"
   • Order shipped: "Your order has shipped. Track: [Tracking Number]"
   • Authentication complete: "Item authenticated. Shipping to you now."
   • Payout processed: "Payment of $[Amount] sent to your account"

Step 28: Build Rating System

1. Create new screen "Rate Transaction"
2. Add Star Rating component from Component Marketplace:
   
   • Connected to Reviews collection
   • Set Rating value
3. Add Text Input for comments
4. Add radio buttons for review type:
   
   • "Rate as Buyer" (reviewing seller)
   • "Rate as Seller" (reviewing buyer)
5. Submit actions:
   
   • Create Review record
   • Calculate new average: (Current Average × Total Ratings + New Rating) / (Total Ratings + 1)
   • Update user's Average Rating and Total Ratings

Step 29: Add Automated Email Notifications

1. Integrate Zapier with Adalo
2. Create Zaps for:
   
   • Order confirmation emails
   • Shipping label generation
   • Payout notifications
   • Weekly sales summaries for sellers
3. Configure email templates with order details

Publishing Your Marketplace App to Web, iOS, and Android

Step 30: Prepare for Web Publishing

1. Enable responsive design in app settings
2. Test layouts on different screen sizes
3. Add custom domain in Starter plan:
   
   • Purchase domain ($10-$45/year)
   • Connect via DNS settings
4. Configure SEO settings:
   
   • Page titles
   • Meta descriptions
   • Favicon

Step 31: Publish to Web

1. Click "Publish" in top right
2. Select "Web App"
3. Choose publishing mode:
   
   • Manual publishing (recommended for marketplace)
   • Automatic updates
4. Click "Publish to Web"
5. App goes live at your custom domain

Learn more about publishing web apps.

Step 32: Submit to Apple App Store

1. Enroll in Apple Developer Program ($99/year)
2. In Adalo, click "Publish" → "iOS"
3. Configure app settings:
   
   • App name and description
   • Keywords
   • Screenshots (required sizes)
   • Privacy policy URL
4. Generate iOS build
5. Download and upload to App Store Connect
6. Submit for review (typically 1-3 days)

Step 33: Deploy to Google Play Store

1. Create Google Play developer account (one-time $25 fee)
2. In Adalo, click "Publish" → "Android"
3. Configure app listing:
   
   • Title and description
   • Screenshots and graphics
   • Category and content rating
4. Generate Android APK/AAB
5. Upload to Google Play Console
6. Submit for review (typically 1-2 days)

Comparing Adalo to Other No-Code Platforms for Marketplace Apps

Adalo vs. Bubble for Marketplace Apps

Adalo advantages:

• Native mobile app publishing without wrappers
• Simpler drag-and-drop interface without flexbox complexity
• Built-in relational database included
• Component Marketplace with pre-built marketplace features
• Faster learning curve for non-technical users

When to choose Adalo:

• Mobile-first marketplace
• Need iOS and Android native apps
• Want simple visual builder
• Budget-conscious (Starter at $36/month)

Read the full Adalo vs. Bubble comparison.

When to Choose Adalo Over Glide or FlutterFlow

Adalo vs. Glide:

• Adalo offers native mobile apps; Glide creates progressive web apps
• Adalo has more flexible database relationships
• Glide is simpler but more limited for complex marketplace logic

Adalo vs. FlutterFlow:

• FlutterFlow offers more customization but steeper learning curve
• Adalo provides faster prototyping
• Both publish native apps

Scaling Your Resale Marketplace: Data Limits, Integrations, and Performance

Step 34: Monitor Performance and Scaling Needs

Adalo apps maintain 99%+ uptime and process over 20 million data requests daily. The largest Adalo marketplace has approximately 100,000 users.

Signs you need to upgrade:

• Approaching record limits on your plan
• Slower list loading times
• Need more than 5 collaborators
• Require priority support

Step 35: Integrate External Databases for Scale

1. When built-in database limits are reached:
   
   • Upgrade to Professional or Team plan
   • Connect Xano for external backend
   • Use Airtable for external data storage
2. External database benefits:
   
   • Higher record limits
   • Better performance at scale
   • Advanced query capabilities
   • Team plan includes Xano integration

Step 36: Optimize App Performance

1. Reduce list item counts (use pagination)
2. Optimize image sizes before upload
3. Limit simultaneous API calls
4. Use conditional visibility instead of multiple screens
5. Cache frequently accessed data

Learn performance optimization tips.

Real-World Examples: Successful Resale Marketplaces Built with No-Code Tools

What Makes StockX, Poshmark, and Depop Different

StockX ($3.8B valuation):

• Bid/ask pricing model
• Mandatory authentication on every item
• Transparent market data
• Focus on limited-edition items

Poshmark:

• Social commerce integration
• Direct seller-to-buyer shipping
• Community-driven discovery
• Fashion and vintage focus

Depop:

• Instagram-style interface
• Younger demographic target
• Peer-to-peer transactions
• Vintage and thrifted items

ThredUp:

• Consignment model
• Company handles all logistics
• Quality-controlled inventory
• Professional photography

Lessons from StockX's Bidding Model

StockX processed over 10 million transactions within three years by solving the resale industry's biggest problem: trust. The platform's authentication centers employ over 1,400 people checking material construction, packaging, logos, stitching, and even smell to prevent counterfeits.

Key takeaways for your marketplace:

• Authentication builds buyer confidence and justifies premium pricing
• Transparent pricing data reduces friction
• Delayed payouts protect both parties
• Platform control of logistics ensures quality

How to Differentiate Your Marketplace

With social commerce growing at 31.7% annually to $764B, opportunities exist in underserved niches:

• Geographic focus: Regional specialty markets where StockX has limited presence
• Category specialization: Vintage gaming items, rare books, limited-edition vinyl
• Community-driven: Hyper-local trading for specific collector communities
• AI authentication: Faster verification using image recognition
• Blockchain tracking: Enhanced security and provenance verification

Read more successful app examples.

Why Adalo Is the Right Platform for Building Your Resale Marketplace

Adalo empowers makers to build sophisticated marketplace apps without coding experience. The platform's drag-and-drop interface eliminates flexbox complexity, making it accessible for anyone who can create a slide deck.

For resale marketplaces specifically, Adalo provides:

• Built-in relational database: Handle complex relationships between products, bids, orders, and users without external setup
• Native mobile publishing: Deploy to iOS and Android from one build
• Payment integration: Stripe Connect enables split payments and delayed payouts essential for authentication workflows
• Scalability: Apps process 20M+ daily requests with 99% uptime
• Cost efficiency: 70% cheaper than traditional development
• Speed to market: Launch in weeks instead of months

Adalo's marketplace components include payment processing, star ratings, image upload, and messaging—everything needed for a complete marketplace experience. The Professional plan at $52/month provides 25GB storage, custom integrations, and Xano connectivity for scaling beyond initial launch.

Whether you're validating a niche marketplace concept or building a full-scale resale platform, Adalo provides the tools to bring your idea to life without a development team. Over 1 million apps have been created with Adalo, serving 2M+ unique end users.

‍Start with Adalo free.