BLK+GRN is an e-commerce platform specializing in eco-friendly beauty and wellness items crafted by Black creators and business owners. If you’d like to start your own marketplace like BLK + GRN, you’re facing a buy vs build decision. So before you decide to build it in-house on top of Spree open-source, consider using Vendo which is a marketplace SaaS. Go live, start selling, iterate.
Build vs Buy a marketplace?
Opting for open-source brings various benefits, including complete control and the liberty to customize. However, these advantages often come with substantial financial implications. Creating a complete marketplace solution is a long, expensive process, typically requiring many months or even years. This understanding is based on our experiences with different marketplace projects.
Unless you’ve secured significant funding, it is advisable to opt for a ready-made, comprehensive marketplace solution like Vendo, as recommended by someone who has charged for marketplace development for many years.
Back to the BLK + GRN marketplace case study
BLK + GRN’s beginnings can be traced back to Dr. Edwards’ entrepreneurial spirit, which emerged when she was in third grade. Her journey included working at Johns Hopkins Hospital and pursuing a doctorate, experiences that greatly contributed to her business skills. With a mission-driven approach, BLK + GRN focuses on both profit and creating a positive societal impact.
Initially, BLK + GRN started with a list of 75 products, primarily sourced through social media and artisan referrals. They offer a diverse range of products, including beauty, personal care, pet items, and cleaning supplies, reflecting Dr. Edwards’ vision of BLK + GRN as more than just a beauty platform but a lifestyle choice.
While beauty products, especially skincare, are a significant part of BLK + GRN’s offerings, they are also finding success in categories like jewelry. BLK + GRN emphasizes ethical sourcing, particularly for ingredients from Africa, to ensure sustainability and fairness in the supply chain. They assist vendors in improving their sourcing practices, reinforcing their commitment to ethical business.
One of BLK + GRN’s challenges was in digital marketing, specifically search engine optimization (SEO). Issues like duplicate content, unoptimized tags, and slow site speed were affecting their online visibility. Addressing these SEO challenges was crucial in enhancing their online presence and market leadership.
Dr. Edwards advises entrepreneurs to focus on solving real problems and engage with potential customers to validate business ideas. Her philosophy, deeply embedded in BLK + GRN’s ethos, is that supporting small businesses supports dreams, families, and livelihoods. This sentiment is reflected in every aspect of BLK + GRN, from product selection to vendor partnerships.
BLK + GRN isn’t just a marketplace; it’s a movement that aims to empower consumers to make informed choices that support both their health and the communities behind the products.
How to emulate BLK + GRN marketplace success?
If you’re looking to replicate BLK + GRN’s success, you might want to get your marketplace going sooner, in weeks rather than months. Check how your product lineup matches your audience’s interests and continually refine how you draw in customers based on real-world evidence.
Initially, test the market before investing heavily in building it.
Here’s what you’d be getting with a Vendo free trial:
- Book a marketplace demo call: We’ll set up your demo marketplace and populate it with products, so you could give it a try and start selling in 14 days
- Customize your Storefront: Use the drag & drop page builder or custom CSS
- Onboard Brands: Invite your brands or choose brands from our catalog
- Select Products: Curate products and collections manually or automate it
- Embed products: Make your content, newsletters, social media shoppable
- Get Paid: Get paid as soon as products are shipped by the brands
- End-to-end automation: Brands sync, fulfillment, payouts, invoicing, taxes
When you’ve tried all that and it works, start thinking about building your own, custom-made marketplace project based on Spree Commerce. First, by decoupling the storefront and going headless with Vendo marketplace API, and later with your own backend, if you decide you really need it. Just lift and shift the storefront.
Nobody has to know what’s under the hood, right?
