Creating Multi-Sided Marketplaces: Connecting Creators and Collectors
Behind the scenes of building Galeri.art, a platform democratizing art access and connecting Indonesian artists with collectors worldwide.
Featured Project
Building a marketplace is deceptively complex. You're not building one product—you're building interconnected experiences for multiple user types, each with different needs and motivations. Our work on Galeri.art, an Indonesian art marketplace, taught us valuable lessons about creating platforms that serve creators and collectors equally well.
The Vision: Art for Everyone
Galeri.art's mission is to democratize access to Indonesian art by connecting artists directly with collectors, making discovery accessible, supporting emerging artists, and building trust through authenticity and secure transactions.
The Chicken-and-Egg Problem
Every marketplace faces this challenge: Artists won't join without collectors, collectors won't join without artists, and neither will stay without transactions. Solving this requires carefully designed incentives on both sides.
Platform Architecture
Artist Portal
Artists need comprehensive tools to showcase their work including portfolio management (upload high-resolution artwork, add descriptions, set pricing, organize collections) and sales management (order notifications, earnings dashboard, payout management, analytics).
Collector Experience
Collectors need a delightful discovery and purchase experience with browsing by style, medium, size, and price, personalized recommendations, secure checkout, multiple payment methods, and shipping tracking.
Trust and Safety
Art authentication is critical:
- Artist verification before selling privileges
- High quality product placements generation
- Secure payment processing with escrow
- Dispute resolution workflows
Results and Lessons
The platform achieved 200+ verified artists, 2,000+ artworks listed, and 15,000+ monthly visitors. Key lessons: start with one side (quality artists first), trust is everything, mobile is essential, and localization matters beyond just language.
Building Galeri.art reinforced our belief that marketplaces succeed when they genuinely serve all participants. Technology enables the connections, but trust and community sustain them.
