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Down Your High Street
Case Study

Multivendor UK Marketplace Empowering Local Retailers | CS-Cart

About the Project

colorful-gift-boxes-toys-product-range
  • Industry
    Multivendor ecommerce platform focused on independent UK retailers, showcasing fashion, homeware, gifts, toys, and more.
  • Solution Type
    Custom multivendor marketplace platform built to unify local independent retailers online, offering them a shared sales channel and increased visibility.
  • Technologies
    CS-Cart Multivendor, PHP, MySQL, Smarty, HTML5, CSS3, JavaScript
  • Integrations
    Adyen (for standard payments), ClearPay (Buy Now, Pay Later) payment gateways

The Challenge

Independent UK high-street shops struggled to compete with online retailers due to declining footfall and weak ecommerce presence. The goal was to create a unified marketplace combining local shop charm with modern platform convenience and reach.

  1. Declining Footfall
    Independent UK high-street shops were seeing fewer in-person customers, impacting sales and visibility.
  2. Limited Digital Presence
    Many local retailers lacked ecommerce platforms, reducing their ability to compete online.
  3. Fragmented Product Listings
    Shops faced challenges aggregating diverse product catalogs into a single, accessible marketplace.
  4. Competitive Pressure from Large Retailers
    Big online retailers offered convenience, variety, and flexible payment options, drawing customers away.
  5. Create a Unified Marketplace
    Develop a platform that preserves the charm and identity of local shops while providing modern online reach and convenience.

Key Pain Points

  • Lack of digital presence for brick-and-mortar independents.
  • Difficulties in aggregating diverse product catalogs.
  • High-cost barriers to creating or maintaining individual
e-commerce platforms.
  • Need for flexible, modern payment options, including “buy now, pay later.”

Specific Goals

  • Build a scalable, user-friendly multi-seller platform from scratch.
  • Empower retailers to upload and manage products easily.
  • Support varied product categories while preserving individual retailer identity.
  • Implement modern payment options, including financing through ClearPay.
  • Operate on a fair commission structure with no upfront fees.
A miniature shopping cart tethered by a heavy metal chain, symbolizing the business challenge of limited scalability, complex logistics, and difficulty in connecting small, independent high street shops to a broader audience.

The Solution

Wisitech developed a CS-Cart multivendor marketplace tailored for UK retailers, combining a flexible frontend, secure payments, and a scalable backend. 

Key features include personalized recommendations,
click-and-collect, local delivery, and a fair 15%
commission-only model.

  1. Developed a CS-Cart–based multivendor marketplace, tailored to the needs of independent UK retailers.
  2. Smarty templates powered the flexible frontend, styled with HTML5 and CSS3, enhanced by JavaScript for interactivity.
  3. MySQL offered stable data storage for products, sellers, and transactions.
  4. Integrated Adyen for secure, global payments and ClearPay to enable flexible “Buy Now, Pay Later” checkout.
  5. Implemented a commission-only revenue model, no listing fees, only 15% commission on sales, for fair platform access
  6. Enabled features like personalized recommendations, click-and-collect, and local delivery options
A hand reaching out to touch a glowing lightbulb emerging from a laptop screen, symbolizing the innovative digital solution and the breakthrough technology delivered for the marketplace.

Key Features

hand-touching-holographic-shopping-cart-key-feature
  1. Vendor Onboarding & Management
    Independent shop owners could easily register, list inventory, and manage orders.
  2. Wide Product Range
    Thousands of unique products, from fashion to toys, many exclusive to the platform
  3. Local Shopping Experience
    Personalized browsing based on user location to promote local retailers
  4. Flexible Checkout
    Integrated ClearPay for financing, plus traditional payment via Adyen.
  5. Fair Marketplace Economics
    15% commission-only policy, no joining fees, with optional premium integrations.
  6. Marketing Support
    Collective marketing campaigns (e.g., #THINKWHEREYOUSHOP), regional “E-town” promotions, and TV exposure drove visibility

Consulting Services

In addition to building the corporate website, Wisitech offered:

  • Business Consulting
    Defined commission strategy, marketing campaigns (e.g., shopper awareness drives), and seller support frameworks.
  • Business Analysis
    Streamlined merchant onboarding workflows, product category structuring, and checkout process mapping for optimal seller and customer experience.
Two professionals intently reviewing data and discussing a project on a laptop, symbolizing business and IT consulting for the multi-vendor e-commerce platform.

Results & Impact

What We Delivered

  • Empowered independent retailers with an accessible, centralized online presence.
  • Over 400% sales growth by year two.
  • Substantial product variety – over 100,000 unique items, many exclusive to independent shops.

Impact & Value

  • The platform reconnected communities with local retailers, reinforcing the high-street economy and fostering shopper loyalty
  • A blend of the marketplace convenience and personal touch from local boutiques resonated with users
  • Some operational challenges emerged, including delivery and customer service frustrations

Ready to Build Your Local Marketplace?

Create a custom CS-Cart multivendor platform like Down Your High Street
that empowers local retailers and connects communities.

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