Advice re: how to create a website like 'Pre-loved'?

[wax lyrical]

I am a relative web design/ web hosting novice and would appreciate advice on how to quickly create a simpler version of the Pre-loved website?

A free platform where members of the public can upload photos of household items they want to trade or sell (i.e. Consumer to consumer). It will be different to Gumtree or Pre-loved as it will be targeting a very specific market. Possible advertising revenue in the future.

All input appreciated!

[wax lyrical]

Agreed - 'Pre-loved' is a rubbish name. Still gets 10 million views a month though.

[wax lyrical]

Thanks for responses so far, guys. I actually want a website a lot more sophisticated and elegant looking than a standard 'Wordpress' jobby, so I think I might not be able to do it myself?

Or are there any really good web design / plugin packages that will help?

[wax lyrical]

Buying a website already up and running would be ideal - but is that even possible? Needs to be done cheaply!

[wax lyrical]

So if I create a website using the Wordpress 'Classified engine', how do I choose the correct hosting site so that it can be scaled up easily when traffic increases?

I think you can tell I'm a bit of a novice at all of this!

But ask me about international corporate taxation and transfer pricing and I'm your man...

[wax lyrical]

I realise the marketing and bringing quality traffic to the website will be the main challenge - but I want a robust website up and running as soon as possible.

[wax lyrical]

Is 'PistonHeads' a bespoke site or something that started off based on a 'Wordpress' plugin?

[wax lyrical]

Thanks All - lots of useful advice and a great deal to mull over.

Scaleability of managed hosting will be crucial, but I think Wordpress sites can cope - based on some research I've done this evening.

[wax lyrical]

Still working on the marketing plan! It's a niche area so makes things even more tricky for targeted marketing.

jammy-git said:

May I ask what plans you have for marketing?

[wax lyrical]

Many thanks for the offer of guidance! It's sorely needed. I'll PM you in the morning.

Oceanic said:

I have been involved with several of the largest classified sites in the UK, I have also set-up and ran a few of my own and more recently was SEO Lead for a $60MM funded classifieds platform start-up.

From a start-up position you are in, where you go with the what actual platform will depend on what budget you have, if you have a few hundred $$ or there abouts I'd start with an off the shelf solution for you to get started with...https://geodesicsolutions.com/client-area/task,product/product_id,68/

I'd avoid Wordpress as it is not really intended to be used in this way and all the pluggins and themes I have used all have real issues with them that are not easily fixed. You will also find any Wordpress set-up will be quite slow on the pagespeed side of things.

Feel free to drop me a PM if you want a bit more guidance.