Case Study: TackleTarts—a Custom Fishing Marketplace on CS-Cart Built in 1 Year
TackleTarts is a fishing tackle marketplace founded in 2019 by a team with a passion for fishing. David, one of the founders, recognized a gap in the market—there was no one-stop-shop for all the fishing gear and tackle that enthusiasts needed.
The industry was also lacking in technological advancement, as most fishing tackle shops were not run by tech-savvy individuals. This presented an opportunity to create an online marketplace that could serve the needs of both vendors and customers in the fishing industry.
“There was never a one-stop shop to buy all the different types of fishing tackle that I needed. I had to go to platform A, platform B, platform C. And also the industry itself is not very technologically advanced because most people who run a fishing tackle shop, they are not technologists.”
David Oak, a Cofounder of TackleTarts
From Idea to Launch
The founders started small, building a minimal viable product (MVP) in just 9 months to test the market and see if vendors and customers would be interested. During this time, they scaled the business from £0 to £100 per month in revenue.
Seeing the potential, they then sought investment to build a niche marketplace, which took about a year to develop. This allowed them to onboard more vendors, expand the product catalog, and prepare for growth.
Development and Customization
While CS-Cart provided a good foundation for a multivendor marketplace, the platform required customization to fit the specific needs of TackleTarts. The CEO noted that no off-the-shelf solution can perfectly address every business requirement, so they had to build custom development pipelines to adapt CS-Cart to their model. This included simplifying the vendor panels for better onboarding of new sellers, configuring payment systems (Mango Pay and PayPal), and integrating the review systems (Trustpilot and Google Reviews) to create a modern, standalone management platform.
CS-Cart Tip: In January 2024, we revamped the vendor dashboard to make it simple and intuitive for new sellers right out of the box. In a recent update, we also added Mangopay, while PayPal has been integrated into our software for a long time. And Google Reviews can be quickly integrated with an add-on.
Expansion and Challenges
As TackleTarts grew, the team faced challenges in scaling the business, such as balancing increased costs with the need for more staff and technology. They also had to continuously optimize their marketing strategies, focusing on key metrics like customer acquisition cost and average order value.
Building trust with both vendors and customers was another crucial aspect, which they addressed through features like the “TackleTarts Guarantee” and integrations with review platforms.
TackleTarts Guarantee Page
Integration with Google Reviews
Key Features and Support
The multivendor capabilities of CS-Cart were a key feature that enabled TackleTarts to onboard a wide range of fishing tackle suppliers. However, the CEO notes that the platform’s vendor panel and product management tools needed to be adapted for the business requirements, leading them to explore building a custom management platform using the CS-Cart API.
Achievements and Future Plans
TackleTarts was able to launch its marketplace within the first year and achieve its first sales on the very first day. Over the course of 2–3 years, the company grew to a significant size, with thousands of products, hundreds of vendors, and a thriving customer base.
Looking to the future, the team is focused on expanding their C2C selling capabilities, improving the vendor experience, and potentially developing a standalone CS-Cart management platform as a SaaS offering.
Achieved first sales on the very first day after the MVP launch.
Advice for New Entrepreneurs
David shares several key pieces of advice for new entrepreneurs:
- Don’t be afraid to make mistakes—experience is the best teacher.
- Carefully consider how much equity to give away when raising investment.
- Customize your platform to fit your business model, but don’t expect it to solve every problem.
- Focus on key metrics like customer acquisition cost and average order value.
- Invest in building trust with both vendors and customers.
Conclusion
These days, TackleTarts is a successful fishing tackle marketplace that was able to confidently launch and scale its business by leveraging the multivendor capabilities of CS-Cart, while also investing in significant customization and development to address the unique needs of their industry. The company has achieved impressive growth, with plans to continue expanding and improving the platform to better serve their vendors and customers.
Do you have an idea for a new online marketplace that could fill an unmet need in the market? We’d be happy to discuss your marketplace concept and requirements with you to determine the best solution for bringing your vision to life. Please share more details about your idea, and our team can explore the feasibility, identify key features, and outline a plan to get your marketplace up and running.
Gayane is a passionate eCommerce expert with over 10 years in the industry. Her extensive experience includes marketplace management, digital marketing, and consumer behavior analysis. Dedicated to uncovering the latest eCommerce trends, she ensures her readers are always informed about industry developments. Known for her analytical skills and keen eye for detail, Gayane's articles provide actionable insights that help businesses and consumers navigate the ever-evolving digital commerce landscape.