Local Market

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  details store

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  map explorer

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  details view

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  homapage

Inspiration

I'm from Martinique. After 13 years living in Paris, I moved back to my island and was immediately struck by how underdeveloped local e-commerce was compared to mainland France. Online shopping is rare, and ordering products from abroad is costly due to high shipping and customs fees. Yet there are many excellent local shops that remain hidden unless you already know about them. I wanted to solve that problem by creating a platform that connects people to nearby businesses in an intuitive, accessible, and scalable way.

What it does

Local Market is a web platform that lets users explore stores near them through an interactive map. Shops are categorized by product types or services. Businesses can choose from several visibility levels—from a free public profile to a full-featured marketplace with online ordering, stock tracking, and account management. Customers benefit from discovering shops they might never have found otherwise, and store owners gain digital visibility without needing their own website.

How we built it

The frontend was built with Vite.js to ensure a fast and modern user experience. The backend uses Bolt, which helps manage scheduled operations, logic, and automated tasks. Supabase powers the database and user authentication system. We implemented secure role-based access, allowing store admins to manage their own products, and created an admin dashboard with authenticated access for platform-level moderation and data management. The system is modular and ready for mobile expansion.

Challenges we ran into

Finding and structuring reliable geolocated data for shops in Martinique Convincing traditional shop owners to use digital tools Balancing a flexible pricing system with sustainable platform development Building a user experience simple enough for non-tech-savvy users Ensuring scalability and security from day one

Accomplishments that we're proud of

Built a working, scalable MVP with multi-role access and real-time geolocation Designed a modular architecture that can expand into full e-commerce Created a tool that genuinely solves a local pain point for both buyers and sellers Developed a system that's adaptable to other under-connected markets beyond Martinique

What we learned

We learned the importance of designing tech around cultural and economic realities. Simplicity and accessibility are critical when bringing digital solutions to regions where tech adoption is still developing. We also deepened our understanding of geolocation systems, secure authentication flows, and how to create infrastructure for hyperlocal marketplaces.

What's next for Local Market

Launching a crowdfunding campaign on Ulule Partnering with Martinique Développement for local economic support Onboarding local shops and training them to manage their storefronts Launching the mobile app version (iOS & Android) Improving store update tracking (e.g. product freshness and stock) Expanding the platform to other islands or regions with similar challenges

Built With

• bolt
• supabase
• vitejs