SmartBid : online bidding system

Abstract

This thesis project focused on design and development of SmartBid, a real time online auction platform intended to enhance the consumer to consumer (C2C) trading experience in Finland, was the focus of this thesis project. The aim was to solve the drawbacks of fixed price platforms such as Facebook Marketplace and Tori.fi by developing a system that would allow users to offer items for sale and participate in dynamic bidding procedures. I implemented necessary functions like item creation, bidding process, bid tracking, user authentication, and a notification system during the development. Transparency, automated auction closing, and real time updates were all guaranteed by the bidding logic. While bidders received instant feedback on their actions, sellers were able to view the ultimate winning bid and bidder details. To notify users of bid updates, item status changes, and account activity, a customized notification system was created. The MERN stack (MongoDB, Express, React, and Node.js) was used to independently to develop the project. Node.js and Express were used to handle API functionality and routing, while React was used to create a simple, responsive frontend experience. MongoDB used to store items, users, and bids. The system's architecture was scalable and modular, enabling opportunities for possible future improvements like AI powered suggestions, payment gateway connection, and auto bidding. This project explored how to develop a user friendly, secure, and structured online auction platform that is fit to the digital commerce environment in Finland using current web technology.