CARDCONOMY
User Flow Diagram

Complete User Journey

Every step a user takes, the problem it solves, and why it exists. Use this to identify what to simplify, what to cut, and where to focus.

Entry Point
Screen / View
User Action
Decision Point
Verification Gate
Outcome
1

Onboarding

A new user goes from stranger to browsing a personalised home feed. The entire flow is designed to be completable in under 60 seconds. There is no persona selection, no account type choice, no complexity. Everyone starts the same way.
ALL USERS
1.1
New User
User arrives at Cardconomy for the first time
They have heard about the platform through a trade show, social media, a friend, or a shop recommendation. They want to see what cards are available and at what prices.
Problem: UK collectors have no dedicated marketplace. They use eBay (expensive), Cardmarket (EU friction post-Brexit), or Facebook groups (no protection).
1.2
Sign Up
Email address + password, or one-tap social login (Google, Apple)
Minimal friction. No phone number required yet. Social login means one tap on mobile. We collect only what we need to create an account.
Problem: Many marketplace signups ask for too much upfront (address, phone, preferences) and lose users. We defer everything non-essential.
1.3
Verify Email
Clerk sends a verification email. User clicks the link or enters a code.
Required for account security and to prevent spam accounts. Clerk handles this entirely -- no custom code needed.
1.4
Pick Games
Multi-select tiles: Pokemon, Magic, Yu-Gi-Oh, One Piece, Lorcana. Skippable.
Personalises the home feed immediately. A Pokemon-only collector should not see Magic cards on their first visit. If skipped, we show everything.
Problem: Generic marketplaces show everything to everyone. TCG collectors are tribal -- they care deeply about their game and are annoyed by irrelevant results.
1.5
Home Feed
Personalised browse feed. User has full Browse and Buy capability.
The user is now inside the marketplace. They can search, watch, buy, build collections, and set buylists. No further setup required to use the core product.
✓
Design principle: Zero setup to value

The user sees cards they care about within 60 seconds of arriving. Everything else (selling, shop tools, verification) is deferred until the moment they need it. This is the opposite of Cardmarket, which requires address and payment setup before you can even browse.

New User
Sign Up
Email or social
Verify Email
Pick Games
Skippable
Home Feed
Browse & Buy unlocked
2

Discover & Buy

The core marketplace loop: find a card, compare sellers, buy it. This is the flow that must work flawlessly before anything else matters. If people cannot find and buy cards quickly, nothing else in the platform has value.
BUYER
Finding Cards
2.1
Home Feed
Curated discovery: game carousel, hot deals (below market), daily movers (biggest price shifts), trending (most watched)
Not everyone knows exactly what they want. Hot Deals answers "what is underpriced right now?" Daily Movers answers "what is changing?" Trending answers "what are other people interested in?"
Problem: eBay has no TCG-specific discovery. Cardmarket is search-only. There is no browse-for-inspiration experience in the UK market.
2.2
Search + Filters
Text search with filters: game, set, condition (NM/LP/MP/HP/DMG), price range, finish (standard/foil), rarity, seller type (individual/verified/shop). Sort by price, recency, popularity, best deal.
TCG buyers are specific. They want "Near Mint Charizard ex from SV 151, foil, under 400 pounds." The filter system must handle this precision without being overwhelming.
Problem: eBay search is keyword-based and full of junk listings. Collectors want structured data, not free-text guessing.
2.3
Product Page
One page per card identity. Shows card art, set info, market price, demand indicator ("X buyers want this"), all sellers offering this card sorted by price. Finish tabs (standard/foil) with separate pricing.
This is the key innovation vs eBay. On eBay, the same card has 50 separate listings you must check individually. Here, one page shows every seller so you can compare price, condition, seller rating, and shipping speed at a glance.
Problem: Price comparison for TCG singles is painful. Buyers open 10 tabs on eBay to compare the same card. The product page eliminates this entirely.
2.4
Listing Detail
A specific seller's listing. Their photos (front/back/close-up), condition notes, price with market comparison ("X% below market"), seller profile (rating, sales count, location, trust badge), buyer protection info.
This is where the buyer decides to commit. They need to trust the seller and the card condition. Photos and seller reputation are the two biggest factors in TCG purchasing decisions.
Purchasing
2.5
Buy or Offer?
Two paths: "Add to Cart" (buy at listed price) or "Make Offer" (propose a lower price). Not all listings accept offers -- the seller controls this.
Fixed pricing is simpler and faster. Offers add negotiation but increase conversion for sellers on stale inventory. Supporting both covers the two dominant buying patterns in TCG.
2.6a
Add to Cart
Card goes into cart. User can continue shopping (multi-seller cart) or proceed to checkout.
Cart supports buying from multiple sellers in one session. Each seller ships separately but the buyer pays once.
2.6b
Make Offer
Buyer sets a price. Seller can accept, decline, or counter. Offers expire after a set period (e.g. 48 hours).
Negotiation is culturally embedded in TCG trading. Many collectors expect to offer below asking. Counter-offers keep both parties engaged rather than losing the sale.
2.7
Cart
All items, grouped by seller. Shows subtotal, shipping per seller, buyer protection fee (2% + 30p).
Transparency. No surprise fees at checkout. The buyer sees exactly what they will pay before they commit.
2.8
Checkout
Delivery address, shipping method (standard/express), payment method. Order confirmation.
Standard e-commerce checkout. Payment processing handled by Stripe. Keep it simple -- TCG buyers are used to eBay checkout so do not reinvent this.
2.9
Order Confirmed
Order placed. Seller notified. Tracking provided when shipped. Funds held in escrow until delivered.
Escrow protects both parties. Buyer knows their money is safe. Seller knows they will be paid once delivery is confirmed.
?
Question: Is the offer system essential for launch?

Offers add complexity (counter-offers, expiry, notifications, dispute potential). Fixed pricing is simpler and covers 70%+ of transactions on Cardmarket. Consider launching with Buy Now only, adding offers in v2 based on seller demand.

Finding Cards
Home Feed
Search + Filters
Product Page
All sellers, one card
Listing Detail
One seller's offer
Purchasing
Listing Detail
Buy or Offer?
Buy now
Add to Cart
Cart
Checkout
Order Confirmed
Make offer
Set Price
Offer Sent
Response?
Accepted
Add to Cart
3

Track & Collect

Tools that keep users coming back even when they are not buying. Watchlists, collections, and buylists create daily engagement and feed the marketplace with demand signals that help sellers price correctly.
BUYER
3.1
Watchlist
Track specific cards with live price deltas. See when prices rise or drop. Heart icon on any listing to add.
Creates a reason to open the app daily. Price alerts convert watchers into buyers when prices drop. Also signals demand to sellers.
Problem: On eBay, "watching" an item only tracks that one listing. Here, you watch the card itself across all sellers.
3.2
Collections
Named groups of cards the user owns. Portfolio value tracking with gain/loss per card. Add cards via search or scan.
Collectors want to know what their collection is worth. This is the "portfolio tracker" that creates ongoing engagement. Users who track collections are 3-4x more likely to transact.
3.3
Buylist
Set cards you want + the max price you will pay. System automatically matches you with sellers who list at or below your price.
Passive buying. Set it and forget it. When a seller lists a card you want at a price you are willing to pay, you get notified. This is how shops source inventory -- now individual collectors can do it too.
Problem: No consumer marketplace offers automatic buy matching. This is a feature borrowed from the B2B card trade (shop buylists) and democratised for collectors.
3.4
Scan Card
Point camera at a card. AI identifies it, suggests a grade, shows market price. From there: add to collection, view listings, or price check.
Bridge between physical cards and the digital marketplace. Useful at trade nights, when sorting a collection, or when you find cards at a car boot sale and want to know their value instantly.
?
Question: What is the MVP for Track & Collect?

Watchlist is essential (drives return visits). Collections are high-value but complex (portfolio tracking needs price data). Buylist is powerful but needs critical mass to be useful. Scan requires AI integration. Consider: Watchlist for launch, Collections in v2, Buylist and Scan in v3.

Profile
Watchlist
Live price deltas
Collections
Portfolio tracking
Buylist
Auto-matching
Camera
Scan Card
AI identification
Result
Grade, price, actions
4

Become a Seller

When a buyer decides to sell their first card, they hit a one-time verification gate. This is the only friction in the entire platform -- and it exists because trust is the currency of a marketplace. Verified sellers get a badge visible to all buyers.
SELLER UNLOCK
4.1
Tap "Sell"
User taps the Sell tab for the first time. Instead of the sell hub, they see the seller activation flow.
The trigger is natural -- they wanted to sell something. The activation flow is presented as "here is what you need to do to get started" not "you are not allowed to do this."
4.2
Seller Pitch
Benefits of selling on Cardconomy. Fee comparison: "4% seller fee -- the lowest in TCG." How it works. Single CTA: "Get verified to sell."
Reframes verification as a benefit, not a barrier. Shows the fee advantage immediately. The user should feel excited, not annoyed.
Problem: Sellers on eBay pay 12-15%. On Cardmarket they deal with EU shipping. We lead with the fee advantage because it is our strongest differentiator.
4.3
ID Verification
Photo of passport or UK driving licence + selfie match. Handled by Stripe Identity (or Onfido). Takes 2-3 minutes.
Prevents fraud, fake accounts, and counterfeit sellers. This is the minimum bar for marketplace trust. Every serious marketplace requires this. Buyers will not spend 400 pounds on a card from an unverified stranger.
Problem: 125% increase in counterfeit cards in 2025. ID verification is the first line of defence against bad actors entering the seller pool.
4.4
Payout Setup
UK bank account details or Stripe Connect onboarding. This is where the seller's earnings will be sent.
Required before they can receive money. Stripe Connect handles KYC/AML compliance. Setting this up now means instant payouts when they make their first sale.
4.5
Accept Terms
Agree to seller terms of service: shipping timelines, condition accuracy, return policy, fee structure.
Legal requirement. Sets expectations upfront. The terms are the contract between the seller and Cardconomy.
4.6
Verified Seller
Sell hub unlocks. "Verified Seller" badge appears on their profile, visible to all buyers. Dashboard gains seller sections (balance, listings, activity).
The badge is the reward. It is social proof that this person has been verified. Buyers see it and trust more. The seller sees it and feels invested in the platform.
✓
This is intentionally the hardest part of the platform

4 steps, 3-5 minutes. Every other flow is simpler than this. The friction is deliberate -- it filters out casual users who would list low-quality or fraudulent items. The result is a seller pool that buyers can trust.

Tap Sell
First time
Seller Pitch
4% fee, benefits
ID Verification
Passport + selfie
Payout Setup
Bank / Stripe
Accept Terms
Verified Seller
Badge + sell hub
5

List & Sell

Four ways to sell cards, from listing a single card to trading with another collector. The sell hub is the entry point for all of them. Each path is optimised for a different scenario.
SELLER
Path A: Single Card Listing
5.1
Sell Hub
Choose how to sell: Single Card, Bulk List, Sell to Shop, or Trade. Each path has a different icon and one-line description.
Four distinct seller needs. A user listing one valuable card has different needs from someone offloading 200 commons. The hub routes them to the right tool.
5.2
Pick Card
Search the card catalog by name, set, or number. Or scan the physical card with the camera to identify it automatically.
Search works for sellers who know exactly what they have. Scan works for sellers who are not sure of the exact set or variant. Both paths converge on the same card identity.
5.3
Condition
Select condition (NM/LP/MP/HP/DMG) or enter grading company + grade (PSA 10, BGS 9.5, etc.). Add condition notes ("light whitening on back corners").
Condition is the single biggest factor in card pricing. A PSA 10 Charizard is worth 10x a raw Near Mint copy. Getting this right prevents disputes and returns.
5.4
Photos
Upload front, back, and optional close-up photos. Guided framing with card outline overlay.
Photos are the buyer's primary way to verify condition claims. Good photos = faster sales, fewer disputes. The guided frame ensures consistent quality.
5.5
Set Price
Enter a Buy It Now price. See market comparison: current market price, recent sales, price range. Toggle "Accept Offers" on/off. See fee breakdown (4% seller fee on this price).
Data-informed pricing. The seller sees what others charge and what cards actually sell for. The fee preview means no surprises. This transparency is a direct response to eBay hiding total fees until after listing.
5.6
Review & List
Summary: card, condition, photos, price, fees, estimated payout. One tap to publish.
Final check before going live. Shows exactly what the buyer will see. No edits after this point without re-reviewing.
5.7
Listed
Card is live on the marketplace. Appears in search results and on the product page alongside other sellers.
Path B: Bulk Listing
5.8
Bulk List
Choose method: LiveSweep (rapid camera scanning), batch entry (spreadsheet-style), catalog search (add from database), or CSV import. Scan or add cards, then choose pricing strategy: match market, undercut by X%, or quick sell (lowest price).
Serious sellers have hundreds of cards. Listing them one by one is not viable. Bulk tools are what keep high-volume sellers on a platform. LiveSweep scanning is the fastest path -- scan, confirm, price, publish.
Problem: On eBay, listing 100 cards takes hours of manual entry. Bulk listing tools are the #1 feature request from TCG sellers switching platforms.
Path C: Sell to a Local Shop
5.9
Sell to Shop
Browse registered shops. Select cards to sell. See the shop's buylist prices for each card. Submit for the shop to review and accept.
This is the bridge between online sellers and physical shops. A seller can offload cards they do not want to list individually. The shop gets inventory at buylist prices without the seller needing to visit in person.
Problem: Currently, selling to a shop requires physically going there. This digitises the process -- the seller submits online, ships (or drops off), and gets paid.
Path D: Trade
5.10
Trade
Browse trade matches: cards other users want that you have, and cards you want that they have. Build a proposal: your cards + their cards, balanced by market value. Send for approval.
Card-for-card trading is fundamental to TCG culture. No major platform supports it. Collectors at trade nights do this in person -- Cardconomy enables it online with value balancing and protection.
Problem: Zero online platforms offer real card-for-card trading with value matching and buyer protection. This is a gap every collector complains about.
After a Sale
5.11
Ship & Track
Seller receives "Item Sold" notification. Prints shipping label. Ships within the required timeframe. Tracking number provided to buyer. Funds held in escrow until delivery confirmed.
The post-sale flow is where most marketplace friction occurs. Clear timelines, tracking, and escrow protect both parties. The seller dashboard shows "To Ship" items with countdown timers.
5.12
Funds Released
Delivery confirmed. Funds released from escrow to seller balance. Seller can withdraw to their bank account at any time.
?
Question: Which sell paths are essential for launch?

Single card listing is mandatory -- it is the core product. Bulk listing is critical for attracting serious sellers (they will not come without it). Sell-to-shop and Trade are differentiators but could launch later. Consider: Single + Bulk for v1, Sell-to-Shop in v2, Trade in v3.

Path A: Single Card
Sell Hub
Pick Card
Condition
Photos
Set Price
Review
Listed
Path B: Bulk
Sell Hub
Choose Method
Sweep / batch / CSV
Scan Cards
Pricing Strategy
Published
Path C: Sell to Shop
Sell Hub
Find Shop
Select Cards
Shop Quote
Accept?
Yes
Submitted
Path D: Trade
Sell Hub
Trade Matches
Build Proposal
Proposal Sent
After a Sale
Item Sold
Print Label
Ship
Tracking
Funds Released
Withdraw
6

Register a Shop

A verified seller who runs a physical local game store can register their business. This is a heavier verification than individual sellers because a "Verified Shop" badge carries more weight -- buyers expect professional service, accurate grading, and fast shipping from shops.
SHOP UNLOCK
6.1
Register Shop
Accessible from settings or from a "Register your shop" CTA on the LGS pitch page.
Shops will find this through direct outreach (trade show demos, partnerships), not by accident. The CTA is prominent but not in the way of regular users.
6.2
LGS Pitch
Benefits for local game stores: free for early adopters, digital storefront, online sales channel, buylist tools, submission queue for grading. Tool overview with screenshots.
Shops need to understand what they get. "Free for early adopters" removes the financial risk. The pitch focuses on solving real shop problems: getting inventory online, managing buy prices, and reaching customers beyond their physical location.
6.3
Business Verification
Business name, Companies House number, registered address, contact details. Upload: photo of shopfront or utility bill at business address.
Proves this is a real business with physical premises. Prevents individuals from claiming shop status for the badge. Companies House number can be verified programmatically.
6.4
Games Stocked
Select which TCGs the shop buys and sells. This determines what appears in their storefront and what buylist categories they manage.
A shop that only deals in Pokemon should not receive Yu-Gi-Oh submissions. This filters their tools to show only relevant content.
6.5
Under Review
"We will verify your shop within 48 hours." Manual review of submitted documents. Approval or rejection with feedback.
Manual review is intentional. A bad shop damages the entire platform's reputation. 48 hours is fast enough to not lose the shop's interest, slow enough to verify properly.
6.6
Verified Shop
Shop counter unlocks. Storefront builder unlocks. "Verified Shop" badge appears. Dashboard gains shop sections (revenue, queue, buylist performance).
!
Risk: Shop onboarding is chicken-and-egg

Shops will not join without buyers. Buyers will not come without inventory. The "free for early adopters" pitch and direct outreach at trade shows is the plan to break this cycle. Consider launching with 10-20 hand-onboarded shops before opening self-registration.

Register Shop
LGS Pitch
Free for early adopters
Business Details
Company number
Proof of Premises
Games Stocked
Under Review
48 hours
Verified Shop
7

Shop Operations

The tools a registered shop uses daily: managing their storefront, processing card submissions from sellers, grading and listing inventory, and setting buylist prices. These tools replace the pen-and-paper or spreadsheet systems most UK shops currently use.
SHOP
7.1
Storefront
Public shop page: banner image, shop name, location, opening hours, games stocked, description. Below: all cards currently listed by this shop in a searchable/filterable grid.
The shop's digital presence. Customers can browse their inventory online, see prices, and buy without visiting in person. This extends the shop's reach beyond its physical catchment area.
Problem: Most UK LGS have no online presence beyond a Facebook page. No way to browse or buy their inventory remotely.
7.2
Submission Queue
Incoming cards from sellers who chose "Sell to Shop." Each submission shows: card details, seller's claimed condition, seller's asking price vs shop buylist price. Status: Pending, Graded, Ready, Listed.
Digitises the walk-in experience. Instead of a seller bringing cards to the counter, they submit online. The shop reviews, accepts or rejects, and processes at their own pace.
7.3
Grade & Price
Shop staff assess the physical card (once received), confirm or adjust the condition grade, set the retail price, and list it in their storefront.
The shop adds value by grading accurately and pricing for retail. Their expertise is the service -- a seller gets convenience, the shop gets inventory at wholesale.
7.4
Buylist Manager
Set buy prices for cards the shop wants. When a seller lists a matching card at or below the buylist price, the shop gets notified. Accept or pass on each match.
Automated sourcing. Instead of hoping the right cards walk through the door, the shop broadcasts what they want and at what price. Matches come to them.
Problem: Shop buylists are currently managed on spreadsheets or third-party websites (Crystal Commerce, BinderPOS). No integration with where sellers actually list cards.
7.5
Bulk Intake
Process a large lot of cards submitted by a seller: receive the physical lot, sort by game/set, grade each card, set prices, list everything to storefront in one batch.
Shops frequently buy entire collections. Processing them efficiently is critical. The bulk intake tool tracks the lot from receipt through grading to listing, with per-card and per-lot accounting.
?
Question: Which shop tools are essential for launch?

Storefront is the minimum -- shops need a page and inventory display. Buylist Manager is the most differentiated feature (no competitor has this). Submission Queue and Bulk Intake are operational tools that can be manual initially. Consider: Storefront + Buylist for launch, Queue + Bulk Intake in v2.

Storefront
Shop Profile
Inventory Grid
Shop Counter
Submission Queue
Grade & Price
Listed
Buylist Mgr
Set Buy Prices
Matches
Accept?
Yes
Purchased
Bulk Intake
Receive Lot
Sort & Grade
Price & List
Inventory Updated
★

Trust Ladder

Trust is earned progressively. Each level is visible to buyers and increases conversion rates. The ladder incentivises good behaviour -- sellers who ship fast, grade accurately, and resolve issues earn higher trust over time.
T1
New Buyer
No badge. Can browse and buy. Email verified only.
The default state. No friction to get here. Can transact as a buyer with full buyer protection.
T2
Verified Seller
ID verified + payout confirmed. Badge visible on all listings and profile.
Buyers see "Verified Seller" and know this is a real person with a confirmed identity. Significantly increases buyer confidence, especially on higher-value cards.
T3
Trusted Seller
Earned automatically: X completed sales + Y% positive feedback + Z months on platform. Not applied for -- earned through consistent good behaviour.
The aspirational tier. Trusted Sellers get premium placement in search results and higher visibility on product pages. This incentivises long-term engagement and quality service.
T4
Verified Shop
Business verified with physical premises. Highest trust tier. Buyers expect professional service, accurate grading, fast shipping, and easy returns.
Shops are the backbone of the TCG ecosystem. Their presence on the platform gives buyers confidence that the marketplace is legitimate and well-stocked.
New Buyer
No badge
ID verify
Verified Seller
Track record
Trusted Seller
Earned over time
Business verify
Verified Shop
✓

Additive Dashboard Model

The dashboard grows with the user. Nothing is replaced. A shop owner who collects personally sees buyer + seller + shop sections all at once.

Buyer

  • Portfolio value with trend sparkline
  • Watchlist price movements
  • Buylist matches at your max price
  • Recent orders with status tracking
  • Needs attention: arriving orders, price drops

+ Seller

  • Balance card with withdrawable amount
  • Status tiles: active listings, pending offers, to ship
  • Activity feed: sales, views, offers received
  • Needs attention: expiring offers, items to ship
  • Earnings trend with weekly/monthly view

+ Shop

  • Revenue card with date range selector
  • Submission queue stats and status
  • Buylist performance (fill rate, demand)
  • Needs attention: submissions to grade, restock alerts
  • Bulk lot processing status
⇨

Suggested Launch Priority

Based on the flows above, here is one way to think about what to build first. The core question: what is the minimum that makes this a usable marketplace?

V1: Core Marketplace

  • Onboarding (Flow 1 -- all steps)
  • Search & Buy (Flow 2 -- Buy Now only, no offers)
  • Watchlist (Flow 3 -- step 3.1 only)
  • Seller Verification (Flow 4 -- all steps)
  • Single Card Listing (Flow 5 -- path A only)
  • Ship & Track (Flow 5 -- steps 5.11-5.12)

V2: Scale & Differentiate

  • Offers (Flow 2 -- step 2.6b)
  • Bulk Listing (Flow 5 -- path B)
  • Collections (Flow 3 -- step 3.2)
  • Shop Registration (Flow 6 -- all steps)
  • Storefront (Flow 7 -- step 7.1)
  • Sell to Shop (Flow 5 -- path C)

V3: Full Vision

  • Buylist + Matching (Flow 3 -- step 3.3)
  • Card Scanning (Flow 3 -- step 3.4)
  • Trading (Flow 5 -- path D)
  • Shop Queue + Bulk Intake (Flow 7 -- steps 7.2-7.5)
  • Trusted Seller tier (Trust ladder -- T3)
  • Buylist Manager for shops (Flow 7 -- step 7.4)
✓
The core problem V1 solves

UK TCG collectors have no domestic marketplace. V1 gives them one: search for cards, compare sellers, buy with protection, and list their own cards to sell. Everything else -- collections, trading, shop tools, scanning -- makes the platform stickier and more differentiated, but the marketplace itself is the foundation that must work first.