The verdict in three sentences
A B2B auto parts marketplace linking 60 sellers and 1,500 garages in Douala and Yaoundé costs 18 to 40 million FCFA (about 27,400 to 61,000 EUR) over 5 months, depending on catalogue depth and payment integrations. The feature that makes the difference is search by vehicle and chassis number (VIN): without it, mechanics keep calling their usual supplier. At a 7 % commission, break-even is reached around 180 million FCFA of monthly volume, roughly 120 orders per day.
Development budget line by line
The Cameroonian spare parts market is fragmented: hundreds of shops in Akwa, Bonabéri or the Mokolo district of Yaoundé, stock kept in notebooks, and garages often losing half a day hunting for a part. The platform must solve three problems: find the right reference, pay safely and deliver fast.
| Module (2026 order of magnitude) | Core version | Full version |
|---|---|---|
| Multi-vendor catalogue and stock import (Excel, API) | 3,500,000 FCFA | 6,500,000 FCFA |
| Search by make, model, year and VIN | 3,000,000 FCFA | 7,500,000 FCFA |
| Orange Money and MTN MoMo payment with automatic payouts | 3,500,000 FCFA | 6,000,000 FCFA |
| Seller space (stock, orders, withdrawals) | 2,500,000 FCFA | 5,000,000 FCFA |
| Garage app (Android, low-connectivity mode) | 3,000,000 FCFA | 7,000,000 FCFA |
| Motorbike delivery and order tracking | 1,500,000 FCFA | 4,000,000 FCFA |
| Back office, disputes and analytics | 1,000,000 FCFA | 4,000,000 FCFA |
| Total | 18,000,000 FCFA | 40,000,000 FCFA |
VIN search relies on a reference matching database (OEM and aftermarket). Budget 150,000 to 400,000 FCFA per month for a decoding API subscription, or progressive manual enrichment of the catalogue for the 30 models that make up 80 % of the local fleet (Toyota Corolla, RAV4, Hilux, Hyundai, older Mercedes).
Mobile payment and seller payouts
The garage pays with Orange Money or MTN MoMo, the platform collects, keeps its commission, then pays the seller after delivery confirmation. This light escrow reassures both sides and reduces disputes.
| Item | Orange Money Cameroon | MTN MoMo Cameroon | Bank transfer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Merchant collection fee | 1 to 2 % | 1 to 2 % | about 0.5 % |
| Funds availability | instant to D+1 | instant to D+1 | D+2 to D+4 |
| Seller payout fee | 0.5 to 1 % | 0.5 to 1 % | 1,500 to 3,000 FCFA per transfer |
| Share of garage users (estimate) | 45 % | 40 % | 15 % |
| Usual transaction cap | 1,000,000 to 1,500,000 FCFA | 1,000,000 to 1,500,000 FCFA | no practical cap |
| Recommended payout frequency | twice a week | twice a week | weekly |
For a garage ordering a full clutch kit at 450,000 FCFA, mobile payment is enough. For large fleet orders above 1.5 million FCFA, plan for bank transfer or split payment.
Commission and break-even
Commission ranges from 5 % on low-margin parts (filters, oils) to 10 % on technical parts. A weighted average of 7 % is realistic. Fixed monthly operating costs (hosting, VIN API, 4 support and onboarding agents, partner couriers, field marketing) are around 9 million FCFA.
| Monthly volume (GMV) | Orders per day (50,000 FCFA basket) | Revenue at 7 % | Payment fees (1.8 %) | Monthly margin |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 50,000,000 FCFA | 33 | 3,500,000 FCFA | 900,000 FCFA | -6,400,000 FCFA |
| 100,000,000 FCFA | 67 | 7,000,000 FCFA | 1,800,000 FCFA | -3,800,000 FCFA |
| 180,000,000 FCFA | 120 | 12,600,000 FCFA | 3,240,000 FCFA | 360,000 FCFA |
| 250,000,000 FCFA | 167 | 17,500,000 FCFA | 4,500,000 FCFA | 4,000,000 FCFA |
| 400,000,000 FCFA | 267 | 28,000,000 FCFA | 7,200,000 FCFA | 11,800,000 FCFA |
If the platform absorbs payment fees, break-even sits near 180 million FCFA. If you pass them on to sellers, it drops to about 130 million FCFA. 1,500 garages buying an average of 120,000 FCFA of parts per month through the platform add up to exactly 180 million FCFA.
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Mini case study
Serge, an entrepreneur in Douala, launches the mid-range version for 26 million FCFA. He signs 60 sellers in 2 months and 600 garages by month 6, each buying 110,000 FCFA per month, or 66 million FCFA of GMV. At 7 % commission with payment fees passed on, he earns 4.6 million FCFA per month against 9 million in costs. With 1,500 garages by month 14, GMV reaches 165 million FCFA and commission 11.5 million FCFA: the platform generates 2.5 million FCFA per month. Development is paid back about 10 months later, unless he raises funds to speed up acquisition.
FAQ
Why 5 months of development?
Catalogue and VIN search take 6 to 8 weeks, payment with payouts 4 weeks and field testing with 20 pilot garages 3 weeks. A minimal version without VIN can ship in 3 months for 18 million FCFA.
How do you convince sellers to put their stock online?
Offer Excel import and an agent who enters the first 500 references for free. A seller who receives 10 orders in the first week stays in 85 % of cases.
Isn't a 10 % commission too high?
On a technical part with a 30 % margin, 10 % remains acceptable if the platform brings new customers and guarantees payment. On consumables, stay at 5 %.
Do you need a licence to collect on behalf of sellers?
Use a payment aggregator approved by COBAC or BEAC that handles escrow. This avoids holding funds in your own account and costs 0.5 to 1 % more.
Can the platform expand to Yaoundé and Bafoussam?
Yes, the same technical base handles several cities. Budget 2 to 4 million FCFA for intercity logistics and delivery zones.
Let's scope your project. We price your auto parts marketplace (catalogue, VIN search, mobile payment with payouts) with an indicative budget of 18 to 40 million FCFA and a 3 to 5 month timeline. Detailed quote within 48 h. WhatsApp +221 77 596 93 33.
Mohamed Bah
Fondateur, Kolonell
Passionate about digital and entrepreneurship in Africa, Mohamed has been helping Sénégalese businesses with their digital transformation since 2020. Founder of Kolonell, he believes every SME deserves a professional and accessible online présence.
