---
title: "Launch your marketplace"
description: "A step-by-step launch path for new marketplace owners, from the first Dashboard login to the first real order, with a downloadable PDF guide."
canonical: https://docs.ordering.co/docs/discovery-ordering/launch-your-marketplace/
---

# Launch your marketplace

Go from your first Dashboard login to your first real order. This guide gives new marketplace owners the order of work that saves the most time, and links to the product guides for each step.

[Download the guide (PDF)](https://docs.ordering.co/media/guides/Ordering.co-Marketplace-Launch-Guide.pdf)

Read the guide online by part, or download the full PDF to keep or print. The 40 chapters cover setup, merchants, payments, delivery, testing, launch, and growth, with checklists, real scenarios, and a troubleshooting chapter.

| Part                           | Start with                                                                                                                                      |
| ------------------------------ | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| 0 · Start here                 | [Welcome](https://docs.ordering.co/docs/discovery-ordering/launch-your-marketplace/part-0-start-here/welcome/)                                  |
| 1 · Know your platform         | [Dashboard tour](https://docs.ordering.co/docs/discovery-ordering/launch-your-marketplace/part-1-know-your-platform/dashboard-tour/)            |
| 2 · Start the slow parts first | [Developer accounts](https://docs.ordering.co/docs/discovery-ordering/launch-your-marketplace/part-2-slow-parts-first/developer-accounts/)      |
| 3 · Build your marketplace     | [Brand your website](https://docs.ordering.co/docs/discovery-ordering/launch-your-marketplace/part-3-build-the-marketplace/brand-your-website/) |
| 4 · Merchants                  | [Add merchants](https://docs.ordering.co/docs/discovery-ordering/launch-your-marketplace/part-4-merchants/add-merchants/)                       |
| 5 · Orders and logistics       | [How an order moves](https://docs.ordering.co/docs/discovery-ordering/launch-your-marketplace/part-5-orders-and-logistics/order-flow/)          |
| 6 · Go live                    | [Test drive](https://docs.ordering.co/docs/discovery-ordering/launch-your-marketplace/part-6-go-live/test-drive/)                               |
| 7 · Grow                       | [Marketing tools](https://docs.ordering.co/docs/discovery-ordering/launch-your-marketplace/part-7-grow/marketing-tools/)                        |
| 8 · Running it well            | [Troubleshooting](https://docs.ordering.co/docs/discovery-ordering/launch-your-marketplace/part-8-running-it-well/troubleshooting/)             |
| Appendices                     | [Four marketplace setups](https://docs.ordering.co/docs/discovery-ordering/launch-your-marketplace/appendices/marketplace-setups/)              |

## Start the slow parts first

App store accounts, app builds, and your domain depend on Apple, Google, and your domain provider. Start them on day one so they run while you build your stores.

1. **Open your Apple and Google developer accounts** as an organization, and give the Ordering.co team access. See the [app release lifecycle](https://docs.ordering.co/docs/products/dashboard/my-products/app-publishing/app-release-lifecycle/).
2. **Connect your domain** with the [custom domain guide](https://docs.ordering.co/docs/products/dashboard/my-products/ordering-website-2/custom-domain/).
3. **Create your Google Maps API key** with the [Google Maps API key guide](https://docs.ordering.co/docs/products/dashboard/settings/maps/google-maps-api-key/).

## Build one complete store

Build your first store end to end before adding more. It becomes your template, and it is the real content the app stores review.

1. [Add a store](https://docs.ordering.co/docs/products/dashboard/stores/add-store/) with its details, schedule, delivery zones, and payment methods.
2. Load the menu, or [import it](https://docs.ordering.co/docs/products/dashboard/connect/importers/) from another platform.
3. Connect card payments, for example with [Stripe Connect](https://docs.ordering.co/docs/products/dashboard/addons/stripe-connect/platform-setup/) or [Mercado Pago](https://docs.ordering.co/docs/products/dashboard/settings/pro/online-payments/mercado-pago/).

## Add merchants and drivers

1. Create a business owner for each merchant and assign their stores.
2. Create drivers and organize them in [delivery groups](https://docs.ordering.co/docs/products/dashboard/delivery/manage-delivery-group/), then turn on automatic dispatch when you are ready.

## Test, then launch

Place full test orders with three phones: customer, merchant, and driver. Run the [pre-launch checklist](https://docs.ordering.co/docs/discovery-ordering/launch-your-marketplace/part-6-go-live/pre-launch-checklist/), soft-launch with friends and merchants' regulars, then announce.

## Plan about a month

App store reviews set the pace. These are typical times, not guarantees:

| Step                                   | Typical time          |
| -------------------------------------- | --------------------- |
| Test apps after a complete app request | About 5 business days |
| Apple review                           | About 1 week          |
| Google review for a new account        | 3 to 4 weeks          |

Your website can take orders before the apps are approved, so many owners launch on the web first.

Need help?

Use the search in this documentation, or open the support chat in your Dashboard and include your project name.