№ 009 · Case study

Artfare.

Artfare connects a curated community of contemporary artists with collectors on mobile and web. Vermillion built the iOS and web platform from zero: augmented reality preview, two-sided marketplace mechanics, and the creator and collector tools underneath. Our scope was the engineering build. Business outcomes were Artfare's to drive.

MarketplaceAugmented realityiOS and webGreenfield build
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Artfare product

Greenfield to embedded

iOS and web

AR-assisted preview

Two-sided marketplace

The challenge.

Artists need a loyal collector base. Collectors need curation, trust, and a way to decide without visiting every gallery in person.

Artfare had to serve both sides: creator tools, discovery, checkout, and a reason to prefer this marketplace over generic channels.

The differentiator was preview in the room where the work would live, so the product had to make AR reliable enough for real purchase decisions.

Our approach.

Model and operations

We aligned the business model with listing flows, payouts, and support load before we locked visual design, so the product did not fight the economics.

Full stack marketplace

We built the two-sided marketplace end to end: storefront surfaces, moderation hooks, and payments with conservative fraud posture for art-sized tickets.

AR in the purchase path

We integrated device AR so collectors could place a work in their own space before committing, with fallbacks when lighting or room mesh was weak.

Multi-platform launch

We shipped iOS and web so artists could work from studio desktops while collectors moved on phones.

The solution.

Preview in space

Collectors place a piece in their room, adjust scale, and compare framing options without a physical visit.

Artfare AR preview

Artist dashboard

Portfolio assembly, listing health, and sales signals so creators spend time on work, not spreadsheet maintenance.

Collector experience

Curated entry paths, search that respects medium and dimensions, and flows that keep context through checkout.

Technology

Swift

iOS

JavaScript

Web frontend

Node.js

Backend

Angular

Web framework

ARKit

Augmented reality

Payments

Transactions

Results.

Marketplace shipped

The platform shipped as a two-sided marketplace serving a curated community of contemporary artists and collectors through a single product surface.

AR in commerce

Preview in the home reduced hesitation on size and placement for online art purchases.

Status

Platform is live. iOS app in active beta. Artfare continues to operate the marketplace.

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