The project in short
Kollo Zain wanted one place where people and businesses in the Gulf could post ads for almost anything. We built a bilingual (English and Arabic) classifieds platform covering three countries, with 20+ main categories, a step-by-step ad posting flow, and separate sections for buying, free stuff, swapping, auctions, events and suppliers.
What Kollo Zain needed
This classified ads website development project was built for the Gulf. Kollo Zain set out to build a classifieds marketplace for the GCC, starting with Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates. The idea was broad on purpose: cars, jobs, property, B2B services, food, fashion, events and much more, all in one place.
That ambition created real challenges:
- Huge category tree. The site needed more than 20 main categories, each with many subcategories, and in some cases a third level. Visitors still had to find things fast.
- Two languages. Arabic and English users had to get a proper experience in their own language, including right-to-left layout for Arabic.
- Three countries. Users in Doha should see local ads first, not ads from Riyadh or Dubai.
- More than buy and sell. The client wanted free giveaways, item swapping, live auctions, events and a supplier directory, each with its own rules.
- A paying business model. Banner advertising and category promotions had to be built in so the platform could earn from day one.
Why classifieds sites are hard to get right#
A classifieds site is only useful if people can post quickly and others can find those posts. If posting an ad feels long, sellers leave. If search feels messy, buyers leave. The whole design has to keep both sides moving.
What we built
We designed and built a full classifieds marketplace for Kollo Zain.
Country and language switching#
- A country switcher for Qatar, Saudi Arabia and UAE that filters ads to the chosen country.
- A language switcher for English and Arabic, with right-to-left layout for Arabic.
A deep but easy category system#
- 20+ main categories, including Cars & Vehicles, Jobs, Real Estate, Construction & Engineering, IT & Digitalization, Education, Hospitality, Industries & Commerce, Electronics, Food & Beverage, Health & Medical, Travel, Wellness & Beauty and a local favourite, Khaima.
- Up to three levels of subcategories, shown in a mega menu on desktop and a clean drawer on mobile.
- Category pages with icons and promotion banners.
Six ways to trade#
- Buy – normal sale listings.
- Free Stuff – giveaways.
- Swapping – exchange items.
- Bidding – live auctions.
- Events – event listings.
- Suppliers – a B2B supplier directory.
Simple ad posting#
- A step-by-step "Post Ad" flow that guides sellers through category, details, photos and price.
- Ads show price in local currency, area and how recently they were posted.
- Wishlist so buyers can save ads they like.
Built-in advertising#
- Homepage banner ad slots and per-category promotion images that the client sells to businesses.
- A "Recently added" section to keep the homepage fresh.
Admin control#
- Manage categories, ads, users, banners and promotions from one admin panel.
Decisions that mattered#
- Country filter at the top. Local results first is what makes a regional classifieds site feel relevant.
- Bilingual from day one. Arabic support was built in, not added later.
- Paid promotions as a core feature. Gave the platform a revenue model from launch.
Planning a marketplace or classifieds site? See our web development services or talk to us.
How we can help you too
About this project
Can a classifieds website support Arabic and English?
Yes. Kollo Zain has a language switcher with full Arabic support, including right-to-left layout, alongside English.
Can one classifieds site serve several countries?
Yes. Kollo Zain lets users pick Qatar, Saudi Arabia or the UAE, and ads are filtered to the selected country.
How does a classifieds site make money?
Common models are paid banner ads, category promotions and featured listings. Kollo Zain has homepage and category-level ad slots built in from launch.
