SamoaRentals · Samoa · Rental marketplace

SamoaRentals — a rental marketplace that pays hosts the moment the keys change hands

A two-sided marketplace for Samoa: local families list the cars and jet skis they already own, guests book and pay by card, and the host is paid out when the keys are collected. Search, host dashboard and an admin payout queue.

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The challenge

Where they started

In Samoa most rental vehicles are not owned by rental companies. They belong to families who rent them out informally, which makes trust and payout timing the whole product. A guest will not pay in advance for a car they cannot see, and a host will not hand over keys on the promise of a transfer next week. The marketplace has to hold the money, prove the booking, and release funds at the exact moment of collection.

What we built

The platform, piece by piece

1 / 5

Listings for cars, jet skis and stays

Cars first, with jet skis and beach stays alongside, each with per-day pricing, availability and a live quote at the point of booking.

2 / 5

Split payments with release on collection

The platform takes the card payment and releases the host's money the moment the guest collects the keys — the mechanic the whole marketplace depends on.

3 / 5

Host dashboard

Hosts see their listings, upcoming collections, earnings and payout status without needing to ask anyone what they are owed.

4 / 5

Admin operations and payout queue

Approvals, a payout queue and revenue view for the operator, so disputes and exceptions have somewhere to go.

5 / 5

Built to load on a phone

Hand-written HTML and CSS with no JavaScript framework and no CDN dependencies — because the audience is on mid-range Android phones on Samoan mobile data.

Outcomes