How global platforms are built and scaled.
The Marketplace Architecture Framework, created by Rodrigo Vitorelli, brings marketplace architecture, operations, governance and monetization under a single coordination logic.
A store sells. A marketplace coordinates. That is the first thesis of MAF, and the method CCX uses to run its marketplace projects.
Coordination at scale: the core of MAF
Architecture, operations, governance and monetization are not independent layers. They are expressions of the same coordination logic.
- CatalogMarket representation
- MatchingSupply meets demand
- TrustReputation and moderation
- CoordinationAt scale
- PaymentSplit and reconciliation
- SLAAgreed service level
- Rule enforcementRules that hold at scale
When one of these capabilities fails, the entire market loses efficiency.
9 parts, 49 chapters
From foundational concepts to global scale. Each part addresses a structural problem that marketplaces face as they grow.
From vision to global scale
MAF follows the maturing of a real platform. Each layer solves a structural problem and prepares the ground for the next.
- 1
Foundations
Platform vision before any technical decision.
- 2
Infrastructure
Cloud and data as the foundation for what comes next.
- 3
Platform core
The nervous system that connects identity, catalog and payments.
- 4
Marketplace engine
The market mechanisms that bring supply and demand together.
- 5
Trust and governance
Rules and reputation that sustain the market.
- 6
Operations
The daily discipline that keeps the marketplace alive.
- 7
Growth engine
Acquisition and retention loops.
- 8
Global scale
Multiple markets, currencies and languages.
Who MAF is for
For professionals and organizations that need to think about marketplaces in depth, not through simplification.
CTOs and engineering leaders
Platform vision as a system before the technical roadmap: architecture, data, security and governance.
Product managers
Where the product meets the marketplace machinery: experience, catalog, checkout and loops.
Founders
The full picture before committing resources: foundations, monetization, compliance and growth.
Architects and senior engineers
Trade-offs and structural decisions: orchestration, operational quality and multi-region operations.
Marketplace operations
The discipline that keeps the marketplace alive: SLA, seller support, incidents and returns.
Companies and consultancies
A structured framework to run marketplace projects consistently from day one.
The book
Marketplace Architecture Framework: how global platforms are built, operated and scaled. Focused on structural decisions, not code.
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- The framework for designing enterprise marketplaces across 9 pillars.
- From foundational concepts to global scale, in the language of decisions.
- Written for CTOs, product, architecture and operations.
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How CCX applies MAF
The framework doesn't stay in theory. Each principle becomes practice in marketplace and e-commerce projects.
Structural assessment
We assess platform maturity across the 9 layers of MAF.
Guided architecture
Technical decisions guided by principles, not trends.
Integrated governance
Operations, compliance and monetization as parts of the same system.
Continuous evolution
Tracking through liquidity and operational density metrics.
Questions about MAF
What is the Marketplace Architecture Framework?
It is a framework created by Rodrigo Vitorelli that structures how global marketplaces are built, operated and scaled: seller onboarding, multi-tenancy, financial settlement, governance and platform reliability. It comes from real implementations on VTEX, Salesforce Commerce Cloud, SAP Commerce and proprietary platforms.
Who should adopt MAF?
Companies launching or operating multi-seller marketplaces, in B2B, B2B2C or hybrid models: retailers expanding their catalog, manufacturers opening direct sales alongside their distributors and operators consolidating regional markets.
Is MAF a methodology or software?
A methodology, not a SaaS. The framework is platform-agnostic: CCX applies it on VTEX, Salesforce, SAP, Shopify or proprietary platforms, depending on what the operation already uses and its constraints.
How long does a MAF project take?
Discovery and the architecture blueprint take 4 to 8 weeks. Implementing the first marketplace usually takes 4 to 12 months, depending on scope, with new iterations every quarter.
Does MAF replace composable commerce or MACH?
No, it is complementary. MAF defines the marketplace domain (multiple sellers, financial settlement and governance), which composable and MACH architectures do not cover natively, and it can be applied on composable, monolithic or hybrid platforms.
Let's structure your marketplace.
Thirty minutes with a CCX engineer, at no cost, to look at your platform through the layers of MAF.