Identitius is a modern domain leasing platform that allows businesses, startups, and entrepreneurs to lease premium domain names seamlessly. Based on the principle of lowering entry barriers for high-value branding, Identitius connects domain owners with businesses needing premium names without massive upfront costs.

Purpose of This Case Study

This case study demonstrates how we built a robust, scalable, and secure domain leasing application using Laravel, highlighting our approach to database design, frontend implementation, and integrating leasing workflows in a user-centric manner.

Discovery Phase

Identifying the Problem or Market Need

The client approached us in 2023 with a clear problem statement:

“Many startups can’t afford premium domains outright. We want to offer them an easy way to lease domains and pay monthly or annually, while owners continue earning from idle assets.”

The challenge was to build:

1. A marketplace system showcasing available domains
2. Leasing functionality with payment tracking
3. Admin management panel for approval and renewals

Competitor Analysis

We analyzed platforms like:

1. Lease to Own models from Squadhelp and Dan
2. Existing domain marketplaces offering only outright purchases

Findings:

1. Leasing was an under-served market niche.
2. Most platforms had clunky user flows and lacked transparency in pricing and leasing terms.

Defining User Personas

1. Startup Founders – Looking for affordable premium domains
2. Domain Investors – Monetizing idle domains via leasing
3. Admin Users – Managing users, listings, payments, and renewals

Setting Goals and KPIs

1. Launch an MVP within 12 weeks
2. Ensure high security for domain transactions
3. Provide smooth user experience with simple leasing workflows

Support future expansion into outright sales and auctions

Planning and Strategy

Feature Prioritization (MVP Definition)

We prioritized:

1. User authentication (Laravel Breeze)
2. Domain listing with search and filters
3. Lease application flow
4. Admin panel to manage listings, users, and leases
5. Payment integration for leasing fees

Technology Stack Selection

1. Backend Framework: Laravel 10
2. Database: MySQL
3. Frontend: Blade templates + Bootstrap 5 for responsive design
4. Payments: Stripe API for recurring payments

Project Timeline and Milestones

Wireframing and Prototyping

Figma wireframes ensured clarity on:

1. Domain listing cards with pricing details
2. Lease application modals

Admin dashboard with lease status tracking

Design Process

UI/UX Considerations

We designed a minimalistic, business-focused interface:

1. Clean grid layout to highlight domain names
2. Instant lease request CTA buttons
3. Transparency in lease terms for trust building

Tools Used

1. Figma for wireframing and prototyping
2. Bootstrap 5 for rapid and responsive UI development

Iterative Design and User Feedback

Regular demos to the client ensured:

1. Leasing workflows were intuitive
2. Admin panel functionalities aligned with their operational goals

Development Process

Frontend Development

Using Laravel Blade + Bootstrap 5, we built:

1. Home page with search and featured domains
2. Domain detail pages with leasing options
3. User dashboard to view active leases

Backend Development

Key modules developed:

1. User Authentication & Roles: Admin, Owner, Customer
2. Domain Management: CRUD operations for domains
3. Leasing Module:
4. Lease initiation
5. Payment tracking
6. Lease expiry reminders

APIs and Integrations

1. Stripe API for recurring payments
2. Future-ready architecture to integrate domain registrars for automated DNS updates

Agile Methodology and Sprint Cycles

1. Weekly sprints with demos and feedback

Trello for task management and tracking

Challenges and Solutions

Technical Challenges

Recurring Payments Setup

1. Stripe’s API for subscriptions was complex due to varying lease terms.
2. Solution: We abstracted leasing durations in the database, dynamically generating subscription plans via Stripe’s API on lease creation.

Domain Ownership Verification

1. Needed to verify that owners listing domains actually controlled them.
2. Solution: Implemented DNS TXT record verification as a future-ready module (manual verification for MVP).

Design/UX Challenges

1. Ensuring lease workflows were simple for non-technical users.
2. Iterated the checkout flow to minimize friction and improve conversions.

Communication or Team Collaboration Issues

Timezone differences were managed by:

1. Fixed standup timings with the client
2. Asynchronous updates with detailed Trello documentation

Testing and Quality Assurance

Manual and Automated Testing

1. Feature testing across user roles (Admin, Owner, Customer)
2. Payment flow testing with Stripe sandbox accounts
3. Responsiveness and cross-browser compatibility tests

Bug Tracking and Resolution

All issues were logged in Trello, categorized by severity, and resolved before UAT.

User Acceptance Testing (UAT)

The client verified:

1. Domain listing accuracy
2. Leasing workflows end-to-end
3. Admin approvals and automated email notifications

Deployment and Launch

Hosting and Deployment

1. Hosted on AWS EC2 for scalability and performance
2. Used Cloudflare for security and faster global load times

Pre-Launch Marketing

1. Basic SEO optimization for staging launch
2. Preparation for social media and LinkedIn announcements

Launch Day Execution

1. Final database migration and seeding
2. Stripe live keys integration
3. Post-launch monitoring for errors

Post-Launch Insights

User Feedback and Reviews

The client reported:

1. Smooth onboarding for initial domain owners
2. Positive feedback on user-friendly leasing flows
3. Increased inquiries from startups within the first month

Performance Metrics

1. First-month lease requests: 10+ with 70% conversion
2. Website uptime: 99.98%
3. Average page load time: under 2s

Updates and Iterative Improvements

1. Adding direct buy option alongside leasing
2. Future integration of domain auction module

Conclusion

Working with Identitius was an exciting opportunity to build a platform bridging the gap between premium domain ownership and accessibility. This Laravel-powered solution empowers startups to secure the domains they dream of while creating steady income for domain investors.

If you’re planning to build a niche marketplace platform or SaaS solution with seamless payments and scalable architecture, contact us today to bring your idea to reality.

Project URL: staging.identitius.com