Case study · Exotics Group
A marketplace and media hub for the exotic car community
Listings, a community events calendar, a partner directory and a Square-powered store - wrapped in invite-only membership with passwordless SMS sign-in.
The challenge
What Exotics Group needed
Exotics Group set out to be the place enthusiasts go for everything around modern exotic cars - what's for sale, what's happening this weekend, and who to trust for service, wraps and detailing. That meant combining a marketplace, an events calendar, a business directory and a store in one place, without it feeling like four different websites stitched together.
The community also needed to stay high quality. Open sign-ups and anonymous posting would have filled the calendar with noise, while long registration forms and forgotten passwords would have scared off exactly the people the site was built for.
Our approach
What we built
We designed the site around how enthusiasts actually browse: quick scanning of listings, a calendar that defaults to where you are, and short paths to the people behind each car, event and business.
Membership is invite-based, with email and phone verification at sign-up. Signing in uses a six-digit code sent by text instead of a password, which removes the most common support headache entirely. Members can submit their own events, which go into a review queue before they appear publicly - the calendar grows with the community, but stays curated.
Listings marketplace
Clean listing pages built for browsing on a phone, with the details buyers look for first.
Community events calendar
Month view, a printable calendar, search, event-type filters (rallies, cars & coffee, track days, charity drives) and a saved default location.
Member-submitted events
Members post meetups and drives through a simple form; submissions are reviewed before going live.
Partners & vendors directory
A directory of trusted shops and service providers, giving sponsors a home on the site.
Square-powered store
Merchandise and products sold through Square, so payments sit alongside the rest of the business.
Invite-only, passwordless access
Invite codes, email and phone verification, and SMS sign-in codes - with separate consent for account texts and marketing.
Mobile first
Designed for the phone in your pocket
Most visitors arrive on a phone - often straight from social media or a group chat. Every page was designed at phone size first, then scaled up, so browsing, signing in and taking action feel natural with one thumb.
Results
What changed
Community submissions plus a review step keep events flowing in without the team having to hunt for them.
SMS sign-in codes remove forgotten-password friction for members.
Marketplace, events, directory and store share one design, one login and one admin.