System Requirements Document (SRD)

Project Name: mercy-auction

1. Introduction

Welcome to the System Requirements Document for mercy-auction, a reverse auction platform tailored for individual buyers and sellers. This document outlines the system's objectives, features, and technical specifications to ensure a seamless and engaging user experience.

The mercy-auction platform empowers buyers to post their needs and allows sellers to bid competitively, ensuring the best value for both parties. Designed for the US market, the platform incorporates features like user profiles, ratings/reviews, real-time bidding notifications, and secure transaction management.

2. System Overview

The mercy-auction platform is a full-stack web application that facilitates reverse auctions. Individual buyers can post requirements for products or services, and sellers can bid to fulfill those needs. The platform prioritizes transparency, trust, and efficiency through features like user profiles, ratings/reviews, and real-time notifications.

Key highlights of the system:

• Reverse auction functionality for competitive bidding.
• User profiles to establish credibility and trust.
• Ratings and reviews to ensure quality assurance.
• Real-time notifications to keep users engaged during auctions.
• Secure transaction management for safe payments.

The platform will operate in the US timezone and use USD as the default currency.

3. Functional Requirements

As User:

• As User I should be able to create a profile with personal details and preferences.
• As User I should be able to post auction requirements for products or services.
• As User I should be able to receive real-time notifications for bids on my auction.
• As User I should be able to review and rate sellers after completing a transaction.
• As User I should be able to securely manage payments and transactions.

As Seller:

• As Seller I should be able to create a profile showcasing my offerings and expertise.
• As Seller I should be able to browse active auctions and place competitive bids.
• As Seller I should be able to receive real-time notifications for auction updates.
• As Seller I should be able to view ratings and reviews from buyers.
• As Seller I should be able to securely manage payments and transactions.

4. User Personas

Buyer Persona:

• Name: Individual Buyer
• Role: Posts requirements for products or services and selects the best bid.
• Needs: Transparent bidding, trust in sellers, secure payments, and quality assurance.

Seller Persona:

• Name: Individual Seller
• Role: Bids on buyer requirements and fulfills orders.
• Needs: Access to active auctions, competitive bidding tools, and trust-building features like ratings/reviews.

5. Creative Reference Stories

Based on the reverse auction concept and the need for trust and engagement, the Stormy Ocean Authority design story is most suitable. Its cinematic and resilient mood aligns with the platform's goal of empowering buyers and sellers in a competitive yet trustworthy environment.

Visual Direction:

• Mood: Cinematic, powerful, resilient, and stable.
• Color Palette: Inspired by deep ocean tones for a professional and trustworthy feel.
  • Background: Layered dark navies and indigos.
  • Surface: Muted blue-gray tones with depth.
  • Text: Warm ivory and aged parchment tones.
  • Accent: Warm amber or soft tangerine highlights.
• Typography:
  • Headings: Dramatic serif or sharp modern serif, weight 700.
  • Body: Clean light sans-serif, weight 300.
• Layout: Generous negative space with a cinematic fullscreen hero section.
• Motion: Slow and intentional, with effects like fade-up, parallax, and beam-sweep.

6. Visuals Colors and Theme

Unique Color Palette for mercy-auction:

• Background: #1A2B4C (Deep Navy)
• Surface: #3E5A6F (Muted Blue-Gray)
• Text: #F5E9D7 (Warm Ivory)
• Accent: #FFB347 (Soft Tangerine)
• Muted Tones: #6A7D8F (Subtle Gray-Blue)

This palette ensures a professional, trustworthy, and engaging visual identity for the platform.

7. Signature Design Concept

Dynamic Auction Wave Interface

The homepage of mercy-auction will feature a dynamic wave-like interface inspired by ocean currents, symbolizing the flow of bids and competition.

• Hero Section: A cinematic fullscreen display with a wave animation that subtly moves across the screen. The headline, "Empower Your Choices, Let Sellers Compete," emerges slowly from the depths, accompanied by a glowing CTA button styled as a guiding light.
• Interactive Auction Flow: Each auction will appear as a floating card on the wave, with parallax motion as users scroll. Cards will "glow" when hovered over, emphasizing active auctions.
• Micro-Interactions: Real-time bidding updates will ripple across the wave, visually representing the dynamic nature of the platform.
• Color Shifts: The background will subtly transition between deep navy and muted blue-gray tones, creating a calming yet engaging atmosphere.

This design concept ensures the platform is visually captivating while reinforcing the theme of trust and competition.

8. Non-Functional Requirements

• Performance: The platform must handle up to 10,000 concurrent users without latency.
• Scalability: The system should scale seamlessly to accommodate growth in user base and auctions.
• Security: Implement robust encryption for user data and transactions.
• Availability: Ensure 99.9% uptime with failover mechanisms.
• Localization: Default settings for US timezone and USD currency.

9. Tech Stack

Frontend:

• React for Web

Backend:

• Python
• FastAPI

Database:

• MySQL (preferred) or MariaDB for relational data.
• MongoDB for NoSQL requirements.

AI Models:

• GPT 5.2 for user-friendly responses.
• Claude 4.5 Opas for coding assistance.

AI Tools:

• Litellm for LLM routing.
• Langchain for advanced AI workflows.

Orchestration:

• Docker and docker-compose for local development.
• Kubernetes for server-side orchestration.

10. Assumptions and Constraints

• The platform will primarily serve individual buyers and sellers in the US market.
• USD will be the default currency for transactions.
• The system will require secure payment gateways for transaction management.
• Real-time notifications will depend on stable internet connectivity.

11. Glossary

• Reverse Auction: A type of auction where sellers bid to fulfill buyer requirements, with the lowest bid often winning.
• User Profiles: Individual accounts showcasing user details, preferences, and ratings/reviews.
• Real-Time Notifications: Instant updates sent to users regarding auction activity.
• Secure Payments: Encryption-based transaction management ensuring safe financial exchanges.
• Parallax Motion: A design effect where background elements move slower than foreground elements, creating depth.

This document provides a comprehensive overview of the mercy-auction platform, ensuring alignment with Morgan's vision and delivering a robust, engaging, and trustworthy reverse auction experience.