

Doubling User Load with
No Stability Loss
Doubling User Load with No Stability Loss
We built a custom auction platform for Unicorn Auctions, featuring real-time bidding, secure payments, and a seamless user experience. The results? A 200% surge in concurrent users, and an impressive 99.9% uptime. Read the case study to see how we made it happen.
We built a custom auction platform for Unicorn Auctions, featuring real-time bidding, secure payments, and a seamless user experience. The results? A 200% surge in concurrent users, and an impressive 99.9% uptime. Read the case study to see how we made it happen.



About Unicorn
About Unicorn
Unicorn Auctions, a Chicago-based digital marketplace, specializes in the auction of rare and collectible spirits, with a focus on bourbon and whiskey. Their platform connects buyers and sellers, offering a curated selection of hard-to-find spirits. The company has seen rapid growth since its launch in 2019.
Unicorn Auctions, a Chicago-based digital marketplace, specializes in the auction of rare and collectible spirits, with a focus on bourbon and whiskey. Their platform connects buyers and sellers, offering a curated selection of hard-to-find spirits. The company has seen rapid growth since its launch in 2019.
The Challenge
The Challenge
Unicorn Auctions initially relied on generic off-the-shelf software to manage their auctions, but it soon became clear that the solution couldn’t keep pace with their growing needs. The platform’s lack of scalability, customization options, and integration with key systems hampered their ability to manage auctions smoothly, deliver a top-tier user experience, and accommodate their expanding operations.
The challenge lay in creating a platform from the ground up that not only supported the specialized nature of auctioning rare, high-value spirits but also anticipated future growth. We needed to build a customizable solution capable of scaling rapidly, handling real-time bidding, and integrating securely with payment systems—all while maintaining a seamless, high-quality experience for collectors and sellers alike. In other words, we had to dream big and build even bigger!
Unicorn Auctions initially relied on generic off-the-shelf software to manage their auctions, but it soon became clear that the solution couldn’t keep pace with their growing needs. The platform’s lack of scalability, customization options, and integration with key systems hampered their ability to manage auctions smoothly, deliver a top-tier user experience, and accommodate their expanding operations.
The challenge lay in creating a platform from the ground up that not only supported the specialized nature of auctioning rare, high-value spirits but also anticipated future growth. We needed to build a customizable solution capable of scaling rapidly, handling real-time bidding, and integrating securely with payment systems—all while maintaining a seamless, high-quality experience for collectors and sellers alike. In other words, we had to dream big and build even bigger!
The Solution
The Solution
We developed a customized platform that gave our Growth Partner complete control over their processes, offering the flexibility and scalability they needed. Key features included:
Custom-built, self-managed databases.
API services for seamless third-party integration.
Admin panels for streamlined operational management.
Stripe integration for secure, reliable payment processing.
Responsive web and mobile app design and development.
The result was a fully functional, scalable, and customizable in-house auction platform supporting real-time bidding, secure payments, and seamless user experience across both web and mobile.
We developed a customized platform that gave our Growth Partner complete control over their processes, offering the flexibility and scalability they needed. Key features included:
Custom-built, self-managed databases.
API services for seamless third-party integration.
Admin panels for streamlined operational management.
Stripe integration for secure, reliable payment processing.
Responsive web and mobile app design and development.
The result was a fully functional, scalable, and customizable in-house auction platform supporting real-time bidding, secure payments, and seamless user experience across both web and mobile.
Our Approach
Our Approach
We brought together a multidisciplinary team of front-end and back-end developers, DevOps, a product manager, an engineering manager, a product designer, and a QA automation engineer.
We brought together a multidisciplinary team of front-end and back-end developers, DevOps, a product manager, an engineering manager, a product designer, and a QA automation engineer.
Requirement
Analysis
Requirement
Analysis
We gained a deep understanding of the client's unique needs.
We gained a deep understanding of the client's unique needs.
Architecture
Design
Architecture
Design
We designed a robust architecture to ensure the platform's scalability and performance.
We designed a robust architecture to ensure the platform's scalability and performance.
Iterative
Development
Iterative
Development
The platform was built in phases with continuous feedback loops for ongoing improvements
The platform was built in phases with continuous feedback loops for ongoing improvements
Comprehensive
Testing
Comprehensive
Testing
Rigorous QA and automated testing were applied throughout the development process.
Rigorous QA and automated testing were applied throughout the development process.
Continuous
Improvement
Continuous
Improvement
After a successful deployment, we continued to assess and enhance the platform for optimal performance
After a successful deployment, we continued to assess and enhance the platform for optimal performance
Powerful Tech Stack
With Unicorn's growth trajectory in mind, the platform was designed for scalability and built to support continuous performance optimizations, ensuring that technology remains a core enabler of the company's ongoing success.



The Results
The Results
200%
200%
User increment while maintaining platform stability
User increment while maintaining platform stability
99,9%
99,9%
Uptime achieved in realtime auction processing
Uptime achieved in realtime auction processing
Key Takeaway: Effective scalability planning, continuous system refinement, and proactive performance monitoring are essential for real-time applications.
Key Takeaway: Effective scalability planning, continuous system refinement, and proactive performance monitoring are essential for real-time applications.
“The benefit of the partnership with Eureka has been having a great team that truly understands the intricacies of our business. It genuinely felt like the team had an ownership mentality—using the app, feeling the same pain points we did, and wanting to create the best experience that they would want for themselves.”
“The benefit of the partnership with Eureka has been having a great team that truly understands the intricacies of our business. It genuinely felt like the team had an ownership mentality—using the app, feeling the same pain points we did, and wanting to create the best experience that they would want for themselves.”
Phil Mikhaylov,
CEO, Unicorn
Phil Mikhaylov,
CEO, Unicorn


Ready to Build
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Built by people who love what they do — and use AI to do it better.
Built by people who love what they do —
and use AI to do it better.
Built by people who love what they do —
and use AI to do it better.