Zerkuri story

It's easy to think of a digital file as something you can buy and download in a few clicks. To its creator, it can mean much more.

Behind a design are an idea, planning, revisions, testing, experience and a great deal of time. The finished file doesn't reveal every attempt, adjustment and hour of work it took to create it.

A laser-cutting pattern can become a real object. A 3D model can become a tangible creation. A well-made digital design can be the starting point for someone else's next project.

I wanted to build a place where these creators and their work receive attention. Where creators can show what they've made, and buyers can find inspiration and useful designs.

It was also important that joining wouldn't immediately mean recurring expenses. Creators should be able to try the platform, upload their work and start building their presence without paying monthly or listing fees before their first sale.

I didn't want them to invest money upfront in something whose return they couldn't yet know. These ideas became Zerkuri's foundation.

I build and run Zerkuri largely on my own. When specialist knowledge is needed, I bring in help.

That also means constant learning. At first, designing and building the interface seemed like the biggest task. As I progressed, I discovered that the processes behind it were often even more complex.

Behind that interface, registration, product uploads, search, payments, VAT handling, invoicing and access to files after purchase all need to work.

Creators need to manage their products. Buyers need to find what they're looking for. Visitors arriving in different languages need to understand how the website works.

Each of these requires attention. Together, they form a system in which a small change can affect several other parts.

Again and again, I learned that something being built for the first time doesn't mean it's finished. It needs checking, fixing and refining until it works well in practice.

I also had to learn when I could solve something myself and when to ask for help. Building Zerkuri required both.

There were errors, setbacks and solutions I had to revisit more than once.

Sometimes a page looked good on a computer but needed changes on a phone. Sometimes the wording of a working feature didn't explain clearly enough what users could expect. Connecting an external service could require more discussions and attempts than I had anticipated.

The Pinterest connection, for example, took several steps, checks and fixes before the first product appeared successfully and its link worked correctly.

Visitors often see only a single button. I had to learn how much work goes into making that button lead to the right result.

Setting up payments, invoicing and international sales took months of work and discussions. I also sought help from a tax adviser.

VAT required a great deal of attention: who has which obligations, which country's rules and rates apply to a purchase, and how everything should be reflected in invoicing. The roles of sellers, buyers and the platform also needed to be clarified.

It mattered to me to give these questions time and attention. I wanted the operations behind the website to be as carefully considered as what visitors see on screen.

Honestly, if someone had explained every aspect of building an international marketplace at the beginning, I might not have dared to start.

There were difficult days when I considered stopping. With some problems, I felt there was no solution or couldn't see a way forward.

Sometimes I couldn't reach an agreement with a service provider, and it seemed that one significant obstacle might prevent everything I'd built from launching.

It was hard to imagine that, after so much work, I might still not reach the point where the website actually operated.

At those times, I had to explore alternatives, rethink solutions and sometimes take a step back to move forward later.

In the end, I always returned to why I'd started: I wanted to create this place for creators. That gave me a reason to keep looking for solutions.

Throughout development, many decisions brought me back to the same question:

How does this help the person who will use the website?

Building a community mattered to me from the beginning. I wanted a place where creations could lead to conversations, new ideas and connections.

That's why there are no listing fees or monthly subscription fees. Zerkuri charges a commission after a successful sale. The platform covers the payment provider's transaction fee from its own share.

I wanted creators to build their presence at their own pace, with a sale being the point at which the platform also shares in the result.

The same thinking led to Showcase.

A finished object can reveal the possibilities within a digital design. It can inspire others and help them imagine their next project.

Different materials, colours, sizes and personal ideas can turn the same design into very different creations. Showcase makes room for these perspectives: it shows how a file becomes someone's own creation.

Pinterest sharing also aims to help creations reach new people. The related automatic sharing requires consent.

Multiple languages matter because creative talent and interest don't stop at national borders. I started in Hungary, but I'm thinking about an international community.

Zerkuri launched with ten languages. I'd like to add more so that more people can use it in their own language. Preparing translations and keeping them up to date takes time, care and money, so I plan to expand gradually as the platform grows.

Once the website was built, another task began: finding creators who would like to join.

I started reaching out personally. I looked at their work, introduced Zerkuri and explained why I'd like them to be part of it.

For some, the timing wasn't right. Some couldn't be reached, and others simply said no. I had to accept that too: everyone knows what they have time for and which opportunities they want to pursue.

But some asked questions, showed interest or put their trust in a platform that was just starting out.

The first positive replies meant a great deal.

After a long, difficult period, it felt especially good to read that someone liked the idea, saw potential in it and would gladly join.

When someone joins a new marketplace, gives it their time, uploads their work and gives what I'm building a chance, I don't take that for granted.

Their questions teach me a lot too. What matters to them? What worries them? What do they need to enjoy using the website? What would make their work simpler and more convenient?

These conversations help Zerkuri respond to users' real needs. For me, that is one of the most important guides.

I want creators on Zerkuri to feel they have someone to turn to. That their questions matter and their feedback reaches the person building the website.

That also inspired the idea of a community Idea Box: a place where users can say what's missing, what they'd change and which improvements would help them.

I want people here to have a chance to shape the platform they use.

This direct connection is especially important for a new platform. Much can be planned in advance, but real use shows what needs changing.

That's why I also want to listen when something is inconvenient, missing or unclear. This feedback is as much a part of progress as positive comments.

To me, community means working together: creators bring their talent and ideas, while I work to provide an increasingly useful platform.

I've tried to build a clear, user-friendly website. I know there will always be things to refine, and people's experience can help a great deal.

I want everyone who joins to feel that we value the person behind their work too.

Zerkuri is a young platform. Its selection, community and visibility are still growing.

I don't want to promise guaranteed sales or quick success. Building a new marketplace takes time, consistent work and trust.

What I can commit to is my own work: addressing problems, listening to feedback and continuing to develop the website and introduce it to more people.

If something needs fixing, I want to understand the problem. If a solution isn't ready yet, I want to speak honestly about it. And if there's an opportunity to offer creators more, I want to work on it.

My aim is for Zerkuri to become a valuable place for digital creators and buyers over the long term. A place worth uploading new work to, returning to for inspiration or visiting to find a design for your next project.

Selling is an important part of this. It's equally important to me that creators can show their work, learn from one another and build connections.

I want to build a creative community that people are happy to be part of.

Whether you browse, join, upload a creation, make a purchase or share the website with someone, you contribute to Zerkuri's story.

This all began as a personal vision. Today, every new creator, every piece of feedback and every completed project continues to shape it.

Looking back at the difficulties, uncertain days and fresh starts, the time I invested was worth it to me. That vision has become a place others can join and we can continue shaping together.

Thank you for taking the time to read our story and giving what we're building a chance.

A special thank you if you put your trust in Zerkuri. I know a new platform has to earn it. I want to honour that trust with care, work and the best of my abilities.

I'm glad you're here. From here, our story can continue together.

Dávid

Founder of Zerkuri