Josh Cutler
When it comes to selling your items online as an eCommerce store, you have a plethora of platforms to choose from. Options, although freeing, may often bring confusion and delays. How do you make the right selection for your brand when there are so many options?
Each online marketplace has its own set of advantages and disadvantages. We’re here to help you go through all of the facts so you can make the best choice for your company. Continue reading for a comparison of some of the top marketplaces to sell on (added bonus: Deliverr has direct interfaces with all of them!).
Choosing the most suitable marketplace for your brand
Before we go into the finest online marketplaces to sell your items on, let’s define a marketplace and explain how it varies from your own eCommerce platform. To begin, an eCommerce platform is a separate website that sells things, but an online marketplace is similar to a digital flea market. You may sell your things on it, but you will normally have to pay fees.
Online marketplaces are advantageous since customers are likely to be acquainted with them. When customers know to go to Amazon, it’s a terrific location to sell your stuff! You eliminate the need to compete on search engines and instead concentrate on doing effectively on the online marketplace of your choice.
Whatever marketplace you pick, the platform will expose your exceptional items to new people. In the end, more sales will benefit you.
1. Amazon.com
It seems only natural to begin with a well-known classic: Amazon. Amazon has over 2.5 billion desktop and mobile visitors in May 2021. The marketplace continues to expand on a daily basis, owing mostly to customer faith in Amazon. Amazon guarantees that customers will be delighted with their purchases or that any issues that arise will be resolved.
Furthermore, at a time when customers are waiting weeks for delivery, Amazon Prime is recognized for reliable, quick deliveries. There are even memes that summarize Amazon’s customer attitude.
Customers clearly like Amazon, but merchants do as well. The marketplace is straightforward and simple to use. You may put Search Engine Optimization (SEO), website design, and checkout conversion optimization on the back burner. You just need to list your items on Amazon. The game has just become a whole lot easier! Selling on Amazon increases the exposure of your items and attracts new customers.
However, Amazon has certain disadvantages. To utilize the platform, for example, you’ll have to pay a number of costs, including fulfillment, administration, and vendor fees. You’ll also face a lot of competition since Amazon is such a prominent online store. You also have no control over the platform (unlike if you had your own eCommerce website), and Amazon has access to all of your data.
2. Etsy
Etsy is an excellent site for selling handcrafted and antique stuff. Etsy is a prominent online marketplace with 2.5 million vendors and 50 million customers. One of the advantages of selling your things on Etsy is that you have a focused audience for your specialty. Only specific things may be sold on Etsy, but once they’re there, you know they’re searching for products like yours.
Another reason for Etsy’s popularity is its inexpensive listing costs. For the first four months, Etsy costs just 20 cents each listing. This is why it might be an excellent venue for newcomers. You may also utilize Etsy’s paid advertising capabilities to differentiate yourself from the other shops on the marketplace.
Overall, Etsy is simple to set up and popular among customers. In the most current American Customer Satisfaction Index, Etsy received an 80 rating for customer satisfaction (ACSI).
So, what are the disadvantages of selling on Etsy? One of them is that, despite the cheap listing costs, all transactions are subject to a 5% fee. You must also control your shop’s SEO. Another disadvantage is that Etsy sellers are likely to face delayed shipment (but keep in mind, this can be avoided when working with Deliverr for Etsy specifically).
3. eBay
Despite the fact that eBay has been established since 1995, it still has over 183 million active buyers. eBay is straightforward to use, making it simple to sell your things on the marketplace. You may sign up for a free account to have quick access to millions of customers who are eager to purchase.
Furthermore, eBay customers like buying on the site. In the most recent American Customer Satisfaction Index, eBay was rated slightly behind Etsy and Amazon (ACSI). In terms of customer happiness, eBay rated 77, while Etsy ranked 80 and Amazon ranked 79.
Another advantage of eBay is that it has a worldwide reach and is connected with PayPal, making it simple to take payments.
However, eBay, like every other internet marketplace, has limitations. For example, the marketplace’s costs are volatile, and you may wind up paying much too much in fees. Furthermore, there are concerns with customers not paying on eBay. You may believe you completed a transaction only to discover later that the customer never paid.
Which Market is Best for You?
Choosing the best online marketplace for your business is a difficult task. But we have a little secret for you: You don’t have to choose just one!
If you want to get the advantages of both markets, you may sell on both Amazon and Etsy, for example. Using a multi-channel strategy can broaden your customer base and provide you with choices if you have problems on one platform. If Etsy goes out of business for any reason, you’ll still have your Amazon listings to keep you going.
Online marketplaces may also be used in combination with your eCommerce website. Simply because there numerous online marketplaces to pick from does not exclude you from having an online eCommerce business. Having your own online store aids in brand development and awareness. You also get additional marketing chances and lower costs.
When it comes to selecting an online eCommerce platform, there are no hard and fast rules. Rather of focusing just on one marketplace, consider how combining markets with your own eCommerce site might help your company.
Finishing Touches: Deliverr & Marketplaces
Following on from the previous section, if you wish to sell on various markets, it is important to realize that you do not need to have a separate delivery system for each site. It’s crucial to deal with a fulfillment partner that can interact with all of these various markets since things might become complicated. You can discover more about the integrations Deliverr provides by scheduling a call here.