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As the eCommerce industry continues to grow, many online marketplaces have emerged to make it easier for businesses to find customers. With so many avenues for online selling, there is a real opportunity for businesses to develop a loyal customer base and expand their business. We’ll look at some of the leading eCommerce marketplaces for this article and how online store owners can get started with selling on global marketplaces.
What Is an Online Marketplace?
An online marketplace is designed to give sellers a centralized place for online selling. Users can browse different product categories and sellers in one place, enabling them to find what they’re looking for quickly. Most users aren’t using Google or retail websites initially but instead, rely on marketplaces. The marketplace may be dedicated to a niche type of product category (e.g., handmade goods), or they can sell a broad category of products from retailers.
- READ MORE: 50 Craft Business Ideas
What Are the Benefits of Selling in an Online Marketplace?
For online sellers looking to expand their online business, there are many benefits to selling on an eCommerce marketplace, such as:
- Broad customer base: You can reach a much larger audience by working with an online platform
- Trust: Customers may not trust buying directly from a website, but selling products on an online marketplace helps with building trust
- Powerful digital marketing: Online marketplaces have more bandwidth and resources to invest in digital marketing that enables users to find your products. An eCommerce platform is one of the best digital marketing channels for your products.
- Advanced selling tools: Many platforms offer a variety of powerful tools for customer service, fulfillment, and logistics to make shipping easier for active buyers and sellers.
- More sales: Diversifying your sales channels gives you more opportunities to become profitable while ensuring you have multiple revenue streams coming in.
Criteria for Choosing the Best Online Marketplace Options- Our Methodology
In guiding businesses towards the most suitable online marketplaces to maximize their sales and reach, we use the following criteria. Each one is rated on a scale from 1 to 10, where 10 indicates the highest level of importance and 1 the lowest.
- Audience Reach and Demographics
- Importance Scale: 9/10
- Rationale: Marketplaces with a large and diverse audience reach are crucial for maximizing visibility and potential customer base.
- Fees and Commission Structure
- Importance Scale: 8/10
- Rationale: Competitive and transparent fee structures are important to ensure businesses can maintain profitability.
- Ease of Use and Seller Tools
- Importance Scale: 8/10
- Rationale: User-friendly interfaces and effective seller tools streamline the selling process and enhance efficiency.
- Payment Processing and Security
- Importance Scale: 9/10
- Rationale: Secure and reliable payment processing systems are essential for the trust and safety of both the sellers and buyers.
- Integration with Business Systems
- Importance Scale: 7/10
- Rationale: The ability to integrate with existing business systems (like inventory management or CRM software) is valuable for operational consistency.
- Customer Support and Seller Services
- Importance Scale: 7/10
- Rationale: Accessible customer support and dedicated seller services are important for resolving issues and optimizing the selling experience.
- Marketing and Promotional Opportunities
- Importance Scale: 7/10
- Rationale: Marketplaces offering marketing and promotional tools can help businesses increase their product visibility and sales.
- Reviews and Reputation Management
- Importance Scale: 7/10
- Rationale: The ability for businesses to manage reviews and maintain a good reputation is critical for long-term success.
- Mobile Accessibility
- Importance Scale: 6/10
- Rationale: A mobile-friendly platform allows for convenient management of listings and sales on the go.
- Scalability and Growth Potential
- Importance Scale: 7/10
- Rationale: Marketplaces that support scalability and growth allow businesses to expand their reach and product offerings effectively.
By applying these criteria, we aim to guide businesses toward online marketplaces that not only facilitate reaching a wide customer base but also offer a supportive and efficient environment for selling their products or services.
Top Online Marketplaces to Sell Crafts and Handmade Items
If you create your own handmade items and crafts, there are many platforms where you can start selling online. Going for established online marketplaces ensures that you have the resources needed, as these platforms are designed for third-party sellers. Here are some of the online sites to sell your products on:
1. Facebook Marketplace
If you’re looking for a popular online marketplace where you can connect with local customers, Facebook Marketplace is a valuable eCommerce platform. You can post items without listing fees and advertise your products to local and international customers. The reach is immense, and the interface is easy to use for anyone with a basic knowledge of Facebook.
2. Etsy
Etsy is a leading online marketplace for handmade goods, crafts, and vintage items. Although there are marketplace fees involved for listed items, the platform has a vast global market share that has helped many Etsy sellers see success with selling items. There are also advertising opportunities and seller tools to help you scale your business over time.
- READ MORE: How to Start an Etsy Shop
3. eBay
eBay is the largest online marketplace and one of the top eCommerce platforms out there, with massive global reach and popularity within many profitable niche groups. Customers can compare prices and shop around for handmade and other items, which is why the platform attracts many users. The eBay seller hub also gives sellers many tools to manage their product listings and quickly sell online.
- READ MORE: How to Start an eBay Drop Off Store
4. Amazon Marketplace
Amazon Marketplace is the largest eCommerce marketplace and one of the top online selling sites. On Amazon Marketplace, sellers can sell products made by them, as well as items such as electronics, books, and other products. There are tons of seller tools and promotion opportunities to help you scale quickly.
More of the Best Online Marketplaces for Small Business
Other marketplaces can be considered if you’re looking to start an eCommerce business that doesn’t necessarily rely on handmade goods. For example, there are options out there that cater to wholesale shopping and online stores customers can shop at.
5. Newegg
For consumer electronics, PC parts, and other tech goods, Newegg is one of the best options in online markets. Newegg has marketing and merchandising programs available to help sellers drive traffic to their products and sell more.
6. JD Worldwide
JD Worldwide enables a third-party seller to connect to customers globally, including tapping into high-potential markets, including Chinese customers. In addition, brands and suppliers can use JD Worldwide for cross-border selling and provide more options for customers who shop online.
7. Walmart Marketplace
Walmart has recently entered the world of online selling platforms with Walmart Marketplace, which allows sellers to sell their products to Walmart customers. It’s one of the fastest-growing eCommerce sites, with plenty of tools to help sellers increase sales.
8. Bluecart
If you’re seeking options for wholesale, Bluecart is one of the leading e-commerce companies with a fast-growing wholesale marketplace. It’s useful for food and beverage products and is perhaps a bit more niche than other online marketplace options.
9. Faire
Faire is another eCommerce site offering wholesale options for handmade goods and crafts. For businesses looking to scale their businesses outside of selling on their own website and expand to other stockists, Faire brings together eCommerce companies and brands for exclusive wholesale deals.
| Marketplace | Description |
|---|---|
| Facebook Marketplace | A popular online marketplace for connecting with local and international customers. No listing fees, and you can advertise your products with ease. |
| Etsy | Leading platform for handmade goods, crafts, and vintage items. While there are listing fees, Etsy offers a vast global market for sellers. |
| eBay | The largest online marketplace with a wide range of products. Ideal for price comparison and providing various tools for sellers. |
| Amazon Marketplace | The largest eCommerce marketplace where sellers can list their products, including electronics, books, and more. |
| Newegg | Excellent choice for consumer electronics, PC parts, and tech goods. Offers marketing programs to help sellers boost product visibility. |
| JD Worldwide | Allows third-party sellers to connect with a global customer base, including Chinese consumers. Supports cross-border selling. |
| Walmart Marketplace | Walmart's fast-growing online platform for sellers to reach Walmart customers. Provides tools to enhance sales and visibility. |
| Bluecart | A growing e-commerce company with a focus on wholesale markets, especially for food and beverage products. Unique and niche in its offering. |
| Faire | An eCommerce site catering to wholesale options for handmade goods and crafts. Facilitates partnerships with other stockists for exclusive deals. |
Navigating the Competitive Landscape of Online Marketplaces
As you venture into the world of online marketplaces, it’s essential to understand that competition can be fierce. To stand out and succeed, here are some key strategies to keep in mind:
- Product Differentiation: Find ways to make your products unique, whether through design, quality, or branding.
- Pricing Strategy: Research competitors’ pricing and set competitive yet profitable prices for your products.
- Customer Service: Provide exceptional customer service to build trust and encourage positive reviews.
- Optimized Listings: Use high-quality images, detailed descriptions, and relevant keywords to improve your listings’ visibility.
- Shipping Efficiency: Offer fast and reliable shipping options to enhance the customer experience.
- Marketing and Promotion: Utilize marketplace advertising options and social media to promote your products.
- Monitoring and Adaptation: Continuously analyze your sales data and adjust your strategies based on performance.
What is Better for Online Sales: Amazon, Etsy, or eBay?
If you’re trying to decide between selling on Amazon, Etsy, or eBay, it’s essential to consider what customers are looking for on each platform. Amazon has the largest audience and doesn’t charge sellers listing fees for their eCommerce store. Many great selling tools are also available to help sellers manage listings.
eBay can be used in two ways: Add items as online auction users can bid on with the highest bidder purchasing the products or by setting a selling price as a buy now option (e.g., no bidding). The fees vary for listing items depending on whether it’s set up as an auction item or bought directly. One of the primary draws for eBay as a seller is that it has a massive list of product categories for sellers and a wide user base.
Etsy is primarily used to sell handmade goods and crafts and is a bit more niche comparatively. However, Etsy charges a small listing fee for products listed and a transaction fee on sold products. As a result, Etsy attracts a dedicated audience and is one of the primary sites that comes up when users search on Google shopping.
What Is the Best Marketplace to Sell Online?
There are many marketplaces available to make your products available for online shopping. Amazon is a global marketplace with the largest customer base compared to other platforms, with excellent performance in search engines, making it the best platform to sell items on.
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