Business • Marketplaces
Top Online Marketplaces: Where to Sell in 2021
02 Jul 2020 • 17 min read
Online marketplaces have fast-become the favourite destination for online shoppers, with almost 70% of Australians visiting an online marketplace or auction site like eBay or Amazon every month, and marketplaces in Australia growing by a huge 74.8%.
Selling in online marketplaces is now becoming a core part of many retailers’ strategies—both for small businesses and large—to build brand exposure, reach new customers, and increase online sales. But with so many different marketplaces out there, how do you determine which is the right fit for your business? Should you be selling on one, two, or many?
Let's take a quick look at an example. Ella is an independent artist who creates a range of unique craft items including jewellery and patterned headscarves, which she wants to sell online without building her own ecommerce website. For Ella, Etsy is the ideal online marketplace platform to do so. Amazon, on the other hand, wouldn't be suitable as it requires all product listings to have a UPC (barcode).
So whether you want to sell gifts on a local scale, sell wholesale in asian markets, or open your store to the world, this article contains a comprehensive list of the top online marketplaces in the world to help you better understand the retail landscape and ultimately increase revenue.
Prior to the launch of Amazon Australia, we conducted a survey of Neto merchants to take a temperature check on sentiment towards Amazon and to understand more broadly how (or if) marketplaces like Amazon, eBay and Catch fit into our retailers' business strategies. Here are a few of the key insights:
We also asked our merchants why they wanted to sell on marketplaces, and this is what they said:
Marketplaces are an important way to gain new customers. We’re in a niche industry so mass market advertising isn’t practical. Sites like eBay put our products in front of people who might not have found us online.
Although there are hundreds of marketplaces in operation globally, we’ve handpicked a selection of 16 of the biggest and best online marketplaces in the US and Asia Pacific and pulled together all the key statistics to help you make the right decision for your business.
eBay is a global B2B and B2C platform selling new and second hand consumer products for auction or at a fixed price.
eBay has local sites in over 30 countries
Depending on your type of account and volume of sales you will be charged an insertion fee of up to AU$3.85, plus 10.9% final value fee, in Australia.
| Related reading: How to Sell on eBay
Marketplaces are an important way to gain new customers. We’re in a niche industry so mass market advertising isn’t practical. Sites like eBay put our products in front of people who might not have found us online.
To get started you'll need to open an eBay business account and start listing products to sell. To get the most out of the channel we recommend ensuring you have a system to easily list and update products and helps you track orders as they come through
Previously catchoftheday.com.au, Australia’s largest daily deals site rebranded and was launched as an online marketplace, Catch, in 2017.
Australia
As a curated marketplace, you'll need to be approved by Catch to sell through their marketplace. To get started apply for an account and indicate what categories you intend to sell through. Streamline creating and managing your listings while staying on top of your orders by integrating Catch into your ecommerce store.
Amazon is the world’s largest B2C online retailer of books, electronics, clothing, music and more. Both Amazon and third party sellers can sell direct to the public via the platform.
Amazon has local marketplaces in 10 countries including the US, Australia, UK and Europe.
In an increasingly competitive market we are looking at expanding and see Amazon as a good opportunity to showcase our products
Amazon runs each country's marketplace as a separate marketplace meaning that you will need to apply to create an account on each. You can sell on Amazon Australia by registering here and on the US marketplace here, once approve you can upload your products and start selling
Launched in 2019 by Australia's largest online retailer, Kogan.com Marketplace is a popular destination for electronics and more.
Australia
Kogan.com offers custom pricing to its sellers
Open to approved sellers only, to sell on Kogan.com Marketplace you'll need to complete their application form first. Once approved you'll be able to list products and sell to their 2 million plus shoppers.
Australian-based marketplace established in 2011 with over 1,000 Aussie suppliers, MyDeal sells consumer products including furniture, electronics and fashion.
Australia
There are no subscription fees, insertion fees or commission on shipping on MyDeal. Selling is by application only.
To sell on MyDeal's marketplace you'll need to apply on their site. Once approved you'll be able to list products and on this leading marketplace.
Etsy is a global marketplace where artists and designers can list handmade items or vintage products.
Where can I sell?
Globally!
In Australia, you'll be charged a AU$0.26 listing fee, plus a 3.5% commission on items sold.
Leading Asian marketplace, Alibaba offers a broad spectrum of B2B, B2C and C2C ecommerce services (Alibaba also operates a number of other online marketplaces including Taobao and Tmall).
Where can I sell?
190 countries
Depending on the number of products you're selling, you can use a free membership or apply for a gold membership.
The Australian answer to eBay, Grays offers consumer and industrial goods including mining and construction products, wine, vehicles, jewellery, and more for sale direct from manufacturers and distributors.
Australia and New Zealand
Alibaba owned B2C marketplace, Tmall allows overseas companies to sell products directly to consumers in mainland China.
China, Hong Kong, USA
Aimed at larger brands, Tmall requires a security deposit of up to US$25,000, US$5-10,000 annual fee, plus 2-5% commission on items sold.
Chinese marketplace selling consumer products including home appliances and electronics, Jd.com is one of the largest B2C platforms in China by volume and revenue.
China, USA
You'll be up for a $US15,000 deposit, $1000 annual fee, plus 2.0-10% commission on items sold.
Bonanza is a B2C platform with more than 50,000 sellers offering a vibrant collection of fashion, collectibles, home decor, and more.
USA
There are varying plans from free to US$24 to $166/month, plus 3.5% commission on items sold.
Australian-based marketplace, Hard to Find features a curated selection of ‘unique and quirky’ homewares, gifts and fashion from independent artists and manufacturers.
Australia
It's free to join, there are no listing fees, or commission on sale.
Fishpond is a New Zealand-based marketplace selling consumer products to Australia and New Zealand.
Australia and New Zealand
You'll be charged a 17% commission on items sold.
TradeMe is the largest internet auction site in New Zealand and the 5th most visited site, selling everything from antiques and collectibles to animals.
New Zealand, Australia, India
Depending on the product category, there are listing fees, plus 7.9% final value fee.
A offshoot of asos.com, ASOS Marketplace is a fashion and accessories marketplace selling new labels, independent brands and vintage boutiques from around the world.
Globally
£20/month for a boutique plus 20% commission on items sold.
Google Shopping, although not technically an online marketplace is still worth a mention. Google Shopping is often referred to as a marketplace because it allows customers to search for, view and compare products via the Google search platform, but it's actually a special type of ad platform otherwise known as a comparison shopping feed. Products can be listed to Google Shopping in a cost-per-click format, but unlike marketplaces, the customer is directed through to the retailer's own ecommerce site to make the transaction.
If you're keen to learn more, check out our recent post which dives deeper into how Google Shopping works.
The next step is to ensure you have a solid plan around the technology and systems you will use to manage the back end of your business. There are many complexities to navigate that come with selling on marketplaces, particularly if you're selling on a few or on your own site as well. Unless you're using a centralised retail platform (like Neto!) You've got to think about:
Be sure to ask these questions before selecting a marketplace:
Neto empowers wholesalers and multi-channel retailers to reach more customers through channels like eBay, Catch, Amazon, Kogan.com, MyDeal and more providing a better way to create listings and manage orders, inventory and fulfilment from one unified platform. Start a free trial today and see how Neto can help your business.
This post was originally published on 8/08/2018 and has been updated for accuracy.
