Marketplaces

Top Online Marketplaces: Where to Sell in 2021

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.


Part 1: The Current State of Online Marketplaces

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.

Part 2: Top Online Marketplaces Overview

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.

1. eBay

eBay is a global B2B and B2C platform selling new and second hand consumer products for auction or at a fixed price.

Top Online Marketplaces - eBay Website

Key figures

Where can I sell?

eBay has local sites in over 30 countries

What does it cost to sell on eBay?

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.

How to get started on eBay?

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

2. Catch

Previously catchoftheday.com.au, Australia’s largest daily deals site rebranded and was launched as an online marketplace, Catch, in 2017.

Top Online Marketplaces - Amazon website

Key figures

Where can I sell?

Amazon has local marketplaces in 10 countries including the US, Australia, UK and Europe.

What does it cost to sell on Amazon?

In an increasingly competitive market we are looking at expanding and see Amazon as a good opportunity to showcase our products

How to sell on Amazon?

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

4. Kogan.com Marketplace

Launched in 2019 by Australia's largest online retailer, Kogan.com Marketplace is a popular destination for electronics and more.

Top Online Marketplaces - Kogan.com website

Key figures

Where can I sell?

Australia

What does it cost to sell on Kogan.com Marketplace?

Kogan.com offers custom pricing to its sellers

How to sell on Kogan.com Marketplace?

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.

5. MyDeal

Australian-based marketplace established in 2011 with over 1,000 Aussie suppliers, MyDeal sells consumer products including furniture, electronics and fashion.

Top Online Marketplaces - MyDeal website

Key figures

Where can I sell?

Australia

What does it cost to sell on MyDeal?

There are no subscription fees, insertion fees or commission on shipping on MyDeal. Selling is by application only.

How to sell on MyDeal?

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.


6. Etsy

Etsy is a global marketplace where artists and designers can list handmade items or vintage products.

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).

Top Online Marketplaces - GraysOnline website

Key figures

  • 187,000+ active customers
  • 6,000+ vendors
  • 376,000+ monthly visits

Where can I sell?

Australia and New Zealand

9. Tmall

Alibaba owned B2C marketplace, Tmall allows overseas companies to sell products directly to consumers in mainland China.

Top Online Marketplaces - Tmall website

Key figures

  • 500+ million users
  • 846+ million monthly visits

Where can I sell?

China, Hong Kong, USA

What does it cost to sell on Tmall?

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.

10. Jd.com

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.

Top Online Marketplaces - JD website

Key figures

  • 226+ million active users
  • 507+ million monthly visits

Where can I sell?

China, USA

What does it cost to sell on Jd.com?

You'll be up for a $US15,000 deposit, $1000 annual fee, plus 2.0-10% commission on items sold.

Tip

Each marketplace has different specifications for product imagery—size, format, what's included and more. Don't be caught out, check out this Marketplaces Product Photography Guide.

11. Bonanza

Bonanza is a B2C platform with more than 50,000 sellers offering a vibrant collection of fashion, collectibles, home decor, and more.

Hard to Find features a curated selection of ‘unique and quirky’ homewares, gifts and fashion from independent artists and manufacturers.

Top Online Marketplaces - Hard to Find website

Key figures

  • 700,000 users (2016)
  • 93,000 monthly visits

Where can I sell?

Australia

What does it cost to sell on Hard to Find?

It's free to join, there are no listing fees, or commission on sale.

13. Fishpond

Fishpond is a New Zealand-based marketplace selling consumer products to Australia and New Zealand.

TradeMe is the largest internet auction site in New Zealand and the 5th most visited site, selling everything from antiques and collectibles to animals.

Top Online Marketplaces - TradeMe website

Key figures

  • 4.4 million active users
  • 7 million listings

Where can I sell?

New Zealand, Australia, India

What does it cost to sell on TradeMe?

Depending on the product category, there are listing fees, plus 7.9% final value fee.

Tip

Only New Zealand and Australian sellers can register to sell on TradeMe.

15. ASOS Marketplace

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.

Top Online Marketplaces - ASOS Marketplace

Key figures

  • Over 1,000 boutiques
  • 24 million monthly visitors

Where can I sell?

Globally

What does it cost to sell on ASOS marketplace?

£20/month for a boutique plus 20% commission on items sold.

16. Google Shopping

how Google Shopping works.


How to Get Started Selling on Marketplaces

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:

  • orders coming in from different sources
  • managing multiple sets of inventory
  • shipping within the specified delivery times
  • managing customers and communications across different platforms

Be sure to ask these questions before selecting a marketplace:

  • Are you targeting a specific market?
  • Are your products the right fit?
  • Are you equipped to provide support?

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.