7 Online Marketplaces to Amplify Sales for Ecommerce Enterprises

Leveraging ecommerce marketplaces presents a remarkable opportunity to showcase your products to a broader audience actively seeking to make purchases. However, identifying the ideal market can indeed be a daunting task.

What constitutes an online marketplace?

An online marketplace allows sellers to list and vend products through third-party websites. These platforms oversee the transaction process, serving as intermediaries trusted by sellers and buyers to facilitate sales.

Seven leading ecommerce marketplaces for selling

So, where should you consider showcasing your products online? Here are four ecommerce marketplaces worth exploring:

Amazon Marketplace

Amazon Marketplace stands out as one of the premier platforms for selling your products. Despite fierce competition, its immense reach—92% of Americans have purchased on Amazon—makes it an attractive starting point. Fees associated with selling on Amazon Marketplace

Before diving in, it’s essential to factor in the fees. Each order incurs various charges and additional costs for specific product categories. For a comprehensive breakdown, refer to Amazon’s website.

Setting up an Amazon Marketplace account

If Amazon seems like the right fit for your products, follow these steps to begin selling: Visit amazon.com

Register for an account
Select your plan (Individual or Professional)
Add your products to the store
Establish your storefront

Commence selling! Selling on a leading online marketplace can pose challenges. Here are some tips to help you succeed on Amazon:

Optimize product listings with keywords: Incorporating pertinent keywords into your listings enhances visibility in relevant search results. Craft a branded storefront: A well-designed storefront promotes brand awareness and provides a cohesive experience for your audience, potentially fostering customer loyalty.
Manage inventory effectively: Maintain accurate inventory records to prevent overselling or missed sales opportunities, ensuring a seamless customer experience.
Deliver exceptional customer service: Prioritize stellar customer service to nurture positive reviews, which can bolster sales and improve search result rankings.

Walmart Marketplace

Following is Walmart Marketplace, another notable platform in ecommerce marketplaces. This venue allows you to showcase your products alongside those offered by Walmart, granting you access to its vast audience of over 385 million monthly visitors.

Walmart Marketplace Fees

One of the major advantages of selling on this e-commerce platform is the absence of a monthly subscription fee. Instead, you incur a referral fee for each item sold, ranging from 6% to 15%.

For instance, apparel items carry a 15% referral fee, whereas consumer electronics have an 8% fee.

For a detailed breakdown of fees, refer to Walmart’s Seller Help Center.

Setting up a Walmart Marketplace Account

You must undergo an application and approval process to sell through Walmart Marketplace. Walmart rigorously evaluates potential sellers to ensure compatibility with its platform.

Before listing your products, you need to meet Walmart’s prerequisites and submit an application. These prerequisites include:

Global Trade Item Number (GTIN) or Universal Product Code (UPC) GS1 company prefix number
Competitive Pricing
Efficient and prompt product fulfillment
Prior experience in marketplace selling
Excellent customer service
Business-to-consumer (B2C) U.S.-based warehouse
Tax identification number
W-9 form

If you meet all the criteria outlined above, you can proceed with your application to become a Walmart Marketplace seller.

You can begin uploading your products to your store page and selling upon approval.

Tips for Successful Selling on Walmart Marketplace

To optimize your sales potential on one of the leading ecommerce platforms, consider these best practices:

Maintain competitive pricing: Pricing plays a crucial role in Walmart Marketplace. Given Walmart’s reputation for offering competitive prices, Marketplace sellers need to align their pricing accordingly. Ensure your products are competitively priced to enhance your sales prospects.
Utilize advertising to enhance product visibility: Walmart Marketplace offers options for promoting individual product listings or your brand. Leveraging this paid feature can elevate your products’ visibility in search results and drive more sales.
Ensure swift product delivery: Walmart considers your shipping performance when assessing your eligibility to continue selling on their platform. To maintain your standing in the marketplace, it’s imperative to prioritize fast shipping, aiming for delivery within one to two days.

.eBay

Another prominent player among the top ecommerce marketplaces for sellers is eBay. This platform has transcended its origins of being solely for used or auctioned items, evolving into a versatile marketplace that accommodates both old and new products.

eBay Fees

eBay entails various fees that sellers should consider when considering this ecommerce platform. Apart from monthly store fees, there are additional charges for listing and selling products:

Insertion Fee: This fee is applied per listing and category. Sellers receive up to 200 zero-insertion-fee listings (with the potential for more with an eBay Store). Beyond the initial 200, each insertion costs approximately $0.35 per listing.
Final Value Fees: This charge represents eBay’s selling fee. It is a percentage of the total sale price of an item. Typically, these fees amount to around 12% and a $0.30 transaction fee.

Setting Up an eBay Account

To commence selling your products on eBay, adhere to these steps:

Register for an eBay account.
Select a suitable business plan for your eBay store.
Create your My eBay page.
Upload your product listings to your site.
It’s as straightforward as that!

Tips for Successful Selling on eBay

To thrive on one of the premier ecommerce platforms for sellers, implement the following strategies:

Utilize High-Quality Product Images: Compelling product imagery is crucial for effective selling on eBay. The quality of your product images can significantly influence whether potential buyers click on your listing or scroll past it. Avoid grainy, stretched, or low-quality images.
Offer Competitive Shipping Rates: Shipping costs heavily influence purchasing decisions on eBay. You can attract more buyers to buy your products over competitors by providing low-cost shipping options.
Optimize Product Titles and Descriptions: To enhance the visibility of your products in search results, optimize your product titles and descriptions with relevant keywords. Strategic keyword usage can bolster your products’ rankings in search queries.

Target Plus

Target Plus is The final contender among the leading online marketplaces we’ll examine. Target Plus offers an exclusive platform that can expand your reach to a broader audience of potential customers for your business.

Target Plus Fees

Selling products on Target Plus incurs a referral fee ranging from 5% to 15% for your listed items.

Setting Up an Account with Target Plus

To become a seller on one of the largest ecommerce platforms, you typically require an invitation from Target. Invitations are selective, and obtaining one may involve a waiting period. However, you can express your interest in joining by completing the Supplier Registration form.

You can access the Partners portal to create your account upon receiving an invitation to join Target Plus. This involves detailing the brands you represent and completing the onboarding process, such as adding your products.

Tips for Successful Selling on Target Plus

To optimize your sales performance on this ecommerce platform, adhere to these guidelines:

Utilize High-Quality Product Images: Ensure your listings feature high-quality images that effectively showcase your products. Clear, visually appealing photos enhance the attractiveness of your offerings.
Craft Descriptive Listings: Persuasive and informative product descriptions are crucial for enticing potential buyers. Incorporate relevant keywords and details to communicate the value of your products and encourage purchases effectively.

Wayfair

Wayfair is moving forward with our roster of top online marketplaces. This platform caters primarily to e-commerce businesses specializing in furniture and home goods.

Wayfair Fees

Wayfair does not charge fees for hosting items or take a percentage of sales, unlike other platforms. Instead, they compensate you based on the wholesale cost of your items and set a higher retail price to generate profit.

Setting Up an Account with Wayfair

To commence selling on Wayfair, you must first become an approved partner. This involves applying for consideration.

Once approved, you will be included in Wayfair’s dropship model. When a customer purchases one of your listed products, Wayfair forwards the order details to you for fulfillment. Wayfair covers shipping expenses, simplifying the seller process.

Tips for Successful Selling on Wayfair

For optimal results when selling your home goods through Wayfair, implement these strategies:

Provide Multiple High-Quality Photos: Potential buyers browsing for furniture and decor items online often seek comprehensive visuals. Offering multiple high-quality images showcasing various angles and settings helps customers visualize the products in their spaces.
Leverage Promotional Opportunities: Wayfair periodically offers promotional events like Way Day, featuring significant discounts on home items. Capitalize on such opportunities by promoting them through your social media channels to drive sales.

Alibaba

Alibaba stands out as another exceptional online platform for selling products. It is particularly advantageous for sellers penetrating the Chinese market and catering to bulk product sales.

Selling Fees on Alibaba

A business account is imperative to engage in selling activities on Alibaba. Detailed information regarding Alibaba’s selling fees can be found on its official website.

Setting Up an Account on Alibaba

To initiate your selling journey on Alibaba, you can establish a business account tailored to your enterprise. Alibaba will guide you through creating your account and selecting the most suitable plan.

Furthermore, you will be required to undergo a Business Verification process to validate the legitimacy of your company.

Upon successfully completing account creation and verification, you can list your products and commence selling.

Tips for Successful Selling on Alibaba

Seeking assistance with selling on Alibaba? Here are some strategies for achieving success:

Keyword Optimization: Incorporate relevant keywords into your Alibaba listings to ensure optimal product visibility. Since each listing can only include three keywords, choose them judiciously to maximize effectiveness.
Utilize Advertising: Enhance the promotion of your products on Alibaba through advertising initiatives. By leveraging Keyword Advertising, you can target individuals based on their geographical location and browsing history, elevating your products’ visibility and attracting qualified leads.

Etsy

In conclusion, our discussion on e-commerce marketplaces concerns Etsy. Etsy serves as an ideal platform for selling unique and custom-made products tailored to individual customers’ preferences. It mainly caters to artisans, crafters, and vintage shops seeking to market their products online.

Etsy Selling Fees

Etsy imposes various selling fees that sellers should consider when listing their products on the platform. A comprehensive breakdown of these fees is available on Etsy’s official website.

Creating an Account on Etsy

If you deem Etsy as the optimal ecommerce marketplace for your business, you can proceed to establish your account by following these steps:

Create an Etsy account.
Specify your shop location and preferred currency.
Select a distinctive name for your shop.
Add product listings showcasing your offerings.
Determine your preferred payment and billing methods.

Upon completing these steps, you can initiate your selling endeavors on Etsy.

Tips for Successful Selling on Etsy

Are you eager to excel in selling on one of the premier online marketplaces? Consider implementing the following best practices:

High-Quality Product Imagery: Enhance the appeal of your product listings by utilizing high-quality images that provide prospective customers with a comprehensive view of your offerings. Superior visuals can significantly contribute to increased sales.
Advertising Campaigns: Launch targeted advertising campaigns to elevate your products’ visibility in search results. Investing in advertising can effectively position your products in front of a relevant audience, augmenting your sales potential.

What are the advantages of utilizing an online marketplace?

Now that we’ve explored the top online marketplaces, let’s delve into two significant advantages of opting to sell your products via ecommerce platforms:

Access to an Established Customer Base

One of the most notable benefits of showcasing products on ecommerce marketplaces is gaining access to an established customer base. Rather than investing time and resources in driving traffic to your website, you can leverage existing pools of customers readily available on these platforms.

Consequently, you can focus more on promoting your products and refining your listings to increase your sales potential.

Association with Reputable Marketplaces

For small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs), building trust can be daunting. When unfamiliar with your brand, consumers may hesitate to make purchases due to concerns about trustworthiness.

By selling on reputable online ecommerce marketplaces, you inherently instill trust. Platforms like Amazon and Walmart have earned consumers’ trust over the years, contributing to their enduring success. When you sell on these marketplaces, you benefit from the credibility associated with the platform owner (such as Amazon or Walmart), enhancing trust in your brand.

Moreover, in the event of any issues, customers are reassured by the knowledge that the marketplace owner will intervene and address any concerns.