{"id":8494,"date":"2023-10-03T03:52:02","date_gmt":"2023-10-03T03:52:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ownrblog-preprod.go-vip.net\/?p=8494"},"modified":"2026-04-13T13:35:31","modified_gmt":"2026-04-13T13:35:31","slug":"online-marketplaces-sell-products","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.ownr.co\/blog\/online-marketplaces-sell-products\/","title":{"rendered":"11 Online Marketplaces to Sell Your Products"},"content":{"rendered":"

With the internet, it\u2019s so much easier for entrepreneurs to sell their products. Places like Amazon and Etsy offer near-limitless access to potential markets, both in North America and across the globe. The need to open a brick-and-mortar shop is not necessarily an essential part of selling your products anymore.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Starting a new venture is exciting and with <\/span>over half of the global population<\/span><\/a> now actively online, your customer base is virtually limitless. Whether you\u2019re a creative soul wanting to sell handmade candles or quirky fingerless mittens, or are contemplating a wholesale distribution of graphic print t-shirts, there\u2019s a market for your product. But which one is the right online platform for you?<\/span><\/p>\n

Do your research before starting an online business<\/span><\/h2>\n

Maybe you\u2019re already started your <\/span>online business<\/span><\/a>, or maybe you just have an idea and are doing some preliminary research. Starting an online business can be exciting, but also daunting. You are your own boss and you call the shots. But the fact that there are so many online marketplaces can be a bit confusing.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

This is why it\u2019s important to do your research first. We can\u2019t say enough about the importance of thoroughly researching your online business, understand your <\/span>niche market<\/span><\/a>. You probably already have a sense of what that is (quirky fingerless mittens, anyone?), but also conduct market research. How popular are fingerless mittens? What product category would these fit into? Are they a passing fad or are they a staple that\u2019s here to stay?\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Market research can also help determine demand. If there isn\u2019t a huge demand for your products, you may have a hard time finding a customer base. Determining demand helps with <\/span>sales forecasts<\/span><\/a>, which helps you budget.<\/span><\/p>\n

Analyzing your competition is also a big part of doing your research. If the competition is stiff, that can drive the prices down, which might make it harder for you to turn a profit. But that doesn\u2019t mean you can\u2019t capture your share of the market. Maybe you need to offer something unique about your product that isn\u2019t available in the current market. There might be a lot of equally quirky fingerless mitten sellers online, but are they made with organic and ethically sourced materials like yours?<\/span><\/p>\n

Competitor research involves four basic steps, called a SWOT analysis. A SWOT analysis measures the Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats for your business.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

What is an online marketplace?<\/span><\/h2>\n

If you\u2019re just starting out, you may wonder what an online marketplace is. Basically, an online marketplace is an ecommerce website that offers a variety of products from different retailers. These retailers can be a <\/span>sole proprietor<\/span><\/a> selling handmade products, or they can be larger distributors.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The online marketplace business is vast. There are <\/span>over 100 online marketplaces<\/span><\/a> worldwide, meaning your customers might be anywhere. That can be both beneficial and daunting. Again, it\u2019s important to do your research. Browse some online marketplaces to find out which is the best for your product. (We\u2019ve done the legwork for you and listed 11 of the most popular ones below!)\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

3 reasons to sell on an online marketplace<\/span><\/h2>\n

Despite how overwhelming the online marketplace business may seem, there are some significant benefits to selling your wares online.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

1. Up and running in no time<\/span><\/h3>\n

Basically, an online marketplace means you don\u2019t have to wait for a store opening to start selling your products. Most online marketplaces let you start selling with a click of a mouse.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

If selling online is new to you, these online marketplaces can really help build your brand. Most online marketplaces require approval to start selling, but once you have that approval, you can sell as a third-party seller or add your online shop directly on their website, such as Etsy.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

2. Programs are already established<\/span><\/h3>\n

Most of the biggest online marketplaces already have established selling programs. This means most of the legwork is already done for you as far as navigating the online marketplace platform. Many sites have a plethora of tools to help you to get your products listed, including shipping options with shipping rates already included. How\u2019s that for easy?<\/span><\/p>\n

3. Established customer base<\/span><\/h3>\n

Probably the most important and beneficial part of an online marketplace is there\u2019s a pre-established customer base. You don\u2019t need to go hunting. Places like Amazon, eBay, and Etsy already have millions of active users. In fact, most online retailers don\u2019t have a brick-and-mortar store, and <\/span>56% of all product searches<\/span><\/a> are now conducted (and often end) on Amazon.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Top 11 online marketplaces<\/span><\/h2>\n

Now that you\u2019ve got a general idea of what online marketplaces are and how they work, let\u2019s look at 11 of the top sites where you can sell your products.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

1. Amazon<\/span><\/h3>\n

Amazon<\/span><\/a> is\u00a0 ubiquitous among the online marketplace retailers and leverages the largest customer base, with <\/span>over 310 million active users and 90 million Prime members<\/span><\/a>. That\u2019s a lot of customers!\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Amazon is a retail outlet with 19 global sites. This means world-wide exposure for you and your products. The unique part of Amazon is that it offers <\/span>Fulfilment By Amazon or FBA<\/span><\/a>. This allows online retailers to send their products directly to an Amazon warehouse, allowing them to handle all the nitty gritty, like shipping and customer service.<\/span><\/p>\n

Amazon offers a monthly fee of $29.99 CAD per month for a <\/span>professional seller\u2019s account<\/span><\/a>. For individual sellers, the fee is $1.49 CAD per item sold.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

2. eBay<\/span><\/h3>\n

eBay<\/span><\/a> is also one of the largest online marketplaces out there and is one of Amazon\u2019s main competitors. However, it\u2019s possible to sell your products on both websites. eBay boasts <\/span>23 international sites<\/span><\/a> and services over 100 countries. That\u2019s some hefty selling power!<\/span><\/p>\n

The unique part of eBay that Amazon doesn\u2019t offer is the auction house business model. Besides a regular online marketplace, with items purchased with the click of a button, eBay users can also participate in auctions where they bid on products. Some of these items are unique, like cars and valuable jewellery and antiques, which is a major difference between eBay and Amazon. Despite this, <\/span>around 80% of the products<\/span><\/a> sold on eBay are actually new items from retailers like you.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

While there is no monthly fee to <\/span>sell on eBay<\/span><\/a>, there is a seller fee when you sell an item, either through auction or fixed-price sale. This is called a final value fee, which is usually around 10 to 12 per cent.<\/span><\/p>\n

3. Walmart<\/span><\/h3>\n

In recent years, Walmart has gone in on the online marketplace action by offering their platform to independent retailers alongside Walmart goods. And they\u2019ve got the users, with over <\/span>385 million visits<\/span><\/a> in 2020. That\u2019s a lot of leverage!<\/span><\/p>\n

Previously, Walmart only offered online marketplaces in the US, China, Canada, and the U.K. But in recent years, they\u2019ve started offering their platform to international sellers with Walmart\u2019s pre-approval. For sellers outside the US, Canada, China, and the U.K., there are strict requirements, including:<\/span><\/p>\n