With a $1.7 trillion market capitalization, Amazon has ruled the e-commerce industry for years, eclipsing many of its rivals. However, are there any great Amazon alternatives?
With an audience as large as Amazon’s, small businesses and single entrepreneurs come to the site to sell their wares, establish themselves, and grow their businesses. Regardless of the audience that Amazon provides, you may want to consider listing your goods on other online marketplaces.
There are many compelling reasons to expand your eCommerce boundaries.
To begin, putting all the eggs you have in one basket makes little to no sense. Second, selling on a variety of marketplaces exposes your goods to a broader audience. Finally, exploring other options may help you in saving more money on associated fees, while at the same time, they may even allow you to get closer to the potential buyers.
So, if you can’t wait to get the list of best alternatives to Amazon, here is the list you will absolutely love:
#1. eBay
Create an auction for your goods on one of the world’s biggest auction sites. eBay is a major rival of Amazon and is arguably the most popular alternative to the e-commerce giant.
By 2020, eBay had 183 million active purchasers globally, accounting for more than half of the United States’ population. If you’re looking to grow your client base globally, eBay has a sizable presence in the majority of the world’s main nations.
eBay enables you to sell a wide variety of goods, including pre-owned clothing, gadgets, furniture, décor, and other household necessities.
The greatest feature of eBay is its auction-based structure, which allows you to sell items for more than they are worth depending on demand.
The Advantages of Selling on eBay:
Trust – eBay, like Amazon, protects customers against scams and substandard customer service. As a consequence, consumers are more willing to try an unfamiliar brand and purchase your goods.
- Flexible Listing Options: When selling on eBay, you have the option of using fixed-price or auction-based listings. Fixed Price Listings are ideal for goods that do not sell well at auction or for merchants that have a large quantity of inventory. Auction-based listings are preferable for high-demand goods with limited availability.
- Global Shipping: eBay’s Global Shipping Program (GSP) streamlines the process of shipping to consumers worldwide. Once you’ve sold an item that qualifies for international shipping, just send it to the eBay Global Shipping Center in Kentucky. The business then takes care of everything else, from filling out customs paperwork to managing import costs that are paid by the customer.
- Large Audience: Similar to Amazon, eBay offers a large built-in audience of consumers who will discover your goods organically online.
- Reduced Fees: Compared to other retailers, eBay listing fees are lower. eBay costs $0.35 for listing and 10% or less for selling in almost every category. By and large, eBay offers a greater chance of earning a larger profit each transaction.
- Sell Pre-Owned Items: eBay enables you to sell items in any condition. As a consequence, you may sell old or even damaged goods on their platform as long as the condition of the item is clearly stated in the ad.
The Drawbacks of Selling on eBay:
- Additional Fees: The ultimate value fees are determined by your seller reputation. If your eBay account does not satisfy certain performance requirements, eBay has the right to charge you an additional four percentage points on top of the normal cost.
- Bargain Hunters Expect Low Prices: eBay is well-known for its low prices. As a consequence, you’re often confronted with a mob of bargain hunters seeking the lowest rates available. Businesses that offer high-end goods are unlikely to be successful on eBay.
- Competition: Identical to Amazon, you will face hundreds of rivals offering goods similar to yours. Additionally, eBay has a high level of piracy.
- Much Smaller Than Amazon: When comparing eBay to Amazon, you’ll discover that eBay generates about one-tenth of the sales that Amazon does.
#2. Overstock
Overstock has been in business for more than 15 years, establishing a reputation as a premier marketplace for stylish and inexpensive home décor and furniture. Indeed, the business has garnered many accolades and earned a place on Forbes’ list of America’s 100 Most Trustworthy Companies.
The firm began by assisting failed businesses in the selling of excess and returned goods at below-wholesale rates. However, Overstock has expanded its product offerings to include jewellery, clothing, electronics, toys, cosmetic necessities, and handcrafted items.
Overstock is an excellent platform for selling name-brand, high-end designer home products. However, in order to be a successful seller, your goods must have a certain degree of brand awareness.
Private label goods that are brand new are unlikely to perform well on Overstock.
The Advantages of Selling on Overstock:
- Customer Data: Overstock provides extensive customer data that can be used to drive your marketing activities and ultimately boost sales.
- Fees are competitive: Overstock registration is completely free. Listing costs vary from $0.10 to $3.15. Commission rates for goods sold under $25 are set at 3%.
- Massive Audience: Overstock receives over 30 million unique visits each month, which you can use to boost your brand’s visibility and connect with millions of prospective consumers.
- Seller Assistance: To assist you in running your shop, Overstock provides specialized email support and online training resources. Additionally, the platform offers a suite of fulfilment services that provide reduced shipping.
The Disadvantages of Selling on Overstock:
- Low Traffic: While Overstock has a sizable built-in following, its traffic is still negligible in comparison to Amazon or eBay. Overstock’s low traffic may restrict your earning potential, and your success will mainly rely on the products you offer.
- Strict Application Process: Overstock is very picky about which businesses are permitted to sell on the site. To begin, you must complete a survey that Overstock utilizes to assess eligibility.
- You Will Need a Strong Brand: To be successful on Overstock, you must already have a well-known brand.
#3. Etsy
Etsy is an online community of makers, vintage lovers, and artists founded in 2005. Etsy is home to over 2.5 million merchants from 234 countries! Additionally, as of 2019, Etsy has 45.7 million customers.
If you’re creative and want to sell your own handmade items, Etsy is a wonderful place to start.
It’s worth mentioning, though, that Etsy does not accept mass manufactured goods, severely limiting your income possibilities.
As a consequence, although Etsy may not be the greatest location to earn a living, it is a handy method to boost your sales.
The Advantages of Selling on Etsy:
- Audience Building: Unlike Amazon, Etsy enables you to create a customer list in order to develop a connection with your consumers.
- Less Expensive Fees: Etsy charges a modest listing fee of $0.20 for each item and a set 5% commission on all sales.
The Disadvantages of Selling on Etsy:
- Etsy Has Low Traffic: Although Etsy receives considerably less traffic than Amazon and eBay, it enables you to develop a client base and increase repeat transactions.
- Product Options are Limited: Etsy enables you to sell solely handcrafted goods, craft materials, and antique things.
- Strict Product Specifications: Because Etsy prohibits bulk manufacturing, the quantity of products you may sell is limited.
#4. Walmart
Walmart’s chances of equal or surpassing Amazon in terms of scale and volume are probably the greatest.
While Walmart is well-known for its retail chain, its third-party seller marketplace is still in its infancy. As a consequence, you should anticipate dealing with the difficulties associated with selling on an inexperienced ecommerce platform.
Though there is a lack of experience and finesse, Walmart has been steadily expanding its online presence since 2016 via the acquisition of websites and businesses. Walmart provides the greatest possibility of reaching a similar consumer base to Amazon due to its massive built-in user base.
Therefore, if you’re trying to grow your audience, Walmart is a great option to consider.
While Walmart may not now provide life-changing earning potential, it is a decent backup option if your Amazon sales begin to slow.
The Advantages of Selling on Walmart:
- A Wide Reach: Walmart.com has a monthly unique visitor count of up to 100 million. As a result, Walmart is arguably your second greatest chance for producing large-scale internet sales, after Amazon.
- Cost Savings: Walmart does not charge for registration or listing. Rather than that, Walmart levies a charge of 8% – 15% referral fee on each transaction.
- Walmart Fulfillment Support: Similar to Amazon FBA, Walmart can handle storage, shipping & returns, and even customer service, freeing you to concentrate on sales.
The Disadvantages of Selling on Walmart:
- Competition: You may face direct and cut-throat competition from Walmart’s own brands.
- Reduced Margin: Walmart is well-known for its competitive pricing. As a consequence, you may be required to reduce your profit margins in order to satisfy Walmart’s demand for lower-priced products.
#5. Bonanza
Bonanza, founded in 2008, is a relatively young yet rapidly expanding marketplace. As of 2018, their ecommerce platform has over 40,000 merchants and over 22 million listings. (This is thousands of times less than Amazon or eBay.)
Bonanza is committed to assisting sellers in achieving success, in contrast to other markets that are motivated by their own commercial objectives.
Bonanza, for example, does not impose listing fees, monthly shop fees, or any other kind of hidden costs.
If you’re looking to sell unique and unusual items, Bonanza is an excellent marketplace to utilise. Bear in mind that since Bonanza has a limited user base, it may not have the income potential of eBay, Amazon, or Etsy.
Bonanza, on the other hand, may be an excellent method to supplement your sales via different other marketplaces.
The Advantages of Selling on Bonanza:
- Brand Exposure: Bonanza automatically submits your listings to Bing and Google, and you may choose to participate in the affiliate advertising program to expand your reach.
- Convenience: Bonanza makes it simple to diversify your sales by allowing you to import listings from other platforms such as Amazon and eBay.
- Reduced Fees: Bonanza offers an exceptionally low 3.5 percent selling fee. You are required to pay only after a successful sale, and you can choose from a variety of commission-based levels depending on the amount of advertising you want Bonanza to do for your goods.
- Seller-Oriented: Bonanza is seller-centric, providing customized tools to assist you in your success as a vendor. Additionally, there are no listing fees, monthly shop fees, or other hidden costs associated with selling on Bonanza.
- The Ability to Build Your Brand: Bonanza provides you with access to your customer list, allowing you to build relationships with your consumers.
The Disadvantages of Selling on Bonanza:
Less Traffic: Bonanza does not get the same amount of traffic as other marketplaces. You may need to spend heavily on advertising so as to increase your platform’s traffic and revenues.
Inventory Syncing Can Be Awkward: If you sell the same goods on various marketplaces, an item sold on Bonanza may not be correctly updated on other platforms such as eBay. If the same item is sold in both locations, you may be required to rescind one of the orders.
#6. Newegg
Newegg is a treasure trove for customers in search of high-quality, reasonably priced computer gear. The site features a variety of popular technology goods, including gaming computers, digital cameras, mobile devices, and flat-screen televisions.
Along with competitive pricing and quick delivery, Newegg offers expert customer support, making the platform suitable for orders with complex specifications.
If you’re looking to reach a worldwide audience of tech-savvy consumers, from gamers to PC builders, Newegg is your best option. The marketplace is home to 36 million users from 50 different countries!
The Advantages of Selling on Newegg:
- Additional Selling Opportunities: Newegg consumers are, on the whole, tech-savvy, with an eye for lesser-known but high-quality products. Therefore, if your company is well-known in tiny, specialized technology groups, you will generate more sales on Newegg than on other non-tech platforms where brand is important.
- Flexibility in Membership Options: Newegg’s flexible membership choices range from Zero fee to $99.95 a month. The higher your membership investment, the more selling tools you get access to on the site.
- Seller Support: For novice online sellers who require further assistance with Newegg’s selling capabilities, Newegg offers account managers.
- Specialized Marketplace: The majority of Newegg’s consumers are computer geeks who are brand loyal. As a consequence, Newegg connects you to a more affluent audience searching for gadgets and electronics.
The Disadvantages of Selling on Newegg:
- Increased Commission Rates: Newegg’s commission rates are comparable to those of Amazon, ranging from 8% to 15%.
- Meticulous Buyers: Newegg’s clientele is well-versed in technology and is known for doing extensive research prior to making a purchase. If there are any negative evaluations about your goods, your consumers will discover them.
#7. Ruby Lane
If you offer collectibles and antiques to ladies aged 40+, Ruby Lane is a reputable marketplace to sell your wares.
Ruby Lane has 1.1 million unique monthly visits, which is very remarkable for such a specialized area. By registering to sell on Ruby Lane, you unlock the access to thousands of conscientious customers ready to pay a premium for high-quality goods.
The Advantages of Selling on Ruby Lane:
- Highly Focused Buyers: Ruby Lane draws very selective customers who are passionate in art, antiques, jewelry, and collectibles. The average Ruby Lane customer has a larger budget for high-end purchases.
- Low Final Value Fees: Ruby Lane charges a final value cost of just 6.7 percent, which is much less than what Amazon charges.
The Disadvantages of Selling on Ruby Lane:
- Monthly Price Is High: Ruby Lane charges $54 a month, which is higher than Amazon’s $39.99 a month.
- Restricted International Reach: Ruby Lane has a limited international reach, with most of the traffic coming from the US, the UK, Canada, and France.
#8. Houzz
Houzz is a home renovation business based in the United States that links consumers with a variety of services, ranging from handymen to contemporary furniture dealers.
Houzz has over 1.5 million home renovation professionals and over 40 million monthly unique visitors! Therefore, if you sell home renovation goods, you should take advantage of the enormous potential that Houzz provides.
Houzz’s verification procedure is more rigorous than those of other marketplaces. As a result, once you become a Houzz seller, your reputation in the home improvement sector will immediately increase.
The Advantages of Selling on Houzz:
- Big Niche Audience: Houzz connects you with a large number of consumers searching for home renovation goods.
- Diverse Range of Product: Houzz allows you to promote both products and services, and it also allows you to build a profile for each of your offerings.
The Disadvantages of Selling on Houzz:
- Application Process: To become a Houzz seller, you must submit an application.
- Brand Visibility Is Limited: Houzz does not allow you to utilize your own business-branded packaging. Rather than that, Houzz mandates that you send your packages using Houzz-branded inserts.
- Limited Shipping Coverage: Your company must be restricted to countries where Houzz delivers its goods.
#9. Wayfair
Wayfair is an online marketplace for furniture and home décor. In 2019, they earned $9.1 billion in sales, with the bulk of their customers being in the United Kingdom and North America.
With over 155 million monthly visitors, Wayfair has established itself as a leader in the home goods industry, comparable to how Newegg has established itself as a go-to platform for technology items.
The Wayfair marketplace has been expanding at a breakneck pace over the last several years, increasing by 69 percent from 2018 to 2019. As a consequence, Wayfair is an excellent platform for selling your home furnishings.
The Advantages of Selling n Wayfair:
- Custom Onboarding: Wayfair provides you with quick access to a specialized onboarding staff through a custom onboarding platform. You can launch your shop in as little as two weeks and begin earning revenue within a month.
- Massive Customer Base: Sell to a big consumer base that is particularly seeking to purchase home products.
- No Referral Fees: Wayfair does not charge a fee for referrals. Rather than that, Wayfair purchases your goods and works on a cost-plus approach.
- Real-Time Analytics: With Wayfair’s dashboard, you can see your sales and revenue statistics in real time. This manner, you can keep track of your daily income and sales and adjust your stock accordingly to demand and supply.
The Disadvantages of Selling on Wayfair:
- Limited Product Selection: On Wayfair, you can only sell home items. Additionally, Wayfair is very picky about the products it sells.
- Reduced Earning Potential: You sell your goods to Wayfair at wholesale prices rather than the manufacturer’s suggested retail price. This often equates to 50% of your selling price.
#10. Zibbet
No list of Amazon alternatives would be complete without a section devoted to artists. If you produce unique works of art, Zibbet with a relatively modest organic monthly readership is an excellent choice.
The amazing thing about Zibbet is that it functions not only as a third-party marketplace, but also a centralised platform for selling on Etsy and your own site. Each time you manage to sell a product on Zibbet Marketplace, your inventory across your website and Etsy is immediately updated in real time. Additionally, you may manage and fulfil orders received via all channels using the unified Zibbet platform.
You are free to offer as many or as few items as you want without incurring extra charges. You have the option of personalizing the website you built with Zibbet to fit the look of your unique brand. Additionally, you are urged to conduct specials and generate personalized discount codes to thank your most devoted clients.
The Advantages of Selling on Zibbet:
- Centralized Control: It not only allows managing all your products from a single platform, but also allows selling them on multiple platforms.
- Free: For listing up to 10 products, you can use the platform for free.
- Multi-Platform Support: Zibbet allows listing a product once and then selling it on multiple platforms for increased revenue and sales.
- Presence in 100+ Countries: Zibbet operates in 100+ countries. There are over 50,000+ entrepreneurs on Zibbet.
The Disadvantages of Selling on Zibbet:
- Additional Cost: You need to incur additional costs for using all the tools.
- Low Traffic: The platform is relatively new with a very modest traffic. So, you might not make big money.
- Only PayPal: PayPal is the only option to cash out. That is disturbing because PayPal charges a 3% transaction fee, making it costly for some users.
#11. Reverb
We’ll conclude our introduction to Amazon alternatives by taking a look at Reverb, a marketplace for sellers and buyers of music equipment and instruments.
You may post an unlimited number of items for Reverb’s 3 million organic monthly visitors to browse—you will not be charged for any of those listings. Indeed, the only costs charged to Reverb sellers are a 3.5 percent sales commission in addition to a 2.7 percent transaction fee. Additionally, the commission charge is capped at $350. Thus, even if you sell an item for more than $10,000, you will need to pay a commission of only $350.
That caveat, in particular, says much about the caliber of the Reverb team. Nobody would blink an eye if the commission charge increased to 5% or 8% on sales over a particular price point. Nonetheless, Reverb is dedicated to assisting merchants in recouping their losses.
While Reverb does not operate on an auction model—when you put a piece for sale, you specify a fixed price—prospective purchasers have the option of setting a price they think is suitable. This naturally ends up in a bargain sort of thing where you are open to throw in a counteroffer.
The Advantages of Selling on Reverb:
- Dedicated Ecosystem: The ecosystem of Reverb is extremely focused and consists only of musicians and sound engineers.
- Low Cost: Reverb has a much lower fee than eBay.
- Much Safer Platform: Reverb is a much safer platform with scam possibilities being extremely low. Reverb customer care takes action when notified.
The Disadvantages of Selling on Reverb:
- Highly Specialized Marketplace: You cannot sell anything apart from music equipment and instruments.
- Lower Audience: Reverb is much smaller than eBay, and hence, a much lower revenue generation possibility.
Okay now that you have learned about the best alternatives to Amazon for eCommerce, it is time to answer a couple of questions.
Why Use an Amazon Alternative for eCommerce?
We’ve previously discussed one of the primary reasons to explore other venues: the dangers of relying on a single sales platform.
It is fairly uncommon for vendors’ accounts to be banned. If you haven’t previously developed a presence on one of the Amazon alternatives, your company may suffer.
However, by creating several accounts with distinct marketplaces, you have more flexibility in the event that anything goes wrong. Additionally, you may experiment with different web platforms to see which ones are the greatest fit for your goods.
Additionally, there are a number of advantages to expanding your markets, including the following:
Increased flexibility
Every e-commerce sales platform exercises some kind of control over your company. They ascertain:
- Which goods may you list?
- Business terms and conditions
- Your payment alternatives
- Fees for shipping
These words may be inappropriate for your company. Therefore, if you’re searching for more freedom, exploring Amazon alternatives is a smart option.
Increased support for customers and vendors
Perhaps you believe the vendor’s or customer service’s performance is inadequate. Amazon offers merchants with helpful resources, such as its university. However, some sellers believe that seller assistance is sometimes lacking, particularly when things go the right way as anticipated.
Some Amazon Alternatives Provide Additional Shipping Options and Lower Fees
Amazon’s pricing structure has evolved over the years, to the chagrin of some.
Amazon charges $39.99 for its professional selling plan, with individual plans accessible for free. Additionally, referral payments vary according to the category in which you sell.
Delivery is another incentive to explore alternatives since Amazon’s independent sellers lack control over their shipping prices.
If you’re seeking to reduce fees or expand your company, partnering with certain Amazon alternatives may enable you to grow your business while lowering expenses.
Alternative Payment Methods
If you’re a seller on Amazon, you’re probably aware that the company pays sellers through ACH, or electronic money transfer. Amazon distributes the collected payments every 2 weeks to your bank account, and they may take up to 5 days to settle.
However, this is not always the case. If you’re a small company with limited cash flow, joining up for e-commerce platforms that accept a wider variety of payment methods may help you boost your cash flow.
What to Look for in a Competitor to Amazon?
Prior to looking for Amazon alternatives, you should determine what you want from your company. You’ll also want to examine the goods you’re offering and your intended audience.
For instance, if you’re selling printed goods, Etsy may be a good fit. Alternatively, if you’re searching for customers that understand technology, you may find Newegg to be a good fit.
Additional areas to consider include the following:
Easy to Use
Marketplaces that enable you to quickly add goods enable you to list more things in less time. However, you’ll want to consider any Amazon alternatives from your customer’s viewpoint as well.
How critical is simplicity of use? Indeed, new study from Digital Commerce 360 and Bitrate demonstrates that this is a major influence in the purchasing decision.
When exploring new platforms, consider the following:
- Navigation
- Checkout simplicity
- Options for payment
- Options for shipping
Types of Users
Consider your ideal customer and the kind of people attracted by the site. For instance, eBay is enormous, with 182 million active customers. It’s ideal for snagging limited-time bargains, brand-name goods, and gently used merchandise.
However, it is not usually the first place consumers go for handcrafted products or one-of-a-kind things. They’re more likely to visit Etsy.
Fees
If you’re not cautious, fees may eat up a significant portion of your earnings. Certain sites may not be appropriate if you’re selling smaller, lower-value goods due to their cost structure.
If you need assistance in this area, charge calculators may be beneficial.
