There’s no denying Amazon’s place in the eCommerce Hall of Fame. With billions of shoppers visiting Amazon.com every month—few channels are able to compete with Amazon’s sheer popularity.
But what competitors’ lack in size, they make up for in other benefits.
Some offer niche audiences. Others strive to create more seller-friendly experiences.
Not to mention that as more and more merchants compete for wallet share on the marketplace and the costs of selling on Amazon continue to rise, it’s wise to build out a multichannel selling strategy that prevents over-reliance on any one channel.
Below are seven great Amazon alternatives for your business to check out. Keep reading for an overview of how each can help you to grow your business and win over a new set of customers.
7 Amazon alternatives to consider
01. Wix for eCommerce
It’s not uncommon for merchants to look outside of Amazon seeking a channel that gives them more control and ownership over the customer experience.
An online store gives you just that. By launching your own online store, you can freely list as many products as you want, set the terms and conditions for running your business, and design your store exactly as you envision it to be.
Moreover, you can regain ownership over your customer data—a crucial ingredient for personalizing ads or other marketing efforts that build customer loyalty.
Of course, when it comes to building your online store, we’re partial to Wix for eCommerce. Wix makes it simple for you to launch your storefront, letting you choose the look, feel, and branding of your business and your products—no coding knowledge required.
Read Also: How to start a business
Wix also offers baked-in tools for multichannel inventory management, dropshipping, marketing automation, and more. Wix is compatible with hundreds of other third-party apps, letting you create an experience that’s entirely your own. Explore all of Wix’s eCommerce features.
Price: Business and eCommerce plans beginning at $27/month, plus processing fees when you use Wix Payments
Best for: Owners of any size eCommerce company who want more control over the user experience, branding, and customer data
Pros:
100% control over your branding, marketing, and customer analytics
500+ mobile-responsive and ready-made store templates
Streamlined inventory management, catalog management, and payments
Marketing and automation tools to help you reach your customers
Multichannel and global expansion features (including direct integrations with Amazon, eBay, and others)
Free 14-day trial
Cons:
You will need a paid subscription to unlock certain eCommerce features
02. eBay
With 159 million active users, eBay is the second most popular online marketplace in the U.S. behind Amazon. Over the years, it has shed its skin as a virtual auction house (88% of items on eBay are now fixed “buy it now” prices) and has attracted brands like Bose, KitchenAid, and Dyson that sell new or refurbished items directly on the platform.
Today, eBay offers products in dozens of categories, including car parts, electronics, and apparel. Because it has roughly half the number of active users as Amazon, eBay offers greater visibility for merchants on its marketplace.
Read more: How to sell on eBay
Relative to Amazon, eBay arguably offers much more flexibility in how you showcase your products. You can customize your listings for each product, and tailor your shipping and return policies as needed. (By contrast, on Amazon, you’re forced to compete for the buy box on any product that’s sold by other resellers, and must often conform to Amazon’s FBA policies to remain competitive.)
Price: Final value fees range from 12.9% to 15% on average, $0.35 insertion fees, and optional store subscriptions starting at $4.95/month
Best for: Business owners seeking reach the ‘value seeker’ of ‘enthusiast buyer’—consumers who care more about the value and uniqueness of the product that they’re getting than convenience
Pros:
Millions of unique visitors each month
Cheaper fees compared to Amazon, which may increase your profit margins
Greater flexibility in how you price your products and manage your store
More control over product listings, shipping, and return policies
Ready-made integration with Wix for eCommerce
Cons:
Monthly subscription is required to open an eBay store
Fees can increase after you exceed monthly insertion and final value fee thresholds
Shoppers on eBay may be looking for a bargain
03. Walmart Marketplace
While Amazon may have taken the internet by storm, Walmart remains the largest retailer in the world. But these days, the retailer is gunning hard for Amazon’s title by investing heavily in its online marketplace.
In May 2022, Walmart.com boasted more than 150,000 third-party sellers, a 66% year-over-year increase. It now sees up to 100 million unique visitors each month, and offers services—like Walmart Fulfillment Services (WFS) and Walmart Plus—to rival that of Amazon’s.
Walmart Marketplace is growing in popularity among sellers for many valid reasons. For one, it links your brand with the biggest name in retail. For another, it features a very simple fee approach; you only get charged when you make a sale. (That said, recent reports have noted a drastic uptick in the number of products sold or fulfilled by Walmart, similar to FBA’s influence over product rankings.)
Keep reading: How much does it cost to sell on Walmart Marketplace?
And perhaps the most enticing perk: the marketplace is far less crowded, giving merchants a greater chance at getting seen by Walmart’s loyal shoppers.
Price: Referral fees range from 8% to 15% on average, and optional Walmart Fulfillment Services (WFS)
Best for: eCommerce business owners who already have an online store or sell on another channel and want to expand their brand’s profile
Pros:
Millions of unique visitors each month
Simple fee approach (no monthly subscription or listing fees required)
Association with Walmart’s massive brand, which could have a halo effect on your products
End-to-end fulfillment services via WFS
Less competition, partially due to Walmart’s desire to enforce quality over quantity
Cons:
Walmart Marketplace customers may be price-sensitive
Newer, less mature seller platform than Amazon’s
04. Target Plus
One of Walmart’s biggest brick-and-mortar competitors is starting to make headway with an online marketplace all its own. Launched in 2019, Target Plus is currently invitation-only, though it plans to accept partner applications in the future.
Right now, about 450 third-party sellers are active on Target Plus, and only about a dozen are asked to join every month. So, while there’s no easy way to throw your hat in the ring, it’s still worth noting that in general, the brand is looking to add companies with an established online presence, high-quality products, and exceptional customer service.
If you do get approached, Target Plus offers the opportunity to sell across a wide range of product categories, including beauty, toys, home decor, and grocery.
Similar to Walmart Marketplace, Target Plus only charges you when someone makes a purchase. The brand also favors merchants who ship their products to their customers promptly.
Price: Referral fees range from 5% to 15% on average
Best for: Experienced eCommerce brands with a proven track record of excellence
Pros:
Strong connection with a beloved brand that earns more than 224 million monthly visits to its website
Simple fee approach (no monthly subscription or listing fees required)
With fewer than 500 third-party merchants on board, your products have an excellent chance of standing out
Cons:
It’s exclusive—you must be invited to sell on the marketplace
No fulfillment program—it’s up to you to store and ship your products to your customers
05. Etsy
Niche marketplaces come with a built-in advantage. If you sell in a category that they specialize in, you can tap into an audience that’s already interested in your product. And when it comes to niche marketplaces, Etsy sits near the top.
With spectacular growth over the past three years, Etsy now flaunts 96.3 million active buyers, making it a great Amazon alternative for makers who create printable arts, crafts, or other unique goods.
Etsy has differentiated itself as a community that supports small businesses, commits itself to sustainability goals, and supports independent creators. They’ve also invested heavily in online and offline marketing, helping to expand the potential audience for its creators’ products. Learn more about how to sell on Etsy.
Price: $0.20 listing fee, 6.5% transaction fee, and optional Etsy Plus subscription of $10/month
Best for: Small-to-midsize eCommerce sellers who specialize in vintage, unique, handmade, or custom products and gifts
Pros:
Niche audience interested in finding unique or handcrafted items
An easy starter channel for new entrants into the eCommerce space
Shoppers and creators alike know the Etsy name and trust the platform
Competitive pricing (although Etsy took some lumps for raising its seller fees recently, its 6.5% commission is less than those of larger marketplaces)
Cons:
Rising competition, with some makers reporting that it’s harder to stand out on Etsy now as the number of sellers continues to increase
You will need to offer free shipping on U.S. orders for your products to rank high in search results
06. Bonanza
Bonanza has emerged as a small but mighty marketplace, at least in the eyes of eCommerce sellers. Bonanza has about 40,000 active sellers, many of whom are drawn to its community-oriented format. The company boasts that it’s EcommerceBytes’ Sellers Choice for most recommended marketplace, thanks to its ease of use, support, and large affiliate network.
Having built its reputation on offering bespoke products, Bonanza’s tagline is “everything but the ordinary.” But today, the marketplace features multiple categories, including home, beauty, collectibles, jewelry, and handbags.
One of Bonanza’s strongest selling points among sellers is that it offers super-cheap fees. You only get charged when you sell a product, and that fee (called a “final value fee”) is just 3.5% for products sold under $1,000—far less of a cut than fees charged by Amazon and other third-party marketplaces.
You can start by setting up a virtual “booth” on Bonanza for free. Alternatively, you can pay for a monthly membership fee to enjoy additional benefits, like advanced analytics, shipping labels, and a slight discount on transaction fees.
Price: Final value fees of 3.5% + $0.25 for Bonanza Booth sales, and (optional) membership plans starting at $25/month
Best for: Small-to-midsize eCommerce sellers looking to expand their multichannel selling strategies
Pros:
Low final value fees, allowing you to save roughly 50% in fees than on other marketplaces
No required monthly subscription fee or listing fees
Advertising options connected with Google Shopping and Bing Ads
Free marketing and analytics tools to help you maximize your customer data
Cons:
Smaller audience, with a little more than 3 million people visiting Bonanza each month
Less customization over your online “booth” compared to an online store
Limited payment options (sellers must have a PayPal account)
07. Newegg
Newegg made its name in the marketplace world as a leading destination for computer parts, laptops, and gaming systems. In recent years, Newegg has expanded its category assortment to include items like sporting goods, office supplies, and home security systems.
Newegg currently has more than 13,000 active sellers. While Newegg’s audience is smaller than other marketplaces, averaging about 18 million website visits a month, its shoppers have a vested interest in all things tech. They trust Newegg as a place to find quality products at a competitive price.
To sell on Newegg, you will have to complete an online questionnaire and receive approval.
Price: Commission fees range from 8% to 12%, and optional monthly subscription starts at $29.95
Best for: Small-to-midsize eCommerce merchants that sell PC accessories and other tech products
Pros:
Niche audience with a strong interest in tech
Curated, subscription-based marketing programs that let you purchase email, social media, online advertising, and video promotions
Multichannel fulfillment service available with a subscription plan
Cons:
Limited features with free plan (to achieve maximum benefit on Newegg, you’ll need a Professional or Elite membership)
Similar commission fees as larger marketplaces like Amazon and Walmart Marketplace
There’s no denying that Amazon is a powerful sales channel, but if you’re looking to build a long-term, defensible brand, it’s wise to explore Amazon alternatives, too. You can also explore how to sell on Facebook Marketplace if you're still looking.
Be selective in the channels you choose. Find ones that resonate with your target buyers, and start experimenting with ways to make your brand stand out.
Learn how Wix’s multichannel campaigns can help to simplify the task of managing multiple channels at once.